I tested Cherry's new $129 gaming headset on my PS5 — and it completely changes the way I play

If, like me, you spend most of your free time playing video games, you’ll need one of the best wireless gaming headsets to feel at one with the playable character — like the Cherry XTRFY H3. It’s equipped with 53mm dynamic drivers that deliver powerful audio and spatial audio that creates immersive soundscapes. And if you’re truly into a game, the XTRFY H3 is extremely comfortable, letting you play for hours on end.

It comes with a detachable mic that has noise-canceling technology to isolate your voice. Oh, and it’s compatible with nearly every console you may own — I say “nearly” because there’s no Xbox version, unfortunately.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry XTRFY H3 review.

Cherry XTRFY H3 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A gaming headset with 53mm dynamic drivers from tech giant Cherry
• Who is it for? For gamers who want an immersive listening experience
• How much does it cost? The Cherry XTRFY H3 is available for $129 / £99
• What do we like? The comfortable, lightweight design, spatial audio that creates fantastic soundscapes, multi-platform compatibility and the noise-canceling detachable mic
• What don’t we like? There’s no Xbox version and no companion app

Cherry XTRFY H3 review: Specs

Cherry XTRFY H3 review: The ups

The Cherry XTRFY H3 is extremely comfortable and lightweight and its 53mm dynamic drivers deliver powerful audio. Plus, it comes with a noise-canceling detachable microphone.

Mighty comfortable

When I first put the headset on my head, I thought I looked like Princess Leia with her classic twin hair buns. That’s because the Cherry XTRFY H3’s earcups are very big and spacious, and they have been designed this way to provide a cushioned fit, which, in turn, reduces pressure during long gaming sessions.

The earcups are made of soft “protein” faux leather and are extremely comfortable and breathable. The leather doesn’t feel too delicate either, as it did on the non-gaming JLab Epic Lux Lab Edition ($199) headphones.

I also really like the mesh headband, which provides a cushioned feel and ensures you don’t feel any pressure on the top of your head. The XTRFY H3 isn’t very heavy, weighing 11.46oz, so there were moments when I’d forgotten I was still wearing the headset. It’s lighter than the 12.2oz Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite ($149) but slightly heavier than the 9.3oz SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 ($129).

One headset to rule them all

If you own multiple consoles and need one headset that can seamlessly connect to them all, then the Cherry XTRFY H3 is the one for you. It can connect to a plethora of devices — as long as they’re running Bluetooth 2.0 or higher, which most do these days. This includes the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch (and most probably the Switch 2 when it launches), macOS, Windows, and Android and iOS smartphones.

I used the XTRFY H3 with my PS5 Slim. All I had to do was plug in the 2.4GHz USB-A dongle into the back of my console and I was good to go. I also paired it with my Google Pixel 7 Pro via Bluetooth to record myself speaking to evaluate mic performance (more on that soon).

The headset worked seamlessly with both, but it’s important to note that it doesn’t support multipoint connectivity, unlike the Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite. It’s not a major flaw but not being able to hear your phone ring while playing a game may be annoying to some.

Immersive soundscapes

If you want a headset that makes you feel like you’re actually hunting down templars in the Assassin’s Creed games or riding a horse in Ghost of Tsushima, the Cherry XTRFY H3 is the one for you. Fitted with 53mm dynamic drivers with a frequency response range of 20Hz-20KHz, you’ll be able to hear the softest of footsteps and the loudest explosions.

What’s more, the XTRFY H3 features spatial audio that makes games far more immersive than, say, listening via your PC’s or TV’s built-in speakers. And it works very well. I played a range of games to test this headset: Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Baldur’s Gate 3, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor and Alan Wake 2.

I highly appreciated listening to the smallest details in weapons, such as the sound of Cal Kestis’ lightsaber buzzing and Naoe’s hidden blade coming out of and returning to the brace. With the lightsaber, the haptic feedback delivered by the DualSense is unparalleled, and combined with the XTRFY H3, I felt like I was the one taking down Stormtroopers.

This was also the case with softer, easily missable sounds, especially in a horror game like Alan Wake 2. When you’re playing as the titular character, you hear the Shadows growl and say “Wake” but you may miss them whispering the name. I only noticed this detail while wearing the XTRFY H3. Bear in mind that this is a game I’ve invested nearly 100 hours into, and I’m still discovering new things, courtesy of this headset.

You can hear footsteps much better, too. Since this headset utilizes spatial audio, you’ll hear footsteps — and dialogues — in either earcup depending on the direction your camera’s facing.

This is a fantastic feature for first-person shooters like Counter-Strike 2 or Hell Let Loose, as you can gauge the positions of enemies better.

This made Alan Wake 2 even more terrifying, but it made idle chatter in Baldur’s Gate 3 make me feel like I was actually amongst the NPCs in Act 3.

It’s also worth noting that, unlike the Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite, dialogues through the XTRFY H3 don’t sound echoey, tinny or hollow. The XTRFY H3 has a wide soundstage and reproduces nearly every sound accurately.

Noise-canceling microphone

A microphone can make or break a gaming headset, especially if you play online or competitively. The Cherry XTRFY H3’s mic is fantastic. It’s a detachable mic, which means you have to pop it into the left earcup, and that’s simple enough to do.

This omnidirectional mic features noise-canceling technology, so it will isolate your voice and mute (or try to, depending on the volume level) any others. The clip above demonstrates what the mic sounds like when there’s nothing else playing in the background and there aren’t any other disturbances.

To me, my voice sounds clear and crisp. My voice doesn’t sound as muffled as it did when I was testing the Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite.

The second clip is what it sounds like when there’s other media playing in the background. I was watching my comfort movie, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, on a high volume in my small living room. While you can hear Daniel Craig speaking in the background, the mic has done a good job of reducing his volume, thereby putting all the emphasis on my voice.

I also spoke with my brother when we were playing our co-op Baldur’s Gate 3 campaign, and he said I sounded “crystal clear.” It’s on par with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5. Very neat!

Cherry XTRFY H3 review: The downs

I don’t have a lot of issues with the Cherry XTRFY H3 headset, but its lack of companion software and Xbox variant may leave some users feeling short-changed.

Sorry, Xbox users

If you own an Xbox Series console, I have bad news for you: you won’t be able to enjoy all the goodies the Cherry XTRFY H3 has to offer. There’s no Xbox variant available, so you’ll need to consider other options. You’ll have to splurge a little extra on the XTRFY H1 ($139).

There are many other similarly priced alternatives available too, such as the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 ($99) and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5. The latter occupies the top spot on our best wireless gaming headsets guide so you know you’re getting your money’s worth.

No app

Unlike the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5, which uses the intuitive Arctis Nova companion app to let you toggle one of 100 game-tailored presets, the Cherry XTRFY H3 doesn’t come with any dedicated software. You can swap between Music, Movie and Game modes via the EQ button on the left earcup but these barely make any difference to the listening experience.

I don’t consider this a massive flaw because even in its default settings, the XTRFY H3 performs exceptionally well. I never once felt like I had to tinker with the bass or adjust how the treble sounded — and believe me when I say I’m picky about how I want my games to sound.

But of course, you may want to tailor the sound, so just a heads-up that there’s no way to do this — at the time of writing, at least.

Cherry XTRFY H3 review: Verdict

As wireless gaming headsets go, the Cherry XTRFY H3 is up there with the best of the best. Its 53mm dynamic drivers are so powerful that they led me to discover new sounds in games I’ve played several times before. Spatial audio makes games feel more immersive, too. Fitted with faux leather earcups and a mesh headband, the XTRFY H3 is a mighty comfortable headset, designed for long sessions.

I’ve loved testing the XTRFY H3, and its multi-platform compatibility means that I can use it with every console I own — but that’s only because I don’t own an Xbox.

Any player, casual or competitive, who enjoys getting lost in fantastical worlds needs the XTRFY H3. I can’t imagine going back to using just my TV’s speakers now.