Best gaming headsets in 2021

Having the latest components for your gaming PC is important, as well as having a mouse and keyboard which will give you an edge over your opponents, but it is equally important to have a great headset to pair with them.

If you play competitive shooters, you probably understand just how important is to know exactly which sound came from where, who and what made it, and if what you hear is somewhere close or afar.

A great headset can make all the difference between killing and being killed, especially in intense situations where each second matters and when you can hear your enemies before they are able to spot you.

But even if you don't play competitive games, a great headset will give you absolute immersion to the world of a game you're playing, and it will elevate your experience in ways you can't even imagine.

Great soundtrack, beautiful ambient music and high-quality sound effects don't matter much if you can't hear them properly.

Finally, games often can be quite loud with all that shooting, explosions, and magic effects flying around, so you will often want to keep that for yourself, and for that, a good headset is imperative.

If you are thinking of investing in a new pair of headphones, then take a look at some of the best models available in 2021.

HyperX Cloud II Wireless

(Picture: HyperX)

• Wireless: Yes
• Drivers: Dynamic, 53mm with neodymium magnets 
• Connectivity: USB dongle
• Frequency response: 15Hz-20kHz
• Weight: 309g
• Battery Life: 30 hours
• Features: Detachable mic, 7.1 sound

Even after all these years, the Cloud II is still one of the best headsets you can buy for a reasonable price. And in 2020 we got a wireless model!

It offers excellent and powerful sound with very distinctive features and it is especially great for spatial audio - you will always know exactly where your enemy is. 

The sound is deep, with punchy bass, but it still leaves enough room for other frequencies to shine and doesn't overwhelm the overall sound.

The headset is well-designed and its signature red-and-white appearance is stylish, yet not obtrusive. 

On top of that all, the HyperX Cloud II has an impressive build quality, which means it will last you for years without any significant damage, and it offers unparalleled comfort of wearing it - you can play games from dusk till dawn without even knowing that you have a headset on your head.

Finally, this headset offers outstanding 30 hours of battery life, which is another thing on a list of many things where the HyperX Cloud II Wireless stands out.

Razer Thresher Ultimate

(Picture: Razer)

• Wireless: Yes
• Drivers: 50mm neodymium
• Connectivity: USB wireless, 3.5mm analogue
• Frequency response: 12Hz-28kHz
• Weight: 408g
• Battery Life: 16 hours
• Features: Retractable unidirectional mic, RGB, 7.1 Dolby Surround

For all you Razer fans out there, this is probably the best Razer headset you can buy, especially in its price range.

Nari Ultimate might be a newer model with a lot of fancy new features, but audiophiles argue that Thresher still comes with better audio quality.

The headset offers robust, clean sound, albeit a bit soft at times, but that won't be something you will notice often in gaming.

And while visually Thresher Ultimate gives an impression of a bulky headset, it's actually quite light and very comfortable for wearing, which is another plus, along with the quality of its wireless connections. The battery life is nice, but it is far from what are newer models offering these days.

The mic quality is not among the best, but it will work well for all your usual needs, like voice chat, discord, or streaming. What we don't like though, is the fact the mic is unidirectional, if that's something that can bother you, consider some other headset.

Corsair HS60 Haptic

(Picture: Corsair)

• Wireless: No
• Drivers: 50mm neodymium 
• Connectivity: USB
• Frequency response: 20Hz - 20 kHz
• Features: Unidirectional noise cancelling, Arctic Camo, Haptic feedback

The haptic feedback is all the rage with some of the newest headsets, and you can hardly find a model which implemented it better than the Corsair HS60 Haptic.

With the HS60 Haptic, you will be able to "feel" that bass like never before and every explosion will be much more personal (don't worry, it still can't hurt you!). The immersion which you get with the haptic feedback is simply incomparable, and the only problem we have is that once you try it, you might become too addicted to it.

If you think that the haptic feedback is just a gimmick, and it is not something for you, we assure you that you will change your mind once you try the HS60 Haptic.

Still, it's not everything just about the haptic feedback. The headset offers impeccable sound quality and great comfort. The noise-cancelling microphone is fantastic as well, although we don't like the fact that it is unidirectional.

When it comes to design, some people might not like the Arctic Camo pattern, but that's more of a personal preference than a real issue.

Steelseries Arctis 9X

(Picture: Steelseries)

• Wireless: Yes
• Drivers: 40mm neodymium drivers
• Connectivity: Wireless via USB, 3.5mm wired, Bluetooth
• Frequency response: 20Hz-22kHz
• Battery Life: 30 hours
• Features: Retractable noise-cancelling mic, DTS Headphone:X, 7.1 surround

Now we are entering the big boys' territory here. If your headset is primarily for gaming, but you also love to listen to music a lot, then any Arctis series model is a perfect choice for you, especially the Arctis 9X.

No matter if you are playing games or listening to your favourite band, the Steelseries Arctis 9X will always give you the best possible sound in any situation, without compromises.

It also comes packed with a fantastic Bluetooth connection, probably the best on the market, which means practically lossless quality: no delays, not strange artefacts.

The battery life is also quite generous, and you will be able to use them for around ~20 hours before you will need to recharge them.

Steelseries is known for their Ski Goggle Headbands, which are extremely light and remove all the pressure from the head. For you, that means long gaming sessions without any problems.

Finally, with great Bluetooth connection, long battery life and comfort, they are also perfect for the outside use as well.

HyperX Cloud Orbit S

(Picture: HyperX)

• Wireless: No
• Drivers: Audeze planar magnetic drivers, 100 mm
• Connectivity: USB Type C, Type A, 3.5mm
• Frequency response: 10Hz–50kHz
• Weight: 368g
• Features: Advanced audio customization, 7.1, 3D Audio, Detachable noise cancellation mic with pop filter

The absolute beast when it comes to gaming headsets, the ultimate audio experience you will get.

The Cloud Orbit S packs Audeze planar magnetic drivers, which will launch you into another dimension of high-quality audio immersion, with cristal clear quality of high sounds, which also deliver immense power and bass that will turn your body inside-out.

With the Cloud Orbit S, you don't need the haptic feedback, your bones will be shaking naturally when the bass hits you.

And with Waves Nx 3D audio technology you will literally feel like you are inside the space of a game you are playing. Fully immersive spatial audio is soo good that I think the right words to describe it are "audio VR". You will "see" the space around you with the sound. No, I'm not using drugs, it's simply that good.

The only thing which we don't like with this headset is that it lacks wireless, so if you don't like cables, you should keep that in mind.

Naturally, with high quality, the price is high as well, so if you aren't ready to give around ~300 dollars for a gaming headset then this model is definitely not for you. Keep in mind though that the HyperX Cloud Orbit S comes with the Audeze Mobius' drivers, a model which is significantly more expensive, so technically you are giving less money for a high-end quality of sound.

• Read more: Best gaming mousepads in 2021

And there you have it, these are some of the best models you can get in 2021. No matter which model you choose, you will not make a mistake and it all comes down to some personal choices and preferences, as well as how much money you are planning on spending for the new headset.