There's a lot to be said for iteration. Take the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3, for example. While I haven't always been a fan of Turtle Beach headsets as a whole, this particular set has finally come good on its third generation, and as a result I've put it in its rightful place as the best mid-range wireless gaming headset in our esteemed best gaming headset guide.
A lot of that comes down to what you get for the price, as our Katie discovered in her review. This is a $100 headset with the sort of qualities and feature set you'd expect to find on more expensive models, and for that it's worthy of praise. For a start, you get a 2.4 GHz wireless connection thanks to its included dongle, plus a Bluetooth 5.2 connection for taking it on the go.
Yep, this is a multi-purpose machine, with a flip-to-mute mic that snugly fits into the left earcup. Combine that with its stylish good looks, and this is a headset you can wear out in public without drawing undue attention. Speaking of snug, Katie found the earpads to be very comfortable indeed, although she could have taken a little more padding on the headband for smaller bonces. That's British for heads, in case you were wondering.
All this would be for naught if it didn't sound any good, but Katie knows her audio, and she's been impressed with the warmth and sonic detail the Stealth 600's drivers provide. It won't be bothering our best audiophile headset, the Audeze Maxwell, but it'd be a lot to ask from the little Turtle Beach given it's literally a third of the price.
And really, that's the trick. A mid-range gaming headset has to provide all the right features, done well, for a reasonable sum—and that's no easy task. Should you choose to pick up a Stealth 600 you're getting good audio, multiple connection options, stylish good looks, comfy earpads, and a decent, tuck-away microphone that makes you clearly heard amid the fray of battle. All for $100, which seems downright reasonable to me.
Many gaming headsets in this price range have the odd glaring omission, but the Turtle Beach balances the line between affordability and downright desirability without leaving any major aspect wanting. It's a consummate jack-of-all-trades for mid-range cash, and there's a lot to be said for that.
Not quite your thing? Well, I highly advise you to check out our recommendations below. These are the very best headsets we've tested to date, so you're sure to find something that suits, no matter your headset needs.
Quick list
1. Best overall: HyperX Cloud Alpha
2. Best budget: Corsair HS55 Stereo
3. Best wireless: HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
4. Best mid-range wireless: Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3
5. Best audiophile: Beyerdynamic MMX 330 Pro
6. Best wireless audiophile: Audeze Maxwell
7. Best for streaming: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet
8. Best noise-cancelling: AceZone A-Spire
9. Best earbuds: Steelseries Arctis GameBuds
The best gaming headsets
The best overall
The return of the king. The HyperX Cloud Alpha is the best gaming headset, delivering fantastic audio with plenty of bass response all for a low price. It's comfortable and the microphone stands up to scrutiny. You can't go wrong.
The best budget
The Corsair HS55 Stereo is the best budget gaming headset and improves on the HS50 with better comfort and sound. It has soft earcups, a lightweight, and a flip mic. It's a simple design with no extra features, but it's great value.
The best wireless
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is the best wireless gaming headset for PC gaming. It has superbly defined audio, a clear mic, and DTS surround sound. It’s also light and comfy, with a whopping 300-hour battery life. Yep, you read that right.
The best mid-range wireless
With excellent battery life and and a lush soundstage, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 surprised us with its quality overall. The headband could do with a bit more padding, but otherwise this is a comfy, well-specced headset for reasonable money, and that makes it our best mid-range pick.
The best wired audiophile
The best wired audiophile headphones have to be the MMX 330 Pro. With a great build and superb comfort, these cans are ideal for long hours of gaming. They're also perfect for critical listening with a well-balanced sound profile that delivers warmth and well-defined bass without muddying the mix.
The best wireless audiophile
If you want the best audiophile wireless gaming headset around look no further than the Audeze Maxwell. Its planar magnetic drivers offer outstanding, drool-worthy audio quality for both gaming and music listening.
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The best microphone
The best gaming headset microphone comes attached to the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet, which holds the lofty goal of replacing your desktop mic streaming setup with one headset capable of delivering high-quality audio from both ends. It delivers this with aplomb—and a price tag that's none too punishing.
The best noise cancelling
With an active noise cancellation system tuned for gaming, the AceZone A-Spire is perfect for anyone needing to block out a noisy environment and immerse themselves in gaming aural bliss.
The best earbuds
If you're looking for something a little more discreet, these are some seriously impressive, easy-to-use, low-latency earbuds from SteelSeries. Their noise cancelling is great, too, and even though it cuts down the battery life, you won't need a charge for a while.
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