Let’s be real: wires suck. No more so than when it comes to audio equipment. Thankfully, the best wireless gaming headsets free your ears from annoying leads, allowing you to crank your neck as much as you like while playing the best PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch games.
So being that it's time to cut the cord, let me quickly tell you how we test some of the best wireless gaming cans. Firstly, we establish how easy it is to connect the headset to the gaming laptop/console we’re trying to pair it with. Next we play a bunch of different games on them, then evaluate various aspects during gameplay. Are bass levels convincing? Do they get satisfyingly loud enough? And in the case of more and more PS5 and PC titles that support 3D spatial audio, we also test out the surround sound-aping feature if a game supports it.
My current favorite wireless gaming headset I’d recommend to most people is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. Thanks to its versatile connectivity features, attractive design and convincing 40mm drivers, it’s a great value headset. And if you play exclusively on PS5 Slim or one of the best gaming PCs, I’d recommend the excellent Sony Inzone H5, which handles spatial audio immaculately
And to give you some idea of the other factors we take into consideration when rating wireless headsets, comfort and battery life are both important factors. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best wireless gaming headsets you can currently buy right now, which span a variety of budgets.
The quick list
A combination of versatile connectivity options and strong audio quality means the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is an excellent headset. Smart design helps sweeten the somewhat expensive package.
A decent wireless headset that offers a comfortable fit, good sound and a removable mic makes the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless worth consideration. Solid positional audio is also great for a budget price.
Combining a clean design with good sound and comfort, the Razer Kaira Pro is a solid gaming headset. Its special sauce is strong Bluetooth connectivity as well as access to the Xbox Wireless Protocol.
The Sony Inzone H5 is current king when it comes to wireless PS5 gaming headsets. With an winning price tag, brilliant 3D audio and deep bass levels, it's simply a sensational headset that every PS5 owner should consider buying.
A simple neat design holds a headset that's custom-built for the Xbox, offering strong audio, a comfortable fit, and a physical mic. Keenly priced, if you want a headset to go with an Xbox Series X or Series S, this is one to consider.
HyperX has a reputation for making great gaming headsets, especially for the PC, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is no exception. It has excellent sound, great battery life, and a comfortable fit.
The best wireless gaming headsets you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The best overall wireless gaming headset
If you want one of the best wireless gaming headsets you can buy today, then you really don't have to look much further than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. The sound quality in games is excellent, though it doesn't break new ground here; rather solid audio separation and clarity between voices, background music and other sound effects impressed us.
Intuitive controls and a comfortable elastic headband are all points in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7's favor. But the real kicker is its expansive compatibility and connectivity. A USB-C wireless dongle means the headset can be connected to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android devices. There's also Bluetooth connectivity thrown in for good measure.
The only caveat is only the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7x works with Xbox consoles, so be wary of that before you make a snap purchase. Otherwise, this is an excellent wireless gaming headset well worth your consideration.
Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 review.
The best value wireless gaming headset
Another SteelSeries headset worth getting on your ears. That's because the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless offers solid sound quality for both gaming and music, as well as being compatible with a whole range of gaming platforms (do bear in mind you'll need the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox if you plan on using the headset with a Microfot games console, And for iOS users the headset won't work). Its wireless connectivity is robust as well.
There's nothing flashy about the design of the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless, but many might like a utilitarian headset that has earcups which can be folded flat to help with storage and portability. A lack of an elastic headband may put off some gamers as well, but for less than $100, there's little to really dislike about the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless.
Read our full SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless review.
The best Bluetooth wireless gaming headset
If you’re willing to spend more than $100, the Razer Kaira Pro is probably the best Xbox Series X/S headset you can get. In addition to a comfortable fit and good sound quality, the Kaira Pro offers a real rarity among wireless gaming headsets: Bluetooth connectivity. That means that you can connect the Kaira Pro to your Xbox console just as easily as you can connect it to your PC or mobile device. (And, unlike USB-C wireless solutions, the Kaira Pro also works with iOS.)
On top of that, the Kaira Pro is a gorgeous device, combining a restrained chassis with a tasteful black-and-green color scheme. The pairing process couldn’t be easier, and the mic is good for both heated multiplayer matches and everyday conversations with friends and family. What’s even more impressive is that the Kaira Pro came out more or less alongside the latest Xbox consoles, meaning they had a fantastic wireless headset right from the start.
Read our full Razer Kaira Pro review.
The best wireless gaming headset for PS5
The Sony Inzone H5 is a wonderful headset that should be on the radar of all PS5 players. It's one of the best sets of over-ear gaming cans we've ever tested here at Tom's Guide, boasting exceptionally long battery life, thrilling bass and impeccably calibrated overall audio. When it comes to handling 3D spatial sounds, few headsets do a better job.
Sony's headset goes for $149/£129 at time of writing, which is exceptional value for money for a headset of this caliber. Obviously the Japanese tech giant is mainly marketing the Inzone H5 as a PS5 peripheral, yet it also works fantastically well on PC; providing even stronger sounds on a gaming rig or laptop thanks to the Inzone Hub app which lets you tweak equalizer settings to get a sound that's tailored to your specific tastes.
The Sony Inzone H5 isn't just a magical performer when it comes to playing PS5 or PC games, it also proves a joy to listen to movies and shows on. A lack of noise-canceling support is the only real negative surrounding this headset. If you own a PS5, this should be at the very top of your shopping list.
Read our full Sony Inzone H5 review.
The best wireless gaming headset for Xbox
Console manufacturers have a mixed track record of producing gaming headsets. Sometimes they’re overpriced and bare-bones, but other times, you get something like the Xbox Wireless Headset. This high-quality headset provides seamless connectivity with Xbox consoles, as well as a Bluetooth connection for your computer, smartphone or streaming device. The Xbox Wireless Headset provides clean profiles for both game audio and music, and it has intuitive controls built right into the earcups, rather than relying on imprecise dials.
Just be aware that the Xbox Wireless Headset is optimized almost exclusively for Xbox consoles. Each time you start it up, your Xbox will start up as well, making it inconvenient for productivity applications. Furthermore, you can’t adjust the headset after you put it on, meaning that getting a good fit involves some trial and error. Still, two kinds of wireless connectivity plus strong audio quality is a good deal, especially for less than $100.
Read our full Xbox Wireless Headset review.
The best wireless gaming headset for PC
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is, far and away, the longest-lasting headset on this entire list. While most gaming headsets provide between 20 and 40 hours of battery life, the Cloud Alpha Wireless can go for 300 hours between charges. That's not a typo; its battery can really last for hundreds of hours. Not even the most dedicated gamer could wear this one out in a week.
Of course, battery life alone isn't enough to garner a recommendation. The Cloud Alpha Wireless also provides excellent sound, thanks to powerful drivers and a rich default soundscape. It's comfortable to wear for hours on end, and the removable mic works great for multiplayer, video chat or anything in-between. Just be warned that the software suite isn't perfect, so adjusting equalization options is a little tougher than it should be.
Read our full HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless review.
Other wireless gaming headsets to consider
As with other tech, when it comes to the best wireless gaming headsets, you have to pay a premium price if you want premium performance. That’s going to be true whether it's older models like the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE or this, the Logitech G Pro X Wireless: a PC-optimized headset that provides good enough performance for tournament play. While the earcups can feel a little tight, that’s about the only major criticism I can lobby against this headset, which provides robust, nuanced sound profiles and a crystal-clear mic.
The earcups are plush; the controls are intuitive; the chassis is durable. Using the Logitech G Hub software, you can customize your own sound profiles, or use a variety of helpful presets for games, movies and music. You can even run your mic settings through a Blue audio filter, giving you impeccable sound at a variety of different frequencies. This headset is also compatible with the PS5 and Switch (in docked mode), but not with mobile phones.
Read our full Logitech G Pro X Wireless review.
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero has been on the market for almost three years — a lifetime in gaming peripheral terms. The headset’s success is not surprising, though, given its comfortable fit, extensive software options and excellent sound quality. Particularly if you’re playing on the PC, the Elite Atlas Aero sports some of the best game audio in its price range. You can also hook the headset up to a PS5 or a docked Switch.
The only real downside to the Elite Atlas Aero is that its earcup controls get a little crowded, with a lot of dials and buttons in relatively little space. But once you learn your way around the interface, you can look forward to simple connectivity, long battery life and extremely generous padding for both your ears and the top of your head. There are other Elite Atlas variations, such as the wired Elite Atlas Pro, if this one doesn’t suit your needs or price range.
Read our full Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero review.
If you want to future-proof your audio gear, consider the HyperX Cloud Flight S. While HyperX has a handful of good wireless gaming headsets such as the Cloud II Wireless, the Cloud Flight S is arguably the most ambitious of the pack. That’s because it features Qi charging: something that we haven’t seen in many other gaming peripherals, particularly ones that you wear. After you run down the 30-hour battery, you can simply place the left earcup on a Qi charging pad, and the headset will charge back up without having to hunt down a cable for it. This is especially handy in a device that you pick up and put down as many times per day as a gaming headset.
Apart from that, the Cloud Flight S offers the comfort and sound quality you’d expect from a HyperX peripheral, and costs only $10 more than most of its competitors. The mic is admittedly not great, but if you prefer single-player games anyway, that’s not much of a drawback.
Read our full HyperX Cloud Flight S review.
How we test the best wireless gaming headsets
We test wireless gaming headsets and wired gaming headsets the same way. First, we evaluate how easy it is to connect the headset to a target system, and note any irregularities in the pairing process. Then, we play a variety of different games, watch TV shows and movies, and listen to music from multiple genres. While game performance is the most important quality here, a headset that costs more than $100 should also be able to handle movies, music and TV, at least well enough for everyday use.
Comfort is the other big metric for success, although this is a highly subjective evaluation. As such, the Tom’s Guide staff usually tries to hand off a headset to at least one other coworker, and get their take on the gadget. More often than not, writers find headsets similarly comfortable or uncomfortable, but we make a note when that’s not the case.
How to choose the best wireless gaming headset
There are two main factors to consider when choosing the best wireless gaming headset for your setup: systems and price. Knowing which systems you own (or plan to buy in the near future) is obviously the most important part of the equation. Xbox consoles have a proprietary wireless protocol, which doesn’t play nicely with PCs or PlayStation systems. On the other hand, any headset that offers a PC dongle should work on the PS5 as well — and, usually, a docked Switch.
Price is the other concern. While gaming headsets can reach $300, most on this list cost between $100 and $200. If you’re looking at the $100 price range, expect some compromises in build or sound quality; at the $200 point, expect a degree of specialization. The sweet spot for all-purpose gadgets seems to be around $150. While it’s possible to spend less than $100, most wireless headsets in this price range aren’t worth it.
