How to Know What’s the Best Gaming Headset for You

How to Know What’s the Best Gaming Headset for You

There’s no better way to completely immerse yourself into your gaming experience than with high-quality audio. Gaming headsets open up the door to meeting your audio needs, but there are so many options on the market, and not all of them are worth the purchase.

If you’ve finally decided to get a comfortable and quality headset, there are several critical things to look out for and questions to ask yourself before purchase. With these specific factors, you can separate the suitable options from ones that don’t hit the mark.

We will go through these in this guide so you can easily answer the question, ‘What’s the best gaming headset?’ Let’s take a closer look.

What features make a gaming headset stand out?

There are specific features that separate a quality gaming headset from other options in the market. When searching for the best headset for you, these factors should remain in your mind to guide your purchase.

The importance of comfort

Most gamers can spend hours daily playing their top games, but this won’t be possible if your headset is too big, too tight, itchy, or simply uncomfortable. When shopping, it’s essential to look out for the most comfortable gaming headset, something you can barely feel while you immerse yourself into the game. This way, you can wear your headset for hours while gaming.

Different aspects make your headset more comfortable, and most brands focus on this with their new products. For one, the headset should be made with breathable material, which would make you feel cozy as you sit to play your game. It prevents sweating or stuffiness and makes it easy to wear the headsets for longer times.

Adjustability also plays a big part in purchasing a comfortable gaming headset. Headsets don’t come in one size, so you need one that you can set up based on your needs. If the headset is too big, it will keep falling while you try to focus on the game. But your blood circulation can be blocked by a tight headset. As long as the headset can be adjusted, you don’t have to worry about getting a certain one for your head.

The headrests and ear cups of the headset also affect the comfort depending on what they’re made with. It’s better to purchase those made of leather or fabric.

Sound quality

You might have the most comfortable gaming headset, but it becomes pointless if the sound doesn’t enhance your experience. When considering the sound quality of your prospective headset, you need to choose between stereo and surround sound. It’s also important to consider the available noise cancellation features to block out outside sounds.

If you go for surround sound, you can enjoy more accuracy. These headsets work well with high FPS to identify where the enemies are coming from, just by listening in. This is because surround headsets offer multiple sound channels, fully immersing you in the game. These are recommended for enthusiasts and professionals.

On the other hand, a stereo headset features fewer sound channels, making them perfect for casual gaming and less interactive games like racing, strategic, or emulation. So, it all depends on how much sound you want coming into your ears while you play.

Noise cancellation is also crucial to the sound quality because it would be counterproductive to have top-quality headsets when outside noise interferes. Noise cancellation would send out anti-waves to block background noise, leading to clear sound and no interference. There are also closed headsets that can reduce noise, but they don’t work as well as a noise cancellation feature.

How features affect cost

The price of your headset is also essential, but it’s not advisable to look at the price alone. Instead, you should check how many features you’re getting for a particular price and decide whether it’s worth it. It’s always best to buy those that offer many features at a reasonable price because this means you’re getting more for your money.

The basic rule of thumb is that the higher the price, the higher the quality. It won’t be worth it to buy a cheap headset regularly because they are less durable. At the same time, it’s counterproductive to purchase an expensive headset that doesn’t offer good value for your money.

Questions to ask yourself when buying  a gaming headset

Aside from the available features that every gamer must consider before purchasing a headset, some other factors are dependent on your preferences. It’s more about buying a quality gaming headset that is best for you. To do so, ask yourself the questions below and decide based on your answers.

Do you prefer wired or wireless?

The first question to ask yourself is how you want your gaming headset to be connected to a computer. Most gamers today go with the best wireless gaming headset because of its freedom, but there are pros and cons of going for either type. Picking either a wired or wireless headset would also influence your gaming experience.

Wired headsets are usually connected with cables plugged in USB ports or 3.5mm jacks. The main benefit is that they’re the least expensive option, even when they have the same features as the wireless option. There is also a wide range of wired options in the market, so gamers can easily make their pick.

These are plug-and-play, so they tick the boxes when it comes to convenience and easy use. They don’t have to be charged, and you don’t need to worry about batteries. The main downside of wired headsets is that they restrict your movement because of the cables. Wired headsets are also more susceptible to damage.

If you don’t fancy wired choices, you might decide to purchase wireless gaming headsets instead. They are usually connected with a wireless dongle or Bluetooth to your computer, which means you get less restriction. You can walk around and away from your computer without taking it off.

Gamers also enjoy better durability and endurance with wireless headsets. Their futureproof designs would prepare gamers for the new consoles being released by industry leaders. With advancements in technology, wireless headsets need less charging time now.

This doesn’t cancel out the problem of charging entirely, as you can’t use them once they’re dead until you charge them again. These options are also more expensive than wired headsets.

What platforms are you looking for a gaming headset on?

The gaming platform you use also determines the type of headset that you use. There are different platforms gamers use, including, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and more. Except your headset provides cross-platform compatibility like many of the best wireless gaming headsets, you need to crosscheck this before buying.

Before buying a headset, you should check the specifications to see if it’s compatible with the gaming platform you need. Some consoles don’t support a few of the headsets' features, leading to less value from your purchase. For example, they might not give you the full surround sound experience.

Are you looking for a gaming headset or headphones?

Although they are usually used interchangeably, headsets and headphones are not the same. So before you determine ‘What’s the best gaming headset?’ you should decide on whether you’d prefer gaming headphones or headsets.

Gaming headphones are just regular headphones with no mic. These are traditionally used to listen to music rather than gaming because you can only communicate with other gamers after purchasing a mic separately.

Asides from the mic, gaming headphones usually have fantastic features to enhance your gaming experience. These include precise sound stage, top micro-detail retrieval, and a high-quality sound experience. This is why gamers can use standard headphones.

Despite their overall quality, you would have to purchase a new mic to attach to your headphone separately. This is quite inconvenient but necessary if you want to play multi-player games.

On the other hand, gaming headsets have been designed for this purpose. They come with headphones, an integrated mic that is usually detachable and re-attachable, and gaming features. Gamers enjoy tactile on-headset functions for on-the-fly game settings, virtual surround sound, bi-directionality, noise cancellation on the mic, and more.

The main benefit of buying a gaming headset is that it’s geared towards gaming, so it comes with everything you need for the experience. They are more convenient to use than buying a separate mic and are attractive. You can also save money on your option.

This doesn’t mean it’s free from disadvantages, but you can steer clear from low build quality and audio if you purchase premium headsets.

Deciding what gaming headset makes the most sense

The best gaming headset you choose must meet your personal gaming needs while offering fantastic sound quality and noise cancellation, all-around comfort and adjustability, and more value for your money. While there are many options out there, these factors and questions will help you arrive at the premium choice that will enhance your gaming experience

If you’re looking for the best place to find a premium gaming headset, Lenovo has got you covered. This site features an extensive range of gaming headsets from industry-leading brands and other gaming accessories. Check it out now to improve your experience.