One I’ve been waiting to hear about since it was announced at CES 2022 in January is included in today’s monthly update to your best PC gaming headset guide. Yes, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is available, complete with a massive battery life and an impressively good level of comfort and sound. How and ray, indeed. It joins the group of a dozen high-quality gaming headsets that have all undergone comparable testing.
Even if you choose a budget model, a good headset is worth the investment even though it might not seem as immediately essential to PC gaming as the best mice and keyboards. While a separate set of speakers will sound much better, they won’t always replicate the intimacy you can get with a headset. The built-in speakers on desktop monitors are basically never bassy and detailed enough to match your games. a closeness that heightens the creepiness of horror video games or influences your competitive strategy.
Even though having a hands-free microphone is helpful, if you’d prefer something with even greater clarity than this headset can provide, take a look at our top picks for gaming microphones. The headsets listed below are some of our favorites.
1. G432 Logitech
overall the top gaming headset.
Regardless of your budget or level of spending power, the Logitech G432 is an excellent all-around gaming headsetThe Steelseries Arctis 1 and Razer Kraken X aren’t the only headsets of a similar price that the Logitech G432 outperforms.
It produces sparklingly detailed sound in every game and has excellent sound quality for the price. In actuality, it’s so obvious that Katharine had to remind herself that she didn’t inadvertently put on the Logitech G Pro X. It has a fantastic microphone as well and includes a dual 3.5mm hub, USB DAC, and combo for use with your PC, laptop, and gaming consoles. Even though the G432’s overall comfort has some drawbacks, especially in comparison to the Arctis 1, it’s not difficult to overlook them when listening to music on it.
The Corsair Void Elite RGB, an improved model of the excellent Corsair Void Pro RGB, is an alternative if you have a little extra money to spend and want RGB lighting in your headset.
Elo, Roccat, and Stereo.
The top budget gaming headset.
Although it doesn’t sound as good as the Logitech G432, the Roccat Elo X Stereo is simply too good to pass up. It’s the entry-level headset in Roccat’s Elo line, but it offers much better value than its more expensive USB sibling and is a fantastic option for those on a tight budget.
Its sound quality is excellent, and it is also extraordinarily comfortable—more so than the Logitech G432, in fact.This is largely due to its inventive headband design, which is actually comparable to the Steelseries Arctis 7—our top pick for wireless headphones, as you’ll see below. The chassis is so light that you might forget you’re wearing it, and it’s a great headset for extended gaming sessions.
The microphone is among the best for a cheap gaming headset. The Elo X Stereo mic is easily on par with the G432 mic, despite the fact that these are frequently the ones that suffer the most in cheaper headsets. Overall, this is a fantastic headset for those looking for something affordable and cheerful and a very respectable substitute for the G432.
2. AOC GH300
The top 7.1 headset on a budget.
I do not recommend 7.1 virtual surround sound for universal headsets of any genre, and neither does RPS hivemind, for the reasons that are discussed below. The AOC GH300 is one of the most reasonably priced gaming headsets that supports this dramatic format, and for the money, it’s a generally good-sounding pair of cans. However, if you want to try this dramatic format.
Large, well-cushioned ear cups are housed in generously sized 50mm drivers. They produce a lively sound signature that doesn’t require any tricks to amp up the bass, and after installing AOC’s Audio Center software, it defaults to virtual 7.1. The game works well in shooters: key audio cues are enhanced and dialogue sounds much clearer above all gunshots. However, the effect isn’t exactly subtle and won’t suit every style.
The build quality is also good for the price, with no plastic creaks or general flimsiness that cheap headphones can display. The inline controls, which have a sizable volume knob, a mic mute button, and a switch to light up the onboard RGB logo, are a bit chunky, but they’re also fairly simple to use with just a touch.
3. LOGITHEK G PRO X
The top-notch headset for gaming.
One of Katharine’s most comfortable headsets ever, according to our RPS boss, the Logitech G Pro X headset is a truly impressive piece of technology. It also has a great-sounding microphone.
The G HUB software from Logitech also offers a ton of options for customizing your mic’s sound, and it truly puts all other microphones to shame.
The Logitech G Pro X also has wonderful audio. Everything will be immersive as a result of the rich and detailed sound space, which allows you to hear sounds you might have never even noticed before. A spare set of ear tips, numerous cables and connections, a lovely case, and other accessories are also included. You won’t be let down if you have the money, I promise.
The regular G Pro model, which has the same design but lacks the blue VO!CE gubbins inside the mic, is also an option, but if you’re looking for something more affordable, Corsair’s Void Pro RGB, which costs £70 / $55, is the next-best option.
Arctis 7 SteelSeries.
The top wireless gaming headphone.
4. Corsair’s HS70.
The top wireless headset for a low price.
We all appreciate a good wireless headset, but the best models frequently cost well over £100 or $100, which is frequently too much for people who are trying to save money. For those who don’t want to spend a lot of money, there is fortunately a great Corsair HS70.
In comparison to other wired headsets on this list, that’s still a sizable chunk of change, but the HS70 is a truly fantastic headset all on its own. First off, it’s very comfortable to wear, and even though it lacks some of the glitzy features of the Arctis 7, the sound quality is still excellent. The battery life is a little less than average for wireless headsets at 16 hours, but it’s still more than enough for a full weekend of gaming.
The HS70 is the gaming headset for you if you want something straightforward that does the job, feels great, and doesn’t require you to try to untangle a million cables.
5. Wireless HyperX Cloud Alpha
the longest-lasting gaming headset.
It shows how absurd the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless’ 300-hour battery life is that the Sennheiser GSP 370 headset, which previously held that position, only promised 100 hours of battery life. Furthermore, these are merely official estimates, so if you don’t crank up the volume, the Cloud Alpha Wireless may last even longer. At the time of writing, I’ve used it for a total of more than 60 hours, and it still indicates that the battery is at 100% when I turn it on. The battery report might not be the most precise one. However, a lot of headsets would be at zero right now instead of waiting to drop to 90%, 75%, or whatever the next increment is.
The Cloud Alpha Wireless has a number of features, but its durability is one of the best. It has memory foam ear cups and a thickly padded headband, as is customary for HyperX Cloud headsets, and is very comfortable. No EQ adjustments are necessary; it sounds rich and well-balanced. Even though it’s not the clearest microphone I’ve ever used, it works well enough for casual gaming.
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is expensive, so even though the week-long battery life isn’t the only thing it has going for it, it is still a luxury in every sense of the word.
6. Hybrid EPOS H3Pro
The top gaming headset for noise cancelation.
The EPOS H3Pro Hybrid shows how active noise cancellation (ANC), which is more frequently found in headphones than gaming headsets, can be a useful addition to these headsets. When ANC is activated, hum-producing noises (such as exhaust fans or background traffic) are nearly completely muted, whereas less constant sounds (such as TV or mechanical keyboard clicks) are at least slightly muted. The ANC for canceling out external rackets works especially well because the H3Pro Hybrid drivers produce a very crisp and clear sound.
Given the chat clarity of its cousin, the EPOS H6Pro, the microphone could be improved, but ANC is supported by a wealth of other features. An easy-to-use volume wheel, high build quality, and initially too-comfortable earcups actually prove to be comfortable enough for an extended Deep Rock Galactic session. There is also a choice of 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.
7. Razer Kraken V3 Professional
Gaming headsets from Razer and Corsair both have haptic feedback, which vibrates your skull to give loud sounds (like gunfire and grenade explosions) a more visceral quality. The Razer Kraken V3 Pro demonstrates that it is more than just a novelty item by giving these dramatic moments so much more impact that, on occasion, I flinched in shock. HyperSense, a unique haptic technology from Razer, is also quite clever, dynamically adjusting the strength and location of the vibrations to match the volume and location of the sounds that trigger it.
Even with the haptics, it is a very expensive headset that still provides adequate overall quality. It sounds incredible with or without HyperSense turned on, and the plush padding around the earcups and headband makes it comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The headset itself has a full set of controls, including a volume wheel, and is constructed with high quality throughout.
On the right earcup, a toggle for HyperSense switches the effect between low, medium, and high levels (or turns it off entirely). The settings of Low and Medium should work, in my opinion; on High, the sound of the engines ends up competing with the sound of the controls, and the lower settings still have a significant kick.
8. Syn Pro Air by Roccat
The top wireless gaming headset for personalization.
The Roccat Syn Pro Air is a respectable substitute for the SteelSeries Arctis 7 or HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless even though it doesn’t have the best microphone or longest battery life. This is particularly true if you want your headset to be stocked to the brim with extra features.
As well as manual EQ and programmable RGB lighting on the earcups, there is adjustable mic monitoring. Roccat’s Neon software also offers a ton more options for tuning; I especially liked using the “3D Audio” mode for more dramatic music playback, though it’s not strictly necessary for games with strong surround sound like Apex Legends.
Likewise, the Syn Pro Air does the fundamentals correctly. Although plain plastic is Roccat’s preferred construction material, this wireless headset doesn’t feel particularly flimsy and is actually quite lightweight. I could happily wear it for hours because of the padding and spacious ear cups. The sound quality is the best part, as almost any game can be played with the Syn Pro Air’s default profile, which is balanced (yet bass-rich and punchy).
Despite the Neon’s beta status at the time of testing, the Arctis 7 is still superior overall. For instance, the Neon frequently reported a full battery as 0 percent charged.