Ultimate Guide: Leading Xbox Series X Headsets for Optimal Sound Experience

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• We’ve updated a variety of our picks with new Xbox headset options. Take a look!

The best Xbox Series X headsets will allow you to hear everything in your game while carrying your voice with crystal clarity to your teammates. Finding the perfect one can be a challenge, but these are the headsets that stand above the rest.

UPDATE: 01/24/2024

We’ve updated a variety of our picks with new Xbox headset options. Take a look!

Xbox Wireless Headset

Best Xbox Headset Overall
$116 at Amazon

HyperX CloudX

Best Budget Xbox Headset
$50 at Amazon

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Xbox

Best Wireless Xbox Headset
$314 at Amazon

Turtle Beach Recon 50

Best Xbox Headset for Kids
See at Amazon

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro ANC Headset

Best Noise-Canceling Xbox Headset
$250 at Amazon

What to Look for in an Xbox Series Headset in 2024

Xbox Series X headsets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price tags. One of the first things you’ll want to determine is if you want a wired or wireless headset . If you have a lower budget, you’ll want to should stick with wired connections. These are more affordable, and cheap wireless headsets typically don’t have the proper specs to work well. Anyone with a budget over $100 will need to decide if the convenience of no cords is worth the extra price.

One thing to be on the lookout for is driver size. These are the components in your headset that create sound, and manufacturers love to play up the size of their drivers. However, bigger drivers do not equal better sound. Larger drivers can create louder sounds, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll sound good.

Because of this, it’s hard to determine sound quality without plopping them on your ears or sifting through expert reviews. When in doubt, stick with well-known and reputable brands (Bose, Microsoft, Sony, SteelSeries, HyperX, and others) to ensure you’re getting something that’ll make your in-game explosions pop.

Beyond sound quality, the most important factor in a quality headset is comfort. Look for products with a lightweight design, large earcups, and premium materials such as memory foam. These lend themselves well to prolonged gaming sessions. This will vary from person to person (and ear to ear), but all the products listed below should be more than adequate for the average gamer.

With that being said, here are five of the best Xbox Series X/S headsets available today.

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Best Xbox Headset Overall: Xbox Wireless Headset

Microsoft

Microsoft’s first-party headset offers tons of value for its price. The main attraction is support for sound technologies such as Dolby Atmos , DTS Headphone:X, and Windows Sonic—which means you’ll get surprisingly good sound quality for just about every game in your library.

Great sound is only the first part of the story, as the Xbox Wireless Headset is loaded with other features. Auto-mute, voice-isolation, rotating earcup dials for volume control, and up to 15 hours of battery life on a single charge are some of the highlights.

There’s also the option to connect to Xbox consoles or PC through Bluetooth or USB-C. Throw in an eye-catching black design with green accents, and it’s easy to see why the headset is so popular.

Arguably the only downside to the Xbox Wireless Headset is the lack of 3.5mm support. This means you’ll need to make sure it’s charged at all times. Otherwise, you’ll need to scramble around for a long USB-C cable to use it with your console. It’s a small complaint (and it’s easily mitigated by simply keeping your headset charged when not in use), but there are definitely some shoppers out there that’ll be turned away by the lack of the ubiquitous 3.5mm port.

Despite that shortcoming, the Xbox Wireless Headset remains an easy recommendation. Stylish, powerful, and affordable, few products can compete with Microsoft’s impressive headset.

Best Xbox Headset Overall

Xbox Wireless Headset

Microsoft made no compromises with the Xbox Wireless Headset, which offers a variety of premium features at a budget price.

$116 at Amazon See at bestbuy See at Target Microsoft

Best Budget Xbox Headset: HyperX CloudX

HyperX

The CloudX headset from HyperX is a legendary budget option that still delivers the goods. Firstly, you can often find it selling for $50 or lower, a spot-on price for budget-conscious buyers. Next, the headset is one of the most comfortable options on the market, even when compared to high-end offerings. You can wear it for hours straight without needing a break, and that’s a massive plus.

Sound-wise, you’re getting a pleasant, warm sound with a slight boost to lower frequencies. This isn’t on the level of pricier headsets, but the sound quality is impressive for a budget option. Another plus is the microphone, which offers clear sound without any crackling and has surprisingly good noise cancelation. Better yet, it’s super bendy and detachable, so you can position it anywhere you want or remove it when playing single-player games.

Considering this is a budget headset, you aren’t getting active noise cancelation. That said, the pleather cups block the outside noise rather well, providing a snug hold that isn’t so tight it becomes uncomfortable. While not detachable, the provided cable is braided and of high quality, especially for a budget headset.

As for the negatives, the selling package no longer includes velour cups, which is a disappointment because the velour cups were a much better choice than pleather for hot summer days. Next, the sound quality is pretty good for a budget headset, but it doesn’t punch above its weight. Finally, this headset is relatively small, so if you’re on the taller side, you’ll most likely need something larger and wider.

The wired version of the HyperX Cloud III offers a better fit for taller people along with noticeably better sound quality, but it also costs almost double the base price of the CloudX. Finally, if you’re looking for a budget wireless option, the Xbox Wireless Headset is by far the best budget wireless headset for Xbox Series consoles.

Best Budget Xbox Headset

HyperX CloudX

$50 $70 Save $20

Affordable, very comfortable, with more than decent sound quality, and crisp microphone output, the HyperX CloudX is the best budget headset for every Xbox Series X and Series S owner.

$50 at Amazon

Best Wireless Xbox Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for Xbox

SteelSeries

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for Xbox is a fantastic headset that comes with excellent sound quality, a high-end microphone that’s super clear and features superb noise cancellation, and a comfy design that allows for long gaming sessions without the need for a pause from wearing the headset.

The build quality is top-notch, and the headset is very comfortable for most people. The clamp is snug yet not overbearing, but if you have a larger head, the fit might prove too snug for multi-hour gaming sessions. Further, the pleather cups are pretty comfortable but get warm after a couple of hours, even faster during hot days.

The included wireless dock allows you to tweak the sound output to your liking and provides low latency performance every fan of fast-paced multiplayer games will appreciate. The dock allows you to connect the headset to two devices simultaneously, and the good news is that the Xbox version of the headset, shown here, supports Xbox, PC, and PlayStation. In other words, if you own multiple gaming systems, you can use the headset with two systems at once.

And since the headset also comes with Bluetooth, you can also use it with your phone and Xbox at the same time or with a Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, and any other handheld gaming PC or console that supports Bluetooth audio.

The dock also plays the role of a charger for the removable battery pack. The selling package includes two battery packs, so you can charge one while gaming and quickly swap the batteries once the one in the headset dies. One battery pack can last over twenty hours, a commendable result for a wireless headset with ANC .

The ANC works rather well, but when you’re using ANC with Bluetooth, the headphones have a high noise floor that’s quite easily noticeable, meaning you should turn off one of the features and not use them both at once. As for the sound quality, it’s excellent. The sound signature is neutral, with frequency bumps that emphasize sounds like steps and explosions. This means that the default sound profile isn’t made for music listening, but you can tweak the sound profile on the dock or in the PC companion app.

The retractable microphone performs excellently, has effective noise suppression, and outputs a crisp sound with clear voice output even in fairly noisy environments. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for Xbox is a fantastic wireless headset for Xbox Series consoles with a few quirks that shouldn’t affect your buying decision.

Best Wireless Xbox Headset

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Xbox

$314 $350 Save $36

Xbox Series X and Series S owners in the market for a high-end wireless headset should seriously consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for Xbox. It features impressive sound quality, a crispy clear microphone, and a wireless dock that allows the headset to connect with multiple devices simultaneously.

$314 at Amazon

Best Xbox Headset for Kids: Turtle Beach Recon 50

Turtle Beach

The Turtle Beach Recon 50 is a super affordable headset that nails the most important parts of the gaming headset equation. It’s very comfortable, features a compact design that makes it perfect for kids, comes with decent sound quality, and has a detachable microphone with clear output that’s good enough for chatting while playing multiplayer games.

The build quality is fine, but nothing to write home about. The headset is made of plastic that should last for a while if your kid handles it properly, but the overall feeling is not the same as you’d get with a pricier headset. The earcups, on the other hand, feel great and are very comfortable.

The detachable microphone is always a plus, with the mic providing excellent output, for an affordable headset. If your child plays single-player games, they can remove the mic and put it back on when they get back to their favorite multiplayer pastime. The sound signature favors mid-frequencies, resulting in a slight boost to sounds like steps and voice. And while the Recon 50 doesn’t offer a bass boost, the bass is clear and well-defined, a positive surprise for a budget gaming headset.

If you—or your child—notice that the headset is too quiet, read Turtle Beach’s guide for connecting the headset to an Xbox console , which should help set up the headset and get the most out of the microphone.

Aside from the average build quality, the Turtle Beach Recon 50 also comes with flimsy cables that don’t look very sturdy, and the sound quality isn’t suited for music listening. If you want something with noticeably better build quality and greater comfort, check out the HyperX CloudX . Do keep in mind that the CloudX headset sells at a much higher price point than the Recon 50.

Best Xbox Headset for Kids

Turtle Beach Recon 50

Easy on the wallet, comfortable to use, and with a clear mic output, the Turtle Beach Recon 50 is the perfect starter headset for every budding Xbox gamer.

See at Amazon

Best Noise-Cancelling Xbox Headset: Turtle Beach Stealth Pro

Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach is a brand most console gamers will be familiar with. But while many users swear by their headsets, they aren’t known for their noise-canceling properties. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset could easily change that perception if you look past the premium price tag.

The headset includes both passive and active noise-canceling features. The active noise-canceling uses four internal mics to process and block as much as 25db of intrusive sounds, which is impressive for a gaming headset. The passive canceling comes from the large memory foam ear cushions, designed to fit comfortably over the ears.

The wireless Stealth Pro headset features a matched pair of 50mm Nanoclear drivers. Compared to the 40mm drivers more commonly found in headsets, the extra surface area allows for better bass response and less chance of distortion.

Noise-canceling continues in the removable boom mic, which Turtle Beach suggests can block up to 97% of background sounds. The ANC and audio profile can be tweaked using the Audio Hub software, with edited settings stored on the headset so that they carry over to any of the many devices the headset is compatible with.

The bane of many wireless headsets, particularly those with power-sapping ANC, is battery life. To counter this, Turtle Beach has gone down the swappable battery route, as seen in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro . For over $300, it would have been nice to get more than 12 hours per battery pack, but it should still be plenty for even a marathon gaming session.

Best Noise-Canceling Xbox Headset

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Headset

$250 $330 Save $80

A high-quality, steel-reinforced headset, with excellent noise-canceling features. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is a great choice for ensuring you stay immersed in your favorite games.

$250 at Amazon

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