The best headphones for gaming offer superior sound quality you won’t find in most gaming headsets, especially if you love bringing your headphones with you everywhere you go. These higher-end headphones usually offer more style and comfort than your typical gaming headset. The move over to gaming should be easy enough since most of these headsets can connect to your gaming PC via Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable.
However, their built-in microphones (when they do have them) don’t quite hack it in multiplayer games because of audio latency, so maybe not the best choice to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer. But then again, if you just want a great headset for listening to anything and everything, a good mic may not be on your list of priorities.
Leading the charge are the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones which offer some of the best noise-canceling on the market. Next is the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0, a slick looking pair of cans that provide superior sound, while the Jabra Elite Active 65t is one of best in-ear experiences out there.
(Image credit: Sony)
(Image credit: Sony)
(Image credit: Sony)
(Image credit: Sony)
(Image credit: Sony)
1. Sony WH-1000XM3
The best headphones for gaming overall
Wireless: Yes | Speaker size: 40mm | Connectivity: Bluetooth, 3.5mm wired | Frequency response: 10Hz-40,000Hz | Features: Digital noise cancelling, Alexa compatibility, built-on touch controls, ambient sound function, USB-C fast charging, 30-hour battery life
Best-in-class noise cancelling
Extensive battery life
Bluetooth is dodgy
Admittedly, it’s rare seeing a pair of headphones that truly shine in almost every regard. But with the WH-1000XM3’s, Sony has created an indisputable winner, a categorically top-notch set of cans whose only shortcoming is the absence of 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, something we hardly ever see outside of the gaming market. They do have Bluetooth, though, so as long as you have a smart TV, an Nvidia Shield, a gaming laptop or a Bluetooth-capable motherboard, you should be set for the reclusive world of active noise cancelling.
Unlike other noise cancelling headphones, the XM3’s use a particularly silent QN1 HD noise cancelling processor. In our own testing, we found it was able to keep out most sounds, even on the crowded New York City subway. While the battery does take a hit as a result, you can take solace in the fact that the WH-1000XM3’s last 30 hours fully charged. After 10 minutes of being plugged in via USB-C, Sony claims they can deliver pristine high fidelity sound over a five hour period. And, to top it all off, volume and playback commands are touch-based. Goodbye forever, inline controls.
(Image credit: AKG)
(Image credit: AKG)
(Image credit: AKG)
(Image credit: AKG)
(Image credit: AKG)
(Image credit: AKG)
2. AKG Y50BT
The best headphones for gaming on a budget
Wireless: Yes | Speaker size: 40mm | Connectivity: Bluetooth, 3.5mm wired | Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz | Features: Detachable 4-foot audio cable, 20-hour battery life, adjustable headband
Unfettered sound
Excellent value
No active noise cancelling
One the most common misconceptions I hear among haters is that headphones don’t have built-in mics. Yet, even the inexpensive AKG Y50 BT has a mic built into the right ear cup, letting you to trash talk teammates and opponents alike as you play video games for enjoyment online. Given that it doesn’t extend outward, the mic quality isn’t the best, but you don’t buy the AKG Y50BT’s for their input quality. You buy them for their kickass audio out.
As they’re made by the world-renowned AKG Acoustics, known primarily for its professional audio equipment used in radio stations and jazz clubs, the Y50BT’s exhibit clear sound through their state-of-the-art 40mm sound drivers. Moreover, they offer a battery life upwards of 20 hours, lasting nearly as long as the Sony WH-1000XM3’s, albeit for a fraction of the price. If you’ve ever wanted audiophile headphones without basically setting your wallet on fire, these are for you.
(Image credit: Sennheiser)
(Image credit: Sennheiser)
(Image credit: Sennheiser)
(Image credit: Sennheiser)
3. Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Over-ear
The best headphones for gaming the old-fashioned way
Wireless: No | Speaker size: 40mm | Connectivity: 3.5mm wired | Frequency response: 16-22,000Hz | Features: Foldable stainless steel headband, noise isolating earpads
Vintage design
Premium audio quality
Wired only
Forget all that stuff I said about sound quality earlier. The real reason to buy the best headphones for gaming over a still-decent gaming headset is that they look damn good. Imagine, if you will, an evening spent indoors, sipping aged bourbon, listening to The Smiths and donning this classic-style pair of cans. For anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of Bluetooth, the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Over-ear headphones are incredible. But they’re more than just a pretty face.
On the inside are a couple of 40mm drivers, with 18 Ohm tranducers engineered by Sennheiser itself. Though you might expect the stainless steel headband to be a huge obstruction in the way of portability, they’re easily foldable, meant for being tucked in a duffel bag somewhere safe during travel. Should the unfortunate occur, and you’re left with a botched pair of headphones due, the company offers a two-year warranty on the Momentum 2.0’s. And, since versions exist for both iPhone and Android devices, you can count on them working with your phone too.
The best in-ear headphones for gaming 2019
(Image credit: Jabra)
(Image credit: Jabra)
(Image credit: Jabra)
(Image credit: Jabra)
1. Jabra Elite Active 65t
The best in-ear headphones for gaming overall
Wireless: Yes | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Features: Five-hour battery life, included charging case, IP56 sweat and dust resistance, customizable EQ, Jabra Sound+ app compatibility, four microphones
Comfortable in-ear design
Long-lasting battery
Doesn’t have GPS tracking
Chances are, you’re not always playing games. For most of us, gaming is a hobby rather than a lifestyle. The rest of our time is devoted to commuting, working, going to the gym, cooking, cleaning—activities that are undeniably enhanced while wearing the best in-ear headphones for gaming, the Jabra Elite Active 65t’s. Instead of doubling down on audio engineering and extraneous features, the Jabra Elite Active 65t prioritize two things: longevity and comfort.
That’s not to say the sound quality is bad, per se. In fact, these buds brandish a frequency response range of 20-20kHz, rivaling that of our crowd of much larger best wireless gaming headsets. Exclusive Bluetooth connectivity makes them a tough sell for gaming, but with the proper adapters in tow, you won’t have a problem setting them up. Everything about the Jabra Elite Active 65t screams ease of use, including the customizable EQ found in the optional Jabra Sound+ app.
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
2. Bose SoundSport Wireless
The best in-ear headphones for gaming and exercise
Wireless: Yes | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Features: Bluetooth and NFC pairing, active EQ, voice prompts, sweat and weather resistance, six-hour battery life, Bose Connect app compatibility, included nylon carrying case, microUSB charging, inline controls
Impeccable sound
Durable construction
No USB-C
Lacks charging case
Cheaper, and perhaps more resilient than, the Jabra Elite Active 65t are the Bose SoundSport Wireless in-ear headphones, the runner-up in our final rundown. These bad boys have a longer, six-hour battery life, however they don’t benefit from the extension of a charging case. Rather, the SoundSport Wireless buds are tethered to a rubber string, one that conveniently wraps around your neck during idle moments of concentration. Whether those take place while gaming or working out is your call.
Leveraging Bose’s own ‘StayHear+’ tips, the SoundSport Wireless earbuds actually stay in your ears, a welcome departure from the disposable, ill-fitting Apple AirPods. As for the pairing process, connecting the Bose SoundSports to any device is just about as effortless as connecting your iPhone to a pair of AirPods. Again, Bluetooth capabilities are required, but it doesn’t take an expert to get them working with even the most archaic PC builds.
(Image credit: Klipsch)
(Image credit: Klipsch)
(Image credit: Klipsch)
(Image credit: Klipsch)
3. Klipsch R6i II
The best in-ear headphones for gaming with a cord
Wireless: No | Connectivity: 3.5mm wired | Features: 10-19kHz frequency response range, 18 Ohm impedance, inline controls
Compelling price point
Eardrum-shredding sound
Limited compatibility
We get it. Bluetooth, on a PC, is annoying as hell to configure. However, all the best computer speakers and gaming keyboards have 3.5mm audio passthrough. You have no excuse to pass up on the Klipsch R6i II wired earbuds. The best in-ear headphones for gaming with a cord in my experience, the R6i II buds are somewhat basic on paper. After all, they’re known best for their unbridled performance. Emitting sound at a 10-19kHz frequency response range, few earbuds come close in terms of raw horsepower.
That said, bear in mind the kind of connection you have on your phone before snatching these up. Behind us are the better days, when the 3.5mm audio jack was ubiquitous. Now you’ll more than likely find yourself forking over a bit more for a Lightning or USB-C adapter. And at that point, you must ask yourself, is it even worth it? Don’t get us wrong, the Klipsch R6i II’s are the best sounding wired earbuds on the market right now. But you’re still better off future-proofing with a cable-free model. Might we suggest one of the above?