What is a Gift Guide?

Good sound is just as essential to the gaming experience as any other. There are dozens of different headsets to choose from for each platform. Whether you're a PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, or mobile gamer, here are some of the latest and greatest headsets for gaming. Many of his 2020 review models still exist, but a new year means a recent roundup of some returning brands and some new ones. I've been mainly focused on fully wireless, sub-$200 cross-platform over-ear headsets (i.e., PC and console, Bluetooth, and other options). I think that's where you get the most out of it. This is not a systematic review, just my impression. I'll list these in the order I would recommend them to a friend, but each model has its pros and cons. This article contains links to available affiliate partners. TechCrunch earns affiliate commissions when you purchase through these links. The last time I did this, I was blown away by the SteelSeries 7P. The SteelSeries 7P offered a massive soundstage, excellent battery life, and a very comfortable fit. And I tell you now, if you want a lot, these headphones are currently on sale for $90, making them the best value on this list. But a new pair is in town, and I'm not sure how they did it, but the company was able to do more or less the same thing with the Nova 7 in a smaller, lighter package. My main problem with the 7P was that the control and port layout was cluttered and a bit bulky; the Nova 7 addresses both issues with its more compact design, USB-C, and more straightforward form. The volume wheel is further spaced, the retractable mic is flush at idle, and the buttons are hidden but easy to find. The Nova 7 is lighter and slimmer but doesn't offer a better fit. Ski goggle straps and soft foam make them very comfortable. More importantly, the sound is just as good as its predecessor. He expects a spacious and balanced sound quality from the two headsets—a realistic feeling of being surrounded by gaming environments and music. Not great for all music, but great for gaming, which is my favorite. A handy "sidetone" is also back, picking up sounds from outside the can. You can raise your head quickly to hear what someone says instead of picking everything up. These work with virtually any platform and have Bluetooth and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I've found that even with wireless becoming the norm, this input will still be a must. I'm a bit confused as to how much they were able to pack in. The SteelSeries Nova 7s are my first and unconditional recommendation. For clarification, the Barracuda (not the Barracuda X) and the Kaira Pro are both from Razer. I honestly think the Kaira Pro (I'm not sure about the non-Pro version) is the better set, but whether it's worth the money is a tricky question. I found the Barracuda a great headset, with direct, punchy sound quality and a comfortable traditional padded headband fit (compared to goggle straps). It looks stiff when you first hold it, but it's relatively light and has some retaining brackets, so it fits my (large) head nicely and folds flat. The layout is simple: a volume rocker, power and mic mute controls, and a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi toggle. The dual slit mics are effective but lack the richness of a decent boom in front of the face (I've received many compliments on the Blackshark V2, which I use a lot for calls). These also benefit from his 3.5 mm connector, which works as a mic input (if you want a boom mic) or a headphone input. So far, this is probably the best value for money in Razer's wireless lineup. The list price of $279 justifies their inclusion in this summary. As the only headset, we've tested with active noise cancellation (others are offered, but they're pretty expensive), we felt it was a definite upgrade choice worth making. No... Still, I wouldn't say I like the Epos's design aesthetic (it almost looks military), but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and comfort of the H3Pro. The headgear has a single attachment point, so it's not as stiff as it looks, but it's not collapsible. I would describe their sound as immediate and intense but with a good sense of space—not as broad as the SteelSeries, but quite loud. And while the noise cancellation doesn't work against Bose or Sony, it works well and is appealing to traveling gamers who don't want to hold two or three pairs of cans in different situations. However, this is where your controls and inputs are. I found the volume knob on the earcup to become unresponsive, spinning unresponsively for a while, then suddenly going up and down. Buttons and ANC switches are okay if they're randomly placed; the bulky boom mic sticks with magnets. The most annoying thing is that the headphone jack is 2.5 mm, so you have to be careful with the cable that comes with it. Sound and ANC have been great for Epic, but the hardware feels dated and underrated simultaneously. But if comfort, sound, and ANC outweigh my philosophy, you could do much worse than his H3 Pro. I've never used PDP headphones before, but I'm impressed with Gambit. This is a slightly older and more refined model than the new Airlite Pro. Its punchy bass sound probably isn't great for music, but it felt powerful and precise in action games. It's also not as big or balanced as the Nova 7, but it has a perfect, reasonably wide soundstage. The fit is good, even if it isn't. A quick mic monitor button allows you to turn the mic on or off quickly. The boom mic isn't removable, but it's relatively minimal, strong, and flexible, and there's also a 3.5mm input, which is always a plus. There's not much downside: using the micro-USB connector instead of the Type-C connector is a minor gripe, and it doesn't fold. This is a solid headset that aims for a specific sound. These are great but a little overpriced for my taste. It sounds like a barracuda, but it's fantastic. The fit is an improvement over this headset, with larger, softer ear cups that don't need to be adjusted as often. no) and a lovely but ultimately very taxing haptic engine. I hear you asking: What are your ear haptics? Trust me. I found it funny too. But the headset watches the waveform and highlights peaks and intense periods with a sort of physical pulse. But when I tried it on the God of War vs. Ragnarok boss fight, it felt fantastic. It felt like the subwoofer kicked in rather than something rocking my head. The pulse intensity can be adjusted on the fly or turned off entirely; I did it after about an hour. Interesting, but I found it a bit too strong when combined with the headphones' already visceral sound. Mileage varies, but it's worth the extra cash. I drained the battery (a few hours continued) and decided the excitement wasn't important enough. I prefer the Barracuda, but I'd rather have the same sound in a better package and pay $30 more. If not. However, at the time of this writing, it sells for $130, and at that price, I recommend it over the non-discounted Barracuda. If you can get it for that price, get it. (Please select.)