The best Xbox headsets in 2024

Best Xbox headsets: Quick Menu

The best Xbox headsets are the greatest gift you can treat your ears to if you’re a fan of Microsoft’s consoles. The gaming cans below should all work with Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or even consoles from the older Xbox One family. We’ve tested all of our picks in full, so you can rest easy knowing that the headsets down the page are all top performers.

Whether you want to make your eardrums go kaboom in a bombastic Starfield space battles or want to scare the bejesus out of yourself playing Alan Wake 2, the selection of Xbox headsets below from trusted manufacturers such as Razer, SteelSeries and Microsoft should electrify your earlobes.

Playing on a last-gen console, like the Xbox One X? Fret not. You can upgrade to one of the headsets on this page knowing that they’ll still work with your aging console. Read on to school yourself on the best Xbox headsets currently on the market. 

The quick list

Here's a quick overview of the best Xbox headsets you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews, whether you're using an older model like the Xbox One S or the cutting edge Xbox Series X.

The best Xbox headsets you can buy

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The best overall Xbox headset

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 on desk

(Image credit: SteelSeries)
The best Xbox headset overall

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 22kHz
Wireless: Yes
Battery life: 38 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Pleasing array of connections
+
Sonar features bump up sound quality 
+
Well-designed 

Reasons to avoid

-
Probably a little over-priced 
-
Fit is a smidge tight

Not only is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7x simply great when paired with an Xbox console, it's also one of the very best wireless gaming headsets you can buy overall. A combination of robust connectivity, great audio quality and excellent comfort thanks to the elastic headband, all make for a winning combination. 

And thanks to both Bluetooth and connectivity via USB, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7x can be used with phones and a gaming PC as well, taking its utility far beyond Microsoft's gaming console. Naturally, its green and black livery suites the Xbox brand, but having extra flexibility makes it a wireless gaming headset we can recommend to pretty much everybody, regardless of their platform of choice. 

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7x review.

The best budget Xbox headset

(Image credit: SteelSeries)

2. SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox

The best Xbox headset for less than $100

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless: Yes
Battery life: 20 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Wireless connectivity impresses
+
Can't deny the sound quality 
+
Definitely offers value for money

Reasons to avoid

-
Lack of a headband is a bummer

The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox takes a lot of what makes the SteelSeries Arctis 7X great and bundles it into a more affordable package. In a nutshell, you're getting a SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless headset that's been designed for the proprietary Xbox Wireless protocol, something the standard model lacks.

As a result, the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox comes with the same game-ready audio performance as its sibling, as well as excellent onboard controls and a comfortable fit. And unlike some Xbox headsets, there's no 'gamer' aesthetics, or Xbox green swaddling the headset. Rather the paired-down design is mature and understated. Plus the ability to detach the mic and wear the headset as you would a regular set of headphones is another positive mark on the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox scorecard. Much like the SteelSeries Arctis 1X, you can switch between the Xbox Wireless mode and a USB connection, provided via a dongle at the flick of a switch. 

Read our SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox impressions.

The best Razer Xbox headset

Best Xbox headsets: Razer Kaira Pro

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

3. Razer Kaira Pro

The best Razer headset for Xbox

Specifications

Drivers: 50mm
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless: Yes
Battery Life: 20 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable to wear
+
Super impressive sound
+
Pairs great with Xbox systems

Reasons to avoid

-
Some Bluetooth issues
-
Lacking in customization options

Razer Kaira Pro is another solid mid-range headset for Xbox players. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity, meaning it's not just limited to being linked to an Xbox, means there's a degree of flexibility to the headset. But what's more impressive is it can use Bluetooth at the same time as the Xbox Wireless protocol meaning you can game as well as listen to music or a podcast on your phone. 

The slight wrinkle here is that as soon as you turn on the Kaira Pro it'll fire up your Xbox as well; hardly ideal when you just want to listen to some music over Bluetooth.  Nevertheless, strong sound and a comfortable design with breathable earcups are all pros for the Kaira Pro, making it an Xbox headset well worth considering. 

Read our full Razer Kaira Pro review.

The best value Xbox headset

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 on desk

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best cheap Xbox headset

Specifications

Drivers: 50mm
Frequency response: 10 Hz - 28 kHz
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Great sound, for the price
+
Comfortable fit
+
Simple operation

Reasons to avoid

-
Cumbersome, quiet microphone
-
Flimsy design

The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is your best bet if you’re not concerned about using a wired connection, and just want good-quality sound in a comfortable package. This headset is easy to wear, with its lightweight design and generous padding. It’s clearly not a premium product: The microphone merely pivots upwards, as opposed to detaching or retracting when not in use. But for what you pay, you’re getting a good deal.

The Cloud Stinger 2's audio quality is also enough for even the most twitchy competitive shooters, while the mic quality is a bit on the quiet side, but otherwise decent.

Read our full HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 review.

The best official Xbox headset

Xbox Wireless Headset

(Image credit: Microsoft)

5. Xbox Wireless Headset

The official Xbox headset is also one of the best

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless: Yes
Battery Life: 12 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Sound impresses
+
Feels lovely to wear
+
Canny design

Reasons to avoid

-
Customization is quite limited
-
Mic doesn't fully retract

It’s probably not too surprising that Microsoft’s own official Xbox headset is one of the better devices on offer. Still, that’s not because of simple branding. The Xbox Wireless Headset impressed us in our testing, particularly on sound quality. Whether in RTS or action games, Microsoft’s headset sounded balanced and detail-rich.

Like the Razer Kaira Pro, you also have the option of connecting to a Bluetooth device while you’re gaming. Post-release updates have improved previously lacking aspects, like the mic monitoring level and what used to be some overly loud notification sounds. It’s still not perfect, as you can’t really adjust the fit once it’s on your head. But the headset is still comfortable enough once you’ve made the right adjustments.

Read our full Xbox Wireless Headset review.

The most comfortable Xbox headset

(Image credit: Razer)

6. Razer Kraken X

The best Xbox headset for comfort

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency Response: 12 Hz - 28 kHz
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Sleek design
+
Comfortable fit
+
Good in-game sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Can't hide mic
-
Subpar music performance

Although the Razer Kraken X is far from alone in offering a sub-$50 price tag, few other cheap Xbox headsets can produce such great gaming sound. Weirdly, this quality doesn’t carry over to music playback. But in games, the Kraken X sounds brilliant for the money. It’s got 7.1 virtual surround sound, too, though you can turn this off if you want a more pure soundscape.

It’s also extremely comfortable. Despite the lack of unconventional tricks, like the Arctis 7X’s stretching fabric headband, you can wear the Kraken X for hours and hours, thanks to its soft, imitation leather-clad padding and lightweight construction.

Read our full Razer Kraken X review.

Best Xbox headsets: Astro A20 Gen 2

(Image credit: Astro)

7. Astro A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2

Astro's best headset for Xbox consoles

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless: Yes
Battery life: 15 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Good sound
+
Comfortable earcups
+
Clear microphone

Reasons to avoid

-
Frustrating pairing process

The Astro A20 Wireless Gen 2 is one of the best Xbox headsets, albeit only if you buy the Xbox version specifically. There’s also a PlayStation model that won’t work with Xbox consoles, unless you buy a special adapter. However, provided you do pick up the Xbox version — identifiable by its green color accents — you can be sure that you picked a fine headset.

Sound quality is high across a range of game genres, and if you want to adjust the soundscape, there’s an equalization mode switch on the right earcup that switches among three different sound modes. And it’s worth reiterating just how comfortable the A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2 is. Even with those odd-looking square ear cushions and angular headrest, it’s easy to wear for long sessions.

Read our full Astro A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2 review.

Best Xbox headsets: HyperX Cloud Alpha

(Image credit: HyperX)

8. HyperX Cloud Alpha

A wired Xbox headset that's great all round

Specifications

Drivers: 50mm Dual Chamber
Frequency Response: 13 Hz - 27 kHz
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Sleek, premium design
+
Comfortable
+
High sound quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Earcups can feel snug
-
Microphone picks up background noise

The HyperX Cloud Alpha is a wired headset, which might not sound so enticing when you can get a good wireless model for a similar amount of money. But if you don’t mind having a cable running into your Xbox controller, then there are much worse options. The Cloud Alpha is extremely comfortable, as we’ve come to expect from HyperX headsets, and its Dual Chamber Driver tech helps reproduce the full frequency range with a clarity to rival the best headphones.

The microphone sounds pretty good too, and is detachable for easier storage. Overall, the Cloud Alpha’s cable is pretty much the only thing that gives it away as a sub-$100 headset, rather than a truly premium one.

Read our full HyperX Cloud Alpha review.

Best Xbox headsets: Razer Blackshark V2

(Image credit: Razer)

9. Razer BlackShark V2

Another of the best wired Xbox headsets

Specifications

Drivers: 50mm
Frequency Response: 12 Hz - 28 kHz
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent sound
+
Comfortable earcups
+
3D audio support

Reasons to avoid

-
Needs cable for Xbox
-
Hard to get a good fit

Yet another quality Xbox-ready headset from Razer, the BlackShark V2 benefits from a flexible microphone, brilliant sound quality across multiple game genres and a very reasonable price. It’s also very comfortable — adjusting the earcups to find a perfect fit can be tricky, but once they’re in place you can easily wear the BlackShark V2 for hours.

It might be a particularly wise choice if you play on PC as well as an Xbox console, as the BlackShark V2 can connect through either a 3.5mm or USB connection; as such you won't need separate headsets for each. The BlackShark V2 gets some bonus features on PC, like custom-configured sound profiles for individual games, though they’re not necessary for great sound on Xbox.

Read our full Razer BlackShark V2 review.

Best headsets: Astro A10

(Image credit: Astro)

10. Astro A10

Another great, cheap Xbox Series X headset

Specifications

Drivers: 40mm
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Good design despite low price
+
Impressive audio performance
+
Clear microphone

Reasons to avoid

-
Tight fit on large ears

Entry-level Xbox headsets don’t get much better than the Astro A10. For about half the price of a new AAA game, this wired headset delivers clear, punchy sound and memory foam padding that — like its big brother, the A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2 — ensures a comfy fit.

Gamers with large ears may want to steer clear, however, as the A10 does favor a snug fit. But the compact design also makes the A10 better for travel and storage. So does the detachable cable, which also comes with a useful in-line volume slider. The A10 may be cheap, but its attention to detail is commendable.

Read our full Astro A10 review.

How we test the best Xbox headsets

How to choose the best Xbox headset for you

By choosing from this list you eliminate one of the biggest headaches of searching for an Xbox headset: making sure the headset is even compatible with Xbox consoles. Three-point-five millimeter connectivity on Xbox controllers helps widen the net of devices that can work. But thanks to the Xbox Wireless protocol, you need to be more careful with wireless models. Again, all the wireless headsets on this list are compatible with Xbox consoles.

You may actually prefer a wired headset, as these provide more rock-solid connections and often lower prices. With wired models, you don’t need to worry about battery life, either. That said, most wireless headsets can go for several days’ worth of regular play before running out of charge, so don’t worry too much about battery life if you want to keep your gaming space wire-free.

You should also consider picking up a headset with Bluetooth if you want something that can double as your headphones for everyday music listening. Just make sure that you can remove or retract the microphone, though, or else you’ll be walking around with a boom mic sticking out.

How to choose the best Xbox headset

How we test the best Xbox headsets

Our first step in testing any gaming headset, including the best Xbox headsets, is to see how easy it is to get set up and connected. That includes adjusting the headset to find a good fit. We’ll wear each one for at least a couple of hours to see how comfort levels stand up over time. When possible, we’ll also hand each headset off to someone else, and get their second opinion on comfort. After all, this is a subjective point, however vital.

Sound performance is just as important. We’ll play a variety of Xbox games across different genres, which helps us comprehensively judge each headset’s audio quality. A good headset should be able to add excitement to explosion-heavy gunfights. It should also present dialogue cleanly and clearly, or help your hear quiet sound cues like footsteps.

James Archer

James is currently Hardware Editor at Rock Paper Shotgun, but before that was Audio Editor at Tom’s Guide, where he covered headphones, speakers, soundbars and anything else that intentionally makes noise. A PC enthusiast, he also wrote computing and gaming news for TG, usually relating to how hard it is to find graphics card stock.

With contributions from