Best PS5 Headset 2022 – IGN
Suppose you’re lucky enough to have snagged a PlayStation 5. In that case, you’re not only going to want a great gaming TV to take advantage of the gorgeous graphics but also a gaming headset to be fully immersed in the console’s impressive audio. A high-quality headset dramatically improves your experience by eliminating noisy distractions while also helping you hear the minute in-game sound cues of your competition can’t.
There are loads of gaming headsets compatible with the PS5, so we’ve helped you narrow your search. Some of our picks were designed with Sony’s spatial Tempest 3D Audio. But, all of our options offer up excellent sound quality, a clear mic, great features, and a comfy fit to make your gaming experience all the better. We’ve even included a few options that can easily double as your everyday headphones. Take a look and see which headset suits you best.
TL;DR – These are our picks for the Best PS5 Headsets:
- Sony Pulse 3D
Best PS5 Headset
Interface: Wireless, wired | Connections: Wireless adapter, 3.5mm jack | Battery Life: up to 12 hours | Weight: 295 grams | Features: Tempest 3D Audio
You’ve finally gotten your hands on a PS5, and now you’ll want a great headset to pair with it. The Sony Pulse 3D takes advantage of the console’s next-gen positional audio. Your games will sound crisp and clear, but you’ll also be able to tell where sounds are coming from, making it easier for you to place where your enemies are in a game and take them out. Even without the Tempest 3D Audio, these cans still sound great.
We love a lot more about the Sony Pulse 3D, including its lightweight and comfortable design. You’ll be happy wearing this headset for hours. Plus, the round, heavily padded earcups house 40mm neodymium drivers, several controls, and dual noise-canceling mics–all of which work decently well for such a low-cost headset. There is limited battery life, and Bluetooth support would’ve been a nice add-on. But even with these faults, the Pulse 3D and PS5 are a match made in sonic heaven.
- Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2
Best PS5 Headset for Multiplayer
Interface: Wireless | Connections: Wireless USB Transmitter | Battery Life: Up to 15 hours | Features: Gen 2 flip-to-mute mic, Superhuman Hearing, ProSpecs technology
If you’re not necessarily devoted to the Tempest 3D Audio of the PS5 and are instead interested in a headset loaded up with features, look no further than the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2. This headset comes toting Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing tech to enhance critical sound cues in games, giving you a leg-up on the competition. There’s also a convenient flip-to-mute mic that folds up almost entirely flush with the frame, and it makes you sound great for accessible communication with your teammates. Plus, the 15-hour battery life beats out the Sony Pulse 3D.
There is a bit of awkwardness that comes with the design of Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2. At first, it may feel as if you have the headset on backward, and there’s a bit more clamping force than other PS5 headsets. Once you’ve adjusted, it’s a pretty comfortable pair of cans, though it can get a bit hot. And, with the prospect feature, the headset is excellent for those who wear glasses. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have many connectivity options, but its low cost and solid performance make it a great choice to use with your latest console.
- Arctis Prime
Best Wired PS5 Headset
Interface: Wired | Connections: 3.5mm jack | Battery Life: n/a | Weight: 348 grams | Features: ClearCast mic, Advanced high fidelity audio drivers
A more budget-friendly option offered by SteelSeries is the Arctis Prime. It’s a solidly-constructed, lightweight headset that sits comfortably on your head for hours. Though it might lack all the bells and whistles, you get a great-sounding set of cans that even audiophiles can appreciate. And, you don’t have to worry about the battery life, as it connects via a 3.5mm jack that you can easily plug into your gamepad or virtually any device.
This back to basics headset offers excellent sound thanks to its high-resolution drivers. You’ll find that these drivers present a bigger yet more precise sound. When you’re gaming with friends, a retractable ClearCast mic sounds good and does a decent job at filtering ambient noise to make sure you’re a part of the winning team. What this simple headset may lack in features is more than made up for in its performance and price.
- SteelSeries Arctis 7P+
Best Wireless PS5 Headset
Interface: Wireless, Wired | Connections: Wireless USB, Wireless USB-C, 3.5mm | Battery Life: Up to 24 hours | Weight: 340 grams | Features: ClearCast bidirectional mic, Lossless 2.4 GHz wireless audio, full Tempest 3D AudioTech compatibility
Sometimes you want a more versatile pair of cans that sound great and can be used with just about device. The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is precisely that. It works with several gaming consoles, as it’s packed full of wireless connectivity with USB and USB-C wireless transmitters for lossless 2.4 GHz audio. And, if you’re looking for a wired connection, a 3.5mm jack is also included. Being an Arctis headset means that you’re in for a solid build, impressive-sounding, comfortable for hours pair of cans–and with 30-hour battery life–these can last through even your most extended gaming sessions.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ comes packing full Tempest 3D Audio compatibility. So, when using it with your PS5, you’re in for some deep audio immersion that’ll transport you into your games. There’s also a bidirectional, retractable noise-canceling mic to clear communication lines between you and your teammates. This is one of the best headsets to use in conjunction with your PS5, though it does come with a steeper price tag than some of our other picks.
- Razer Barracuda X
Best PS5 Headset With Tempest 3D Audio
Interface: Wireless, Wired | Connections: Wireless USB-C, 3.5mm | Battery Life: Up to 20 hours | Weight: 250 grams | Features: THX Spatial Audio, Tempest 3D Audio
The PS5 comes toting Tempest 3D Audio, and there are very few headsets that are full adopters of this immersive sound. Still, one is the Razer Barracuda X. With this headset, you’re getting support for Sony’s new audio and THX Spatial Audio for a 7.1 surround sound experience. There is a paid app to activate the THX Spatial Audio feature, but it’s a one-time fee for a lifetime of impressive audio. Once you get listening on your PS5 or PC, you’ll be able to detect enemies coming from different directions, giving you a significant advantage over your opponents.
The design of the Razer Barracuda X is very toned down and minimalistic, especially by Razer standards. It doesn’t scream “gamer” when you rock them, so you’ll be able to get away with using these as an everyday pair of headphones after you remove the detachable microphone. And it connects simply via a USB-C dongle, making it the perfect headset to wear with your PS5, but it’ll work great with a Nintendo Switch or Android phone.
- Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2
Most Versatile PS5 Headset
Interface: Wireless | Connections: Mini-USB transmitter, Bluetooth | Battery Life: Up to 20 hours | Weight: Unspecified | Features: Aerofit cooling gel-infused ear cushions, Turtle Beach Superhuman Hearing, ProSpecs technology
Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing helps you pick up on subtle sound cues essential to keeping you afloat in the game. If you want a headset that has it all in one compact package, look no further than the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2. This headset comes packing both a USB wireless transmitter and Bluetooth. It can connect to just about any device for easy listening. And this pair can perform great, boasting 20-hours of battery life.
Though this headset appears to be bulky, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is surprisingly comfortable. Its prospects feature makes it easy for glasses wearers to enjoy this headset without the usual headache others can cause. Plus, the earcups seemingly conform to your ears with cooling gel-infused memory foam earpads, so you’ll be able to wear these for a long while before your ears start to get hot. And those earcups also house tons of controls like volume for game/chat mix, a customizable “mode” button, power, and a pairing button.
- Audeze Penrose
Best Audiophile PS5 Headset
Interface: Wireless, wired | Connections: Lossless 2.4GHz low-latency, Bluetooth, 3.5mm | Battery Life: Up to 15 hours | Weight: 320 grams | Features: 100mm planar magnetic drivers, broadcast-quality boom mic
Do you find yourself a bit of a sound snob, and your average headset just isn’t going to cut it? Enter the Audeze Penrose. The sound on this headset is made for audiophiles, but anyone can appreciate it. It features a massive pair of 100mm planar magnetic drivers that help you hear everything from footsteps to gunfire and helicopters, all clear. And this headset supports any spatial audio system, as long as it doesn’t require any manual processing so that you can plug in play. However, this sound doesn’t come cheap, so be prepared to shell out around $300 for this pair of cans.
Aside from the killer sound quality of the Audeze Penrose, you’re also getting a headset packed with features. There is multi-platform connectivity to use it with your PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and phone. Plus, it’s easy to switch between the devices with multiple connectivity options. Add in the great-sounding mic, and you’re ready to get gaming. It’s important to note that the initial fit of this headset may not be very comfortable, but once you break them in, you’ll be in for audiophile-level sound you don’t often find in gaming headsets.
- Astro A50
Best High-End PS5 Headset
Interface: Wireless | Connections: Lossless 2.4GHz low-latency via base station | Battery Life: 15+ hours | Weight: 380 grams | Features: Astro Audio V2, Dolby Atmos, flip-to-mute mic
The Astro A50 may be a bit pricey and complicated, but it’s worth the initial headache for the great sound and features this headset comes packing. With the Astro A50, you’re getting improved drivers that make the sound come through crisp and clear, whether you’re gaming or streaming your favorite album. And, the support of Dolby Atmos means a more immersive playing experience. Plus, with Game: Voice Balance, you’ll be able to control how you sound to your teammates or over discord quickly as you play.
If you’re searching for a pair of cans that you can wear all day, the Astro A50 has you covered where comfort is concerned. There’s even a 15+ hour battery life to boot. And this versatile headset will work not only with the PS5 but also the latest Xbox after you purchase an additional charging base designed to use in conjunction with the system.
- Master & Dynamic MG20
Best Premium PS5 Gaming Headset
Interface: Wireless, wired | Connections: Low-latency USB, Bluetooth, 3.5mm | Battery Life: Up to 22 hours | Weight: 322 grams | Features: 50mm Beryllium drivers, 7.1 surround sound
If you’re searching for a gaming headset that’s the epitome of quality and functionality, Master & Dynamic’s latest MG20 is a premium pair of cans that may be your next splurge. This headset comes packing an impressive sound stage thanks to the 50mm drivers that will instantly immerse you in your favorite games with their rich, deep audio quality. It even comes loaded with 7.1 surround sound support. Unfortunately, it does not come packing ANC, though.
To get listening on the Master & Dynamic MG20 is pretty straightforward. There is a low latency dongle that plugs directly into the PS5, allowing you to use the headset wirelessly. A wired connection is also an option. Plus, with Bluetooth connectivity that supports aptX codec, you can connect to PCs or do some gaming on the go. On top of that, there’s the simple, classic design with an onboard microphone and a detachable boom mic, so you can get away with using these as your everyday headphones. And, it’ll last all day since it boasts a 22-hour battery life.
Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London, and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.
