With game audio being better than ever, and so key to our experiences, upgrading to one of the best Xbox One headsets is an ironclad way to further immerse yourself in your favorite worlds, stories, and in-game moments. Specially engineered to work wirelessly with the console, it provides a near-perfect connection, combined with a rich audio experience, and impressive battery life. While the headset comes with 40mm drivers, which are smaller than many similarly priced competitors, they’re well-tuned and deliver audio that punches well above its weight while retaining a nice clarity and richness. The trademark SteelSeries ‘headband’ design offers good comfort levels too, meaning you can play for hours without really noticing that you’re wearing the headset, which clocks in at a respectable 13oz / 368g.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 has gotten a design upgrade from the original headset, with a slightly toned-down look (no more bright green on the Xbox version) and a flip-to-mute mic that folds neatly into the earcup. Turn on Superhuman Hearing mode to get the upperhand in online shooters, or enable the bass boost for some serious rumble during a heart-pumping campaign mission.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is a great headset for the price point – and will have you covered for new-gen gaming on the XBox Series X|S too. The first big wallop of excellence comes in the unavoidably good-value price tag: at just $99/£89, it is way cheaper than rival headsets that are of the same weight category, quality-wise.
Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox One Feature packed and with excellent wireless audio Specifications Acoustic design: Open Back Cable length: Wireless Drivers: 50mm Weight: 15 oz Compatibility: Xbox One, PC TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon View at Razer Reasons to buy + Haptic feedback feels good + Superior audio quality + Very solid wireless Reasons to avoid – Mic isn’t the best In addition to bringing excellent surround sound, the headset also offers haptic feedback, which means this vibrates in time with the audio so you can literally feel the big noises (usually explosions). Elsewhere it’s worth noting that the Nari Ultimate is wireless, and that the battery life is surprisingly good considering this has haptic feedback as well as the usual audio features. Note that you can buy this Xbox One specific Nari Ultimate headset which is very focussed for the console and gaming, but will then require the Microsoft Wireless Adapter to use it with your PC as it does not include a 3.5mm connection option.
Turtle Beach Recon 500 A refresh for the model ends in great quality and value for XSX Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back, over ear Drivers: 60mm Eclipse Weight: c.600g Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at Walmart Reasons to buy + THAT excellent sound + No ‘gamer aesthetic’ flare or design quirks + Zero distortion Reasons to avoid – Nothing special about its construction materials You won’t find lavish gamer-y design flairs or the most premium construction materials on the Recon 500, then, since Turtle Beach’s latest in the long-running line costs less than $100/£100.
The 50mm drivers deliver a clear, loud 5.1 sound that easily matches the quality found in headsets that cost way more than the Tournament Edition.
It’s one of the best headsets for online play, helping you pick out enemy movements and distant gunfire at a decent range and with great accuracy.
Elsewhere, the Kraken TE is light, comfortable (thanks to cooling tech in the ear-cushions), and sturdy – three things you really need in a mid-priced Xbox One headset. Our previous champion was the Razer Kraken Pro V2, but the TE now offers superior value and audio for roughly the same price (in some cases, you can even find it cheaper), so it replaces the older model. Corsair HS75 XB Wireless Perfect for multiplayer with great positional audio mic Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back Drivers: 50mm Weight: 13.2oz (374g) Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at CORSAIR Reasons to buy + Excellent mic + Great audio with booming bass + Comes with premium Dolby Atmos app Reasons to avoid – Quite big – A bit dear The build and design quality also help to further justify the price of admission, with the brushed metal earcup yokes feeling like they’ll protect the headset from any drops – on their sides at least – while looking good too.
Audeze Penrose X A seriously premium Xbox One headset Specifications Acoustic design: Over-ear, closed-circumaural Cable length: Wireless (c.50″ / 127cm aux cable) Drivers: 100mm Planar Magnetic Weight: 11.3oz / 320g Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One , PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Adorama Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Rich and detailed sound + Comfortable for long sessions + Easy to use and tweak game audio and chat volume in the mix Reasons to avoid – Expensive – Microphone can be a bit awkward
If you have a healthy budget and want some of the most specialised, exquisite audio you can get from an Xbox One wireless headset, then the Audeze Penrose X is a great set to consider. Plus, and although the price of admission is considerable,m you’re also getting one of the top wireless Xbox Series X headsets too so this will have you covered for two whole generations (and on PC if you want further flexibility). You’re getting a practically unrivaled audio experience out of the Penrose X; deep bass, incredible clarity, and a real depth and detail to the sound that helps to immerse you into your favorite virtual worlds and give you better insight into the action unfolding around you in multiplayer arenas.
As we say, the Penrose X is expensive, but it’s also an investment for the future: it’s a premium headphone offering from Audeze that delivers a quality, depth, and density in its sound that few of its peers are able to match. Microsoft Xbox One Official Stereo Headset The official headset – simple and effective Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back Cable length: 3.3ft / 1m Drivers: 40mm Weight: 7.9 oz Compatibility: Xbox One, PC, PS4, Switch, Mac, Mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon View at Amazon 158 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Reasonable price + Lightweight + Includes stereo headset adaptor Reasons to avoid – Flimsy cable This is the official Xbox One headset produced by Microsoft, and despite its modest price it still delivers a full range of rich stereo audio. Its low weight, combined with the breathable fabric ear cups, meaning you can happily wear it for long gaming sessions without getting too fatigued.
This is a thoughtfully designed piece of kit, available in Xbox green obviously, with a sturdy yet comfortable build and some impressive audio qualities. Thanks to memory foam ear-cups and a comfy headband, the Corsair HS35 is still snug without being uncomfortable after several hours of play, and it’s tough enough to withstand being pulled on and off your head without too much care.
Sure, the bass levels aren’t quite a good as other top-end headsets, but that makes the biggest difference when you try to use it for other media like movies and music. But that doesn’t compromise build quality – the Elite Pro 2 mixes metal and sturdy, white plastic to great effect, offering an Xbox One headset that’s both stylish and durable.
Note: This is a slightly older model of Xbox One headset now so you might see stock fluctuating, prices change, and maybe even a lack of availability.
Microsoft Xbox Stereo Headset Review: The Most Affordable Xbox One Headset Upgrade_
WHY IT’S A TOP PICK: Simple and minimalistic, Microsoft’s Xbox One headset is ideal for those on a budget and is especially lightweight for those who hate heavy headphones. Microsoft’s design goals are obvious: Create a minimalistic headset that offers private sound experiences for players without raising the price too high.
The headband is a basic layer of rubberized padding, and the length adjustments are based on simple push/pull ratcheting. The mic is notable for its “hidden” design when it flips seamlessly up into the headband, making accidents less likely when putting the headphones away.
The mic is a little short and fully plastic, but the audio dynamics work well nonetheless: It’s not crystal clear communication, but it gets the job done and keeps the boom out of the way at the same time. Ultimately, if you don’t have any headphones, or have a cheap pair and want to upgrade, these will provide a bit of extra advantage when it comes to filtering out sounds and signals.
Xbox Stereo Headset Review
The Xbox Stereo Headset is compatible with Xbox Accessories software on PC, but you can’t change any of its settings, which is a little disappointing. If you want to enable the virtual soundstage feature, Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, on PC, you need to connect an Xbox controller to the PC as well as connect the controller to the headset. Then, you can go to the ‘Windows Sound Settings’ page and enable this feature.
The 7 Best Xbox One Headsets – Fall 2021 Reviews
These very comfortable over-ears have a well-balanced sound profile that you can customize to your liking using their companion software’s graphic EQ and presets. Their passive soundstage also sounds open and natural, which can help immerse you in your game, although it still seems a bit trapped inside your head.
Customer Reviews: Microsoft Stereo Headset for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S Black S4V-00001
Connected to my iPhone, I listened to several songs from different genres and was pleased with the range and quality of sound. Gaming so far has been pretty great with them, I don’t even miss the simulated 5.1 from the Tritton decoder that much.
Best Xbox One headsets: the top Xbox One gaming headsets
There’s never been a better time to buy, either, as Black Friday deals have already begun, with the sales event officially taking place on November 26. It means we’re bound to see several headsets on our list have their price points slashed, so if you’ve been waiting to pick up a new set of cans, now’s the time. Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 An affordable gaming headset that’s made for Xbox consoles Reasons to buy + Pairs directly with Xbox consoles + Microphone monitoring + Windows Sonic spatial audio Reasons to avoid – Occasionally spotty connection – A little too tight
From an audio standpoint, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 delivers vibrant spatial sound (the headset worked well with Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos for Headphones) with a decent amount of depth.
Additionally, a quick press of the power button will enable Superhuman Hearing mode, which amplifies subtle sounds like footsteps and reloading weapons in order to give players a tactical advantage. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, though – we experienced a spotty connection on a couple of instances during online matches in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, with dotted sound resembling Morse Code coming through. It’s also worth noting that the headset a somewhat cheap plastic feel, and it sits fairly tight on the head and around the ears, leading to some discomfort during long gaming sessions. Turtle Beach is the longest established specialist gaming headset manufacturer, with a fanatical following among pro-gamers – and when you unbox its top-of-the-range Elite Pro, you can see why.
It simply oozes no-expense-spared design, and sports all manner of neat touches born from decades of pro-gaming experience.
Comfort-wise, it’s exemplary, with big, thick earpads that eliminate all ambient noise, and can be easily adjusted to fit all head-sizes. On an Xbox One, we’d recommend teaming it up with piece of kit called the Tactical Audio Adapter, which clips into the Xbox One controller and operates as an amplifier, adding some of the extra sound-control features which come in a separate graphic equaliser-style box called the Tactical Audio Controller (which is pricey but adds Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound). Those features include Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing, which enhances the sound of incoming players’ footsteps and is great for hardcore first-person shooter fans, and Dynamic Chat Boost, which keeps chat-levels audible even when background noise rises.
Razer’s designed a strong pair of headphones, with a very out-there feature, making the Nari Ultimate one of the best Xbox One headsets, when it comes to wireless models, on the market. That’s meant historically it was difficult to get the higher end Arctis models from Steelseries to play ball here, but with the 9x the pain all goes away. Being essentially the same shell, that means the ski goggle headband is just as comfortable as it is on other models, and the layout of the controls is still just about perfect. It’s lively and detailed, like affordable audiophile gear – it just doesn’t smother on the bass like many PC gaming manufacturers feel compelled to. Since the earliest days of Xbox One, the two have gone hand-in-hand like lovelorn teenagers, skipping off together into aspiration purchase territory for those of us who don’t feel completely fine with dropping $250+ on a headset.
Best wired and wireless Xbox headsets for 2021
Whether you want it for single-player story-driven experiences, or to give you the edge in multiplayer matches, you’re going to notice a big difference when moving to a headset – unless, of course, you’ve got an astonishingly good home theatre setup. We’ve exhaustively tested a wide range of headsets with our Xbox consoles, putting them through their paces and determining which you should consider for your own gaming setup. SteelSeries takes the top spot on our list because it nails the combination of convenience and quality that we’re looking for when it comes to a console headset.
It’s a genius revision of the manufacturer’s top headset, adding in the Xbox Wireless standard to make for superb connectivity.
Plus, the headphones are really nicely constructed and extremely comfortable to wear and, more than that, have easily the most subtle design we encountered in our testing (only Logitech’s effort comes close). You’ll gain a real advantage in reaction-based multiplayer games, and be fully immersed in single-player adventures.
Xbox recently debuted its own official headset and it’s a really excellent bargain, priced very sensibly but delivering premium sound. The comfort is superb, and the headset is actually extremely similar to the 9X with a few slightly lighter and less solid design elements being the only real clue.
Firstly, it’s wireless with superb battery life, but it also has Bluetooth connectivity and can be paired with two devices at once and play audio from both at the same time as well. Secondly, it sports decent drivers and faux-leather noise-blocking ear cups with a comfortable memory foam cushioning/liquid cooling gel mix that makes them a joy to wear.
That’s paired with massively impressive sound that manages really solid bass and clear highs to make for a really well-rounded experience. We understand that the Xbox headsets listed above may not be to everyone’s taste and budget, but we also only want to provide insight and recommend the very top options to consider.
In order to provide some context to our decision making and testing, as well as give you more suggestions to explore, below are the devices that haven’t quite made it into our top picks. A big question with headsets at the moment is whether you want to be untethered by cables – all of our top picks are wireless, for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you have to go with one of them. How much a headset weighs might not be the most glamourous stat, but it plays a huge role in determining how comfortable it is to wear for long periods. If comfort is key for you, it’ll be worth your time to compare weights so that you’re not caught out if your headset ends up feeling like a chunky monkey. For Xbox gaming headsets, that means using it for an extended period of time – not just for single-player titles, but also multiplayer sessions. As we point out in all of our buyer’s guides, it’s impossible to deliver a set of picks that works for every type of user, but we take on board the above and the opinions of the experts on the Pocket-lint team in order to determine a select crop of Xbox headsets to recommend.
What we always tend to avoid when compiling these picks are in-depth spec comparisons and marketing jargon; we just want to provide an easy to understand summary that gives you an idea of what each headset is like to use.
The best wireless Xbox One headsets of 2021
Microsoft has enforced something of a closed ecosystem for its peripherals, so wireless Xbox One gaming headsets won’t work on other consoles like the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Surround sound is also supported through Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, so you should be able to hear the direction of enemies trying to sneak up on you in Fortnite just fine. The Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox One is a wireless gaming headset with big comfortable headphone pads and a suspension-style band. A built-in retractable microphone sits in the left ear cup, and it’s flexible, so you can set it in whatever position you need.
While connected wirelessly to your Xbox One, the Nari Ultimate also supports Microsoft Sonic surround sound, so you won’t miss directional cues in games like Fortnite. Additionally, this headset even offers haptic feedback, creating a rumbling vibration on your ears in moments of intense bass. Basically, the Razer Nari Ultimate brings gaming headset mainstays like a built-in mic, surround sound, and big booming bass, and combines it with added conveniences like Xbox Wireless and game-chat audio balancing controls—with borderline gratuitous features like haptic feedback and nearly 20-hour battery life sprinkled on top. RF signals are notoriously kind to battery life, and you don’t have to go through the process of pair the headset—just plug it in and play. The HyperX CloudX Flight offers up to 30 hours of playback time on a single charge, better than almost every gaming headset on the market. The headset’s microphone is also detachable, so you don’t need it have it sticking in your face if voice chat isn’t your bag. To top it all off, the CloudX Flight comes with HyperX’s assurance that it will be compatible with the upcoming Xbox Series X, Microsoft’s next-generation console. The headset also features a dual-foam ear cushion design meant to cut down on the pressure of wearing glasses while gaming.
Plus, the Kaira Pro also doubles as a pair of Bluetooth headphones, which is great for listening to music or watching movies on a mobile device. The Kaira Pro takes a page from the low-profile design of Razer’s newest headsets, opting for a a sleek matte black exterior with neon-green accents.
Its memory foam ear cups are layered with mesh fabric, delivering a comfortable gaming experience whilst creating a decent seal. Fans of electronic music and other bass-heavy content will appreciate the headset’s emphasis on lower frequencies, while listeners who gravitate towards more acoustic tracks will notice a significant treble de-emphasis for sounds like guitars, cymbals, and hi-hats.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro: Microphone quality is very good, and wireless performance is solid but not compatible with Xbox One. The Arctis 1 features a USB-C RF dongle, supports 3.5mm connections (which you’ll need for the Xbox One), has a 25 hour battery life, and a pleasant sound profile that will suit most, if not all gamers.
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.
Best Xbox One gaming headsets in 2021
Editor’s note: This list was updated on June 24, 2021 to include the Turtle Beach Recon 500 in the notable mentions. Surround sound is also supported through Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, so you should be able to hear the direction of enemies trying to sneak up on you in Fortnite just fine.
Older Xbox One controllers don’t have headphone jacks built in, so you’ll need to buy an additional adapter if this is the route you decide to take. Xbox Wireless is Microsoft’s proprietary device protocol that allows you to connect your gaming headset to the console, without the use of wires.
While mid-frequency sounds like vocals and acoustic instruments are reproduced accurately, a bump in the low-end adds a slight emphasis to kick drums and bass lines. As a cherry on top, this headset offers the same great active noise cancellation found on the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, for a truly uninterrupted gaming experience. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset can connect to a PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch, via USB or a 3.5mm cable. When you’re not gaming, this headset acts like a normal pair of Bluetooth headphones, with support for SBC and AAC streaming codecs.
Each ear cup has bass reflex vents, which are easily revealed or concealed with a simple sliding mechanism. The cardioid boom microphone is forgiving when it comes to placement and hones in on your voice while simultaneously filtering out extraneous background noise. The Custom Game headset includes interchangeable ear cup plates to non-verbally convey your style. If you’re not a fan of the all-black aesthetic, Beyerdynamic also has a bunch of customization options, as well as velour pads for people who wear glasses on their raids.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core is the prolific gaming peripheral maker’s entry level Xbox One headset. For people who want an immersive gaming experience, the Kaira Pro also supports Windows Sonic surround sound. While this good news for Apple device owners, Android users are out of luck since the headset doesn’t support any platform-friendly high-quality streaming codecs, such as aptX. The extra bass emphasis may appeal to electronic and hip-hop fans who like to feel the oomph in their kick drums, however this sound profile tends to mask higher frequency noise—such as high-pitched vocals, strings, and high-octave synths.
If you’re a die-hard Xbox fan who needs a gaming headset and a pair of Bluetooth headphones, and aren’t a stickler when it comes to sound quality, the Razer Kaira Pro may be worth considering. The BlackShark V2 sports a clean design, soft memory foam ear cups, a very accurate sound signature, and great isolation—all for less than $100.
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.
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