retrogames: Best Xbox Series X/S Gaming Headsets for 2022

Microsoft’s latest Xbox consoles, the Series X and the Series S, deliver not only stunning, high-resolution visuals but improved spatial audio and support of the newest surround sound technologies like Dolby Atmos, Windows Sonic, and DTS Headphone: X. To take advantage of this new technology and even get a leg up on your opponent thanks to improved sound cues, you need to grab a quality gaming headset for full immersion in the action. And you also won't annoy your roommate or family by blasting your game through a soundbar.

There’s a mind-boggling amount of gaming headsets for the Xbox Series X/S, but not all are worth the investment, so we’ve helped narrow your search. All our picks pair perfectly with the latest Xbox consoles and some even tote Xbox Wireless for a super simple connection. Plus, we were sure to include plenty of options that connect with other devices, support the newest surround sound tech, and offer noise cancellation to make the most of your investment.

Take a look below at some of our favorite Xbox Series X/S gaming headsets. You’re bound to find the best one for you – and click here to see them in the UK.

Looking for more holiday gifts for gamers? Take a look at our guide to the best Xbox gifts for more ideas.

TL;DR – These are our picks for the Best Xbox Series X/S Headsets:

Xbox Wireless Headset

Best Xbox Headset

The Xbox Wireless Headset is the official platform gaming headset, and it partners perfectly with the Xbox Series X/S, even matching the console’s design. For under $100, you get simplicity in pairing thanks to its use of the Xbox Wireless standard. An easy connection over Bluetooth or a USB-C dongle is also available for a host of other devices, and as a wireless option, it offers a 15-hour battery life to last through your longest gaming marathons.

This headset doesn’t lack performance or features, offering 40mm drivers to pump out sound—with an especially booming bass—on par with other mid-range headsets and rocking support of Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone: X. The integration of the Xbox Accessories App allows you to adjust the EQ presets, making the audio customized to your ears. And though the Xbox Wireless Headset totes a mainly plastic build, it's durable with intuitive dials for volume and game/chat mix on the earcups, as well as easy-to-find buttons for device pairing and mic mute.

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX

Best Wireless Xbox Headset

See it on Best Buy

When you glimpse the feature-rich, quality-designed Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX, it’s easy to see why it’s our favorite Wireless Xbox headset. 2.4GHz wireless means a pain-free connection to your Xbox Series X/S, and with the flip of a switch, it connects to other gaming consoles like the PS5 or Nintendo Switch. After pairing, you’ll enjoy lag-free, uninterrupted gameplay for up to 40 hours, thanks to impressive battery life, and you get Bluetooth support for your other devices.

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX’s are comfortable, lightweight, and durable thanks to an improved design that will leave you surprised by how great they feel even after hours of use. As for its immersive sound experience, the 50mm Nanoclear speakers deliver, relaying even the most subtle nuances in your games, including picking up on the quiet footsteps of other players. The flip-down microphone also sounds clear for easy communication with teammates, though it picks up some background noise.

Nacon RIG 700 Pro HX

Best Ultra Cheap Xbox Headset

See it on GameStop

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a decent headset with all the features you could need, thanks to the Nacon RIG 700 Pro HX. Coming in under $100, you get a wireless headset with a lightweight, comfortable build that happens to sound great, even offering Dolby Atmos for an immersive 3D audio experience. The easily discernible audio cues should improve your gameplay, especially in shooters, while sound-isolating ear cups help you stay focused on the action.

The Nacon RIG 700 Pro HX is simple to pair with the Xbox Series X/S via a USB lossless dongle, and once you’re connected, on the ear cups, you’ll find controls for volume, game-chat mix, and mute. Unfortunately, it lacks Bluetooth connectivity for an easy connection to other devices, while the 12-hour battery life is nothing to rave about. You also can’t adjust EQ settings unless you access them through the Dolby Atmos app on your Xbox.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X

Most Comfortable Xbox Headset

With most headsets, you start to feel fatigued after a few hours of wear, but thanks to SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X’s design, you should last almost as long as its impressive 38-hour battery life. Similar to its predecessor, the Arctis 7X, this headset offers an adjustable ski-band headband and soft, breathable fabric memory foam earcups for cool, comfortable gameplay.

The Arctis Nova 7X packs more than just all-day comfort, as your favorite games sound great thanks to the Sonar software, which allows you to tune EQ settings and take advantage of spatial audio. Communication between teammates is also sharp and precise when using the retractable, noise-cancelling microphone. Also on offer is multi-device connectivity via a 2.4GHz dongle, while Bluetooth is available for pairing a plethora of other devices, and you can even use both simultaneously.

Razer Kaira Pro

Best Bluetooth Xbox Headset

Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy to pair a whole host of devices with a headset, and the Razer Kaira Pro offers solid Bluetooth 5.0 support. Therefore, in addition to its use of Xbox Wireless for a seamless connection to your Xbox Series X/S, you can easily connect to your smartphone, tablet, or gaming laptop over Bluetooth. And you can do both simultaneously, so while listening to the action of your favorite shooter through Xbox, you can also jam out to music over your phone connected with Bluetooth.

The Razer Kairo Pro comes loaded with other fun features, like RGB lighting on the earcup to amp up your playing experience, and the headset still manages to last up to 15 hours with RGB turned on. The earcups also offer controls for everything from adjusting the headset's sound settings to switching between devices, which may be overwhelming to figure out at first. You even get two mics, a removable wired mic and one built-in.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

Best Noise-Cancelling Xbox Headset

Noise distractions are unavoidable, especially if you live with roommates or in a bustling metropolis, so grabbing a headset with powerful noise cancellation like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is vital. On offer is a hybrid noise-canceling system with four mics that adjust based on what you’re listening to and what it picks up in your environment. Improved earcups also help with sound isolation, and a simple button press activates a transparency mode to reveal what's happening around you.

With SteelSeries latest, we see the biggest design shift since the start of the Arctis lineup with now telescoping arms on its adjustable headband to better accommodates larger head sizes. The earcups are also slimmer and sleeker, giving off less of a gaming headset vibe and more of wireless headphones look. And one of our favorite features remains intact with a few upgrades, the hot-swappable rechargeable battery system.

Audeze Penrose X

Best Audiophile Xbox Headset

See it on Audeze

The soundstage of the high-fidelity Audeze Penrose X blows all of the other headsets on our list out of the water, so audiophiles rejoice. Everything from the in-game sound to music mix comes across clearly, while the sound cues remain easily discernable. Though there is no Dolby Atmos or DTS Headphone:X support, the spatial audio pairs perfectly with the Xbox Series X/S thanks to the 100mm planar magnetic drivers with Fluxor magnet arrays and Fazor Waveguides.

Beyond incredible sound, the Audeze Penrose X offers a flexible, lightweight headband and sound-isolating memory phone earcups for all-day comfort. Using a USB dongle, you connect with the Xbox Series X/S, and it's compatible with a wide array of other devices thanks to Bluetooth or a 3.5mm headphone jack. The battery life on these cans is a little light, but up to 15 hours of juice should be plenty to get you through any gaming sessions.

Bang-Olufsen Beoplay Portal

Best Premium Xbox Headset

B&O’s Beoplay Portal offers a high-end headset that looks good, sounds good, and feels good. Once you move past the cost, you can enjoy the comfortable, lightweight design that steps away from the look of traditional gaming headsets. With superb audio quality, they’re perfect for everything from listening to your favorite album or basking in the roar of Dolby Atmos enabled game audio pipped from the Xbox Series X/S.

In a world full of distractions, it’s sometimes hard to stay focused on your game, so active noise cancellation should come in handy. Another convenient feature is Xbox Wireless for seamless pairing with your console, while Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio jack are available for all your other devices. Unfortunately, you can’t use Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth simultaneously like other headsets on this list, and you’ll also find the 12-hour battery could be better.

Where to Get the Best Xbox Headset in the UK

Best Xbox Headsets FAQs

How Do You Choose an Xbox Headset?

There are a vast number of gaming headsets available these days, and it’s important you pay attention to specific specs to ensure you’re getting the best one for you and your Xbox Series X/S.

First, connectivity is essential. When purchasing a headset, you want to consider ones that have a variety of connections, so you can make use of it on multiple devices. One standard is Xbox Wireless, which acts similar to Bluetooth, but is exclusive to Xbox. It makes pairing compatible headsets to your Xbox console quick and simple.

Another connectivity option available is a USB wireless transmitter, and with this, you can just plug in the dongle and get gaming. You can also plug into your console or controller with wired options like a traditional 3.5mm audio jack or USB. Some of our picks even offer Bluetooth, and though the Xbox Series X/S doesn’t support it, it’s still convenient for use with other devices like your smartphone or laptop.

Of course, you want a great-sounding gaming headset. There are several factors to consider for the best audio performance. Driver size is important, and 40 mm is often the standard, but bigger usually means better. The drivers are internal mechanisms that create the sound waves you hear. A larger driver allows for more air to pass through, making not only louder sounds but also more nuanced, wider frequencies.

The range of frequencies heard on a headset is their frequency response. As humans, we can hear a range from 20-20KHz, which will cover low deep sounds to high pitched screeches. Most headsets available offer close to this frequency response or even better.

Since the Xbox Series X/S offers support for some of the best spatial audio and surround sound technologies, you may want to consider a compatible headset. This type of audio places you right in the center of your game and can pick up sound directionally. With Dolby Atmos, you can even distinguish the location of a helicopter overhead or enemies lurking in the bushes. It’s truly a next-level immersive audio experience. Looking for headsets that offer Dolby Atmos, Windows Sonic, and DTS Headphone:X can amp up your gameplay and help you efficiently annihilate your competition.

Are Xbox One Headsets Compatible With Xbox Series X|S?

If you already have an Xbox One gaming headset, it should be compatible with the Xbox Series X|S already. That being said, there are some outliers that don't work across both generations of consoles. If you want to know if your current gaming headset is compatible with the newer version of the console, you can check out this Xbox support page for the issue.

Which Xbox Headset Has the Best Sound Quality?

All of the headsets featured in our list have decent sound quality, but if you're looking for the absolute best, you'll want to go with high-end gaming headset. These headsets are more expensive than some of the budget options available, but they all offer excellent quality sound.

Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.

Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.

Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.

retrogames

Friday, December 2, 2022

Best Xbox Series X/S Gaming Headsets for 2022