6 Gaming Headsets for In-Depth Sound and All-Day Comfort

Testing gaming headsets really isn't too difficult. You make sure it's compatible with what it says on the box, and then tell the people if its comfortable and if it sounds good. Shit simple until you do it enough to realize a simple truth. Most models from reputable brands are worth their costs, and very few companies have duds in their lineups. That said, there are ways to tell what's going to rise from the crop. Here's some pointers for the next time you shop for headsets.

Comfort — If we can't stay comfortable in them for more than an hour they are going straight in the trash. Even the most uncomfortable among these picks are still in the top 5% of comfortable gaming headphones.

Sound Quality — Of course we worry about the quality of the sound. Like with the pair of headphones you use to listen to music, you want clear sound with plenty of range.

Microphone — If you're gaming online, your microphone needs to cut out unwanted background noise. Some offer noise cancelling, some just have good unidirectional builds. All on this list are great in this department.

Directional Sound — Spatial audio is cool when watching movies, but when playing games this can take your team play to the next level. When you hear an enemy's footsteps, you can know they're behind you at four o'clock, not six. And that makes you an asset. It also makes the taste of victory that much sweeter.

Connection — We will discuss wireless vs. wired shortly, but when it comes to the going wireless there's usually two ways to connect a gaming headset. Bluetooth or via a USB dongle. The latter typically has less latency and our preferred way to connect. Go with the Nova Pro's and you'll have the GameDAC which is basically an extension of the dongle method.