The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets for 2023

We’ve gathered the top models we’ve tested here, along with advice on what to look for when shopping for a wireless gaming headset.

Wireless gaming headsets, on the other hand, let you cut the cord and enjoy two-way audio that’s unfettered by wires. They tend to cost more than their wired equivalents, but the convenience is worth it.

Gaming headsets are headphones with various features specifically for gaming, like built-in boom microphones, simulated surround sound mixing, and connectivity with game consoles and PCs. There are countless gaming headsets, many of which require a wire connected to your computer or game console controller.

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test. (Opens in a new window)

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Razer Barracuda X (2022)

Best for a Budget Wireless Gaming Headset

4.5 Outstanding

Why We Picked It

When we first tested it, the Barracuda X used a USB-C transmitter exclusively for wireless use, with a 3.5mm wired option for any devices with a headset jack. This let the Barracuda X work with numerous systems (PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and any Android phone with a USB-C port), which made it one of the more flexible wireless gaming headsets available for under $100. Razer since updated the Barracuda X with two, big features: Bluetooth and simulated surround (for PCs). Bluetooth enables it to work as a pair of wireless headphones without using the transmitter, which is very convenient (even if Bluetooth audio quality can be lower than a dedicated transmitter). The 7.1-channel simulated surround is only for use with PCs, and isn’t as accurate as the THX Spatial Audio found on Razer’s higher-end headsets. Still, any surround sound on an inexpensive wireless headset is welcome.

On top of all of these features, the Barracuda X simply sounds good. Its audio is well-balanced and its mic is clear, which is why it’s one of our top picks for wireless gaming headsets.

Who It’s For

Budget-minded gamers who want wireless audio with their Nintendo Switch, PC, or PlayStation 4/5 should give this headset a look, especially if they’d like a simple pair of wireless headphones to enjoy music on the go with their phone. It’s simply a strong package for a very reasonable price.

PROS

• Strong audio performance
• Clear mic quality
• Comfortable fit
• Plenty of connectivity options with Bluetooth, USB-C transmitter, and 3.5mm

CONS

• 7.1-channel simulated surround sound isn’t the most accurate
• Doesn’t come with a carrying bag or case

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$99.99

$99.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Razer Barracuda X (2022) Review

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

Best High-End Gaming Headset

4.5 Outstanding

Why We Picked It

This is simply one of the most functional, best-performing wireless gaming headsets we’ve seen, with extensive connection options and a handy and unique feature. The base station connects to two different devices over USB, so you can use the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless with your PC and your console of choice without switching cables. The base also has a slot to charge the headset’s spare battery, which is a massive boon; instead of plugging in the headset or taking a break, you can just swap batteries and stay charged and wirelessly connected no matter how long you play.

It sounds excellent, too, though you’ll get the most benefit if you spend some time in the SteelSeries GG software to tweak the audio performance. It’s one of the few gaming headsets (or headphones, for that matter) to offer a full parametric EQ instead of the standard five- or 10-band EQ. That means you can create precise audio curves for your favorite games (SteelSeries also offers a handful of presets). Oh, and it has Bluetooth, too. Although the parametric EQ isn’t available over Bluetooth, you can still load the headset up with a 10-band EQ preset through the software for when you’re out and about.

Who It’s For

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is primarily for PC gamers, because the software will help them get the most out of the headset. The base station offers a big knob for changing volume levels or adjusting the game/chat mix, and keeping it in arm’s reach means you can switch batteries whenever you want—an extremely useful feature. It’s still a console-friendly headset, though you must make choose between the PlayStation or Xbox version versions (the PC version works with both systems).

PROS

• Full, clear audio
• Good microphone
• Surprisingly strong noise cancellation
• Clever base station with hot-swappable batteries and two USB ports
• Powerful software with extensive audio adjustments and effective simulated surround
• Bluetooth

CONS

• Audio profile requires some tweaking with EQ to get the best experience
• No optical audio input for the base

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$349.99

$349.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Review

Audeze Penrose

Best for Audiophiles

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Gaming headsets usually aren’t audiophile-friendly devices, because they rarely offer accurate and detailed sound across the full frequency range. They can sound powerful and crisp, but they’re usually tuned to emphasize certain game sounds. The Audeze Penrose is a rare exception. Audeze is a high-end headphone company known for its use of planar magnetic drivers, a different driver technology from the dynamic drivers used by most headphones and headsets. As a result, the Audeze Penrose has a full, clean sound loaded with detail in the low and high ends.

This is one of the best gaming headsets you can get if you have a fine ear and enjoy listening to music as much as playing games. It sounds fantastic, because that’s its first and foremost priority. In fact, you won’t get many other features; the Audeze Penrose only has 3.5mm wired and Bluetooth connection options, and lacks spatial audio features.

Who It’s For

This headset is for audiophile gamers who are willing to spend some money for the best sound available (without reaching into extremes like Audeze’s own $900 LCD-GX headset). Look at it as an excellent pair of Bluetooth headphones that also has a very good boom mic and a 3.5mm cable for using wired with your favorite gaming device.

PROS

• Rich audio quality
• Comfortable fit
• Bluetooth and wired connection options
• Easy to use

CONS

• No spatial audio or simulated surround processing

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$239.00

$239.00

See It

(Opens in a new window)

B&H Photo Video

$299.00

$299.00

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Audeze Penrose Review

JBL Quantum 800

Best Value for Features

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

The JBL Quantum 800 is a rare gaming headset that tries to do a little of everything and largely succeeds. It has good audio quality, a clean mic, strong simulated surround sound, solid active noise cancellation (ANC), and programmable RGB lighting. That’s a lot in a $200 package. It also has Bluetooth connectivity if you want to use it on the go (and don’t mind wearing a visually obvious gaming headset outside).

It doesn’t quite hit the highs of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, both in audio quality and ANC effectiveness, but it’s also two-thirds the price. That’s a great value proposition, even if it isn’t a superlative headset.

Who It’s For

This is for PC gamers who want as many features as they can get without paying too much money. The JBL Quantum 800 certainly isn’t a budget headset at $200, but it justifies the price between its ANC, RGB lighting, and performance. It’s not a very console-friendly headset, though.

PROS

• Lots of features
• Solid noise cancellation
• Strong bass
• Good microphone
• Bluetooth

CONS

• PC-only for most features
• Sculpted sound signature isn’t particularly accurate

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$199.95

$199.95

See It

(Opens in a new window)

JBL

$199.95

$199.95

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our JBL Quantum 800 Review

Xbox Wireless Headset

Best for Xbox Gamers

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Most wireless gaming headsets use a USB transmitter of some sort. They might leverage Bluetooth as a backup, but that usually doesn’t offer nearly as good audio quality, and latency can be an issue. The Xbox Wireless Headset doesn’t bother with that, because it directly connects to your Xbox One or Series S/X console through the same wireless connection that the Xbox Wireless Controller uses. The technology is built into Xbox systems, so all you have to do is press the pairing button on the headset and Xbox to get them to seamlessly work together, with better performance than Bluetooth offers.

Note that the Xbox Wireless Headset has Bluetooth, too, if you want to use it as headphones when you aren’t playing games.

Who It’s For

The name says it all: it’s an Xbox wireless headset. If you can find an Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows (seemingly discontinued, but the Microsoft Store is selling a bundle with both it and an Xbox Wireless Controller(Opens in a new window) for $79.99) you can wirelessly use the headset with your PC. At that point, however, you might as well just use Bluetooth anyway.

PROS

• Lightweight and comfortable
• Robust sound
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Remembers multiple wireless signals

CONS

• Bluetooth lacks high-end audio codecs
• Bass-heavy sound requires EQ adjustments

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$89.99

$89.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Best Buy

$99.99

$99.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Xbox Wireless Headset Review

Astro Gaming A20 Wireless Gen 2 Headset

Best for Multi-Console Compatibility

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Astro Gaming is a mainstay in the gaming headset field. Although it’s run up against increasingly fearsome competition in the wireless space, the company still offers great selections (and its A10 headset is one of our favorite budget, wired options). The A20 Gen 2 sounds quite good, but its biggest advantage is that Astro Gaming offers separate USB transmitters(Opens in a new window) for $20 each. You can keep one in your Xbox and one in your PlayStation, and use the same headset wirelessly with both consoles. It’s a bit inconvenient to re-pair the headset with each transmitter when you switch, but it’s better than getting a separate headset for each console.

Who It’s For

The ability to buy an extra transmitter gives the A20 a fairly unique benefit: You can use it wirelessly with both your PlayStation and your Xbox. That’s seldom the case with wireless headsets because both consoles have different standards for USB adapters. If you’re sticking with just one console (or a console and a PC), there are better options.

PROS

• Good sound quality
• Solid microphone
• Works with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox (cross-console if you buy an extra transmitter)

CONS

• Slightly stiff feel, especially across the top of the head
• If you get an extra transmitter, headset needs to be paired each time you switch consoles

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$119.99

$114.24

See It

(Opens in a new window)

ASTRO Gaming

$119.99

$119.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Astro Gaming A20 Wireless Gen 2 Headset Review

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro

Best Voice Quality

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

The Razer Blackshark V2 is one of our top wired headsets for its excellent sound quality and strong simulated surround processing, and the Blackshark V2 Pro is basically just the wireless version of that. It sounds great, feels comfortable, and features THX Spatial Audio for effective directional imaging. It’s a bit pricey considering the wired Blackshark V2 costs just under $100.

Who It’s For

Look at the Blackshark V2 Pro as a step up from the Barracuda X. It’s a bit more stylish, a bit more comfortable, and a bit better-sounding, with spatial audio on top of it. If you liked that model, you’ll like this one. It’s almost exclusively for PC gaming, though.

PROS

• Powerful sound
• Excellent microphone
• Comfortable fit
• THX Spatial Audio works well

CONS

• Higher frequencies could be a bit more crisp
• Nearly twice as expensive as the wired version of the headset

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$179.99

$119.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Review

Anker Soundcore VR P10

Best True Wireless Earphones for Gaming

3.5 Good

Why We Picked It

True wireless earphones usually aren’t compelling gaming headsets. They’re usually Bluetooth-only, with middling microphones and boring designs. Anker doesn’t do much about the mics on the Soundcore VR P10, but it solves the other problems. These earphones feature a separate USB-C transmitter that works with PCs, PlayStations, and Nintendo Switches, and store securely in the charging case. They also have pretty nice-looking RGB lights that look a bit gamer-extra, but not too gamer-extra.

Who It’s For

This is for gamers who want true wireless earphones that they can also use with their gaming platform of choice, and who don’t need the clearest voice communication or plan to record or stream (or will use a separate microphone). They aren’t for bass fans, though.

PROS

• Crisp, clean sound
• Attractive RGB lighting
• Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity
• Charging case magnetically stores USB-C transmitter

CONS

• Weak lows and low-mids
• Mediocre microphone

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$79.00

$79.00

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Walmart

$99.99

$69.00

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Best Buy

$99.99

$79.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Anker Soundcore VR P10 Review

Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset

Best for PlayStation Gamers

3.5 Good

Why We Picked It

If you’re a dedicated PlayStation 5 gamer, Sony’s own Pulse 3D wireless headset is an ideal compliment. Its design matches the console itself, and it offers good sound and immersive spatial audio when connected to a PS5 thanks to the console’s own 3D audio processing.

It isn’t quite as compelling for PS5 gamers as the Xbox Wireless Headset is for Xbox gamers for two reasons. First, while it supports 3.5mm wired connections for other devices, it doesn’t have Bluetooth (though you can use the included USB transmitter with your PC). Second, like Razer’s Barracuda Pro, the Pulse 3D uses pinhole microphones built into the earcups. That means your voice won’t come through as clearly as it could with a boom mic.

Who It’s For

This is for PlayStation gamers who love the PS5’s style, and want their headset to match the console. If you spend most of your time with a DualSense in your hands this could be your ideal headset. If you aren’t a dedicated Sony fan, though, be aware that there are more functional options out there.

PROS

• Strong sound, with good bass
• Works with PS5, PS4, PC, and Mac
• Stylish design

CONS

• Pinhole microphone doesn’t sound as good as a boom mic
• Slightly weak in the higher frequencies
• Uncomfortable fit for people with large ears

Sold By

List Price

Price

Amazon

$98.99

$98.99

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Walmart

$135.09

$71.98

See It

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset Review

Buying Guide: The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets for 2023

Which Wireless Headsets Are Compatible With PlayStation and Xbox?

Compatibility is the most important aspect of buying a gaming headset, especially if you’re a console gamer. Headsets with 3.5mm connectors work with pretty much anything, but wireless headsets generally use USB transmitters that require compatibility with your system of choice.

Most wireless headsets work with PCs out of the box, but PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X (and PlayStation 4/Xbox One) compatibility tends to be an either/or matter. Due to how the two consoles use USB, support for the PS4 and Xbox One are generally mutually exclusive. You should check a wireless headset’s product page or packaging to see if it’s compatible with PlayStation or Xbox. Also, if you have the newest consoles, double-check to confirm that the headset is compatible with them; a PS4 headset might not work with a PS5 out of the box. Recent headsets that work with the PS4 tend to also work with the Nintendo Switch, which is a nice bonus (though without a USB-C transmitter you need either an adapter or to use your Switch docked).

Bluetooth is a nice backup for gaming headsets, and works with the Nintendo Switch, but it’s rarely the main method of wireless connection. Bluetooth lets you connect to your phone as well as your PC, which means you can use headsets with Bluetooth as on-the-go headphones as a bonus. These headsets often let you swap between Bluetooth and the USB transmitter connected to your gaming device, but rarely send audio through from both sources at the same time.

However, Bluetooth doesn’t offer the same audio quality and latency performance as a 2.4GHz connection, which is why most wireless gaming headsets have their own transmitters/receivers.

Which Wireless Gaming Headset Has the Best Mic?

All gaming headsets have microphones, but not all microphones offer the same performance. A good headset mic should provide clear voice communication at a minimum, but it probably won’t be broadcast quality. Some headsets have excellent mics that you can use for streaming, commentary, and even podcasts. Others simply let you be heard in voice chat, but might have wireless artifacts, sibilance, or subpar clarity.

Razer Barracuda X
(Credit: Razer)

If you’re serious about streaming or recording, you should consider a dedicated USB microphone. Good mics cost $50-$150, and offer far superior audio quality than nearly any boom mic. You need to be careful with a separate microphone’s positioning and configuration, but it’s worthwhile if you want to work professionally. See our story on how to make your podcast sound better for general tips that apply to all recording and broadcasting scenarios.

As for the best wireless gaming headset, you can’t go wrong with any of the options we’ve tested here. Choose the one that meets your budgets and needs, and start playing.