The best PS5 headsets in 2023

The best PS5 headsets let you level up your in-game audio. It doesn’t matter if you’re having an epic Web Head smackdown with Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or are destroying ruthless aliens in the ultra-punishing Returnal, upgrading to a good pair of PS5 cans will make your favorite games that much more enjoyable. 

Oh, and you’ll definitely earn brownie points from your neighbors by opting to play your PS5 with the excellent SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7, rather than blasting through Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart at eardrum-shattering volumes on one of the best soundbars. 

Below, you’ll find a fine selection of some of the best PS5 headsets available to buy right now; some of which take advantage of the console's 3D audio capabilities. We’ve tested all of these PS5 headsets too, and every product below is capable of delivering enjoyable audio experiences, regardless of what budget you’re operating on. 

The quick list

Here's a quick overview of the best PS5 headsets you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews.

The best headsets for PS5 you can buy

The best overall PS5 headset

It might be expensive compared to some other headphones on this list, but the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 justifies its price tag with solid sound, a suite of connectivity options and a neat design. 

We think it's the best overall headset for the PS5, thanks to doing pretty much everything well. There's a very stable 2.4GHz wireless connection, yet also an option to connect to the PS5 via USB-C if you don't want to use the wireless connectivity. Bluetooth supports lets you use the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 with other devices too, say the Nintendo Switch as it now has Bluetooth headphone support. 

And the elegant design sweetens the whole package, while an elastic headband makes it comfortable even after long gaming sessions. In short, this is definitely a PS5 headset you'll want to consider. 

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 review.

The best 3D sound PS5 headset

The Sony Pulse 3D Wireless headset is the official headset of the PS5, so comes with Sony's solid reputation for good build quality, all at a reasonable $99/£89. Add in compatibility with Sony's Tempest 3D Audio engine and you've got a rather impressive gaming headset.

Not only does the headset look rather good with a black and white color scheme matching that of the PS5, but it also delivers some solid audio, You'll hear all the bangs, pop, creaks, screams, and more in all manner of games, with the 3D audio letting you pinpoint where enemies are by sound alone. But the headset also does a decent job when it comes to music and movies. And it not only works with the PS5 but also with PCs as well, adding a degree of versatility to the headset

It's also pretty comfortable, with decent cushioning and a sturdy headband that works for long gaming sessions. There's no active noise cancellation and some of the controls on the earcups aren't the most intuitive, But we'd still say the Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is an essential PS5 accessory. 

Read our full Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset review. 

The best value PS5 headset

Want to save some money on a PS5 headset but don't want to compromise too much on quality? Then check out the SteelSeries Arctis 1. The headset takes the design of its more expensive stablemates, like the Arctis 7P and simplifies it; you won't see too many tech bells and whistles on the cans. 

Yet the Arctis 1 has plenty going for it. The headset delivers strong audio chops, especially when it comes to positional audio in shooters, something that's a must in competitive gaming. This model does use a wired connection, which may not be everyone's preference for a PS5 headset, though the 3.5mm jack means it can be used with other gaming machines and audio outlets. But we've tested the Arctis 1 Wireless and also approve of it, just be aware you'll need to pay a decent bit more. Nevertheless, we feel the Arctis 1 is one of the best affordable PS5 headsets around. 

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis 1 review.

The best wireless PS5 headset

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.

The best budget wired PS5 headset

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.

The best lightweight PS5 headset

Despite being a budget headset the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 doesn't skimp on comfort or compromise on lightness. While you won't get real leather, with the need to make do with imitation material, the lightweight frame and ear cushions mean you can wear the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 for lengthy gaming sessions without worrying about any ear or head irritation. 

Audio quality is also solid on the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2. It can't compete with more expensive headsets, but still delivers great sound for its price. A somewhat cumbersome and quiet microphone isn't ideal, but the arm is at least sturdy and on-ear controls make it easy to tweak things on the fly. For the price, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is very much worth your consideration. 

Read our full HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 review.

The BlackShark V2 stands out from other Razer headsets thanks to being lighter and more compact than its stablemates. That means the headset is great for wearing across lengthy gaming sessions, especially thanks to the well-padded ear cushions. 

But there's more than just comfort here, as the BlackShark V2 has strong audio, virtual surround sound support (you'll likely need a game made for the PS5 3D audio to take proper advantage of this) and clear microphone audio pickup. It works great for gaming but will happily handle music as well. 

Read our full Razer Blackshark V2 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 PS5 headsets

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 PS5 headset

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.