How are gaming headphones different from regular ones?

Some users believe that gaming headsets are a marketing ploy, and you can play with any headphones. This is both true and false, because in practice, gaming headsets have a lot of differences. In particular, their sound is tuned so that the player hears sounds like enemy footsteps and explosions more clearly, the body is often lightweight and has an ergonomic shape so as not to tire the ears during hours-long sessions, and the kit often comes with special software for additional configuration and virtualization of sound. Some options are even equipped with small sound cards that support DTS and Dolby. As you can see, the difference is noticeable, so when choosing audiophile headphones and a headset for bending in Call Of Duty, people look at completely different things. Also, most gaming headphones have built-in conversational microphones, often with a communication to Discord, so in fact they are more correctly called headsets rather than headphones.

Full-size, on-ear, or in-ear – which types of gaming headsets are considered more comfortable?

The over-ear full-size headset is the most popular option among gamers.

Let's start with one of the most important questions - which form factor to choose? Here we can highlight several types of headsets, as well as their main advantages and disadvantages.

For full-size gaming headsets, each ear cup completely encloses the ear and fits snugly against the head. Full-size options stand out for their high-quality bass and soundstage, as well as effective passive noise insulation. A microphone, if there is one, is usually hidden inside one of the cups or rotated behind it. With prolonged use, full-size models can cause discomfort, starting to put pressure on the ears and head at the points of contact with the frame. And in the heat, your ears can sweat in them. Despite these shortcomings, they are considered the most optimal option for destroying enemies online. This is the option that predominates on sale, so in the future we will refer specifically to full-size models.

On-ear headphones. Unlike full-size models, their cups are located outside the auricle, pressing against the ears with the help of ear pads. Because of this, they are not as tiring as closed full-size models, and ears do not sweat as much in hot weather. Their sound quality is generally just as high. The disadvantages are the lack of passive noise isolation, like on-ear models, and the need to greatly increase the volume due to the fact that the headphone drivers are located at a considerable distance from the ear.

Earbuds and in-ear headphones for gamers are rather a niche product that has gained popularity along with gaming smartphones and TWS headphones. The option is not so convenient, since due to the small design, it is more difficult to place high-quality speakers and a microphone in such headphones, and the wireless communication often suffers due to input lag, when the sound lags slightly behind what is happening on the screen, which is not good for the same shooters. There are, of course, models with a function to reduce input lag, but they do not always deliver what they promise.

Full-size gaming headphones

Which communication type should I choose: audio cable, USB, Bluetooth or radio?

Wired or wireless?

Gaming headsets use regular audio cables to connect to a sound source. Most often this is either a single minijack for audio transmission, or a pair of 3.5 cables for audio and voice transmission. A single minijack is a universal option that can be used with any gaming platform from PCs and smartphones to portable and stationary consoles. Models with separate cables are a more complicated story. In general, a wired communication is a gaming classic that is chosen by most experienced players. If you are concerned about durability, we recommend that you look for models with an additional or detachable cord.

A popular alternative are models with a USB communication, which are often equipped with a compact DAC (less often a full-fledged sound card) with a sound virtualization system. On the one hand, this is convenient (we’ll tell you why later), on the other hand, it can cause problems when connecting, since many gaming platforms use different drivers and USB protocols, and headsets for Xbox usually do not fit PlayStation and vice versa. In any case, before purchasing a USB headset, you should make sure that it is compatible with the console to which it will be connected.

An interesting alternative to wired headphones are wireless models with Bluetooth or radio. Such options are an order of magnitude higher and, on the one hand, free the owner from unnecessary wires, on the other hand, they require permanent recharging, the communication may fall off in the middle of a gaming, sound may be transmitted with a slight delay, and the type of communication used may not be suitable for the gaming console.

If you constantly play on different platforms, switching from your smartphone to the Switch throughout the day, and then to the PS5, and are not sure which type of communication is best for you, we recommend paying attention to omnivorous gaming headsets with a combined communication like the Razer Barracuda X and SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7, which are compatible with almost all popular gaming platforms, including Playstation, Xbox, Windows and Nintendo Switch. It’s true that such a headset will cost an order of magnitude more than an analogue with an audio cable.

Gaming headphones with wireless bluetooth communication

Construction, materials and design

The famous Kitty series from Razer.

When choosing a high-quality headset, special attention should be paid to the build quality, headband design and ear pad material. Ear pads are soft pads that headphones fit to the user's ears. Comfortable ear pads should be soft, breathable and provide good sound insulation. The rest is a matter of taste - some people like the breathable fabric upholstery, others prefer the denser noise insulation provided by leather ear pads.

The headband should ensure a secure fit of the headset on the head, but at the same time sit softly on the head and not put pressure on the points of contact. In terms of durability, it is better to choose gaming headphones with an all-metal headband or at least a wire frame - they are much stronger than hybrid or plastic frames. As for convenience, in most modern models the headband is equipped with a softening foam cushion covered in velor or artificial leather.

Naturally, the quality of materials and the convenience of the design depend on the specific model of headphones: in inexpensive models, the cushion may be thin, and the covering may not be of the highest quality. Also, good gaming headsets should have a comfortable and easy-to-use size adjustment system that will help lock the headphones in the desired position so that they do not fall off your head while gaming, but at the same time do not put too much pressure. An excellent option are models with an auto-adjustable headband.

As for design, recently most major manufacturers like Logitech, SteelSeries and HyperX have been gravitating towards classic shapes and colors, diluting minimalism with colored ear pads or LED elements. If we talk about lighting, it can be either a simple single-color illumination of the cups or complex RGB illumination with the ability to synchronize effects. But old-school models with aggressive design, bright colors and decorative inserts like cat ears have not been pampered with variety lately and are most often found in the assortment of Razer and A4Tech.

How do gaming headsets sound and how do they differ from regular headphones?

Despite their external similarity, gaming headsets are noticeably different from regular full-size headphones.

Now let's talk about sound. It should be noted right away that you are unlikely to be able to find a suitable option based on photographs and technical characteristics. Information about the frequency spectrum, sensitivity and impedance of headphones says practically nothing about the sound quality of the selected model; frequencies above 20 KHz, which are usually beyond the reach of inexpensive models and may indicate the use of high-quality drivers, can be a reference point.

As we have already said, the sound of gaming headsets differs from regular music headphones in that they have an abundance of bass and suppressed high frequencies to better emphasize sounds like gunshots, explosions, impacts and splashes. Many gamers don’t really like this color, so they use regular over-ear headphones and a separate microphone. This option is often cheaper, since the manufacturer does not have to spend resources on lighting, virtual sound, etc.

Many modern headphones allow you to enhance the immersion effect by dividing the sound into 5, 7 or 9 virtual channels, which are actually reproduced by two main speakers. For experienced players, being able to pinpoint where an enemy is coming from is a thousand times more important than accentuated bass or crystal clear audiophile highs. In inexpensive models, such virtualization works rather clumsily at the level of software drivers; in more serious models, a separate DAC may be responsible for surround sound.

Moreover, each gaming platform (note: Windows, Playstation and Xbox) uses its own virtualization technologies (Dolby, DTS, Windows Sonic, Tempest 3D), which are incompatible with each other due to different technical approaches. If you are looking for a headset exclusively to pair with one of the consoles or a PC, then you don’t have to worry, but for multi-platform models it is better to clarify these nuances in advance.

Multichannel headphones

Is a microphone a luxury or a necessity?

Most gamers prefer gaming headsets with a microphone over headphones.

The microphone is a very important part of the gaming headset, as it allows players to communicate with each other, discussing battle tactics, humiliating opponents, or simply barging into the chat shouting “For Leeroy Jenkins!”

Most full-size headsets have permanent microphones. For comfort, if necessary, such microphones can either be hidden in the headset body, or simply raised up using the arm. Headphones with replaceable microphones have a similar principle. They are usually attached to the headphones using connectors specially designed by the manufacturer.

Unlike speakers, a microphone is much easier to choose “from a photograph.” First, let's look at the sensitivity parameter. It is measured in decibels and determines how well the microphone responds to speech volume. The higher it is, the less you have to yell into the microphone. As for the frequency range, microphones operating in the range of 100 - 15000 Hz have proven themselves best.

Another important feature is noise reduction, which allows the microphone to reduce background noise and improve audio quality. Most popular models use standard Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology, which quite efficiently clears speech from noise.

Often among the characteristics of the device there is a point about the direction of the microphone. Mostly unidirectional or bidirectional systems are used, each of which has its own advantages. It is also important to check for additional features such as microphone muting, which allows you to temporarily mute the microphone, or adjusting the microphone volume.

Conclusion

The Inzone is a great example of a headset made for the PS5.

At its core, finding the right gaming headset is no different from buying a smartphone, car, or smartwatch. In the sense that price is not always the most important factor, and much depends on the needs and preferences of the user. Therefore, to begin with, we recommend deciding on the gaming platform and communication type (3.5, USB or wireless), then answer for yourself how important multi-channel sound and microphone quality are to you. Also pay attention to the design and wearing comfort of the headset, especially if you plan to play for a long time.

And don't forget about the brand and reviews from other users, which can give you an idea about the quality of the product. Logitech, Razer and SteelSeries are considered veterans, but in their case there is often a premium for the brand. HyperX keeps a tempting balance between price and quality. Asus has recently been actively expanding its range with models of various classes, so it depends on your luck. We advise budget-conscious users to pay attention to products from the Hator and A4Tech brands. At the same time, we advise you not to save too much since, most likely, these will be beautiful plastic headphones with terrible sound that will fall apart in six months.

Owners of the new PS5 and Xbox Series X will find many official headsets from the console manufacturers themselves and partner companies. Well, people who are looking for an option with thoroughbred sound should turn their attention to not the cheapest headsets from audiophile brands like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica.