Headsets can be a gamer’s best friend, especially if you find a good one. Whether you’re hoping for spacial audio, to play and chat with friends, or just to keep it down while playing your games, most players have one. Sound quality, mic quality, comfort and ease of use are all vital in “Best Headset 2023,” and our nominees are sure to go the distance.
Some of our favourite headset brands have made the best headset 2023 list, including Turtle Beach, Sony Nacon and Logitech, but only one could take the crown. Our winner had a perfect combination of comfort, style and function.
Here are CGMagazine’s nominees for Best Headset 2023:
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX Headset
Writer: Dayna Eileen
Score: 9.5
Price: $199.99
Turtle Beach kept controls simple on the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX with two dials and three buttons on the back of the left earcup, plus the USB-C charging slot. The dials control volume, and the chat/audio balance and the buttons allow for connecting to Bluetooth, switching modes and power on/off. The Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX features 50 mm Nanoclear speakers, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality Turtle Beach brought to the table.
The device is set up to work with Dolby Atmos, Windows Sonic and even PS5’s 3D audio. Again, I find myself saying “options”, and being thrilled with what I’m offered.
It’s clear to me that the Turtle Beach has far surpassed the minimum requirements of a gaming headset. The team went above and beyond creating an affordable headset that not only works seamlessly with almost any device, but does it efficiently and with style—especially in cobalt blue. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headset is my official go-to for all things gaming. I would highly recommend it.
With a crisp design, stellar sound, and endless options all at a competitive price point, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headset is the contender to beat for best headset 2022.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX Headset
Writer: Khari Taylor
Score: 9
Price: $129.99
The new Stealth headsets employ 2.4Ghz wireless technology via a proprietary USB dongle instead of the dongle-free, Xbox Wireless protocol used in the previous two generations. An immediate upside of this change is that in addition to supporting three competing options for wireless surround sound on Xbox (i.e., Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS X), the USB dongle supplied with the MAX models also allows for more basic wireless stereo connectivity with PC, PlayStation 4|5 and Nintendo Switch consoles (the latter when in docked mode, of course), all with the simple flip of a switch on the dongle itself.
battery life has apparently benefitted as well, thanks to the inclusion of the dongle, with the 600 Gen 2 MAX in particular receiving a boost of up to 48+ hours of total game time, more than triple the endurance of its direct predecessor. Case in point, as of this writing, I’ve been using the headset on and off for over a week and have yet to receive a low-battery warning.
The Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX sacrifices its predecessor’s dongle-free operation in exchange for greater versatility with competing consoles and a three-fold increase in battery life, making it the perfect surround sound headset option for gamers who main Xbox but also own other gaming devices, including PCs and even Macs.
Pulse 3D Wireless Headset
Writer: Brock McLaughlin
Score: 9
Price: $129.99
The Pulse 3D Wireless headset delivers your ears an incredible experience you won’t find in many other places. These were made to showcase Sony’s Tempest 3D audio engine, which was built directly into the PS5. 3D sound is no overhyped buzzword, it’s the real deal. You have to hear it to believe it. Playing PS5 exclusives in these tin cans is an amazing experience, but everything else just sounds the same.
The headset works with 2.4GHZ wireless via an included USB-A dongle. Simple plug-and-play. Otherwise, you can plug a 3.5 mm cable into the DualSense controller or any other device with a headphone jack, not looking at you iPhone. In testing, I tried this headset out on my Xbox Series X and was less than impressed. Without the 3D audio, it’s just your run-of-the-mill headset. This headset should only be for PS5 owners. Without one, you’re just buying a simple headset and, while cost-effective, you could do better. This headset should be your dedicated PS5 headset.
The Pulse 3D Wireless headset is a no-brainer must-have accessory for all ten of us with PS5s.
Nacon RIG 800 Pro HX 3D Audio Wireless Headset
Writer: Khari Taylor
Score: 8.5
Price: 149.99
Using my Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 headset as a comparison point (which shares the same 3D audio technology and 50 mm drivers as this year’s 600 and 700 Gen 2 MAX headsets), I found that with every game I tested or movie I watched, the 800 Pro HX was simply outclassed when it came to overall 3D audio performance. Playing through the opening chapter of Gears 5 for example, first with the 800 Pro HX and then a second time with the Gen 2, the difference was crystal clear.
Surround effects on the 800 Pro HX simply weren’t as punchy or nuanced as they were on the Turtle Beach. Similarly, when watching action scenes from some of my favourite films on Blu-ray such as Mad Max: Fury Road, the soundscapes were less pronounced and immersive.
Signal stability is rock solid. During my time with the 800 Pro HX, not once did I encounter any kind of distortion, static, or snap-crackle-and-pop that I’ve grown accustomed to hearing from wireless headsets over the years. It’s a promising sign for would-be buyers that are entertaining the thought of using this headset at a competitive level.
Nacon RIG’s 800 Pro HX is a flagship competitive headset that prioritizes lightness, durability and endurance over the bells and whistles of its lower-priced rivals, but still manages to add some unique flash and desirable quality-of-life improvements via its optional charging stand.
WINNER Best Headset 2023: Logitech G735 Wireless Gaming Headset
Writer: Dayna Eileen
Score: 8.5
Price: $299
Aesthetically, the G753 is very pretty—the whole Aurora Collection is. With simple soft lighting around the earcups, supple leather-like cushioning around the ears and band, plus a removable mic, the headset is beautiful. Additionally, I have the carrying case for the headset, and it’s an adorable heart-shaped case for the G735 wireless gaming headset and the G705 mouse. The whole collection is marketed heavily toward feminine gamers, and though I’ve shared my annoyance with this kind of marketing before, the quality behind the collection is outstanding.
As for how the Logitech G735 wireless gaming headset sounds, I couldn’t ask for much more. Thinking it would be a standard gaming headset, I was incredibly impressed with the sound quality right out of the box, but having the ability to customize the levels and surround sound made it that much more impressive.
The Logitech G735 wireless gaming headset far surpassed my expectations for a mid-tier device, but the durability concerns me, especially for the premium cost.
