Buildinga gaming setupcan be quite a daunting task, financially speaking. After spending on critical items like agraphics cardand aCPU, cash may be tight when it’s time to buy the smaller peripherals, like headsets. Thebest wireless gaming headsetsare available from numerous familiar gaming brands, including Razer and SteelSeries, and fall into a wide range of price points. Finding a gaming headset thatdoesn’t break the bankor slash its features can certainly be tricky. The good news is that gamers don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get decent sound and attractive features.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Budget Wireless Gaming Headsets in 2024
Razer Barracuda X (2022)
With the Razer Barracuda X, the famous gaming peripheral maker set out to create the lightest and most comfortable wireless headset. Weighing just 250 grams, gamers can wear the Barracuda X all day and night thanks to a 50-hour battery life and not feel any discomfort. Flowknit memory foam ear cushions and a heavily padded headband will make listeners forget they have gear on their heads.Razer’s Triforce 40mm drivers on the Barracuda X result in a perfect blend of treble and bass. The included USB dongle is amazingly versatile, allowing the Barracuda X to connect to the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices with Bluetooth.
The Razer Barracuda X gaming headset was an easy pick for the best all-around wireless gaming headset on a budget. Its unrivaled 50-hour battery life and ultra-lightweight profile, weighing just 250 grams, surge the Barracuda X over its competition. A headset that’s not too heavy and boasts a long battery life is perfect for mobile gaming, and theBarracuda X happens to be compatible with the Nintendo Switchand mobile devices, in addition to PC and PlayStation setups. However, it’s incompatible with Xbox consoles.
A detachable Hyperclear boom mic makes the Barracuda an excellent option for gamers who frequently chat with others, while 40mm drivers deliver lively and detailed audio across every game genre. One downside of the Razer Barracuda X is its relatively counter-intuitive audio controls. The onboard audio wheel adjusts the volume of all audio sources together, including party and game sound, so individual source volume levels must be manually changed through the console.
Despite fitting into the budget category of headsets, in Game Rant’sRazer Barracuda review, we found that the sound performance of this headset punches way above its weight class, making it an impressive choice for gamers who are looking at higher-priced headsets.
Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless headset
The Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless Premium Gaming Headset is Discord Certified and compatible with PC and PlayStation (4 and 5) setups. It offers 7.1 Surround Sound along with powerful 50mm neodymium drivers. An impressive 20Hz-30,000Hz frequency range brings all nature of noises to life, while memory foam earpads keep gamers comfortable even in long sessions.
A premium budget wireless gaming headset may be a bit of an oxymoron, but the Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless Premium Gaming Headset is a worthy consideration for shoppers who can stretch their dollars just a bit more. This headset, retailing for about $110,boasts 7.1 surround sound, supported by dual 50mm drivers. The expanded frequency range of 20Hz-30,000Hz means that players will hear the softest footsteps, the richest voices, and incredibly realistic rumbling explosions.
Although the battery life is pretty paltry, with a max of 10 hours, or just five with the RGB light on, this headset offers a comfortable feel the entire time. Each earcup uses a breathable, microfiber mesh fabric over memory foam, essentially eliminating any discomfort due to pressure for most users. Plus, the flip-to-mute mic is conveniently placed, even if a detachable one might be preferred by some users.
The wireless range of this headset is impressive at 40 feet, roughly 10 feet longer than the average range of competing headsets. Through Corsair’s peripheral software, iCue, you can fully customize sound profiles to match whatever game or app you’re using, further enhancing the audio. Overall, for anyone who wants high-end features for less than $150, the Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless Premium Gaming Headset is the best choice.
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Gaming Headset
The SteelSeries Arctic 1 is a wireless headset with a frequency response of 20 - 20,000 Hz. It features a gaming-grade wireless 2.4 GHz connection that has low latency and a maximum range of 30 feet. The headset supports the PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.The headset features a detachable noise-canceling microphone with clear and natural recording sound. It is also Discord Certified for great voice communication. The drivers are the high-performance speakers from the company’s highly-acclaimed Arctis 7 headset.
SteelSeries offers dozens ofhigh-end gaming peripherals, and their Arctis headsets are no different. While most of these headsets are listed with price tags of around $300, the budget-minded Arctis 1 costs less than a third of what the Nova Pro costs and still manages to offer a premium experience. Featuring a high-speed, low-latency connection, the Arctis 1 is one of the few gaming headsets with sweeping compatibility across many console types, including PC, PlayStation, Nintendo, and mobile. The Arctis 1 is a perfect option for gamers who want a versatile headset on a budget.
Using dynamic 40mm drivers in each earcup and a noise-canceling, bidirectional mic, players can receive and send crystal-clear audio while gaming or streaming. Whether gamers are playing a more relaxed game that has a chill soundtrack or a high-intensity FPS game that is filled with explosions and gunfire, the Arctis 1 handles it flawlessly. Despite being much more affordable than other SteelSeries headsets, the Arctis 1 provides an incredibly accurate sound response that even rivals some of the higher-end options from SteelSeries.
The mic is also detachable, which pairs well with the durable steel headband and an impressive 20-hour battery life for on-the-go gaming. The Arctis 1 can also be attached to controllers using the included 3.5mm cable or connected through a wireless dongle for an even stronger connection. While there are certainly more powerful, and more expensive, gaming headsets out there, this versatile headset is ideal for most gamers and makes few cutbacks despite being available for less than $100 most of the time.
Redragon H848 IRE Pro
The Redragon H848 Bluetooth wireless gaming headset brings together affordability and value. It features an impressive audio output through 40mm drivers and 7.1 surround sound. This headset is versatile in its compatibility, too; the H848 will work for PC, PlayStation (3, 4, and 5), Nintendo Switch, and mobile players. Connect via Bluetooth to Bluetooth-compatible devices, or utilize the 2.4 GHz dongle for a reliable, low-latency connection.
At just about $40, the H848 IRE Pro wireless gaming headset from Redragon rivals many competing models that are over double the price. The H848 offers compelling 7.1 surround sound, making it a perfect choice for gamers who still want a surround sound experience but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg. Although this headset is missing Redragon’s iconic RGB lighting, it is available in five different colors, so users can still find one that suits their aesthetic best.
The smaller 40mm drivers are a bit less powerful than the 50mm drivers used in higher-end models, but despite the slightly smaller driver size, this headset can get pretty loud. Although there is a good amount of distortion at the top end of the volume range, most users won’t ever have them at that volume anyway, so it’s not a big deal.
With its incredibly lightweight and breathable earpads, this headset is very easy to wear for extra-long gaming sessions. Unlike the Arctis 1, which has earcups that are a bit too small, the H848 IRE Pro has surprisingly deep earcups, so most gamers will have no problem with their ears touching the drivers in this headset.
Anker Soundcore VR P10 Wireless Earbuds
The Soundcore VR P10 wireless earbuds are made to be used with the Meta Quest 2, but thanks to the under 30ms latency and USB-C 2.4Ghz dongle, these earbuds can be used for gaming regardless of the system. Plug in and play using the USB-C dongle to connect to Meta Quest 2, Steam Deck, PICO 4, PS4, PS5, PC, or Switch. And don’t worry about running low on battery. The dongle has a pass-through charging port to keep gamers playing all day.
The Anker Soundcore VR P10 is not a conventional gaming headset, but the Nintendo Switch is also not a conventional gaming console, so this is a match made in heaven. The VR P10 supports almost every major console and gaming platform, but thanks to the USB-C 2.4 GHz dongle, these earbuds offer a plug-and-play wireless headset experience for Switch users that is pretty much unrivaled, all for a very reasonable price point.
In Game Rant’sAnker Soundcore VR P10 review, we found that the sound quality for the VR P10 is quite impressive, especially at this price point. While gaming, the sound is clean and crisp, with the mids and highs fairly represented. However, the real magic kicks in with Soundcore’s Super Hearing turned on. This feature is meant to give gamers superpower hearing when it comes to steps and shots, and it thoroughly accomplishes that.
At this price point, the VR P10 is pretty much in a niche of its own. The main competitor to the VR P10 is the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed, which are great earbuds, but they are also considerably more expensive than the VR P10.
Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Headset
The Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Headset is a headset to consider given its feature set, build quality, and current price point. The lightweight headset gives much more premium models a run for their money and with good reason: It decimates most of its competition in value for money with ease.
Finding a gaming headset that worksseamlessly with the PS5 isno easy task, but the Logitech G435 handles it perfectly. Logitech consistently makes fantastic wireless gaming peripherals, and the G435 Lightspeed is no different. While this headset doesn’t have the best microphone around, it does sound pretty fantastic, and its wireless connection is rock-solid all the time.
While most gaming headsets rely on an over-emphasized bass range to deliver an immersive sound, the G435 can make gaming sound incredible with a fairly neutral frequency response. The G435 is not going to blow anyone’s mind with its sound quality, but for right around $50 it is hard to beat the sound quality on this headset.
This incredibly affordable wireless headset has a pretty unique aesthetic that is not for everyone, but it is nice to see Logitech branching away from the go-to black headset that looks like every other gaming headset on the market. Besides the fun colorway options, Logitech has chosen to use two beamforming microphones instead of the typical boom microphone seen on most gaming headsets. This microphone is not the best, especially when compared to boom microphones, but it is reasonably clear and easy to hear.
Xbox Wireless Gaming Headset
Long gone are the days of free wired headsets that break after a few hours. Now, Xbox gamers have a ton of options for their gaming headsets, but Microsoft’s own Xbox wireless headset is the best one available. The headset is exceptionally light and comfortable and connects to all Xbox consoles without the need for a separate USB adapter.The official Xbox Wireless Gaming Headset supports spatial audio formats including Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic, surrounding gamers with positional audio effects. The headset also offers wireless Bluetooth connectivity to a wide range of mobile devices.
A lot of gaming headsets feature support for Xbox Wireless, but few have better performance and seamless integration than the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset, especially at this price point. This headset is built specifically for use with an Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, and it does that spectacularly. If gamers need a perfect budget wireless headset for the Xbox, look no further. This is it.
Just like its no-frills name, this headset doesn’t come with many fancy premium features, but it more than makes up for its implementation of the features it does have. On the earcups, instead of a cluster of buttons for controls, the outside of the earcups rotate to control game volume and party chat volume out of the box. But this can also be changed in the settings to control a wide variety of things. While this does seem a bit gimmicky, the giant knobs provide very fine control that typical buttons do not.
When it comes to sound quality, this headset sounds pretty good. Gaming is immersive and impactful with the mids and highs being fairly accurate. However, the low end is quite boosted. This does help FPS games feel more up close and personal, but when listening to music or playing a more scenic game that doesn’t have a ton of explosions, the bass gets a bit overwhelming.
FAQ
Q: Does a gaming headset need 50mm drivers?
Not necessarily. Picking any audio device for its driver size can loosely be analogized to buying a car just for its engine size. Some will, but most look at the aggregate offer. Many argue that a headset driver’s material, precision, and design are all far more essential components than its size alone, and that’s not even factoring in other characteristics of the headset like spatial audio, equalizer customization, or noise cancelation — the metaphorical leather seats, sunroof, and air suspension upgrades that make the overall product appealing to the average user. There are slight differences in sound quality between the two popular driver sizes that dedicated audiophiles may pick up on; for instance, 50mm drivers, with their bigger diaphragms, are known to hit deeper, harder basses, while 40mm drivers are more likely to keep the sound natural and smooth, at the cost of a shorter frequency range.
Q: Do 2.4GHz end-to-end connections really make a difference?
In most cases, yes! Utilizing a high-speed end-to-end connection, especially if the wireless headset comes with a proprietary connection technology, will generally be more reliable than Bluetooth connections and will experience fewer interruptions, lags, stutters, and delays.
