A good headset can transform your gaming experience, allowing you the sound quality you won't get from your TV's speakers while enabling you to communicate with other players easily. As a bonus, headsets keep your gaming sessions quiet if you're sharing a space, and they look pretty awesome. We've rounded up several choices depending on your priorities and budget.
Now, if you're in the market for one of the best PS5 headsets, we've got you covered on that front too.
Fantastic headsets for an older but great console
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best headset overall
Let's be honest; gaming headsets tend to be gaudy. You've seen the unwieldy ones that light up in every color imaginable and look like sturdy bludgeoning weapons. That's not to say they aren't good headphones, but they certainly aren't the most stylish. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 benefits from its sleek design. You won't be embarrassed to wear this one no matter the occasion, and its style only scratches the surface of its desirable features, which we examined thoroughly in our hands-on time reviewing it.
Headsets are more than just about looks, though. The Arctis 7 features what is widely regarded as one of the best microphones in the business, and its 7.1 surround sound audio is second to none—but only available when using it on PC. Should you want to finely adjust it, the SteelSeries also offers customization software, so you get the most out of your Arctis 7.
Bonus: You don't need to charge it often. This headset provides up to 24 hours of gaming on a single charge thanks to its rechargeable Li-ion battery, and it's relatively comfortable to wear for long periods. Most other headsets tend to provide anywhere between 10 to 20 hours.
Runner-up
When you're looking for comfort and quality at an affordable price, you'll want to consider the HyperX Cloud Flight, which we reviewed and loved. It may not be as great all-around as the SteelSeries Arctis 7, but it gives the latter pair of headsets a run for its money. The HyperX Cloud Flight sports a detachable microphone, 90-degree rotating ear cups, and an adjustable steel slider for durability.
HyperX Cloud Flight provides the most extended battery life on a single charge by far — boasting up to 30 hours — but there is a caveat. This number assumes that you don't use its LED lighting. If you turn the LEDs on completely, it cuts the battery life to just 13 hours. When the LEDs are on with their breathing effect, we found in our testing that you can get roughly 18 hours.
Its biggest downside is that it only offers stereo audio instead of 7.1 surround sound. While its audio quality may not be as impressive as a result, it's still good nonetheless.
Best value headset
Turtle Beach is usually a brand name you can't beat for its price. However, the company's Stealth 600 is perfect for those wanting a budget-friendly quality headset without breaking the bank. Wireless headsets tend to err on the expensive side, but the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 is incredibly affordable at just $100.
Its microphone is flip-to-mute, meaning you won't need to worry about pressing the wrong button on your headset when you want to mute yourself. Its mic monitoring also allows you to hear your voice through the headset and adjust the volume accordingly. Turtle Beach's "Superhuman Hearing" technology which emphasizes subtle in-game sounds is also present.
Though the Stealth 600 advertises "surround sound," it's only Turtle Beach's virtual surround sound and not Dolby 7.1. Because of this, the audio quality tends to suffer, but it's still better than stereo most of the time. And the battery life is acceptable at 15 hours, even if it's only half of what the SteelSeries Arctis 7 offers.
Best premium headset
The Astro A50 provides crystal-clear Dolby 7.1 surround sound over a 5GHz wireless connection. It's hard to beat that when you're looking for the best audio experience possible. It even comes with its own charging station, so you can easily display it on your desk.
Those looking for comfort will find it more than adequate with breathable fabric ear cups — at least we did when we reviewed it hands-on. A mod kit is available for separate purchase that allows you to swap out its parts for a synthetic leather headband and ear cups, improving noise-canceling abilities. The downside to all of this is that we've found no matter what you swap out the parts with, the Astro A50 still tends to be bulky and flashy.
This beast is easily the best premium headset you can get for PlayStation 4, and it comes at a steep price because of that. Unfortunately, you're going to be looking at spending a good chunk of change on the Astro A50. However, it packs some premium features to warrant the expensive price tag.
Best surround sound
Razer makes some of the best headsets in the business, and it outdid itself with the Razer Thresher Ultimate for PS4. You're getting impeccable Dolby 7.1 surround sound with wireless connectivity up to 40 feet, so you don't need to worry about missing any conversations with your friends if you need to leave the room.
Its microphone is retractable so you can move it out of the way, and when you're not using the headset, you can place it on its base station — that can be used to switch effortlessly between PS4 and PC — which is included. You can get up to 16 hours without needing to charge the Razer Thresher Ultimate. Its memory foam ear cups make this as comfortable as possible to make up for its heavy 408g weight.
Again, this is another expensive one. There are cheaper Razer Thresher models, but the Ultimate is the best package out of the batch if you're looking for the most features.
Best battery life
It's immediately apparent that this headset screams "gamer." You'll be hard-pressed to find one with a more elaborate design, but there are some alternative, more nuanced designs. The Logitech G733 is another one that packs DTS:X 2.0 surround sound with spatial awareness so that you're never missing any of the action in-game.
When we reviewed it we found that because it's multiplatform-compatible, you aren't restricted to using it on PlayStation 4 or PC. The Logitech G733 is compatible with PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. It sports strong battery life at around 29 hours from our hands-on time reviewing the headset, though it could be a fair bit lower depending on whether you're using its RGB lighting or not.
It's not too budget-friendly, so this one's features outside of gaming will likely be the deciding factor in your purchase.
Best audio quality
If the thing you care about most is audio quality, no matter the price, you should definitely consider grabbing the Arctis Nova Pro. With this headset, Arctis delivered an incredibly comfortable experience that gives you the best possible audio quality, which we discovered through hands-on testing.
From our time with it hands-on, the Arctis Nova Pro is packed to the brim with features, including the ability to swap between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth signals. With the former, it sports a 44-hour battery life, while the latter seems to just about cut it in half.
Now, we say "no matter the price" for a reason. The Arctis Nova Pro is expensive, at $350. It's understandable if that price turns you away. If it doesn't, you'll get unmatched auditory detail though.
A few things to consider
One of the best PS4 wireless headsets is easily the SteelSeries Arctis 7. It's pretty affordable, stylish, and provides a wonderful audio experience whether you're concerned with its microphone or headset itself. On top of that, it has one of the best battery lives out there and comes with customization software to make it even better. It's one of the best PS4 headsets, period.
If you're looking for something a little more premium, you can't beat the Astro A50. Questionable-looking design aside, its 7.1 surround sound is crystal clear. Just be prepared for its higher price tag because of this. Wireless headsets don't come cheap, and though you aren't always paying for quality, it's a good indicator that you're getting a top-of-the-line product. Regardless of what you choose, you'll be having a good experience on your PS4 or PS4 Pro.
While the absolute best quality audio is found on a good wired headset, not everyone wants to deal with all of the cables that come with them. So wired might be the best, but wireless can still provide an excellent audio experience, and you can't go wrong with any of the above wireless headsets.
When you buy a wireless headset, you'll also want to consider forward compatibility with the PS5. Buying a specialty headset that only works with the PS4 may not be the best idea if you move over to Sony's latest console very soon. Instead, you may consider examining a list of the best PS5 headsets and making sure whatever you pick up is compatible with both consoles.
