Here at Gaming Australia, we know the struggle is real when it comes to choosing a quality gaming headset to suit your specific needs. Where do you start? There are just so many on the market and well, the reality is that we are all different in what tops our list of priorities. “Which headset should I get?” is one of the most frequently asked questions within the Gaming Australia community. It’s one that we ourselves have struggled with in the past. The range of extensive feedback that we see everyone provide can also be overwhelming. We’ve all got our favourites so how do you narrow down through all the opinions? We aim to solve this problem for you and that is why we have spent the last 2 months trying as many gaming headsets on the market as possible and compiled a recommendation guide for each and every platform or requirement.
Click on the category below that interests you most, and see which headset takes out that category as winner and the Gaming Australia recommended product. Alternatively, check out each headset’s rating section and ‘bottom line’ to narrow down your own comparisons.
Best Playstation Headset
Audeze Penrose
Price: $399 - Buy me
Key Features:
Excellent audiophile quality audio,
Audeze 100mm planar magnetic drivers,
lossless 2.4GHz low latency connectivity,
sleek design,
The Audeze Penrose is the absolutely perfect headset for the PlayStation; it is without a doubt the best sounding headset for both consoles on the market. An impressive mix of incredible 100mm Planar Magnetic drivers, a frequency range that surpasses any other on this list (bar the Audeze Mobius), and very impressive sound deadening in the ear cups that delivers a super crisp, life like audio experience every single time. While the price may seem a little steep for some, The Audeze Penrose is in fact the cheapest headset on the market that includes planar magnetic drivers. If you don't know, a planar magnetic driver or transducer (the device that converts the electrical signal to sound waves) functions differently from dynamic drivers by using a flat diaphragm, rather than a typical cone or dome shaped membrane that you might find in common loudspeakers. These magnetic drivers help deliver rich, vibrant sound and are both louder and lighter than normal drivers, allowing for greater weight reduction in headsets that house them.
They are not the most comfortable or feature rich headset on this list (they are still a very comfortable headset) and the microphone, while performing well on console, is not the best available. What the Audeze Penrose lacks in these areas, it makes up for in sheer audiophile quality audio. Make no mistake, the Audeze Penrose is an audiophile headset first and a gaming headset second.
The Bottom Line
Yes ANC is nice, and yes RGB lighting is cool, but at the end of the day the most important feature of a good set of headphones should always be audio quality, and short of trying them for yourself, there's not really a way to accurately describe just what these sound like. They are just EXCELLENT.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 4
Audio Quality - 5
Spatial Sound - 4
Mic Quality - 4
Comfort - 4
Features - 3.5
Overall - 4 / 5
Best Xbox Headset
LucidSound LS50X Headset
Price: $349 - Buy me
Key Features:
Wireless connectivity,
Bluetooth connectivity,
Cooling Gel infused ear cups,
7.1 Surround Sound,
Amazing control scheme,
Removable mic,
LucidSound attention to detail
Sleek design.
The LucidSound LS50X is absolutely one of the best sounding headsets we have tested. Playing games such as Call of Duty, the footsteps were clear and concise, while the explosions and gunshots sounded deep and punchy. The spatial sound is up there with the best. I found it very easy not only to tell what direction footsteps were coming from, but also how far away and how high they were. It made a real difference to my overall awareness in those clutch moments on COD. The audio sounds really accurate and they include really good bass to enhance your overall gameplay experience.
Unlike a lot of ‘Xbox only headsets’ the LucidSound LS50X works surprisingly well with PC. Either connect via bluetooth for basic stereo audio or use the USB receiver to get the full audio experience, enabling features such as Windows Sonic that deliver rich pinpoint accuracy audio every time. This Windows sonic support also makes it an extremely good choice for watching movies and other videos.
The Bottom Line:
The LucidSound LS50X is a really great headset across the board. Slightly let down by the microphone, but outperforming a lot of other headsets in so many other categories. That makes the LS50X Gaming Australia’s new ‘best Xbox headset’ in our headset guide for 2021. It is a headset we would recommend to anyone looking for an Xbox headset that also includes the freedom of connecting to other devices such as mobile phones as well.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 4.5
Audio Quality - 4
Spatial Sound - 4
Mic Quality - 3.5
Comfort - 4
Features - 4
Overall - 4 / 5
Best Budget Xbox Headset
Xbox Wireless Headset
Price: $149 - Buy me
Key Features:
Wireless connectivity,
Bluetooth,
Broadcast Quality microphone,
7.1 Surround Sound,
Sleek design.
When it comes to first party headsets, the absolute best on the market right now is the Xbox Wireless Headset - and by some considerable distance! It sounds great, it looks great and best of all, you can take it on the go by connecting it to your mobile phone and gaming via the Xbox streaming service. The best thing about this no frills headset, is simply the fact that it costs so little. It has no “extra” features, but what it does include is all the essential stuff that you need (and does them well) all for under $150.
The audio sounds good, and I have to say they even give some of the $300-$400 headsets on the market a run for their money. For instance, I'd say that the audio quality is on par with the Astro A50, which retail at over $500 and they lack the connectivity and portability the Xbox wireless headset boasts.
The bottom line
In terms of value for money, you'll be very hard pressed to find a better headset out there at the moment. It performed well in all our categories and in comparison is priced at the same as the Sony 3D Pulse headset, which to be honest isn't even in the same ballpark.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4
Connectivity - 4
Audio Quality - 4
Spatial Sound - 3.5
Mic Quality - 3.5
Comfort - 3.5
Features - 3.5
Overall - 4 / 5
Best budget Playstation headset
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Best Comfort Headset
HyperX Cloud Revolver S
Price: $269 - Buy me
Key Features:
Superb all day comfort,
pinpoint audio perfect for FPS,
7.1 virtual surround sound,
multi platform compatibility,
long cord with inline audio mixer.
The HyperX Cloud Revolver S was one of the first headsets I ever owned and they are still one of my all time favourites. They look great, sound great and are hands down the most comfortable headset I've used. Whether you're sitting down for a quick game of FIFA or a marathon stint of Call of Duty, you will not get any sort of head fatigue wearing these. The large ear cups, lightweight design and weight bearing head strap truly make this headset feel barely there.
The 7.1 virtual surround sound performs flawlessly and gives real pinpoint audio, specifically for FPS. There were also no major complaints in our other focus rating categories, with mic quality and overall design scoring really well for the price point.
The bottom line
While it’s a little light on features, the HyperX Cloud Revolver S does absolutely everything you “need” and it does it all very well. Specifically comfort, you can tell a lot of thought has been put into how these are designed.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4
Connectivity - 3.5
Audio Quality - 4
Spatial Sound - 4
Mic Quality - 4
Comfort - 5
Features - 3.5
Overall - 4 / 5
Best Nintendo Switch Headset
ROG Strix Go 2.4
Price: $249 - Buy me
Key Features:
USB-C wireless dongle,
compact design,
foldable design,
hard shell carry case,
The ROG Strix GO 2.4 is just about the only truly wireless headset that has Nintendo Switch connectivity. Sure, you could buy a random 3rd party dongle, but thanks to ROG you no longer need to. The Strix GO are ready to go out of the box. Simply plug the USB-C dongle into your switch and away you go.
Being ROG, you know the quality is there. The minimalist, lightweight design makes them the perfect headset for the Nintendo Switch and for gaming on the go. The hard shell carry case (included in the purchase price), adds further weight behind these being made with the portable gaming essence in mind and makes them the best headset available for Nintendo Switch on the market.
The bottom line:
If you want to hear Super Mario scream “Lets’a go!” in all his glory, then the ROG Strix GO 2.4 is the headset for you! Regardless of if you’re a hardcore gamer or even just a casual gamer looking for a wireless headset for the switch, then your search is over for the best match for you.
How we rated them: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4
Connectivity - 4.5
Audio Quality - 3.5
Spatial Sound - 3
Mic Quality - 3
Comfort - 3.5
Features - 3.5
Overall - 3.5 / 5
Best PC Headset
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Best Wired Headset
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Best Spacial Sound Headset
JBL Quantum One
Price: $499 - Buy me
Key Features:
7.1 Surround Sound,
Broadcast Quality Mic,
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC),
Talk Through,
3D Sound with head tracking,
RGB Lighting.
The JBL Quantum One is a truly remarkable headset; a perfect mix of audio quality and features such as ANC, make this a perfect all round headset. It’s long 3.9m USB cord and built-in audio mixer make it the perfect wired headset for any PC setup. The main reason this headset is my pick for PC isn't even its long USB cord, ANC or the fully customisable RGB lighting, it's the JBL Quantum Sphere head tracking. JBL Quantum sphere head tracking is essentially pinpoint sound placement within the headphones. They simulate that the audio is coming from your screen, so if you turn your head to the left, the audio will sound mainly from your right ear cup, as though the sound was actually coming from your display rather than headphones. At first I thought this feature was a bit gimmicky, but I quickly realised that it's a really polished and useful feature (this feature does work on other platforms, but it's really brought to life on PC). Head tracking is specifically useful when watching a movie or playing games such as Call of duty etc, giving you even better accuracy to hear footsteps and other important sounds.
The Bottom Line
The JBL Quantum One is already a fantastic headset; but when using it on PC, it really comes into its own. Mix that with the JBL Quantum Engine software on PC and the possibilities are endless!
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4
Connectivity - 3
Audio Quality - 4.5
Spatial Sound - 5
Mic Quality - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5
Features - 5
Overall - 4.5 / 5
Best Wireless Headset
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Best Multi Platform Headset
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Best Noise Cancelling Headset
JBL Quantum 800
Price: $349 - Buy me
Key Features:
7.1 Surround Sound,
Broadcast Quality Mic,
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC),
Talk Through,
RGB Lighting,
Simultaneous device connectivity.
The JBL Quantum 800 is the most versatile, functional and feature rich headset on this list. It boasts amazing sound quality and looks great, but neither of those points are the reason we chose it for the winner of these categories. The reason is a combination of its versatility and its ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously. What this means is, and why it’s such a huge feature for gamers, is that you can be playing your PlayStation, Xbox or PC and simultaneously be connected to your mobile phone. This allows you to watch YouTube tutorials, take phone calls and even chat cross platform to your friends using Discord etc without losing sound from your game. A few of the other headsets on the list also have this feature, but none pull it off quite like the JBL Quantum 800. For instance, the Audeze Mobius and Penrose have it, but as previously mentioned, the audio quality of the microphone on both headsets is sub-par when used over a Bluetooth connection, making it unrealistic and not a ‘feature’ of those headsets. Another headset that has this feature, is the GSP 670 and whilst the microphone on the GSP670 is crystal clear over Bluetooth, when you take a call or play a video on your mobile device, it mutes your game audio which makes it useless for the purpose of chatting over Discord etc. Back to the JBL Quantum 800, it however utilises this feature flawlessly. The microphone sounds crystal clear and the audio from both your game and your Bluetooth device are laid over the top of one another. You can even mix/adjust the volume the levels of all incoming audio using the adjustment scrollers on the side of the headset. I was able to watch YouTube videos and even take phone calls whilst still playing Call of Duty War Zone and hearing every single footstep at the same time.
Now when it comes to noise cancelling, this headset actually has ANC and let me tell you, it works a treat. The JBL Quantum One also features the exact same noise cancellation and the performance of the ANC itself is identical on each device, however, the superiority of the Quantum 800 is simply down to the fact that it does it wirelessly. Not only does this ANC work flawlessly by blocking out all the noise around you, it means that you can have the game volume at a lower level and still hear absolutely everything, which is much easier on the ears. An important factor for any parents out there looking for a quality headset for little ears - this is worth looking into for protecting your child’s hearing! It also comes with the ability to toggle on “Talk through” (TT) by holding the ANC button for 3 seconds to activate. TT uses the same technology as ANC but picks up that external background noise (particularly voices) and plays them clearly and enhanced through the headset (whilst maintaining the ANC). This means that you can continue gaming, watching a movie or listening to music/ a post cast but still be in tune with important alerts around you or simply someone wanting to get your attention.
The Bottom Line:
If you want a versatile, functional headset with all the quality of life features, usually only seen on much more expensive headsets, then look no further. And at the end of the day, well, JBL are a big deal in the audio business, so you know and can trust that they sound great.
How we rated them: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 5
Audio Quality - 4.5
Spatial Sound - 5
Mic Quality - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5
Features - 5
Overall - 4.5 / 5
Best Microphone
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Best Streamer Headset
EPOS GSP 670
Price: $349 - Buy me
Key Features:
Wireless Bluetooth Connectivity,
Smart Power,
Smart Connectivity
Broadcast Quality Microphone,
Comfortable design.
The EPOS GSP 670 is a hardcore wireless headset. It boasts excellent sound quality, stable low latency connectivity for mobile/laptop gaming and a microphone that I can’t fault. The key feature of these for me, and why it is, in my opinion the best wireless headset, is the performance of it’s low latency and bluetooth connectivity. Some other headsets I tested over bluetooth had real poor lag, which was really noticeable and affected user experience when watching music videos etc. While this isn't really a feature you buy a gaming headset for, it is a feature, especially if you are someone who is bothered by things being out of sync. If you are, then rest assured that the GSP 670 does this better than pretty much all the others and any delay is minimal with the least impact to the user.
Let's get back to that microphone for a moment, a microphone that sees this headset take out our “Best Microphone Quality Headset” category. Combine this headset with the EPOS Gaming Suite software on PC and you can tune your microphone to absolute perfection. With features like external noise cancellation, noise gate and voice enhancers, you can sound perfect while blocking out 100% of breathing and outside environment noise.
The Bottom Line
If you want a great sounding headset that you can use on just about every device or platform you own, then the EPOS GSP 670 is it. It will undoubtedly perform better on PC, but it's still a great all round headset for all platforms. If your focus is having a microphone of superior quality for streaming etc then you can’t go past this headset. Working from home and online? We would even go as far to say that combined with a score of 4 (see below) for comfort, this is a headset that you could seriously consider for any work related tasks, as you can wear it all day and know that your calls are clear.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 3
Connectivity - 4.5
Audio Quality - 4.5
Spatial Sound - 4
Mic Quality - 5
Comfort - 4
Features - 3.5
Overall - 4 / 5
Best Battery Life headset
EPOS GSP 370
Price: $349 - Buy me
Key Features:
HUGE 100hr battery life,
Broadcast quality mic,
PS5 compatible,
Integrated digital sound processing,
Low-latency wireless connection
The EPOS GSP 370 manages to be both lightweight and heavy duty all at once. It’s lightweight design and comfort gives you the ability to take full advantage of the seemingly never ending battery life it boasts. Audio quality is great, putting it on par with the GSP 670, and the microphone, while not quite as good as the 670, is still a very good microphone. The seemingly lightweight design is in no way ‘cheap’. The frame, although made almost entirely out of plastic, is strong and will withhold some serious punishment.
The bottom line
This one is quite straightforward, if battery life is your thing then you can't go wrong with the longest battery life available on the market! Don’t overlook the fact that it also scored really well and quite consistently in all our other scoring categories below.
How we rated them: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 5
Audio Quality - 4.5
Spatial Sound - 5
Mic Quality - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5
Features - 5
Overall - 4.5 / 5
Best Audiophile Headset
Audeze Mobius
Price: $699 - Buy me
Key Features:
100mm Planar magnetic drivers,
Sleek design,
3D Audio with head tracking,
7.1 Surround Sound EQ settings tailored to gaming.
The Audeze Mobius, is a premium looking, feeling and certainly sounding headset and would absolutely be our best overall headset if not for two things. The first of which is the giant elephant in the room, the price tag. $700 for a gaming headset just simply puts it out of most peoples realm of possibility. The second, is it’s Bluetooth connection and how it negatively affects performance.
When connected to either a mobile device or a laptop via Bluetooth, the latency becomes unbearably distracting. On top of this issue, when testing the microphone over a Bluetooth connection it was simply unusable. When wired, the microphone quality is ok, but no better than average and ultimately, due to its poor Bluetooth performance, we've rated these one of the worst in terms of microphone performance. Having led with the negatives, please read on for why this headset might be worth the investment, if Bluetooth and microphone quality don’t affect your decision. The thing is, the audio quality is truly phenomenal, those 100mm Drivers really set it apart from the rest in terms of sheer audio quality. It's easily the most true to life audio of any gaming headset I've ever tried. Having audio frequencies of 10-40,000Hz, better than any other headset on this list.
The bottom line:
I can't stress enough how good these sound. They blow the rest out of the water in terms of audio quality, it just lacks in some other areas that a lot of gamers may find important. If you are buying a headset to play online and chat with your friends and want a purely wireless connection then there's others on this list better suited for you. But, if you're an audiophile and pure audio quality is what you're after; and you like to connect via Bluetooth for music or podcasts, then you won't find better than the Audeze Mobius.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 4.5
Audio Quality - 5
Spatial Sound - 4.5
Mic Quality - 3
Comfort - 4
Features - 4
Overall - 4 / 5
Best Overall Headset
JBL Quantum 800
Price: $349 - Buy me
Key Features:
7.1 Surround Sound,
Broadcast Quality Mic,
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC),
Talk Through,
RGB Lighting,
Simultaneous connectivity.
It's easy to see why the JBL Quantum One has rated so highly on this list. The mix of versatility, genuine audio quality and it’s abundance of features make it the most all round fantastic choice for a gaming headset that I've tested. It was a very, very close call between this one and the JBL Quantum One, the tipping point for me was simply the wireless connectivity, but both are truly fantastic all round headsets. Now of course, some of these categories we've scored it on are very subjective to each user, but it comes down to the simple fact that the main purpose for a headset is audio - and this is something that the JBL Quantum One is awesome at whilst connecting to every device you own. The bonus is that the remaining features are comprehensive and include things that even $700 headsets on this list don’t have. So the price point is pretty damn reasonable for what you’re getting.
Seeing as this is our “best overall headset” it requires for some more specific justification and detail about the pros and cons.
Comfort:
Firstly, the comfort. While this is not the lightest headset we tested, it is one of the more comfortable. The extremely soft ear cups and the very padded headband really do allow the headset to sit quite weightlessly on your head. The fact that the headset features ANC, means that there isn’t as much clamping force to seal it to your head the way that others do. This means better comfort and you really do start to forget that you have them on after a while.
Design:
The design is one of those categories that, like I’ve said, is very subjective. Everybody has different tastes and everybody is looking for something specific. In my opinion, this is probably the nicest headset we tested. It manages to look both “futuristic”, whilst keeping a sleekness to how it’s designed. I absolutely love the RGB lights, they add a real touch of personality to the headset without being too out there with bright flashy colours. Of course these RGB lights are fully customisable using the JBL Quantum software; customisations range from simply turning the RGB lights off, having them all flash different colours, or being able to select from a huge range of combinations and colours. I absolutely love the design however, this is also where I find my first downside, the fact that the microphone is not removable. It’s such a shame that a headset with such amazing portability and perfect design (making it a headset you could very well wear in public) has this very obvious looking microphone attached. While you can flip the microphone up, it is still very much a reason that I would never wear them in public.
The button placement on the earcups is extremely intuitive, the power on and off is easy to use and the ability to mix both chat and game audio on the fly is super useful.
The overall build quality of the headset is quite “plasticky”, this is not to say however that they are cheaply made. I've bent and twisted these things in excess of 400-500 times without issue. They are a well made headset, as you'd expect from JBL who make headphones for a living.
Connectivity:
As covered in other categories, the connectivity of this headset is second to none. Name a device, it is compatible in some way or another. Not only this, but the features available on these devices is also incredible. Simultaneous connectivity is an extremely useful feature, specifically for gamers or video editors etc. It allows you to play your game on your PC/console using the USB dongle and still be connected to your mobile phone or laptop to receive phone calls and other audio. I was able to play Call of Duty Warzone and concurrently talk to my wife on the phone at the same time. I was able to hear both super clearly and when I wanted to hear one a little more I simply adjusted the mix using the scrolling wheel on the side of the ear cup. Other headsets have this feature, but during testing didn't quite pull it off in the way the JBL Quantum 800 does (especially the clear phone line).
Audio Quality & Spatial Sound:
The JBL Quantum is a great sounding headset, that being said it is in no way on the same level as the Audeze Mobius or Penrose; they are absolutely next level in terms of audio quality and frequency response etc. Having said that, the JBL Quantum 800 sounds great, specifically for gaming. I've used them on my laptop for movies etc, and while they are still very good, they aren't the best. For gaming however, they sound great. Playing games like COD, the footsteps are very directional and purposeful, while explosions and gunshots sound fantastic. There's a very important setting in the software that makes all the difference. While JBL Quantum sphere is great on the JBL Quantum One due to its head tracking capability, the audio seems somewhat “tinny” and distant, when watching movies etc, that is until you switch the spatial sound from JBL QuantumSurround to DTS, and the audio quality is great.
The software’s EQ settings are very useful; with a setting for FPS which enhances those footsteps and other movement sounds that make all the difference in gameplay. However, that ability to cycle these EQ settings remotely of the software is something every headset should have.
Microphone Quality:
The microphone Quality on the JBL Quantum 800 is every bit a broadcast quality mic and is beaten only by the EPOS GSP 670. In fact when playing on PS5, it was the Quantum 800 that got the most compliments on clarity of all the headsets we've tried. It's only the excellent quality of the GSP 670’s noise cancellation that beat it out for the best Microphone. For a wireless headset though, the thing is remarkable. The supporting software could be a little better, but it is absolutely a headset you could use for calls, streaming, chatting to your friends, etc. The flip to mute, while super useful, is standard on most headsets these days. I would have just liked a bit better noise cancellation similar to the GSP 670 and it could well be the best microphone we tried.
Features:
This is where the JBL Quantum 800 and in fact, the Quantum One come into their own. This is the section that sets it apart from the rest. The ANC, is the best of any headset I've tried, and really helps reduce ear fatigue in those long gaming sessions. The Talk Through, is super useful and the ability to connect to 2 devices simultaneously, is executed to perfection. Other headsets give you the ability to do the same, but drop game audio when talking one the phone, and others just sound terrible. The Quantum 800 gives you ultra control. The microphone sounds clear as a whistle, the mix of game and chat audio is fully customisable on the fly using the controls on the headset itself and you still get that directional sound in game, which is a massive game changer for me.
The only other main “con” I have with this headset is it’s battery life. It lasts only 14 hours with the RGB lighting off and only about 12 hours with it on. That being said, you can fully charge them in as little as 90 minutes. This wasn't a huge issue for me as I can't game for more than 14 hours in a day, so I simply charge them when I'm done. However, with headsets such as the EPOS GSP 370 with a battery life of up to 100 hours, a better battery performance here would have been appreciated and set them apart further.
The bottom line:
The JBL Quantum 800 is an absolute stand out contender in every single category. It looks great, sounds great, and feels even better. It’s packed with all the features you can poke a stick at and is priced surprisingly well for what you're getting. I would hands down recommend this headset to everyone. Unless you're looking for a wired headset, and then I'd tell you to buy the JBL Quantum One.
How we rated it: (each category out of 5)
Design - 4.5
Connectivity - 5
Audio Quality - 4.5
Spatial Sound - 5
Mic Quality - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5
Features - 5
Overall - 4.5 / 5
Hopefully, this guide has made your decision making a little easier. We know how difficult it is to find the right headset, and we know how subjective certain aspects of these reviews can be. Hopefully we have laid out all the information for you in a clear way, so you can make the most informed decisions based on the research and testing we have done.
We will aim to update this list as the year goes on, and as new headsets are released so that this information is as up to date and as relevant as possible.
Let us know what you thought about this guide! Have you tried any of the headsets we mentioned? What do you think of our recommendations? Do you have a suggestion for our next guide?
