Here is How you choose the right gaming headset you need for perfect experience even if it’s your first time.
Besides the mouse and keyboard, the headset is an indispensable accessory for gamers.
To choose a quality and suitable gaming headset, I will inform you of the knowledge and experience of buying the best gaming headset.
What is a gaming headset? What’s different from regular headphones?
A gaming headset, also known as a Gaming headset, is an audio device used exclusively for gamers. Gaming headsets are designed to reproduce the most detailed, effective gaming audio range so users can immerse themselves in the games.
Gaming headsets will differ from conventional headphones in design, soundproofing, and sound quality.
What to take Notes of when choosing to buy a gaming headset include:
- Design of Gaming Headset
- Sound quality
- Granularity
- Response speed
Design of Gaming Headset
Currently, Gaming headsets are designed in styles such as In-ear (in-ear) and Over-ear (in-ear). Each design has different advantages and disadvantages.
As for In-ear headphones, this line has a compact design that fits inside the ear without causing heat but can cause pain when used for a long time.
Over-ear headphones are headphones worn outside the ear, with a soft, thick foam layer to limit ear pain, and are soundproof in a perfect environment, but when used for a long time or in a hot environment, they can cause discomfort. Ear heat, discomfort.
Sound quality
Gaming headsets will be equipped with better sound quality and suitable for gaming thanks to the wide soundstage. It will help reproduce the sound to expand so gamers can hear footsteps and gunfire in survival games like PUBG and Rules of Survival.
Soundstage:
Soundstage generally refers to the width of the sound space that the headset creates. When evaluating the soundstage, people often say it is “secret, narrow” or “wide and airy.”
Wide soundstage: all sounds in the game will be reproduced more widely, especially in FPS games when footsteps and gunshots need to be distinguished and are the key to victory.
Narrow soundstage: in contrast to a broad, a headset with a too narrow soundstage will create a sense of mystery and discomfort; all sounds seem close to the user’s ears, unable to distinguish before, after
Soundtrack
If the soundstage is the openness of space, then the image is the accuracy of the sounds in that space.
A good-sounding headset always comes with an open soundstage; then, all sounds will be oriented and located and create a significant advantage in the decisive stages of the match.
To make it easy to imagine, when you use a headset with good audio, it will be easy to accurately identify the footsteps coming from left, right, from the ceiling, or under the tunnel, etc.; meanwhile, With a bad image, the direction of the sound will be confused, the distance and distance will not be displayed correctly.
Usually, 7.1 and 5.1 headphones will give better sound than 2.1 headphones.
Timbre
Also known as sound quality, each headset has a different sound quality, and this is the main feature to evaluate whether a gaming headset is good or bad.
Evaluating the headset’s sound quality is not simple; in addition to performing well in the game, it also has to create comfort for long-term use, not making the user tired due to the sounds the ear hears listen created.
For first-person shooter (FPS) games: High range (Treble) needs the most attention; treble is good and sharp and will highlight the sound of footsteps.
In addition, the remaining two strips should not be too “backward” to best reproduce the sound of bombs and explosions.
For MOBA, RTS, MMORPG games, etc.: You should choose headphones with three balanced frequency bands, depending on your sound preferences and the type of music you often listen to when playing games.
The fact that the three frequency bands are not too different will help the sounds in the game be better reproduced because, in the games mentioned above, the sound is often mixed and not too inclined to any band.
Basic parameters of the headset
Response band:
The 20Hz to 20000Hz range is the audible range for the human ear; currently, gaming headsets all respond well to this frequency range; there are even models with a much more comprehensive response range than the human ear can hear.
Driver Size
This feature is often used to introduce headphones; a big driver usually has a louder and more comprehensive volume than a small driver. However, controlling the sound quality of the loud driver is also much more difficult.
Granularity
When looking at a picture, if objects from small to large are meticulously cared for, the picture has good detail; this is like when you evaluate a headset. If the minor syllables are accurately represented, the headset has excellent detail and vice versa.
Response speed
Imagine the sounds in the game like the flow of people on the street; if there is a particular line, they will go fast and steady.
On the contrary, if you shudder here, the flow of people will be chaotic. Like in fierce battles, when the sound reaches the user’s ears regularly without overlapping, the experience will be the best.
In the game, the band that is most easy to lose control of and causes echoes is the bass band, the bass that gives life to the bombs and bullets, creating the background for intense battles; if the bass is not done well, it will engulf the other two bands, making the shouting sounds and footsteps overwhelmed, significantly reducing gaming performance.
2.1/5.1/7. and different points
Current games all support surround sound very well; depending on the headset’s characteristics, they can present sound in 2/5/7 different directions.
2.1: Sound is shown in 2 directions, left-right, and sounds from other directions will be shown depending on the quality of the headset; quite a lot of 2.1 headset models, but the picture is perfect, like Kingston HyperX Cloud and Corsair Void.
5.1: In addition to the two left-right directions, 5.1 also has more front and back left-right directions, but the current 5.1 headset is no longer popular because the connection is quite tricky, and the picture is not outperformed by 2.1.
7.1: The current most advanced gaming audio standard with seven audio channels corresponding to 7 different directions. To use an actual 7.1 headset, the computer also needs to be integrated with a dedicated 7.1 soundcard. The sound of this type is best if the game supports it.
Simulated surround sound
In recent times, simulated surround sound has gradually appeared in many mid-range gaming headsets; manufacturers use movements to distort a specific frequency, helping users feel a clear, more pronounced direction of the sound with only two speakers instead of needing seven as traditional.
The difference between the 7.1 and the traditional 2-channel sound simulation is most evident in movies and games with large and epic battlefields such as BattleField, Starwar: Battle Front, Call of Duty, etc.
How it communicate with the computer
Gaming headsets are divided into a 3.5mm jack and a USB jack.
Jack 3.5mm:
The sound will be processed by the computer soundcard and output to the headset, so different machines can produce different sounds. 3.5mm standard is prevalent and well compatible with mobile devices
USB:
Audio is digitally encoded and sent to the headset’s DAC, then the DAC will process it into analog data and output audio.
Because the input signal is a digital signal, the headphone sound quality will not change when plugged into different devices, as well as due to the large current from USB; the headset can be equipped with led lights. However, the USB standard is not compatible with mobile devices.
Additional features to look for includes:
Sound insulation:
But gamers always need maximum quietness to focus when playing games, so the companies all offer many ways to create absolute sound insulation; sound insulation also dramatically affects the sound quality when one ear Closed listening (closed) will give a smaller soundstage than open headphones (open).
Weight
In measuring characteristics or long-term use, the headset’s weight is also significant; light headphones will be more comfortable than a heavy headset when worn continuously for 4-5 hours. Weight around 300-400g is considered ideal for use.
Ear cushion material
The headphone cushion is the part that directly affects the comfort of use; too hard or too soft will create an uncomfortable feeling. In addition, the padding is also an essential factor contributing to the image and soundstage of the headset.
With imitation leather (PU):
This cushion has excellent sound insulation and is soft to wear. However, this cushion will be relatively quickly crumbling and peeling for those who sweat around.
Due to its poor absorbency, sweat is deposited, damaging the ear cushions. In addition, due to the characteristics of the material, the faux leather mattress is also challenging to clean if it is dirty.
Felt cushions give excellent air circulation compared to leather cushions, so the soundstage is also expanded (if compared to the identical product).
Due to its ability to absorb sweat well and breathe, felt cushions are a good choice if sitting in places where the temperature is not too cool.
However, due to its ability to absorb sweat, felt pads quickly become stained with sweat/cigarettes/body odors and need to be cleaned regularly (thankfully, felt cushions are much easier to clean than leather ones).
Micro
A good gaming headset has high-end sound quality and needs a “good” microphone.
Most current gaming headsets use unidirectional and noise-filtering microphones, which help capture the player’s voice and eliminate background noise.
In addition, the bending ability of the mic wire also needs to be focused so that the most suitable position can be placed, neither too close nor too far away, creating the most comfortable feeling for the listener on the other end.
Some headphones also use proprietary algorithms to increase the output sound quality, which almost wholly cancels the noise and increases the speaker’s volume.
Connector wire
An umbrella wire “movement” is used on many high-end headset models. But not necessarily; the parachute cord is superior to the rubber band.
In some cases, rubber bands give the ability to bend to the user’s liking better than parachute cords; in addition, parachute models sometimes rub against the shirt, which interferes with rotation.
But not always are rubber bands better than parachute cords; many high-end headphones have parachute cords with significant surface edema to eliminate friction.
Auxiliary features
A must-have for gaming headsets. However, these features are best supported on models using the USB jack; then, the entire sound is processed by the headset’s own DAC so that the sound quality can be easily customized for specialized services for different game genres. In addition, the LED light is also a highlight for the gaming corner, as well as the user.
Choose a type of Gaming headset with a conversational mic
When buying a Gaming headset, you should choose a headset line that supports conversational microphones for accessible communication during gaming.
Sometimes, you need to record video, and the built-in mic on the headset is necessary.
Gaming headphones with good noise cancellation and soundproofing
Noise resistance and soundproofing are factors that need to be paid attention to when buying a Gaming headset to ensure reflectivity when playing games. Gaming headsets are often equipped with leather foam for good sound insulation.
Price and brand
For the best headphone experience, you should choose famous Gaming headset brands such as JBL, MozardX, Logitech, and Rapoo… for the best warranty policy. Avoid buying floating gaming headsets on the market that will cost you money because of poor quality.
The price of Gaming headsets ranges from 400 thousand to 1 million 500 thousand, suitable for consumers to own depending on their usage needs.
Should I buy a wireless or wired gaming headset?
For wireless Gaming headsets, companies equipped with Bluetooth technology can use devices such as phones, laptops, and computers with Bluetooth for flexible use in many places without being an entangled wallet. But they are usually quite expensive.
They wired Gaming Headset with a 3.5mm jack connection compatible with multiple devices. Wired headsets are plugged directly into the device, so they have better transmission, minimize latency, and are suitable for games that need high accuracy.
Here are the Quality Gaming Headset Brands
Some brands of Gaming headsets are chosen by many people today, such as:
Logitech
Logitech brand is too famous in the field of computer accessories from Switzerland. With a long history of development today, Logitech has launched computer accessories such as Logitech Gaming mice, Gaming keyboards,… Especially Gaming headsets are most sought after by many people.
Highlights on Logitech Gaming headsets:
- The ear cushions are made of imitation leather for a smooth feeling when used.
- Large diaphragm for a good sound experience.
- A voice microphone is equipped on the headset and automatically disconnects when the mic is folded up.
- Compatible with many devices.
- DTS Headphone:X 2.0 surround sound technology.
Corsair
Corsair headphone product line is a product from the American brand of the same name. Corsair Gaming Headset is trusted and used by many people today because of its high quality and good sound quality.
The outstanding features of the Corsair Gaming headset:
- Compact design, personality.
- Accurate, complete sound on Gaming headphones.
- Compatible with most of today’s gaming devices.
- Headphone built-in detachable microphone, more convenient to use.
Rapoo
Rapoo brand from China was established in 2002. In recent years, this brand has quickly won the hearts of consumers with products such as headsets, mice, and keyboards at affordable prices reasonable and suitable for user needs.
The outstanding features of the Rapoo Gaming headset:
- Vivid sound quality with 7.1 surround sound.
- Built-in microphone for players to communicate with teammates quickly.
- The RGB backlighting transforms the lights into various colors, letting the headset shine in the dark.
- Good noise filtering ability.
- They closed ear cup design with soft padding around the ears and good soundproofing.
JBL
JBL is a brand from the US famous for its audio equipment, such as JBL speakers and JBL headphones, ... which is supported by many people with diverse models and reasonable prices.
Outstanding features on JBL Gaming headphones:
- Detailed, honest sound quality thanks to 40 mm driver, JBL QuantumSOUND Signature technology.
- Clear voice and convenient conversation thanks to the included microphone.
- It can be used with many different devices thanks to the 3.5mm plug.
MonsterX
The MozardX Gaming Headset is an exclusive Mobile World Joint Stock Company brand established in 2019.
The “made in MozardX” products can be mentioned as headphones, music speakers,… with many different designs and good quality.
The outstanding features of the Razer MonsterX Gaming headset:
- The RGB backlight stands out in the dark.
- Enjoy powerful, diffused sound through 7.1 surround sound technology.
- The microphone has clear sound quality.
- Soft ear cushions with good noise cancellation.
Note when using headphones so as not to affect hearing adversely
Choose practical, well-designed, soundproof headphones
No matter how fully you “feel” the music, if you let outside noises in, it will never feel right.
It is also one of the causes of harm to the ears: when there is noise mixed into the melody you are listening to, you will have the habit of increasing the volume to overwhelm the noise entering – inadvertently making your ears more vulnerable to love.
There are two ways to prevent outside noise from entering your ears while listening:
- Choose headphones with active noise cancellation technology: These headphones are high-end, with a microphone to capture the sound of the outside environment while music is playing. Through processing, it will emit a kind of cancellation frequency parallel to the music, eliminating the other noise coming in.
- Choose headphones that fit your ears: Be wise when trying on headphones before you buy because a headset with a frame that fits snugly against the rim/ear will minimize noise. This is a way to prevent passive noise, not as active as above, but the cost will not be too high and “breathable.”
Do not use headphones for too long?
Headphones have a drawback that people often overlook: the distance from the ear is too close, unlike external speakers.
Therefore, the adverse effects it causes from long-term continuous sound exposure are much more pronounced.
According to experts, 60 minutes is the most appropriate time for the ear to “take a break” to rest so that no possible damage appears.
The volume does not exceed the “gold limit.”
The recommended sound intensity level safe for the ears when listening to headphones is 85dB. Still, even if we know that theoretical number, we can’t always be able to measure them ourselves and then listen.
How do we determine when we have exceeded this advice and need to lower the volume?
It’s straightforward; make sure the volume level you are listening to is no more than 2/3 of the top bar – you can adjust the fluctuation a bit more depending on your ears’ sensitivity. This is the level that is considered to be close to the safe, acceptable point.
Correct perception, understand headphones.
There is a type of headset that many people misunderstand about its harmful effects, and they often refuse and switch to another type of headset.
It is an in-ear headset with a design that includes a frame with a rubber foam covering the head, used to put it in the ear a little deeper instead of just on the outer rim.
Therefore, many people think it is unsuitable for the ears; rubber will seal and cause many harmful effects.
The truth is quite the opposite: The design of in-ear headphones is by no means a negative influence. The rubber sponges will be responsible for hugging the ears, preventing noise from entering, and not causing ear pain like plastic materials.
The ideal gaming headset for your requirements
Image | Name | Price Link |
 | ASTRO Gaming A50 Wireless Headset + Base Station Gen 4 – Compatible With PS5, PS4, PC, Mac – Black/Silver | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
 | EPOS Audio H3PRO Hybrid Wireless Closed Acoustic Gaming Headset (Ghost White) | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
| JBL Quantum One Wired Gaming Headset – With True Active Noise Cancellation, Quantum Sphere360 Technology, RGB Lighting, Detachable Microphone, For PC, Console, Mobile, VR – Black | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
Final Thoughts
When it comes to gaming headsets, you get what you pay for, just like with most things in life. Price, however, is not everything.
You must conduct research before making your gaming headset selection. When examining product specifications, be mindful not to drop any numbers.
They are typically intended to deceive. Instead, apply critical thought and keep the factors above in mind. As a result, I’ve shared with you crucial information about gaming headsets and my experience selecting the best gaming headset.
Finding the ideal product for you will be made much easier for you with the information above.
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