In competitive multiplayer games, you need every advantage you can get, and while having the best wireless gaming headset won’t make up for a total lack of skill, it can significantly up your performance.
A solid soundstage or even full-on virtual surround sound means you’ll be able to hear your enemies’ footsteps around you, preventing you from being caught unawares, while a noise-suppressing microphone will ensure your teammates hear your instructions (or bragging, we’re not judging) all the more clearly.
Then, of course, there are other factors to consider: comfort is absolutely key, because you don’t want to be constantly adjusting your headset during play, and equally you don’t want your ears sore for hours afterwards. Battery life is also essential, because there’s nothing worse than your headset conking out mid-match.
You also need to be aware of what systems you want to connect: while most headsets will work on PC, Switch (docked – so not the Switch lite) and PS5 or PS4 out of the box via dongle, the Xbox Series and One consoles have their own proprietary wireless connection which needs special support – or alternatively a cable from the headset to the gamepad, which mildly cuts into the wireless label.
Finally, of course, there’s the price. While you can buy a wireless gaming headset for under £50, we’d caution against spending so little if you want something that both sounds good and is built to last. As a rule of thumb, look to spend somewhere between £80 and £300, with more money generally translating to a better experience – albeit with diminishing returns the higher you go.
Read more:
We tested a number of wireless gaming headsets on console and PC, putting them through their paces in single- and multiplayer games. We paid special attention to Hunt: Showdown: a game where communication and listening to every environmental detail is the key to success. Here are our favourites.
The best wireless gaming headsets for 2021 are:
- Best wireless gaming headset for PC – Razer blackshark V2 pro: £182.98, LaptopsDirect.co.uk
- Best microphone – Logitech pro x lightspeed wireless PC gaming headset: £189.99, Argos.co.uk
- Best for easy charging – SteelSeries arctis pro wireless gaming headset: £289.41, Amazon.co.uk
- Best high-end wireless gaming headset – Astro A50 wireless 7.1 gaming headset and base station: £249, Currys.co.uk
- Best for versatility – Asus ROG strix go 2.4 GHz wireless gaming headset: £166.49, Ebuyer.com
- Best battery life – HyperX cloud II pro gaming headset: £149, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for impressive sound on a budget – Turtle Beach stealth 600 gen 2: £89.99, Game.co.uk
- Best wireless gaming headset for Nintendo Switch – Corsair HS70 bluetooth stereo carbon gaming headset: £91.99, Scan.co.uk
- Best wireless gaming headset for Xbox – Razer kaira for Xbox: £79.99, Bt.com
- Best for PS5 and Xbox users on a budget – Roccat Elo 7.1 air wireless surround sound PC headset: £79.99, Robertdyas.co.uk