Whether you are into competitive esports titles or love exploring the vast open worlds, having a great audio experience is important while gaming. Some of the best gaming headsets offer rich and immersive audio, good sound separation, and of course, a built-in microphone so you can give clear directions to your teammates.
There are loads of gaming headsets to choose from, but if you are looking for something on a tight budget, we've got you covered. Here's a look at some of the best budget gaming headsets.
Best wired gaming headset
HyperX Cloud Stinger
- Comfortable to wear
- Quality microphone
- Good value
- Cheap plastic build
- Bass quality is not the best
Why you should buy this: An affordable gaming headset offering great comfort, a quality boom mic, and decent sound.
Who it's for: Gamers looking for a no-fuss gaming headset that excels at all the basics.
Why we picked the HyperX Cloud Stinger:
For its price of just $32, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is one of the best budget gaming headsets. It offers a lightweight and comfortable design, allowing one to use it for long gaming sessions. The all-plastic finish isn't the most premium, but it is passable, especially at this price. The audio quality is decent, with a balanced sound profile, although the bass isn't very satisfying. The boom microphone performs well and manages to deliver a clear voice, thus allowing your teammates to hear you in all kinds of environments. It also comes with a flip-to-mute feature, which is pretty useful and convenient.
Since they are wired, there is negligible lag, and you get an adapter in the box that allows you to split the mic and headphone output. The headset can be used with all major consoles apart from laptops and desktops. Apart from that, there is also a volume slider placed on the bottom of the right earcup. Overall, the Cloud Stinger is a simple plug-and-play gaming headset that doesn't break the bank.
Best multiplatform wireless gaming headset
Razer Barracuda X
- Low-latency wireless
- 3.5mm wired connection
- Premium design with comfortable fit
- Solid battery life
- No customization options
Why you should buy this: It is the best budget gaming headset that offers multiple connectivity options.
Who it's for: Those who need a reliable gaming headset that can be used with multiple devices, both wired and wireless.
Why we picked the Razer Barracuda X:
Razer has always stood out in the gaming peripherals space by offering high-quality products. Apart from its premium gaming headsets, the company also has a good selection in the affordable price range. The Barracuda X isn't the most affordable one on the list, but there is a lot to like about this gaming headset. It features a sleek, minimalistic design with soft padding over the drivers, a removable boom mic, and multi-device wireless connectivity via a USB-C dongle. Apart from PC and Mac, the headset can be used with the PlayStation 4/5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. There is also the option to use the headset in wired mode, as it comes with a 3.5mm aux jack.
The 40mm TriForce drivers manage to deliver excellent audio as well as a good amount of volume with negligible distortions. Even the detachable microphone delivers a clear voice, with a quick mute button that is accessible on the left earcup. There is also the volume dial, power switch, 3.5mm jack, USB-C charging port, and a jack for the detachable microphone on the same earcup. Additionally, it has up to 20 hours of battery life, which is pretty good for a full day's worth of use.
Do check out the 2022 version of the Barracuda X that adds Bluetooth functionality and a longer 50-hour battery life for $99.
Best wired headset for high-quality audio
SteelSeries Arctis 3
- Premium design
- Comfortable fit
- Rich audio quality
- Bi-directional mic picks up background noise
- Complicated software setup process
Why you should buy this: A well-priced headset offering high-quality audio and a sleek design.
Who it's for: PC gamers who want a sleek-looking wired gaming headset with high-quality sound for both gaming and music.
Why we picked the SteelSeries Arctis 3:
The Arctis range from SteelSeries is a pretty impressive offering if you are looking for great audio quality. The Arctis 3 is fairly affordable and surprisingly good-looking, too, with its sleek and minimalistic finish. The boom mic is not detachable but can be retracted, allowing you to use the headset while traveling. It is also quite comfortable to wear thanks to the flexible headband and plush ear cushions.
Audio performance is excellent while gaming or listening to music, with a balanced delivery and a good amount of bass. The microphone on the headset offers clear audio, but it tends to pick up background noise due to its bi-directional nature. You can fine-tune audio features like surround sound and equalization using the dedicated software on a PC, however, the setup process can be complicated for some users. There are no customization options on consoles or mobile devices, but overall, the sound quality feels balanced and immersive.
An inexpensive and basic gaming headset
Turtle Beach Recon 50
- Decent audio quality
- Good micrphone
- Inexpensive
- Flimsy build quality
- Noise isolation
Why you should buy this: A highly affordable headset that offers decent audio.
Who it's for: Gamers looking for an ultra-cheap headset that delivers all the basics.
Why we picked the Turtle Beach Recon 50:
The Turtle Beach Recon 50 is an inexpensive wired gaming headset recommended for shoppers looking for the bare minimum. In fact, it has over 88,000 reviews on Amazon, making it a popular choice among consumers. At its price, the headset is actually pretty decent, offering a balanced sound with a good amount of bass. It is also lightweight, although the overall build quality is not the best, and durability can be an issue. It comes in three color options — red, green, and blue — and the boom mic is detachable.
It is also compatible with almost any device that features a 3.5mm audio jack, including PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. The headset features a built-in boom mic and large inline volume control that includes a volume slider and mute switch. It also comes with an audio splitter in case you have separate jacks for line-in and line-out.
Best budget gaming headset with 7.1 audio
Razer Kraken V3 X
- Excellent microphone pickup
- Rich sound with 7.1 surround sound
- Comfortable fit
- RGB lighting
- USB-A connectivity
- No equalizer settings
Why you should buy this: A fairly inexpensive gaming headset that comes with 7.1 spatial audio and a reliable microphone.
Who it's for: Those who are looking for an affordable gaming headset with 7.1 audio capabilities.
Why we picked the Razer Kraken V3 X:
The Razer Kraken V3 X is the most affordable model of the latest Kraken V3 series. It features a similar design as the original Kraken and now comes with Chroma RGB lighting on the earcups for some bling value. It is fairly lightweight and offers excellent comfort, specifically the memory foam-equipped earpads. The 40mm Triforce drivers deliver pleasing audio with punchy bass, clear mids, and one of the best 7.1 surround sound experiences that you can get for under $50.
The headset is compatible with Razer's Synapse software, but sadly, there are no equalizer settings. Also, unlike most headsets, the Kraken V3 X connects via USB-A instead of a 3.5mm analog connector, which means you can only use these with a PC or PlayStation 4. The flexible Razer Hyperclear cardioid boom microphone on the headset is also pretty impressive and does a great job of recording audio. It also manages to do a decent job of separating your voice from ambient noise, although it would have been great if the headphones offered better noise isolation.
