Check out more of the year's best tech in our PC Gamer Hardware Awards 2024 coverage.
If there's one thing that unites us all, as PC gamers, I think it might be the gaming headset. Sure, there's probably still someone living under a rock that thinks speakers or bust is the way to go. But for the rest of us, a comfy, great-sounding set of cans is one of the best ways to up our appreciation for gaming atmosphere, music, media, and any other audio source emanating from our machines.
But what makes a good one? Well, we spend every year testing as many as we can get our hands on, and yours truly has got his mitts on plenty of good ones in 2024. So have my esteemed colleagues, and as a result, we've picked three of the very best from this year's batch and made them fight for the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024.
So let's check out the competition. First up is the truly fabulous BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro, an open-backed set from a respected manufacturer that blew us away with its superb drivers, immense comfort, and all-round premium quality. It's a wonderful thing, and a tough act to follow for the rest.
It hasn't got this year's competition all to itself, though. Nope, this time around we've included a set of earbuds, by virtue of the fact the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds earned themselves a review score of 94%. That's (if you'll forgive the phrasing) virtually unheard of for gaming in-ears, and as a result, they've cemented themselves a place on this list.
Last but very far from least, there's the AceZone A-Spire, a silly name for an immensely capable headset. It's the noise cancelling that really impresses us about this fantastic set, but it's got some serious chops in the audio department too—and a great mic to round off the package. A tough contender, no doubt, and a bit of a favourite around these parts.
Check out the nominees below. Three shall enter, one shall leave—but you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out the winner. Tense, isn't it?
Best gaming headset 2024: the nominees
The winner of the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024 will be announced on New Year's Eve. So make sure you check back with us then to find out the eventual result and throw roses at the winner. Virtual roses, of course. You know what I mean.
