1.KINGSTON HYPERX CLOUD (The best gaming headset)
is priced at well under $100, and the manufacturer doesn’t have the same reputation for quality cans as Creative, or recent debutant to the audio market Corsair, so we were as shocked as any to find such a killer overall package.
In such a crowded marketplace, many big-name manufacturers attempt to stand out from the crowd by offering virtual 7.1 surround setups, making meaningless boasts about ‘4D sound’ or inventing absurd technologies like Mad Catz’ ViviTouch (essentially force feedback for your ears, which is exactly as useful and welcome as it sounds).
Kingston doesn’t play the peacocking game with its —the only audio product it currently produces—and while that means it’s easily overlooked next to rival products and their wild snake oil claims, its mastery of the fundamentals makes it well worth seeking out.
As we mentioned in the intro, this headset is essentially the wonderful QPad QH90 in disguise. The overall physical design is almost identical. The only difference other than its branding is a slightly more padded headband. Except for that, Kingston saves its tweaking for the audio properties, and rightly so: if it ain’t broke, don’t add neon LEDs and a swivel mic to it.
The body itself is built around sturdy but lightly brushed steel, and weighs in at 350 grams (12.3 ounces). That’s certainly not the lightest on the market, but it never feels heavy on your head. All contact points are finished in soft but durable materials, and the memory foam around each earcup not only keeps you comfortable for long periods, but allows bass frequencies to gently pulsate against your ears so you can feel the full force of an explosion, a grenade blast, or a brostep drop.
By default the earcups are finished in soft leatherette, but you’ll also find a pair of alternative cushions with more of a velvet finish, if that’s your bag. Either option is a closed cup design that covers your entire ear and cuts out external sound very effectively, and with none of the irritating ‘seashell effect’ many headsets suffer. You get an airplane adapter thrown in, along with a carry pouch to keep it safe on the road.
The detachable mic doesn’t look like much, but it’s crystal clear and well-grounded so it doesn’t crackle as you adjust it. The pop shield’s extremely durable, and the overall sound quality’s more than good enough to bring to Twitch streams and YouTube posts.
This is a simple, two-channel stereo setup, so if precise positional audio cues are essential to your purchase, consider other options like the more expensive Creative SoundBlaster Recon 3D Omega. But make no mistake—this is as good as two-channel stereo audio gets in a gaming headset. It may not be able to articulate a bullet whizzing over your head totally immersively, but even with just one driver in each earcup the Cloud produces a great stereo spread, panning sounds dramatically between left and right earcup to create the illusion of a wide aural space.
And what it might lack compared to 7.1 headsets in overall surround positioning, it more than gains back in a multimedia scenario. Unlike so many of its rivals, the HyperX Cloud is just as suited to watching a movie or listening to music as gaming. In no small part that comes down to its broad frequency response of 10Hz—20 KHz. We humans can’t actually hear tones below 20 Hz, but the extra low-end capability means the 53mm drivers can boost audible bass signals with inaudible sub-bass frequencies which are perceptible by vibration. In short—you feel the bass in addition to hearing it.
This boosted low-end is another key amendment to the QPad QH-90’s design, and it’s a big reason we love these cans more than any others on the market. They’re capable of huge sounds, but they never, ever distort or lose clarity in the middle and high range. They sound almost as good as pro audio headphones—and they cost $100.
Of all the headsets currently on the market, we think Kingston’s hit the sweet spot here between luxury, functionality and pricing. Unless you have a definite need for a wireless setup or simply can’t get by without true surround sound, the has everything you need, and none of the distracting and expensive extras that you don’t.
2.The best budget PC gaming headset
The story of the begins in 2012 when CM Storm (an offshoot of PC case and cooling specialist Coolermaster) releases it around the $100 mark to general disinterest—rival offerings from Creative and Corsair for the same money or less made it irrelevant. Stick with it though, and cut to two years later: their popularity has meant the Creative and Corsair headsets—or revisions thereof—have remained at that price point, while the Sonuz plummets under 50 bucks.
Which is great news, because although its rigid headband design makes it less appealing than Corsair’s Vengeance range, there’s hardly a chasm of quality between the two. If you can put up with its faintly slug-like aesthetic, the Sonuz offers good quality audio with powerful low end, a clear and robust mic and tank-like overall build quality.
The earcups are finished in soft suedette and house meaty 53mm drivers capable of low 10Hz frequencies. The earcup design compromises this slightly by failing to close off each ear completely and allow that dreaded ‘seashell’ effect, which means sub-bass frequencies escape unnoticed and the overall tone loses its fullness. So while the Sonuz can’t look our beloved Kingston HyperX Cloud headset in the eye for tonal finesse, it still does a stellar job for the money.
The extra low end is best enjoyed via the creative output of DICE, Infinity Ward, Michael Bay, ad nauseum—but the Sonuz can hack Spotify sessions too. You might not be able to hear every throat clearing in your DIY alt-indie playlist, but you’ll certainly be able to do Skrillex and Rusko justice.
Along the 2-meter braided cable you’ll find a no-frills inline remote that controls overall volume, mic volume, and a mic mute button. Simplicity itself. The mic can be removed if desired, and after months of pulling it out, losing it somewhere and plugging it back in it’s still well-grounded and produces a clean signal.
So the initial overpricing is our eventual gain—now given a really attractive price tag, it’s the best option for those who want reliable hardware with solid sound reproduction and a dependable mic.
Note: While the Sonuz was priced at less than $50 when we originally recommended it, prices on Amazon often fluctuate. At $60 or above, we'd recommend spending the little bit of extra money on the Kingston HyperX Cloud, which is a superior headset.
3.The best high-end gaming headset
So you’re feeling flush, and you don’t want to make any compromises—you want the best gaming headset, no matter the cost. Look no further than , a headset that would reign supreme in a world that judges earphones purely by number of baffling buzzwords in their name and, more relevantly, also offers the best overall package above the $200 mark.
These are wireless cans, with the mobility benefits that come with it but without the range and battery dramas. We’re able to take the headset anywhere in our house and stay within range (though admittedly we’re not talking mansion-level floor space) and once fully charged the battery gives you roughly ten hours of faithful service before it needs to be hooked up to the juice again via mico USB cable.
But more importantly, these are surround sound wireless cans that come with an external sound card. This is what really sets the Recon3D Omega apart from other top end headsets—the quality of its sound cue positioning, and the sheer amount of customisation possible using the Recon3D hardware and bundled software.
There’s a button on the Recon3D soundcard itself labelled ‘Scout Mode.’ This will be of particular interest if you play a lot of shooters and need to keep your ears pricked for footsteps; it practically cheats for you. Enabling Scout Mode accentuates sounds enemies make nearby, the idea being you hear them earlier and thus are able to take the initiative.
From an audiophile’s standpoint Scout Mode sounds horrendous, like touching down from a flight and not being able to equalise your ears. However, it does make footsteps a touch easier to listen out for in the mix. Similar modes have been attempted by other manufacturers, but none are quite as effective.
Usually it’s wise to run for the hills when a headset promises audio that goes ‘beyond’ 7.1, but Creative’s SBX digital surround technology works fantastically, tricking your ears into believing they’re hearing more than eight speakers around them by using just one 50mm driver per ear and digitally interpolating a sound space around your head. Headsets using multiple drivers or digital tech similar to this are both prone to producing muddy sound that simply isn’t suitable for music or movies, but the Recon3D Omega produces tight and precise audio in every scenario.
And, while this isn’t a clincher, the bundled software is absolutely exhaustive. It allows you to create and save custom profiles for use on different devices (it’s happy with Macs and consoles from current and last generation in addition to PC, connected via SPDIF and USB to all), and even throws in some voice manipulation. Invaluable if for some reason you insist on talking to all your online friends using a robot voice.
The surprising level of comfort offered by these relatively heavy earphones is the icing on an already enticing cake. Despite their bulky frame, the remain unobtrusive through multi-hour sessions and even emit a satisfying blue LED throb when turned on. Useless, since you can’t see it while you’re wearing the headset, but a touch of quality nonetheless.
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