Good gaming headphones can provide a user with a more realistic experience and a competitive advantage over their opponents. This article will explain why you should get yourself a good pair of headphones and lists the best gaming headsets for under £100.
Do you need a gaming headset?
The quick answer is “no” you don’t. You don’t need to have a gaming headset in order to game. However, they will make the experience a lot more enjoyable.
Gaming headsets will provide superior sound quality over speakers. They offer powerful bass tones and are professionally equalised. Take into account that the sounds are going directly into your ear and you’ll find there are far more sounds you can pick up.
This sound quality is especially important when playing competitive games. Being able to hear audio queues can give you a distinct advantage over your opponent or simply make the experience more enjoyable. Combine that with surround sound compatibility that some headsets provide, and you’ll be able to hear sounds coming from a variety of different angles.
Most headsets also have an integrated microphone in them. If you are looking to play games with your friends or others, communication is usually, extremely important.
You don’t have to have a gaming headset. However if you want to get more out of your games, dominate in competitive games or communicate with your friends, a gaming headset is a must.
See Also: Best Cheapest Wireless Headphones (under £60) 2018
The 5 best Headsets Under £100
1. Logitech G533 Gaming Headset
Price: £79.99
The Logitech G533 Gaming Headset is the best headset you can get for under £100. It is an over-ear head set that is only compatible with PC and PS4.
This wireless headset does not come with any wires and has a battery life of 15 hours. It also provides DTS Headphone:X surround sound capabilities. To configure and use surround sound, you’ll need to download Logitech Gaming Software which is free. This provides a lot of features such as checking the battery level, setting your equalizer and changing surround sound settings. However, this is only available on a PC.
The microphone has brilliant noise cancelling abilities. This means that your voice is very clear and outside noise is quiet. The microphone also folds up into the headset nicely when not in use.
Verdict: The Logitech G533 is a fantastic headset. The surround sound quality is brilliant. The microphone has noise cancelling abilities and nicely folds up when not being used. The only downside is this headset is only compatible with PS4 and PC.
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2. Corsair HS70 Wireless Gaming Headset
Price: £98.99
The Corsair HS70 Wireless Gaming Headset is a very good wireless headset. However, it is only compatible with PC and PS4.
This is an over-ear headset that only has wireless capabilities. This headset does not come with any wires. To use this headset you must insert a USB receiver into your PC or PS4.
This headset has very good surround sound capabilities, but only on a PC. To use this you must download the Corsair Utility Engine. This software provides you with many options to customise how you want the sound to come through your device. The headset is very customisable so you can personalise the sound to exactly how you want it.
On a PS4 the Corsair uses stereo sound. The sound quality was still very good when in this format.
The microphone is very good. It can be taken off the headset and distributes a very clear sound when speaking into it.
Verdict: This is a great headset but it is a bit more expensive than the Logitech G533. The sound quality is open to a lot of customisation on the PC and the microphone is detachable and clear. Unfortunately, this headset is only compatible with the PS4 and PC.
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3. Razer Kraken Pro V2
Price: £69.99
The Razer Kraken Pro V2 is an over-ear wired headset that is compatible with any device that has a 3.5mm audio jack. This means you can use it with Xbox, PS4, PC, Switch and mobile devices.
This headset provides a very good stereo sound. Especially it’s bass capabilities. Bassy sounds such as explosions, gunshots and even music, sound very good. This is because the 50mm audio drivers don’t let high bass sounds distort the audio that is coming through.
The headset does not provide surround sound capabilities. You can download free software called Razer Surround Pro and calibrate the headset, however out of the box it is not surround sound compatible.
The microphone is very good, it isn’t muffled and emits a very clear sound when talking. The microphone retracts back into the headset so you don’t have to worry about losing it when not in use.
Verdict: The Razer Kraken Pro V2 is a great headset to be used with any device. It has great sound quality but does not come with natural surround sound capability. If you are looking for a midrange headset then the Razer Kraken Pro V2 is a great choice.
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4. Logitech G433 Gaming Headset
Price: £57.99
The Logitech G433 Gaming Headset is an over-ear headset that is compatible with all gaming devices. PC, Xbox, PS4, Switch and Mobile devices.
It forgoes wireless capabilities and is a wired headset. It uses a USB connection but it has 3.5mm audio jack capabilities as well. Luckily the microphone is removable, so you don’t have a large boom mic when listening to music on the bus.
The microphone can be sensitive to outside sounds which can be annoying to other players.
It will pick up your voice very well, however, it will pick up background sounds as well, which is a negative.
This headset is surround sound compatible on PC. You’ll need to use the free program “Logitech Gaming Software” to enable this functionality. The stereo sound quality on consoles and other devices is very good. Clear and bassy this is a great mid-range headset.
Verdict: The Logitech G433 Gaming headset is a great headset for an even greater price. It doesn’t have quite as good sound quality as some of its competitors but it can be used on any device and that’s a massive bonus for those looking to use it not just for gaming.
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5. Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Pro
Price: £84.99
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Pro has taken away all the unnecessary gimmicks that Turtle Beach was known for and minimalised their look. It is a wired headset that can be used on any device with a 3.5mm jack.
This headset has a very large cable which can easily be run over. Headset controls are not on the headset itself, instead, they’re located on a cylinder in the middle of the cable. This can get cumbersome because the orientation of the cylinder is important to quickly access the controls and when it is facing the wrong way you have to rotate it to adjust your volume or mute your microphone.
The microphone emits a good clear sound and is removable when not in use.
The device is not surround sound compatible and does not have equalisation or customisation software. The sound is good in stereo format but could use a bit more punch with the bass tones.
Verdict: The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Pro is perfect for someone who is looking to plug in their headset and play some games or listen to music on any device. The large cable can be annoying and the lack of customisation options on a PC is quite apparent when compared to its competitors. But if you aren’t interested in playing around with sounds and equalisation, then this headset will still do a great job.
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