Razer Kraken X (£35)
Razer’s budget headsets are always very good and though they’re lightweight, they’re pretty strong and reliable – my careless teenage sons have had their Krakens for almost two years and they’ve survived admirably. The Kraken X model is compatible with all the current consoles, it’s comfortable, has decent sound and looks pretty good. The newer, slightly more expensive Razer Barracuda X is another excellent option in the unde-£100 price category.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 (£60)
I bought a SteelSeries headset for my PlayStation 4 years ago and it got me through many tense cinematic hours with The Last of Us, Uncharted 4 and Hitman. The Artic Nova 1 headset is a new design – lightweight, but comfortable with its big fat ear pads utilising the company’s ComfortMAX system for a luxurious fit. There are different versions for PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and they boast excellent sound drivers for the price, with support for a range of 3D spatial audio technologies. It’s also cool that the noise-cancelling mic is retractable so you can use them for listening to music without looking ridiculous on the train.
Corsair HS80 RGB wireless (£160)
I’m a fan of this company’s unfussy, reliable hardware: I use a Corsair keyboard and bought the Corsair Vengeance RGB RAM for the PC I built last year. The HS80 wireless headset, compatible with PC and PS5, boasts 50mm speaker drivers, lovely memory foam ear pads and support for 3D audio standard Dolby Atmos. In-game audio is extremely precise, and complemented by the excellent microphone, this makes it a good choice for team-based shooters such as Apex Legends, Call of Duty and Overwatch.
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX (£180)
I have a few Turtle Beach headsets and they’re always excellent value, but this is the best I’ve used so far. It will wirelessly connect with either an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 without any fuss (it’s also compatible with PC and Nintendo Switch), and the powerful 50mm speaker drivers deliver sound of real depth and clarity, from gut-pummelling explosions to the high ping of bullet richochets. It’s quite hefty, but very comfortable and the 40-hour battery life means you’re sorted for extremely long weekend gaming sessions. If your budget is tighter, the Stealth 600 (£60) is also a really good no-frills option, with very decent sound and mic.
Sony InZone H9 (£270)
OK, this is a total luxury headset, but I’ve included it because it’s one of the most comfortable I’ve ever tried, and it is wonderful for the 3D spatial audio technology that Sony is making a big deal of with PS5. The H9 also offers active noise cancelling, which isn’t quite up to the company’s acclaimed WH-1000XM5 headset, but still easily drowned out the sound of my son shouting at Apex Legends next to me while I was enjoying Elden Ring. Compatible with both PS5 and PC, it is a stylish option for discerning players. I really did not want to send the review unit back. However, PS5 fans who can’t quite stretch to £270 should definitely consider the Sony Pulse headset. It’s around £70 and does a great job of accentuating the console’s Tempest 3D audio tech.
