If you’re serious about gaming, you need a good pair of headphones. If you want to get the best audio from your games you’re going to need a good pair of cans as well. So what are the best headphones a gaming experience?
Today, we can find games from all around the world and from every genre possible, available on a click of the mouse.
Whether you are competitive or a casual gamer, playing shooting game or Moba – there is a growing need for a good piece of audio equipment that will help you to be on a competitive level or just help you to enjoy the immersion of the game to the full extent.
When looking for a good piece of headphones for gaming purposes, one must well research the topic – a mistake can be really costly, and the frustration from buying a product that doesn’t work well enough is no small thing.
Hell, even if they work well but they don’t sound good for the type of games you are playing is a problem that you can’t fix easily (and will probably require additional expenses).
So, what do YOU want from headphones?
If you don’t mind spending some extra money on a product that has a great sound, durability, control options and wireless option? Well, look no more, because the SteelSeries Arctis 7 is the thing you need – a great headset that provides their user great and enjoyable experience with a long usage time, unmatchable by the competition in comfort level.
If you’re in a need for a wired headset that has similar possibilities for the lowest price possible -there is HyperX Cloud Alpha that will suit you nicely.
For a casual gamer and music audiophile, we have Sennheiser 506080 Game One, that will give its user both options – gaming AND great sound reproduction.
On the other hand, we have ASTRO Gaming A50 – the wireless product made for gaming purposes only.
Last, but not the least, we got Creative Sound BlasterX H7 that provides some interesting features in sound control/surround system, that plenty of gamers will like.
Table could not be displayed.What to consider
As I stated earlier before, mistakes are costly and frustrating. So what should you look for when searching for a good pair of headphones?
Well, that all depends on your personal preferences – do you like wireless or wired ones, or do you prefer both options? Cables can be frustrating when they tangle, or you may not like the need to charge you wireless headset every once in a while.
Also, are you a casual gamer or you’re a die-hard gamer that wants to compete on a serious level?
Do you want your headset for gaming purposes only, or do you want to take them for a stroll in the park, or for watching movies/listening to music?
On the market there are hundreds of different models, each made for some group specifically – so find out first where you belong, and I’m sure you can easily find just the right headset you need.
SteelSeries Arctis 7 – Wonderful sound quality and adjustability of sound
SteelSeries is a Danish based company that makes gaming peripherals and accessories, including headsets, keyboards, and mice. They are a young company, started in 2001 by Jacob Wolff-Petersen, but soon became one of the most popular brands in the gaming industry.
Today I’ll take a look at their product SteelSeries Arctis 7 that is widely recognized as the best gaming headset, praised especially because of their gaming performance.
Construction & Design
Their construction is bulky and durable, with a simple design and color variations. They are very comfortable and lightweight, and their breathable and well-padded ear cups can fit well around most ears. Controls are easy to use and very responsive.
SteelSeries Arctis 7 have two dials to control volume and microphone level, and a button that you can use to completely disable microphone.
Their battery performance is excellent, providing 24 hours of battery life for only 3.5 hours of charging. Also, they automatically turn-off if left idle for more than 10 minutes.
Sound Quality
The Steelseries Arctis 7 is a good sounding pair of closed-back over-ear gaming headsets that provide their users with an excellent bass and treble, so they can be used not only for gaming purposes but also for music listening.
These headphones have breathable pads which make them comfortable to wear for longer gaming sessions, but because of that, they don’t block plenty of outside noise – so they aren’t the perfect ones for a loud environment.
The Arctis 7 runs on the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, which allows the user to fine-tune them up to suit their preferences, and equalize the sound to various different game/music genres.
Conclusion
It’s really no wonder how Steelseries Arctis 7 headphones won the hearts of users and critics – they are just that good. They are comfortable for a long usage and possess a durable build that won’t sell you out after a while.
Battery performance is great, and they provide both the option to use them while charging or use them as wired headphones without any differences in sound quality.
But their sound quality and adjustability of sound is something that can’t be praised enough – you can make different profiles for different types of games, which allows the users to fully enjoy their gaming experience.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Sound adjusting / great quality of the sound
- Durable
Cons
- Aren’t suitable for a loud environment
- Some types of music don’t sound that good
- Slightly bulky
HyperX Cloud Alpha – Audio clarity and a noticeable bass boost
Kingston Technology Corporation started their HyperX brand in the early 2000’s that is focused primarily on the gaming experience. Their newly created brand HyperX soon became one of the most popular brands in the gaming industry, while also improving gaming by sponsoring multiple E-sport teams and Youtube creators.
Their HyperX Cloud Alpha is a budget-friendly, wired type of headphones.
Construction & Design
The design resembles their previous model Cloud II, with red aluminum details above the earpads, which gives them interesting and more modern look.
The build is sturdy yet lightweight, and their faux-leather, memory-foam ear pads that feel extremely soft and an adjustable headband are something that guarantees long usage time without any inconvenience.
The cables are removable, which allows the user to replace them when they break, without the need to buy a new headset. The controls are in-line, with a wheel for volume up/down and mic on/off.
Sound Quality
Audio clarity is one of the strongest points of HyperX Cloud Alpha, along with its noticeable bass boost – more prominent than the original Cloud’s(HyperX introduced new dual chamber drivers for better audio and less distortion), though the lows can sound a little “muddy”.
Sound isolation is good, the earpads fit nicely on the ears, but like in every noise isolation type of headphones, they can’t completely reduce the outdoor noise. However, this model can nullify even higher amount of background noise which is great even for a smaller, professional tournament, not to mention gaming at your house.
Conclusion
HyperX Cloud Alpha is a great, affordable piece of headphones, that can serve both casual music listeners and die-hard gamers – they have a very clean, but fun sound, their durability is great and the modern look is a real treat for the eyes.
For just under 100 dollars, this product will give you a long-lasting and enjoyable experience while gaming, watching movies or just listening to your favorite track.
The only downside is that this model is wired only, so you won’t have that much freedom like when you wear some other wireless model.
Pros
- Great sound
- Good comfortability
- Detachable cables
Cons
- Only basic controls
- Wired only
- Microphone can pick-up some noises
Sennheiser 506080 GAME ONE – Good balance between gamers and audio enthusiasts
Another gaming product from a major audio manufacturer – the Sennheiser Game One is a wired, open-ear gaming headset with a great sound quality.
While Sennheiser is famous for its products for audiophiles, this model tried to balance between both the gamers and audio enthusiasts, so let’s see what this model has to offer.
Construction & Design
The Sennheiser Game One has a simple yet attractive design. They come in two color options – an all-black variation and a two-tone black and white scheme that’s a bit more stylish. Large ear cups, ample padding, and a well-padded headband provides you with an enjoyable experience while wearing them.
Controls are simple, including volume dial and a mute switch, but they possess no other option to fine-tune the sound.
This is a wired only model, so you’ll have a smaller amount of freedom while wearing them compared to other, wireless models on the market.
Sound Quality
Sound quality in Sennheiser’s models isn’t disputable – their sound is almost always excellent, worthy of audiophiles praise. Game One isn’t an exception – they too possess the sound quality worthy of Sennheiser name. The problem, however, is the lack of controls and options in audio playback.
This is purely a stereo headset, meaning it lacks the ability to easily crank up or turn down the voice chat or switch between simulated surround and stereo.
The open ear cups of the Sennheiser Game One means they have better soundstage but won’t isolate enough for loud environments.
Conclusion
I feel kinda conflicted about this model – the sound is great, their comfortable and durable – but they lack audio controls like in other, competition models. Still, their sound quality is really outstanding, and can easily fit both if you aren’t a die-hard gamer.
Sennheiser 506080 GAME ONE price is a bit higher for its overall value – but is there a price that’s too high for a pristine sound and comfortable experience.
Pros
- Outstanding sound
- Comfortable
- Simple but attractive design
Cons
- Wired only
- Pricey
- Lack of depth in audio-controls
ASTRO Gaming A50 – The premium sound controls and audio quality
The Astro A50 is a great wireless gaming headset with a very good sound. These headphones are well-built, durable and have a flashy looking design with comfortable ear cups that allow you to wear for a prolonged time.
You can’t really use them as casual, everyday headphones – they’re not made, for example, commuting or jogging, and have to be in the range of their base station to work.
Construction & Design
The design is flashy, with strong colors and futuristic look – their built is sturdy yet they possess very moderate weight (363 grams).
The control scheme is great (but only for gaming purposes), and it consists of a volume dial, a slider that allows you to switch between different EQ presets, and a Dolby button. Battery performance is decent at most, providing 13 hours of usage time for a long charging time – 6 hours.
They possess power saving option that turns them off when you left them idle – to help save the battery life.
Sound Quality
The Astro A50 is a great sounding pair of closed-back over-ear gaming headphones, that has an excellent, and deep bass, a great and neutral mid-range and a well-balanced treble.
But because of the breathable design of earpads which makes comfortable but less isolating in loud environments, they won’t block a lot of noise and let the ambient chatter of your surroundings seep into your audio.
They also leak at higher volumes so they may be inconvenient in quieter settings.
Conclusion
The Astro Gaming A50 is a gamer only piece of equipment – they have premium sound controls and audio quality that fits the gamer needs nicely, combined with a well-made build and design to allow maximum comfortability when using them.
Still, the long battery charge time and average battery life is really a bummer, and the poor noise isolation means you can’t use them in a competitive gaming scene.
Nevertheless, this is still an amazing piece of equipment for a gamer that wants to enjoy his gaming it his comfy room.
Pros
- Good sound
- Great controls for gaming
- Good microphone that blocks noises from sipping in
Cons
- Bad for commuting/sports
- Long charging time
- Average battery life
Creative Sound BlasterX H7 – Control the realism of your entertainment
The Sound BlasterX H7 is an upgraded model of a Creative Sound older model H5 – they added more length to the new model, surround 7.1 system (which is overwhelmingly good) and some finesses in the design.
And while the design is simple, the sturdy aluminum body is accompanied by a leathery cushion headband that is adjustable, and soft ear cups that helps reduce the noise while sitting tightly on your head. All of that for under 120 dollars.
Construction & Design
This model doesn’t give anything exceptional compared to the competition in design/build quality. They seem sturdy, have a simple design that allows good comfortability for their price.
The Sound BlasterX H7 is engineered with two custom audio settings that give you control of the realism of your entertainment – you can choose between the Analog mode and digital USB mode for a tailored and immersive experience.
Unfortunately, they are wired only headphones, but they come with a detachable microphone which is a great plus.
Sound Quality
The sound quality is above-average and really justify the 120 dollar price-tag. The sound is great, clear but the real treat is the 7.1 surround system and Creative Labs software that allows the user to make EQ adjustments and set custom modes for their listening preferences.
The engine lets you tweak the surround sound intensity, crystallizer strength, bass, smart volume balance, dialog plus and it lets you choose from numerous game-specific profiles that have been professionally calibrated for a select number of games.
They have average noise isolation and tend to leak a bit on higher volumes, which isn’t convenient when using them out-door.
Conclusion
The Creative Sound BlasterX H7 is a USB 7.1 gaming headset with good sound quality, good comfort level, above-average build quality and a couple of interesting features that will “hook” any gamer.
Their 7.1 surround system is great and combined with great (and free) software that allows the user to fully customize his gaming experience, the Sound BlasterX H7 is a great add-on to your gaming equipment.
The detachable cable for the microphone is great too. Still, the wired only option, together with basic looking design and the lack of versatility may be a problem for more demanding users.
Pros
- 7.1 surround system
- Great backup from software allowing plenty of choices
- Good sound
Cons
- Basic design
- Wired only
- Not fully adjustible
Verdict
Every one of these 5 products has a different group they want to please and different things they excel at.For example, we have HyperX Cloud Alpha – a wired product with great performances for a really moderate price.
ASTRO Gaming A50 have a superior microphone that can block outside noises from sipping in, ruining your or others gaming experience.
Creative Sound BlasterX H7 is a wired, 7.1 surround system headset with great software that allows you to mix things up.
Sennheiser 506080 GAME ONE is the ones you want for casual gaming and outstanding music reproduction that allow you to listen to music as it was recorded – a true treat for every audiophile.
And then we come to the winner – SteelSeries Arctis 7 – the overall best possible product you can buy for maximum enjoyment while gaming.
The clear winner on our list – SteelSeries Arctis 7 is a wireless headset with outstanding battery performance and great controls that allows you to fine-tune your headset to personal preferences.
Crazy comfortable, well built, with great sound quality and durable design that won’t fail you even after hundreds of hours – that’s what would any gamer want for himself – a great overall product that will sound and feel amazing for a really moderate price.
Conclusion
Whatever game you play, it is indisputable that great gaming experience doesn’t come from the graphic only – the sound is the thing that “pulls” you into the world where you play.
Whether it be the sound of footsteps in a shooting game or a sound of Slark entering Shadowblade( get back supports, because otherwise, you’re dead) – every game have its own sound signature that keeps the player attention fixed to the monitor.
And like there are countless different genres of games, there are also countless different types of headphones to suit them best – while the best ones are good for multiple genres.
Some of you don’t want to buy a different model for both gaming and casual use – so we got you covered too- you will find a couple of interesting headphones here that will suit you nicely.
And whatever model and manufacturer you decide for – I hope you will enjoy them. GlHf!
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