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 not true, 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 tyre the ears during many hours of sessions, and special software is often included for additional tuning and sound virtualization. Some options are generally equipped with small sound cards with support for DTS and Dolby. As you can see, the difference is palpable, so when choosing audiophile headphones and a headset for bending in Call Of Duty, people look at completely different things. Also, most gaming headphones are equipped with built-in conversational microphones, often with a Discord garter, so it’s actually more correct to call them not headphones, but headsets.

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

The on-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? There are several types of headsets, as well as their main advantages and disadvantages.

On full-size gaming headsets, each cup fully encloses the ear and fits snugly against the head. Full-size versions stand out for their high-quality bass and sound stage, as well as effective passive noise isolation. The microphone, if present, 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, the ears can sweat in them. Despite these shortcomings, they are considered the best option for destroying enemies online. It is this option that prevails 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, nestling against the ears with the help of ear cushions. Because of this, they are not as tiring as closed full-size models, and the ears do not sweat as much in the heat. The sound quality is generally the same. The disadvantages are the lack of passive noise isolation, as in overhead 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.

In-ear and in-ear headphones for gamers are more of a niche product that has gained popularity along with gaming smartphones and TWS headphones. The option is not so convenient, because due to the small design it is more difficult to place high-quality speakers and a microphone in such headphones, and the wireless connection 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 the function of reducing the input lag, but they do not always give the promised.

Full size gaming headphones

Which type of connection to choose: audio cable, USB, Bluetooth or radio channel?

Wired or wireless?

Gaming headsets use regular audio cables to connect to a sound source. Most often, this is either a single minijack for sound transmission, or a pair of 3.5 cables for sound and voice transmission. The single mini jack is a versatile option that can be used with any gaming platform from PCs and smartphones to handheld and desktop consoles. Models with separate cables are a more complicated story. All in all, the wired connection is the gaming classic of choice for most experienced gamers. If you are worried about durability, we recommend that you pay attention to models with an additional or detachable cord.

A popular alternative are USB-connected models, which are often equipped with a compact DAC (rarely 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 connection problems, since many gaming platforms use different drivers and USB protocols, and Xbox headsets usually do not fit the PlayStation and vice versa. In any case, before buying 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 a radio. Such options cost an order of magnitude higher and, on the one hand, free the owner from unnecessary wires, on the other hand, they require constant recharging, the connection may fall off in the middle of the game, the sound may be transmitted with a slight delay, and the type of connection used may not be suitable for the game console.

If you constantly play on different platforms, during the day switching from a smartphone to a conditional Switch, and then to PS5 and are not sure which type of connection is best for you, we advise you to pay attention to omnivorous gaming headsets with combined connection 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. True, such a headset will cost an order of magnitude more expensive than an analogue with an audio cable.

Bluetooth Wireless Gaming Headphone

Construction, materials and design

The famous Kitty-series from Razer.

When choosing a quality headset, special attention should be paid to the build quality, headband design and ear cushion material. The ear pads are soft cushions that fit the earphones to the user's ears. Comfortable ear pads should be soft, breathable and provide good sound isolation. The rest is a matter of taste - someone likes the breathable fabric upholstery, someone prefers the denser noise isolation provided by the leather ear pads.

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

Naturally, the quality of materials and the convenience of the design depend on the specific model of headphones: in inexpensive models, the pillow can be thin, and the lining is not 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 right position so that they do not fall off the head during the game, and at the same time do not put too much pressure. An excellent option is models with an auto-adjusting headband.

As for design, most of the major manufacturers like Logitech, SteelSeries and HyperX have been gravitating toward classic shapes and colors lately, diluting the minimalism with colored ear cushions or LED elements. If we talk about backlighting, then it can be either a simple single-color backlighting of the cups, or a 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 spoiled with variety lately and are most often found in the assortment of Razer and A4Tech.

How do gaming headsets sound and how is it different from regular headphones?

Despite the 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 from photographs and technical specifications. Information about the frequency spectrum, sensitivity and impedance of the headphones says practically nothing about the sound quality of the selected model, frequencies above 20 kHz can be a guideline, which are usually not subject to inexpensive models and may indicate the use of high-end drivers.

As we have already said, the sound of gaming headsets differs from ordinary music headphones with an abundance of bass and suppressed high frequencies in order to better emphasize sounds like gunshots, explosions, bumps and splashes. Many gamers do not 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 increase the immersion effect by dividing the sound into 5, 7 or 9 virtual channels, which in fact reproduce the two main speakers. For experienced gamers, being able to pinpoint exactly where an enemy is coming from is a thousand times more important than punchy 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 can be responsible for surround sound.

At the same time, 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 paired with one of the consoles or PCs, then you don’t have to worry, but for multiplatform models it is better to clarify these nuances in advance.

Multi-channel headphones

Microphone - luxury or 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, discuss battle tactics, humiliate opponents, or simply burst into the chat shouting "For Leeroy Jenkins"!

Most full-size headsets have fixed microphones. For comfort, if necessary, such microphones can either be hidden in the headset case, or simply lifted up with the help of the bow. Headphones with interchangeable microphones have a similar principle. They are usually attached to the headphones using connectors specially designed by the manufacturer.

Unlike speakers, it is much easier to choose a microphone “by photo”. First, let's look at the sensitivity parameter. It is measured in decibels and determines how well the microphone responds to the volume of speech. 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 cancellation, which allows the microphone to reduce background noise and improve sound quality. Most popular models use the standard Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology, which cleans speech from noise quite well.

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

Conclusion

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

At its core, finding the right gaming headset is no different than buying a smartphone, car, or smartwatch. In the sense that the price is not always the most important factor, but much depends on the needs and preferences of the user. Therefore, to begin with, we recommend that you decide on the gaming platform and the type of connection (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 are going to play for a long time.

And don't forget about the brand and reviews from other users, which can give you an idea of the quality of the product. Logitech, Razer and SteelSeries are considered veterans, but they often have a brand markup. HyperX keeps a tempting ratio between price and quality. Asus has been actively expanding its range with models of various classes lately, so it's up to you to be lucky. We advise economical users to pay attention to the products of 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 a terrible sound that will fall apart in six months.

Owners of the new PS5 and Xbox Series X are waiting for a lot of official headsets from the console manufacturers themselves and partner companies. Well, people who are looking for an option with a thoroughbred sound should look at not the cheapest headsets from audiophile brands like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica.