Join Pixelated Gamer as we round up the best gaming headsets of 2020. We’ll cover everything from entry level wired headsets to wireless flagship models from multiple tech giants within the audio industry such as Turtle Beach, HyperX and LucidSound. Let’s get started!
Best Entry Level Wired PS4 Headset under $40
The Recon 70 Gaming Headset (PS4 Edition) is a excellent entry level model that packs a substantial punch for the price. Its wired and connects via a 3.5mm jack that makes it very versatile in compatibility (more on that later). Housed within the wired headset are 40mm speakers with Neodymium Magnets. The headset itself is very lightweight, but still has a nice quality feel to them. This PS4 edition has accents of blue on the headband and within the ear cups. Inside you’ll find comfortable ear cushions that are compromised of a synthetic leather material and there is a foam insert located inside the headband for added comfort. They have proven to provide hours of gaming without any complaints from our staff in regards to fitment.
Considering the highly accessible $39.99 price point, the 40mm drivers deliver a surprisingly amount of immersion during gameplay, alongside some excellent noise cancellation technology. You can hear approaching enemies in Apex Legends, making it easier to counter their attacks or quickly take cover. Remnant: From the Ashes was even more intense and terrifying due to excellent high and midrange audio performance that let you hear every monster’s roar and the howls of inbound swarms. While the bass won’t blow you away, it’s more than enough to give extra depth to each explosion and shot fired.
This model includes a fixed omni-directional mic, allowing players to mute themselves at a moments notice during gameplay. We experience zero echo in the lobby or during gameplay. The sound output is controlled through a dial located on the left side of the unit. It’s easily accessible for quick adjustments when needed. Even though the Recon 70 is aimed and promoted for the PS4 platform, it offers fantastic versatility across the board. Gamers will be happy to know that they can also enjoy this excellent model on any practically device with a 3.5mm jack input. This includes the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and various mobile devices. Coming in at just under $40, the Recon 70 offers unmatched performance within this price point.
Best Mid Range Wired Xbox Headset under $60
The LS10X was developed and aimed towards gamers who desire excellent acoustics and the latest headset technology for competitive online gaming. It’s possibly the only headset on the market right now that feature 50mm drivers, neodymium magnets and advanced Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos surround sound for the Xbox One under $60.
“Windows Sonic – This is the spatial sound setting Microsoft offers for an immersive headset experience. Plug any stereo headset into your controller or plug in an Xbox wireless accessory to your console before changing your headset setting to Windows Sonic for Headphones.”
“Dolby Atmos for Headphones – Dolby Atmos for Headphones is a premium headset audio format that works with all headsets. If you’d rather use Dolby Atmos for Headphones, choose this setting under Headset audio. You can learn more about Dolby Atmos for Headphones in the app.”
The LucidSound LS10X brings a lot to the table in terms of features, tech and build quality. This latest series also comes in at a price much lower than one might think. The LS10X offers some truly inspiring performance on the Xbox One and is highly obtainable at $59.99. The inclusion of premium 50mm drivers, in combination with the ingenious volume controls found on all LucidSound products, easily make this one of the best wired headsets for the Xbox One in this price segment.
Best Wireless Xbox Headset under $85
Turtle Beach has accomplished yet another milestone in offering the very first officially licensed wireless headset for the Xbox One in the Stealth 600. Improvements from the Recon 70, outside of the being wireless, are quite substantial. This includes larger 50mm drivers, mic monitoring, higher quality materials for the ear cushions and increased foam padding within the headband for improved comfort.
Pro Specs technology is in place to better accommodate gamers who wear glasses. This model also features Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing tech. If you are a competitive online game, this was developed with you in mind. It gives players a spider-sense like ability to detect where enemies are approaching from or the direction gunfire is coming from. This can be incredibly impactful for online gamers, delivering a substantial advantage in turning the tables on your opponent. I thoroughly enjoyed this headset while playing an extensive amount of multiplayer matches in Halo 5.
Best Wireless Xbox Headset under $160
If you are familiar with the excellent HyperX Cloud Flight Headset that debuted last year, this is basically the same unit, (now featuring green LED lighting effects on the earcups) but compatible and officially licensed by Microsoft for the Xbox One console. It’s great to see them finally extend out to the wireless headset scene and they offer a compelling solution with this newest model.
The Signature HyperX comfort and premium materials that their headsets are well known for are present here on all fronts. The CloudX Flight sports adjustable steel sliders for fitment and outstanding padded headband that is comprised of high quality memory foam. This and the pliable leatherette wrapped 90-degree rotating earcups provide hours of fatigue free gaming.
The CloudX Flight Wireless Gaming Headset delivers strong audio performance and is possibly the best officially licensed Xbox One headset of 2020. It incorporates a simple yet ingenious design for audio/chat controls. It’s comprised of high quality components throughout and of course retains that signature HyperX level of comfort.
Best Performing Headset for the PS4
With the Elite Pro 2 Headset + SuperAmp, you are now venturing into a model specifically engineered for eSport teams. It delivers next generation 7.1 DTS Headphone X Surround Sound Technology for the hardcore gamer camp that accepts nothing but the best. All the boxes are ticked here for maximum performance and comfort. It sports a gorgeous polished metal band and below that sits a suspended cushioned pad that provides outstanding support. It houses large 50mm Nanoclear speakers, covered by gel-infused ear cushions that are insanely soft. Hours can pass by in an instant, making you forget you’re even wearing a headset. The bass is extremely satisfying on this model and the DTS Headphone X technology delivers an truly unique gaming experience.
That is especially true for those that wear glasses, as the ProSpecs design exclusive to Turtle Beach does wonders in this area. You can make adjustment to what feels best with your glasses, by simply removing the ear cup. On the reverse side you will find a tab that can increase the depth by pulling it out further. It snaps right back on thanks to the magnetic design built-in. The outer plastic ear cup plates can also be removed and swapped out, giving your Elite Pro 2 a truly customized look.
The Elite Pro 2 Headset comes with the Turtle Beach SuperAmp. Connect it to the headset with the included 3.5mm cable. You’ll then connect the SuperAmp to the PS4 via the 10 foot long USB cable. If you have a an original PS4 or PS4 Pro, you can take advantage of the optical port on the SuperAmp. If you have a PS4 slim, everything is handled through USB.
Be sure to setup the optical output port correctly on your original PS4 and PS4 Pro. You’ll want to select Dolby Digital 5.1 and for the Audio Format settings, select Bitstream Dolby. Next go to Audio Devices and select the “USB Headset (Elite SupreAmp PS4) for both your input and output device. Set your volume control to the max volume and make sure the Output to Headphones setting is on Chat Audio.
For PS4 Slim owners, you will need to select the “USB Headset (Elite SupreAmp PS4) for both your input and output device. Again, set your volume control to the max volume and lastly make sure the Output to Headphones setting is on All Audio for this platform.
The SuperAmp features Bluetooth connectivity that enables it to communicate with the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app. Here you can dial in the Treble, Bass, Vocal Boost and Mic sensitively. This is accomplished by simply turning the aluminum dial on the SuperAmp. There are several options to turn on or off within the app too, including: Superhuman Hearing, Chat Boost and Active Noise Cancellation. Experiment with what sounds best to you and save it to a custom profile. Variable mic monitoring helps to ensure you come across crystal clear online and that your voice is properly balanced, regardless of how loud you speak into the mic itself. Your teammates will thank you later.
Another cool visual feature is that the center icon will light up red when you are muted and green when the mic is active. The unique approach provided by the SuperAmp gives the Elite Pro 2 that premium feeling and everything within this system just works perfectly. The headset itself is now clear of volume and chat controls, surround sound buttons and mute sliders. It’s a breath of fresh air and it’s hard to go back once you experience this new take by Turtle Beach for headset audio adjustments.
The Elite Pro 2 fuses luxury and high performance audio into one highly compelling package. The attention to detail and high end components are felt and heard within every game on this model. It delivers outstanding audio performance and the SuperAmp in combination of the Turtle Beach app raises the depth of customization to another level.
Pro gamers and streamers demand the best from their equipment. They require the absolute best performance from their gaming rigs, mechanical keyboards, low latency 4K monitors and of course high caliber gaming headsets. When you are playing at this level, you need to hear every little detail within the game, such as an approaching enemy or be able to quickly identify the precise spot of incoming gunfire. The performance of your mic plays a huge role here too. Your teammates need to hear you clearly over the action, without echo or disruptive white noise. Comfort and adjustable fitment are two other huge factors that go into creating a successful headset for this specific audience.
Best Performing PC Headset
Turtle Beach has established themselves as one of the premiere players in the gaming headset market. This scene has grown highly competitive, forcing tech manufacturers to continuously deliver the latest technology and highest quality materials at the best price possible. This is a tall task, but one that the Elite Atlas Aero simply exceeds at.
It features a sharp and angular design that is very fitting for a modern gaming headset at this price point. A polished floating metal headband combined with excellent padding provides fantastic support, along with a high range of adjustment for all shapes and sizes. The built-in ProSpecs Glasses Relief System makes this one of the most comfortable options on the market for those that wear prescription glasses. An ingenious adjustment located behind the cooling gel based memory foam earcups make it extremely easy to dial-in a perfect fit.
The Elite Atlas Aero houses an efficient noise cancelling mic that does a phenomenal job at muting outside noise. Variable mic monitoring is also in place to ensure you voice is clear and stable, regardless of how loud you are speaking into it. It can also be detached when not in use, which is great when playing games where chat is not an option or simply not being used.
Controls for the headset are located on the left earcup including: Power, Volume Dial and the patented “Superhuman Hearing” button. This tech amplifies surrounding noises such as enemy footsteps and gunfire. It’s extremely valuable for pro gamers that compete in the always popular first person shooter genre.
Every explosion, strike and near miss while playing Black Ops 4 delivered substantial bass and clarity thanks to the high performing 50mm Nanoclear drivers. This wireless headset can also provide up to 30 hours of battery life per charge. Considering how powerful this thing is, that’s wildly impressive.
Another cool feature is the hidden USB Receiver slot, located behind the right earcup. These things are so easy to misplace and this is a perfect solution for that all too common dilemma.
Outside of competitive shooters, you’ll want to turn off Superhuman hearing so everything is fully active for the most robust audible experience available. A really exciting component on this model is Waves Nx technology, which creates a 3D audio environment where it feels like you are truly within the game. It’s pretty amazing and something we highly recommend you try out if possible. Clearing out dungeons within Remnant: From the Ashes was even more immersive than normal, as you could distinctly hear the monsters far before making visual contact. This creates some incredible tension that will have you on the edge of your seat…knowing the beasts are just around the corner. Each roar, scream and growl is crystal clear and the Elite Atlas Aero is remarkably accurate in pinpointing the enemy’s position.
The Turtle Beach Control Studio program gives gamers the additional tools such as Waves Nx and Waves Maxx technology to fine tune their audio experience. You can adjust the Treble, Bass, Game/Chat Mix, 3D Audio, Superhuman Hearing and more. It’s a straight forward audio software suite where you can dial in your desired sound preferences with ease.
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero is a substantial investment at $249, but it backs that price point by delivering serious performance and sound, making it a top pick for even the most demanding PC gamers. The 3D Audio produced through the new Waves Nx Technology is quite impressive and is yet another example how Turtle Beach continues to innovate the industry and enhance their diverse product line.
