Many of them come with all sorts of doodads and perks, like surround sound, customizable LEDs, and multiple input options. Truly great gaming headset microphones are genuinely pretty hard to find, and there aren’t really any good indicators of quality for them—outside of, you know, using them, at least.
Gaming headset microphones are pretty much all meant to pick up one source of audio (you) from about three inches away, so this makes sense—picking up sound from the room you’re sitting in can negatively impact call quality. No gaming headset has a particularly powerful microphone, so you don’t want to worry about additional background noise coming through over a call.
There are ways to boost your mic audio on every platform, and they’re all pretty easy, but know you’ll probably need some kind of additional gain if you pick up a condenser. EPOS has been quietly putting out interesting gaming audio products since its split with Sennheiser and the new H3 Hybrid is no exception. This is a 3.5mm wired gaming headset with Bluetooth compatibility, so it’s well-tailored to the needs to gamers who play on console, but chat on Discord. There’s also an internal microphone for when you want to detach the cords and go out to a cafe for some less conspicuous listening—it doesn’t sound as good, but it’s a nice little bonus to have.
Featuring an aluminum construction, comfortable ear pads, RGB lighting, and a generous selection of included accessories, the product aims to deliver a high-end gaming experience for people willing to spend nearly $200 on a headset.
As its name implies, this gaming headset supports wireless connections via its included 2.4GHz USB dongle, which is compatible with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PCs. The headset de-emphasizes low-end sounds like kick drums and bass synth lines, which fans of EDM and hip-hop won’t appreciate. However, it handles sound effects, dialogue, and musical scores with ease, delivering a listening experience that is ideal for gaming.
While higher frequencies sound slightly under-emphasized, there’s no denying that the Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE has one of the best microphones in a gaming headset. It lacks the bells and whistles of a lot of the other headsets on this lists, but that’s a small price to pay for raw audio quality. The headset’s 45mm dynamic drivers output very good sound, though they’re definitely tuned to match an Olive-Welti curve, rather the neutral frequency response you’d find with Audio Technica’s studio headphones. If you want a sleek design for your gaming headset along with great mic quality, the Razer Kaira Pro is the way to go.
Additionally, while listening to music, you’ll probably find that the bass frequencies of any song are very loud, which may lead to some slight auditory masking. The isolation on the Razer Kaira Pro isn’t the best ever, but while you’re gaming at home, it should do a decent job of lowering the volume of any noisy roommates.
The Razer Kaira Pro has two microphones; the internal one, which isn’t so great, and the detachable boom mic, which sounds very good. Its microphone actually severely deemphasizes the bass frequencies, but if you utilize the Blue VO!CE app, the mic quality becomes very good.
Razer Thresher Ultimate: This headset has it all: great sound quality, lag-free wireless connectivity, good battery life, and an amazing microphone that will ensure your teammates will hear you loud and clear, even in-game.
It’s microphone has a pretty steep de-emphasis in the bass range and it’s a little on the quiet side, but it’ll get the job done for anyone with a medium or high-pitched voice. Roccat Syn Pro Air: A wireless gaming headset with a great microphone, solid audio, and a comfortable, lightweight build for $150—What’s not to like? The only thing really keeping this headset out of the main picks of this list is that its software is still in beta and only partially functional right now, which puts a bit of a damper on the whole experience (At least on PC).
The gaming headset space, much like many other parts of the audio industry, is rife with exaggerated language and gimmicky features that often don’t add much of anything to your experience. It’s easy to get caught up in the flashy lights and promises of immersive audio and bass so intense it’ll rupture your eardrums (in a good way, somehow), but most of that stuff flat out doesn’t matter.
The best gaming headsets in 2021
With a spectacular range of sound, and impeccable comfort this is already a great headset, and that’s without mentioning its understated look with sharp, distinctive Razer green accent. It’s not often we see many open-back gaming headsets, with a microphone included, and that makes for a more open, wider sound without having to buy separate gear.
Razer’s Blackshark V2 gaming headset manages to do just that by offering killer audio quality, great price, and easy-to-use software. The 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers are designed with discrete ports to separate bass, mid, tremble tones from interfering with each other.
HyperX Cloud II Wireless Best wireless gaming headset Specifications Wireless: Yes Drivers: 53mm, Dynamic, neodymium magnets Connectivity: USB Dongle Frequency response: 15Hz – 20,000Hz Features: Detachable mic Weight : 300g Battery Life: 30 hours TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Tomtop WW 345 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Powerful but clear sound + Exceptional build quality + Great mic Reasons to avoid – Mediocre bass The 53mm with neodymium magnets is intended to give low, medium, and high frequencies space to resonate without interfering with each other, and you do get a sense of that while listening to them.
Elsewhere it’s the usual impressive build quality, generous padding, clear mic, and high comfort levels over longer play sessions that the Cloud II design has always offered. Replacing the hilariously bulky Sennheiser GSP 300 series, the Epos H3 design shifts away NFL head coach headset into something a bit leaner and stylish.
In our review, we were blown away by the powerful bass that never spoils the mids and highs, which isn’t surprising with a frequency response of 10Hz – 30,000Hz, making it a killer headset for gaming and listening to music. Steelseries Arctis 9X The best multi platform gaming headset Specifications Wireless: Yes Drivers: 40mm, Neodymium drivers Connectivity: Wireless USB dongle, 3.5mm wired, Bluetooth Frequency response: 20Hz – 22,000Hz Features: Retractable noise cancelling mic, DTS Headphone:X, 7.1 surround Battery life: 20 hours TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at GameStop View at Walmart View at Best Buy 11 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Solid gaming sound + Comfortable ‘ski goggle’ headband + Great Mic + Bluetooth Reasons to avoid – Just under $200 is a lot – Weak Bass
The added Bluetooth compatibility means that you can use this headset on your mobile devices, too, perfect is you plan on gaming on your phone or tablet. The great battery life clocks in at over 20 hours out of the box; you can keep playing while you charge, too, simply by connecting the headset to your PC with a USB cable.
The distinctive ski goggle headband is really effective at keeping the weight of the headset away from your head, and even after playing for hours, we’ve never felt it digging in. There are niggles to dampen the party, of course (a non-detachable mic being chief among them), but you can’t complain when you’re getting excellent 7.1 sound for such a low cost.
Creative SXFI Gamer Best headset with surround sound Specifications Wireless: No Drivers: 50 mm Neodymium magnet Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5 mm Stereo Input Frequency response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz Features: Positional Audio Weight: 336g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Dell Low Stock View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Great price + Pretty good virtual surround sound + Low-key and comfy design design Reasons to avoid – Cumbersome software – Lack of wireless support – That red microphone light
Finally, good racing sims feature a very particular mix designed to help you hear brake lock-up and tires losing traction.
The best headsets in 2021: headphones with a mic for Zoom, gaming & home working
Essentially just a pair of conventional headphones with a boom microphone attached, a headset is ideal for providing great quality audio as well as voice recording, as the mic is always perfectly positioned just in front of your mouth. At its most basic, a good mic should be able to be positioned so it can sit just beside or below your lips – close enough to pick up your voice at its clearest, but not right in front where your breathing will make you sound like Darth Vader.
Headphones with a low impedance (below 50 ohms) are easy to drive and don’t require additional sound amplification above and beyond what your laptop can produce. Razer Kraken X A headset with great specs and a bargain price Specifications Microphone: unidirectional ECM boom, 100Hz-10kHz Connection: wired, 3.5mm jack, 1.3m cable Driver size: 40mm Frequency response: 12Hz-28kHz Impedance: 32 ohms Weight: 250g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Best Buy 15 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Good headphone frequency response + Accessible price + Plenty of ear/headband padding Reasons to avoid – No active noise cancellation
The external design is just as subtle as any non-gaming headset, and the plush memory foam earpad cushions will be equally as comfortable for a day’s homeworking as they would be during an evening’s gaming. HyperX Cloud II A superb premium headset with features galore Specifications Microphone: Electret condenser microphone, bi-directional, ANC, 50Hz-18kHz Connection: Wired, 3.5mm jack, 1m cable (+2m extension) Driver size: 53mm Frequency response: 15Hz-25kHz Impedance: 60 ohms Weight: 350g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Tomtop WW 345 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Large drivers with wide frequency response + Mic has active noise cancellation + 7.1 virtual surround sound Reasons to avoid – Relatively heavy
The drivers are capable of Dolby 7.1 virtual surround to enhance both gaming and movie immersion, and you don’t even need to install software to enable the feature. Comfort is paramount with the Cloud II, as its large over-ear earpads are clad in soft leatherette and lined with memory foam.
Audio-Technica ATH-G1 The best money-no-object headset Specifications Microphone: condenser, hypercardioid pattern, 30Hz- 20kHz Connection: wired, 3.5mm jack, 2m cable Driver size: 45mm Frequency response: 5Hz- 40kHz Impedance: 45 ohms Weight: 257g TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Sweetwater Sound Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart 250 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Stunning frequency response + Detachable, directional mic + Premium design Reasons to avoid – Fairly pricey – No virtual surround
You also get an in-line volume control and mic lock switch on the 2m cord, and the cable connects to your device with an ultra-compatible 3.5mm audio jack.
Jabra Evolve 75 The best wireless headset for home working Specifications Microphone: uni-directional ECM microphone, ANC, 150Hz-6.8kHz Connection: wireless (USB receiver dongle, Dual Bluetooth) Driver size: 40mm Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz Impedance: Not stated Weight: 177g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Dell View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Strong emphasis on microphone quality + Certified by numerous VC platforms + Wireless with up to 30m range Reasons to avoid – Not the ideal choice for music/movies If you regularly work from home and want to improve your voice clarity in important VC meetings, Jabra’s Evolve 75 wireless headset is well worth checking out.
It’s been designed for professional use is an office environment, so its mic is blessed with advanced active noise cancellation, and it boasts official certification by the likes of Microsoft and Cisco. Leatherette padded on-ear ear cushions have been sculpted to allow comfortable day-long use, and you get complete freedom to move thanks to Bluetooth wireless connectivity that enables up to 30 metres of roaming range.
Logitech H800 The best wireless headset for device compatibility Specifications Microphone: 100Hz-6.5kHz Connection: wireless (USB receiver dongle, Bluetooth) Driver size: Not stated Frequency response: 30Hz-15kHz Impedance: 32 ohms Weight: 120g TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy 72 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Wireless with long Bluetooth range + Works with computers and mobile devices + Very light Reasons to avoid – Poor headphone frequency response – On-ear earcups, not over-ear
Simply stick the tiny ‘Nano’ receiver into a spare USB port on your computer, or activate the built-in Bluetooth to pair with your smart device.
Touch buttons on the ear cup give you convenient access to volume, mute, call handling, song advance/replay and device select functions, and the Nano receiver can even be stored inside the left earcup when you’re on the go. Koss SB45 The best budget headset Specifications Microphone: Noise-reduction Clear Voice Technology Connection: wired, 3.5mm or USB (separate products), 2.44m cable Driver size: Not stated Frequency response: 18Hz-20kHz Impedance: 100 ohms Weight: Not stated TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart View at Amazon Recommended Retailer View at HP (US) Reasons to buy + Bargain price + Folding earcups + USB and 3.5mm versions available Reasons to avoid – Slightly high 100-ohm resistance – Frequency response could be better – Plasticky look
The earcups can be folded up and into the headband for more compact storage, and inside are anisotropic ferrite magnet drivers boasting a pretty respectable 18-20,000 Hz frequency response, though at 100 ohms they’re not quite as easy to drive as some headsets, meaning you may find volume levels a little low when used with some portable devices. Plantronics (Poly) Voyager Focus UC The best headset for serious home working Specifications Microphone: Active noise-cancelling triple mic Connection: wireless (Bluetooth, USB) Driver size: Not stated Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz Impedance: Not stated Weight: 155g TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon View at Dell Reasons to buy + Noise cancelling headphones and mic + Great wireless range & battery life + Charging stand included Reasons to avoid – On-ear ear cups wont suit everyone – Biased for work over play If you’re fed up with background noise distracting you from important conference calls, the Voyager Focus UC headset could be the answer. The Voyager Focus UC can be used with your PC, phone, tablet or even a smartwatch, thanks to its USB and Bluetooth wireless connectivity that gives up to 30m of roaming range.
The Best Headsets and Headphones for Your Home Office
The microphones are the big deals on these headsets, though you can also find some that deliver very good sound quality. If you don’t need to take many calls but want to keep out any distractions, look for a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. They use outward-facing microphones to read any distracting noises and generate waves to cancel them out before they hit your ear. Active noise cancellation (ANC) circuitry can be expensive, but it’ll help you stay focused by muffling noisy pets, kids, roommates, traffic, or construction.
The Plantronics Voyager 5200 is one of the best, a standard earpiece with an excellent microphone that makes sure you’re heard in your home office or walking down the street. The Jabra Evolve2 30 is just $99, and offers excellent microphone clarity and strong stereo sound.
The addition of a headset cable with a boom microphone makes the headphones appropriate for voice communication, both for gaming and work. As an extra bonus, you get a desktop USB DAC with a handy volume knob. The headphones also feature their own active noise cancellation circuitry to help block out distractions when you’re working.
They’re comfortable, sound excellent, and have a wide selection of helpful features, like user-adjustable EQ and voice assistant support.
It works with nearly any headphones with a 3.5mm jack, so you can use your favorite pair while drastically upgrading the voice quality over whatever pinhole mic is already there. The wireless boom mic module connects to a USB receiver, and will work with any Mac or PC with a USB-A port.
The best PC gaming headsets of 2021
The best PC gaming headsets can be a blessing for anyone looking to declutter their workspace, combing the benefits of the best headphones and a fantastic microphone into a single, convenient product. Beyond being useful, they can also be styled for the rest of your gaming PC setup, with a plethora of colors, materials and designs to choose from. You also get things like fantastic surround sound, Dolby Atmos capability, and a crisp, full-sounding mic. Of course, just because PC gaming headsets offer the best of both worlds doesn’t mean they’ll be the best solution for everyone, but if you have your eyes on a particular pair then keep a look out for Black Friday deals as we enter the fall sales.
Save $30 – Enjoy Dolby Atmos sound with custom-tuned 50mm audio drivers for the PC, Mac, PS4, and PS5 thanks to this Corsair Black Friday deal from Best Buy. Save $40 – Get one of the most premium PC gaming headsets around with the Corsair Virtuoso RGB SE Wireless and enjoy 7.1 surround sound and 50mm audio drivers for PCs, Macs, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.
Save $20 – Get this premium gaming headset for less and enjoy high-fidelity 7.1 surround sound, broadcast-quality microphone, 20 hour battery life, and more – all for 11% off thanks to this Corsair Black Friday deal at Amazon. Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Premium wireless gaming headset Specifications Interface: 2.4GHz USB wireless, 3.5mm audio jack Features: THX Spatial Audio, noise cancellation, TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers, removable HyperClear Supercardioid mic TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart View at Best Buy Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Great sound quality + Razer’s THX Spatial audio app for fine audio customization + 24-hour battery life Reasons to avoid – Isn’t fully compatible with consoles – Could use a better battery level indicator
Focusing primarily on three attributes: positional audio, communication clarity and noise cancellation, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is a premium wireless gaming headset in every sense of the word. You bet Specifications Interface: Wireless / Wired (USB) Features: Dolby Atmos, 20 hour battery life, 60-foot rang, custom-tuned 50mm high density neodymium audio drivers TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at CORSAIR Reasons to buy + Nice design + Fantastic sound quality + Comfortable + Dolby Atmos works well Reasons to avoid – Expensive and out of most budgets – Mic arm not easily positioned
With its excellent build quality, comfortable design, 20-hour-long battery life, range of around 60 feet (18.3m), and fully customizeable RGB lighting through Corsair’s iCUE software, this is the premium gaming headset that ever serious PC gamer should check out. Corsair HS60 Haptic One of our favorite headsets ever, hands-down Specifications Interface: Wired (USB) Features: Haptic bass powered by Taction Technology, custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers, noise-cancelling unidirectional mic TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Best Buy Reasons to buy + Excellent sound + Haptic feedback is like wrapping your head with a subwoofer + Excellent noise-cancelling microphone Reasons to avoid – In theory, you can lose the detachable mic – Some might prefer a wireless headset
It actually feels like you’ve just strapped a subwoofer comfortably to your head, and that’s without compromising the sound quality. Logitech G Pro X Wireless Wireless freedom Specifications Interface: Wireless Features: up to 20h battery life, Detachable mic with foam windscreen, 1.8m USB A to USB C charging cable TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Best Buy View at Amazon View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Excellent sound quality + Superb build quality + Comfortable Reasons to avoid – Expensive for what you’re getting – Weak microphone
One of the best gaming headsets out there, this pair of cans gives you wireless freedom alongside low latency, robust build quality and, most importantly, excellent sound.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro PC gaming’s best kept secret Specifications Interface:: Wired (USB) Features:: 40mm drivers, Retractable boom microphone, DTS Headphone:X v2.0, RGB lighting, included DAC TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at Walmart 31 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Included DAC + Audiophile worthy sound Reasons to avoid – Surround sound not great
Astro A50 Wireless (2019) Like the Cadillac of PC gaming headsets Specifications Interface: Wireless (5.8GHz) Features:: Dolby Audio, Works with PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PC and mobile; Astro Audio; 5.8GHz wireless tech with MixAmp; USB charging with base station TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Dolby Audio sounds amazing + Supremely comfortable Reasons to avoid – Edgy aesthetics The Astro A50 Wireless isn’t just an appealing choice for the best gaming headset because of its edgy aesthetic – that is, if you’re into that sort of look.
This is a multi-use headset boasting excellent and immersive – if not audiophile-level – sound quality as well as fantastic wireless connectivity so latency is no issue. SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless Excellent sound for both your PC and PS5 Specifications Interface: 2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth Features: Discord-certified microphone, 20+ hour battery life, On-ear ChatMix control, DTS Headphone:X v2.0 TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at SteelSeries View at SteelSeries Reasons to buy + Excellent sound quality + Lag-free Reasons to avoid – Expensive
Beyerdynamic Custom Game Gaming never sounded so good Specifications Interface:: Wired (3.5mm) Features: Sound slider; Soft ear pads; Changeable design covers; Detachable cable TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime Low Stock View at Amazon 401 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Extremely comfortable + Impressive audio quality Reasons to avoid – Kind of expensive
Corsair HS50 The budget king Specifications Interface: Wired (analog) Features: 50mm drivers; Easy on-ear volume and mute controls; Multi-platform compatibility TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Adorama 333 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Strong stereo sound + Excellent value Reasons to avoid – Mic easily misplaced
If you don’t mind forgoing some extra bells and whistles – like 7.1 surround and Bluetooth connectivity, for example – then you need to take a look at the Corsair HS50. SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless A wireless headset with wired sound Specifications Interface: Wireless (Bluetooth) Features: Dual-battery charging system, Bluetooth connectivity, 40mm drivers TODAY’S BEST DEALS Low Stock View at Walmart Prime Low Stock View at Amazon View at Best Buy 18 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Lossless audio + Convenient dual-battery system Reasons to avoid – Expensive
Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition Improving a perfect formula Specifications Interface: Wired (USB and Analog) Features: 50mm drivers; Reinforced steel and aluminum build; Detachable and flexible mic TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon 403 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Very comfortable + Clear, accurate sound Reasons to avoid – Mids and highs unbalanced Specifications Interface: Wireless Features: Metal headband; Powerful desktop software; Enables Waves NX 3D Audio; ProSpecs Glasses Relief system TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Microsoft US Prime Low Stock View at Amazon 1 Amazon customer review ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + ProSpecs Glasses Relief system + Plenty of features Reasons to avoid – Questionable aesthetic Yes, there might be a few things that hold the Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero back from true greatness – namely, its tight fit and not-so-appealing aesthetic.
With great sound quality to start, coupled with its ProSpecs Glasses Relief system to make it more comfortable for wearers with glasses, plethora of features and incredibly powerful software, this is one of the best gaming headsets we’ve ever put over our ears. Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R No gimmicks, just excellent sound Specifications Interface: Wired (3.5mm with 6.35 adapter) Features: Open-back design, extended frequency response TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Adorama Reasons to buy + Amazing sound quality + Comfortable Reasons to avoid – No built-in mic Razer Nari Ultimate Feel the game Specifications Interface: Wireless Features: 8-hour battery life; HyperSense haptic feedback; Compatible with many devices; 50mm drivers TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at Walmart 5 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Great sound + Tons of connectivity Reasons to avoid – Haptic vibrations are divisive
Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 Shiny Specifications Interface: Wireless (Bluetooth) Features: 7.1-channel surround sound; 50mm Neodymium drivers; Bluetooth; Built-in DAC TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon 453 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Great sound quality + Aesthetic Reasons to avoid – Expensive With its Republic of Gamers brand, Asus has built a reputation for being the name behind some of the best gaming peripherals to constantly meet consumer standards.
Packed with 50mm Neodymium drivers and Bluetooth compatibility, this gaming headset provides fantastic sound quality without being tethered with a wire. Likewise, Logitech may not always reach the same heights in audio quality as SteelSeries but it always puts out a good sounding, comfortable product at a reasonable price.
Not only do they offer pairs for most every budget, but they come with all sorts of features like THX or Dolby Atmos, haptic feedback, and great battery life for the wireless options. As proven by our picks here, Astro, Turtle Beach, and the typically non-gaming focused Beyerdynamic all make some excellent headsets.
And, if you plan on gaming for hours, you need to choose one that won’t hurt your head when you wear it for long periods. Finally, there are things like type of interface (wireless or wired), connectivity and range, and RGB lighting to consider as well.
They might not be as exciting as the latest graphics cards or the newest gaming PCs , but they can be just as fun to try out and appraise.
The best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls in 2021
The best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls show how tech you’d normally associate with sound output alone can have a secret talent for two-way communications. Another new release, the OnePlus Buds Pro makes for an adequate calling headset, though its greater strengths are sound quality and noise cancellation. Not every single pair of headphones has a mic — audiophile models like the Focal Clear might not see the need — but there are lots of great options to choose from. Bose 700 The absolute best headphones for voice and video calls Specifications Size and weight: 8 x 6.5 x 2 inches, 8.8 ounces Battery life (rated): 20 hours (ANC on) Bluetooth range: 30 feet (9 meters) Special features: Adjustable active noise cancellation, customizable EQ, charging case (optional) TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Crutchfield View at Walmart 21 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Adjustable ANC levels + Slick, attractive design + Excellent noise cancelling on calls and music + Smart, intuitive buttons and touch controls Reasons to avoid – Expensive
Bose is a class leader on active noise cancellation (ANC) on headphones, and that microphone mastery extends to voice calling capability as well. The 700’s extensive mic array picks up your vice with outstanding clarity while simultaneously blocking out loud ambient noises, allowing fewer distractions in you calls even when you’re in busy places. Combine that with a comfortable fit, excellent sound quality for music and the absolute best ANC on the market, and the Bose 700 is worth paying a little extra for. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds The best earbuds for voice and video calls Specifications Size and weight: 1.5 x 1 x 1.1 inches, 0.3 ounces (per bud) Battery life (rated): 6 hours, 18 hours (with charging case) Bluetooth range: 30 feet (9 meters) Special features: Adjustable ANC, Bluetooth 5.1, Self Voice mode for enhanced calling TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Crutchfield View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Category-leading ANC + Well-balanced sound + Excellent call quality + Bluetooth 5.1 Reasons to avoid – Battery life could be better Again, the integrated microphones are brilliant at cancelling out ambient sounds, so during calls you won’t have to worry about being drowned out or interrupted by nearby noises. And, while recording clarity can take a nosedive on lesser in-ear buds, it’s the opposite on the QuietComfort Earbuds — in testing, we were complimented on how clear we sounded. Apple AirPods Max The best Apple headphones for voice and video calls Specifications Size and weight: 7.4 x 6.6 x 3.3 inches, 13.6 ounces Battery life (rated): 20 hours (ANC on) Bluetooth range: 33 feet (10 meters) Special features: ANC, spatial audio, audio sharing, Siri TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Crutchfield View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Luxury design + Excellent noise cancellation + Spatial Audio sounds great Reasons to avoid – Expensive Transparency mode is one: this lets you hear you own voice when speaking, which in turn helps you moderate your own volume and make sure you’re coming through clear.
Jabra Elite 65t The best cheap headphones with a mic for voice and video calls Specifications Size and weight: 0.3 x 1.2 x 0.9 inches inches, 0.2 ounces (per bud) Battery life (rated): 5 hours; 15 hours (with charging case) Bluetooth range: 30 feet (9 meters) Special features: Customizable EQ, digital assistant support, transparency mode TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart View at Best Buy View at Walmart 68 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Low price + Excellent call quality + Good sound quality + Comfortable design Reasons to avoid – Middling battery life – Newer models available Apple AirPods Pro Feature-packed earbuds with high call quality Specifications Size and weight: 2.4 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches, 0.2 ounces (per bud) Battery life (rated): 4.5 hours (ANC on), 24 hours (ANC on with charging case) Bluetooth range: 800 feet Special features: Active noise cancellation, Siri, spatial audio TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon View at BHPhoto 6923 Walmart customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Modern, functional design + Great active noise cancelling + Comfortable semi-custom fit + Adaptive sound Reasons to avoid – Battery life could be longer
This improves passive sound isolation so you can better hear our friends and colleagues on the line, and that’s not even taking into account the AirPods Pro’s ANC. It’s not much of a factor for voice and video calls specifically, but the AirPods Pro also has a few special features that only work with compatible iOS devices. Bose’s mic array is powerful, not only blocking out large amounts of ambient noise across the frequency spectrum, but also demonstrating great intelligibility to understand words and voice commands when using your native assistant. Having longer battery life (24 hours on a full charge) than its predecessors is a huge deal, but so is not being able to turn off ANC mode for power preservation.
AirPods 3 The best standard AirPods for voice and FaceTime calls Specifications Size and weight: 1.21 x 0.72 x 0.76 inches, 0.15 ounces (per bud) Battery life (rated): 6 hours, 30 hours (with charging case) Bluetooth range: 40 feet (12 meters) Special features: Adaptive EQ, Spatial Audio, MagSafe Charging TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at BHPhoto Reasons to buy + Adaptive EQ with well-balanced sound + Spatial audio support + Strong wind resistance + Longer battery life Reasons to avoid – No ANC or Transparency mode – Loose fit Apple added acoustic mesh on the mics to reduce wind resistance, and AAC-ELD codec support delivers full HD voice quality when jumping on FaceTime calls.
Where these headphones really shine are in the productivity features, such as voice dictation with Microsoft 365 to verbally jot down notes in Office programs (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), and multipoint technology, which lets you connect to 10 devices simultaneously. Bose QuietComfort 35 II Bose-quality voice and video calls, for less Specifications Size and weight: 7.1 x 6.7 x 3.2 inches, 8.2 ounces Battery life (rated): 20 hours (ANC on), 40 hours (ANC off) Bluetooth range: 30 feet (9 meters) Special features:: Active noise cancellation, dedicated digital assistant button, Music Share TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart View at Crutchfield Prime View at Amazon 633 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Stellar noise cancellation + Crisp, wide sound + Can listen in wired mode with ANC on Reasons to avoid – Google Assistant integration could be improved
But indoors the QuietComfort 35 II still makes for a great chatting tool, and proved very capable of quietening ambient noise in our testing. Speaking of audio, these buds pump out vibrant sound to keep your workouts energized, while features like activity tracking and heart-rate monitoring mean you can leave your Apple Watch or Fitbit at home during runs.
Sony WH-1000XM4 The best Sony headphones for voice and video calls Specifications Size and weight: 10 x 3 x 7.3 inches, 9 ounces Battery life (rated): 30 hours (ANC on), 38 hours (ANC off) Bluetooth range: 40 feet (12 meters) Special features: Active noise cancellation, customizable EQ, multipoint technology TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime Low Stock View at Amazon View at Crutchfield View at Walmart Reasons to buy + Excellent sound and noise cancellation + Plenty of features via Sony Connect Headphones app + Stellar touch controls + Multiple ways to connect the headphones Reasons to avoid – Call quality could be improved So think about whether you want to pay extra for ANC, which enhances your listening experience in busy areas or on transport, as well as how important sound quality is for you more generally.
We also judge overall audio performance by how well each pair handles a variety of music genres, and will measure how long we get out of the battery before it runs empty.
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