Granted, you’ll need to find where to buy the PS5 — Sony’s console is proving elusive, stock-wise — but luckily our picks of the best PS5 headsets are in much greater supply. Read on below to find out more about these fine peripherals, which span premium models and affordable budget alternatives alike.
The best headsets for PS5 you can buy
While it’s a bit on the pricey side, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is more than worth the cost. This is a PS5 headset that just does everything well, from the powerful, lag-free sound of its headphones, to the rock-solid 2.4GHz wireless connection. Speaking of which, the headset connects via both USB-C and Bluetooth, so you can use the Arctis Nova 7 with other devices, too. That’s handy if you want a pair of regular music headphones in the bargain. The Arctis Nova 7 also has an elegant design, complete with a retractable mic that slides all the way into the chassis. The blue trim is a good aesthetic match for the PS5 itself, and the elastic headband proves extremely comfortable for long gaming sessions. Battery life is good as well: up to 38 hours between charges. Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 review. The “official” PS5 headset is, thankfully, a very good one. Despite the fixed-looking headband, it’s adjustable. Sony also gave the device a clean look by hiding the microphones in the earcups, instead of having them point out on a boom arm. These are noise-cancelling microphones as well, so they should block out some ambient noise. At 12 hours, the Pulse 3D’s battery life isn’t as long as some of its competitors. But the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset has one killer feature: it’s purpose-built to use Tempest 3D Audio in the PS5 games that support it. This realistically simulates the origin point of different in-game sounds in a 3D space around the listener, similar to the spatial audio feature on the Apple AirPods Pro. Read our full Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset review. The Arctis 1 slightly simplifies the design of higher-end headsets like the Arctis 7P, but it still a comfortable PS5-ready headset. It also performs better than you might expect for such a cheap peripheral. In our testing, it proved particularly capable for competitive shooters, where positional audio cues can give you an advantage. This particular model is the wired edition, which uses a versatile 3.5 mm connection. We’ve also tested the Arctis 1 Wireless, which is also very good, but costs a lot more. Unless you want your PS5 headset to double as a pair of mobile headphones, you’re arguably getting a better deal with the wired version. Read our full SteelSeries Arctis 1 review. Another fine choice for PS5 owners on a budget, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 emphasizes comfort and lightness. The featherweight frame and imitation leather ear cushions will let you play for ages without any agitation, which is all the more impressive considering how cheap the headset is. Sound quality on the Cloud Stinger 2 isn’t half-bad either, although it’s not quite as robust as what you’d get from a more expensive headset. A sturdy microphone arm and on-ear controls also help the Cloud Stinger give the impression of being a much more premium product than it actually is. Read our full HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 review. Even in a gaming peripheral catalogue as vast as Razer’s, the BlackShark V2 still manages to stand out. This is an excellent wired headset and a good fit for the PS5, thanks in no small part to its rich audio quality and clear microphone performance. It’s more than capable of handling everyday music playback, too. The BlackShark V2 is also lighter and more compact than a lot of Razer headsets, which helps keep it comfortable when worn for long periods. The ear cushions are particularly well-padded. Another thing worth pointing out is the virtual surround sound support, though this is primarily intended for PC games rather than the PS5. Some games will exhibit better 3D audio performance than others. At the this price, though, that’s better than having no 3D support at all. Read our full Razer Blackshark V2 review. It’s rare to find such a cheap gaming headset that’s as well-made as the Astro A10. It borrows its eye-catching design traits from the pricier A40 and A50 models, and backs up its looks with commendably high build quality, too. That said, it’s better suited to players with small ears. Performance-wise, the A10 is impressive, with the kind of punchy low-end audio that can really help action and sports games feel more exciting. All across the frequency range, in fact, the A10 maintains detail and a sense of positioning. These aren’t just pleasant to listen to; they could hand you an advantage in competitive PS5 titles. Read our full Astro A10 review. We’re big fans of the wired Logitech G Pro X, but the G Pro X Wireless is even better — just plug the USB dongle into your PS5 and you’re good to go, no extra cables required. It is a tight fit, especially for those who wear glasses, but the excellent sound quality definitely makes up for it. So, too, does the microphone, which is one of the best you’ll find on any gaming headset. Battery life is also very good, coming in at the same 24 hours that the SteelSeries Arctis 7P offers. The G Pro X Wireless charges quickly too, wisely using USB-C to top up instead of micro-USB. Read our full Logitech Pro X Wireless review. HyperX doesn’t just produce great entry-level headsets. The mid-range Cloud Alpha is another PS5-friendly accessory that feels a lot more premium than the price suggests, with comfortable (if snug) ear cushions and a durable, grown-up design. The Cloud Alpha was also the first HyperX headset to use the company’s proprietary Dual Chamber Driver system, which separates the bass from the mids and treble. In testing, we found this helped keep higher frequencies clear and detailed without the bass rumble muddying them. Read our full HyperX Cloud Alpha review. The Razer Kraken X works nicely if you just want a simple, affordable PS5 headset, specifically for gaming. It’s sleeker and more sensibly styled than the majority of Razer’s headsets, and light enough to wear for hours at a time without discomfort. We wish the microphone was retractable, removable or just a little easier to fold away, and performance in music playback isn’t great. Still, the Kraken X sounds a lot better in games, with crisp dialogue and a lively mid-range. There are some conveniently integrated controls on the left earcup, too. Read our full Razer Kraken X review. Another respectable Razer model, the Barracuda X makes for a very user-friendly PS5 headset. Its controls, in particular, are straightforward and highly intuitive: each button feels distinct to the touch, so there’s a pleasant lack of fiddliness when making adjustments on the fly. Razer itself makes better-sounding headsets, like the BlackShark V2, but the Barracuda X still finds other ways to impress. Mic quality, for one, is very good, and if you just want to sit down with a single-player game, the flexible boom arm is easy to remove. Read our full Razer Barracuda X review.
How we test the best headsets for PS5
As with testing any gaming headset, we test the best PS5 headsets by playing games normally. This gives us the most authentic representation of how each device performs, including how good the microphone is. We’ll ask trusted friends and teammates to let us know how we sound over the mic. Since a lot of people will also want to use their PS5 headset as a pair of headphones, especially wireless models, we’ll also listen to music to see how they cope here, too. With both games and music, we’ll try to listen to a wide variety of genres. An explosion-heavy action game will naturally sound different to a racing game or strategy game. We’ll also wear each headset for extended periods of time, as what might initially seem like a comfy design could become uncomfortable as the hours tick by.
How to choose the best headset for PS5 for you
The most important thing to consider is whether the headset you want is actually compatible with the PS5. Some models might be designed for the Xbox family and won’t be able to connect to Sony’s console. All the headsets on this list, however, should work with the PS5 out of the box. The appeal of high sound quality is largely universal, though you should consider how important the microphone is to you. You might be a keen competitive player who’s constantly trying to communicate, or you could prefer single-player games where there’s no need for a mic. In the latter case, you might want to consider a headset with a retractable or removable mic. Think about whether you want a wired or wireless headset, too. Wired headsets are often cheaper and don’t need to be recharged, but wireless headsets mean you don’t need to run a fiddly cable into your PS5 controller. And many have long enough battery lives that you could play for a couple of hours every day and still have charge left over.
