Xbox lovers unite! We know that there are many of you out there. Xbox One gives us access to some of the most iconic titles on the market and offers hours upon hours of entertainment. But are you making the most out of your console?
Whether you already have a headset for your Xbox or you’re looking to get your very first one, picking up a new model may make a world of difference. If you’re switching up from regular TV speakers, you just might discover that there’s so much more sound in your favorite game than what you’ve previously heard.
Some brands make dedicated headsets just for Xbox, but a lot of others offer multi-platform headphones that will work on more than one device. It’s not that easy to pick out just one pair from amongst a sea of others, but we’ve shortlisted a couple that you might like. First of all, let’s talk about the various important aspects to be mindful of in an Xbox One headset.
Things to Keep in Mind
While the headsets we talk about below are definitely some of the best out there right now, not every option is going to be the best for YOU. They will differ in several aspects. For you to be able to choose something you’re happy with, let’s take a look at all the different factors that come into play.
- Comfort — there’s a reason why this one is all the way up at the top of our list. It doesn’t matter how good the sound is; an uncomfortable headset will make you miserable. You know best what gets to you the most. Is it a lack of breathability or perhaps the pressure at the top of your head? Try to pinpoint these issues and shop accordingly. Do you wear glasses? There are specific types of headsets just for you to remove some of that pressure, too.
- Isolation — just as important as many of the other specs, is the isolation of a headset. Poor isolation changes what you’re able to hear. Worse yet, it lets in all sorts of outside noises, which is exactly what you’re trying to block out.
- Audio quality — this one is obvious. There are various things to think about here. Surround vs. stereo? Surround is often the better pick in a gaming headset, as you truly want to be able to hear that enemy sneaking up behind you. However, if you’re not playing games such as Fortnite or CS:GO, you’re fine with a stereo headset.
- Microphone quality — this may not affect you directly, but think of your teammates. It’s almost funny how big a difference a good microphone will make — your friends may not even recognize your voice once you swap. Built-in microphones in gaming headsets are not of the same grade as a standalone microphone, but they’re perfectly fine. Read reviews carefully to know which ones stand out in a good way.
- Build quality — of course, a general rule of thumb here is that the more expensive the product, the better the build quality. However, some budget headsets can truly complete in this department too. A lot of gaming headsets are made of plastic, but if you find one with a metal or wire frame, that’s going to do a lot for you in terms of durability.
- Wireless vs. wired — this comes down to personal preference. Wireless headsets are limited by battery life, while their wired counterparts keep you stuck in relative proximity to your Xbox. Sound quality and latency are usually similar in both of these types in this day and age, so it should be less of a consideration.
- Battery life — if you go with wireless, battery life is going to make a big difference. There’s a wide range here, with some headsets lasting 15 hours and some up to 50. Check out the expected battery life on a full charge and compromise if it’s not that important to you.
- Range — important for both wired and wireless headsets, this indicates how far away from your Xbox you can be for the headset to function. Obviously, in the case of wired headsets, you’re limited by the length of the cord, which means you’ll be on your sofa and nowhere else. Wireless headsets offer some freedom of movement and allow you to go get a drink while still talking to your teammates.
Our 5 Favorite Xbox One Headsets
We hope that you feel all read up on the subject of Xbox One headsets now because it’s time for us to move on to the real thing! We’ve done all the research for you, and we’re here to tell you about why the below headsets are some of our favorites.
1: SteelSeries Arctis 9x Wireless Gaming Headset
Our Best Overall Pick
We’re sure that SteelSeries needs no introduction, but you may be surprised to find that they make headsets for Xbox One. In the case of the Arctis, it’s more than just that. This is an excellent multi-platform wireless headset.
Type: Wireless
Platforms: Xbox One, PC, Mobile
Microphone: Retractable
Allowing you to connect straight to your console via wireless in mere seconds, this is a headset that will have you playing right away. Once you’re hooked up to the game, you can stay put for a very long time thanks to the impressive battery life of up to 20 hours.
Simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity is a fun feature that not many other models provide. It allows you to connect to both Bluetooth and your Xbox One at the same time. What does that mean? You guessed it — you can play music while gaming or even take phone calls.
We really liked the microphone here. Arctis ClearCast microphone uses a technology that is also used in aircraft carrier deck crews. This gives it a whole lot of noise cancelation, sparing your teammates from having to listen to your dog or your noisy neighbors.
Pros
- Comfortable wear with a lot of breathability
- Windows Sonic Surround sound
- Top-notch build quality with a durable steel headband
- Good battery life of 20+ hours
- On-ear chat control
- Great audio tuned to the needs of gamers
- Integrated Xbox One wireless connectivity and simultaneous wireless Bluetooth audio
Cons
- Not a budget option
- No special adjustments for glasses wearers
2: Turtle Beach Recon 70
Our Best Multi-Platform Pick
If you’ve got more than one platform that you like to play on, it’s good to pick up a headset that will keep up with you. Turtle Beach Recon 70 covers multiple consoles and also caters to PC and mobile gamers.
Type: Wired
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4 Pro, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
Microphone: Flip-up
The headset was obviously made with gamers in mind, so the audio is tuned perfectly to the needs of a gamer. You’ll hear a lot of emphasis on all those subtle details that are necessary for gaming. This comes at no loss to sound quality in movies or music.
It’s surround sound ready and optimized for Windows Sonic. Recon also has compatibility with Dolby Atmos. All of that contributes to the aforementioned top-quality sound.
It’s remarkably comfortable thanks to the huge over-ear cushions that are wrapped in synthetic leather. This adds to your comfort, but also gives you some extra noise isolation, allowing you to fully tune in to the sounds.
The microphone has remarkably high sensitivity — make sure you adjust before chatting to your teammates. If it’s not in use, you can flip it up where it will blend into the headset and not be in the way.
Pros
- Flip-up microphone
- Surround sound with Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos compatibility
- 40-millimeter speakers
- Works with several platforms
- Super-comfy ear cushions
- Great bass and high audio precision
- High sensitivity in the mic
Cons
- No separate controls for game volume and chat volume
- The cord is not too long
3: Razer Kraken Tournament Edition
Our Best Mid-Range Pick
Affordable for a top-notch gaming headset, Razer Kraken is loved by gamers all over the world.
Type: Wired
Platforms: Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4
Microphone: Retractable
Razer makes some good headsets, and Razer Kraken is amongst their staple products. This is a very solid pair of headphones with excellent build quality. The ear cushions are comfortable. They’re infused with cooling gel, and they have indents for glasses, so they won’t hurt your head while making sure you’re not overheating.
This headset is compatible with THX 7.1 Surround and is custom-tuned with 50 mm drivers, offering great sound reproduction and precise audio. What this means is you’ll be able to tell where exactly the enemy is hiding as opposed to just having a general idea of it. This will give you quite an edge!
The noise-canceling microphone is retractable, and it reduces all sorts of ambient noises. There’s no static, but there’s also no sounds from the background, such as if you have the TV on in the background.
Pros
- Cooling-gel infused cushions
- Solid build quality
- Relatively inexpensive
- In-line audio controls
- Retractable microphone
- Multi-platform
- THX Surround Sound
Cons
- The THX function does not work on consoles
- Could use a bit more noise-cancellation features
4: Xbox One Stereo Headset
Our Best Stereo Pick
Made by Microsoft, this is the go-to headset for all Xbox One users that like to buy something adapted specifically to their console.
Type: Wired
Platforms: Xbox One
Microphone: Flip-up
This stereo headset was made specifically for Xbox One. That removes all fears in relation to compatibility or performance with this particular console. Of course, no multi-platform access may be a bit of an issue, but the price point here is reasonable enough to excuse that.
Microphone-wise, we were very happy with this headset — just like many other users have been. It’s a unidirectional microphone, which basically means that it picks up your voice but almost nothing else. As long as you angle it correctly, your voice will be crystal-clear and free from background noise.
The wires won’t get in the way here, as you do not need to plug it directly into the console. Instead, you’ll be plugging it into the wireless controller, giving you much more freedom of movement.
You’ll like the full-range audio spectrum here, which ranges between 20Hz and 20kHz. From low whispers to deep bass, you should be able to hear everything loud and clear.
Pros
- Comes with a detachable stereo headset adapter for easy access to controls
- Unidirectional noise-canceling microphone
- Wired to the controller as opposed to the console
- Wide audio spectrum
- Breathable fabric ear cups
- Foldable microphone
- Lightweight (9 oz.)
Cons
- No multi-platform use
- Stereo instead of surround
Jeecoo N13 Gaming Headset
Our Best Budget Pick
Jeecoo stands out with its futuristic design and follows up with a remarkably good price.
Type: Wired
Platforms: Xbox One, PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Mobile
Microphone: Flip-up
If you’re not looking to break into your savings account to buy a new headset, Jeecoo offers a good budget option that will keep most Xbox One gamers quite happy.
It comes with a noise-canceling microphone that efficiently reduces ambient noise while picking up your voice perfectly. The mic folds up when you’re done chatting, getting out of the way if you don’t currently need it.
The headphones are breathable, made out of memory cushion, and really soft. As for the build quality, keeping in mind that this is a budget headset, it’s more than decent. There’s an adjustable metal headband and a lightweight plastic for all the other parts.
Jeecoo is equipped with stereo surround, allowing you to hear most of the details that take place in your game. The isolation is decent enough to block out the outside world and allow you to pay full attention to the game.
Pros
- Breathable ear cushions
- In-line microphone and volume control
- 50mm neodymium speakers
- Noise-canceling foldable microphone
- Lightweight, but durable, build
- Multi-platform compatibility
Cons
- The isolation could be a little better
- Could use a longer cord
Wrapping Up
We’ve covered some excellent headsets in quite a bit of detail. This can be quite overwhelming, so to make it easier for you to make your decision, here’s a quick wrap-up of all the headsets we covered today.
- SteelSeries Arctis 9x Wireless Gaming Headset: An excellent wireless headset manufactured by one of the market leaders – SteelSeries. Combining great sound quality with equally good battery life, this is our favorite Xbox One headset.
- Turtle Beach Recon 70: This Turtle Beach headset works on just about every platform you might want to play on: Xbox One, PS4, PS4 Pro, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Mobile.
- Razer Kraken Tournament Edition: Landing in the middle of the price bracket, this headset covers all bases without hurting your pocketbook.
- Xbox One Stereo Headset: If you want something that is dedicated specifically to Xbox One, you’ll enjoy this headset by Microsoft.
- Jeecoo N13 Gaming Headset: For those on a tight budget, we recommend Jeecoo. It’s a surprisingly good headset that falls under the $50 price range.
We hope that you’ve found yourself a brand new headset and that you’ll be chatting away soon! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments, and most of all, have fun with your Xbox One!
