HUB 02
Gaming Audio
Headsets, earbuds and the physics of hearing someone before they hear you.
Most gaming-audio content is a list of headsets with the word 'immersive' attached. We start from how human sound localisation actually works, cite the research, and then rank the hardware against it. The conclusions are frequently inconvenient for the expensive products.
We earn a commission when you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our rankings, and we say so when the cheaper product is the better buy. How this works.
Start here
The Best Gaming Headsets for Hearing Footsteps
Ranked on positional accuracy, not brand. The best pick is an open-back studio headphone — and the $350 gaming flagship loses.
Read the guide →
Everything in this hub
All gaming audio guides
Roundup
The Best Gaming Headsets for Hearing Footsteps
Ranked on positional accuracy, not brand. The best pick is an open-back studio headphone — and the $350 gaming flagship loses.
6 products · 6 with live prices
Roundup
The Best Headsets for FPS Gaming
Imaging plus a mic your team can actually hear. The compromise pick beats the audiophile pick here — and we say why.
6 products · 6 with live prices
- Buyer's guide
Buyer's guide
Open Back vs Closed Back for Gaming
Open back wins on imaging. Closed back wins on isolation. Which is 'better' depends entirely on whether you share a room.
- Buyer's guide
Buyer's guide
Gaming Headset vs Headphones + Mic
Headphones + a separate mic beats a gaming headset on sound per dollar. A headset beats it on everything else.
Roundup
The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets
Low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, ranked. The mid-range pick does 90% of the flagship's job for a third of the price.
6 products · 6 with live prices
Roundup
The Best Gaming Earbuds and IEMs
Cheap wired IEMs beat expensive wireless earbuds on sound, badly. The wireless ones win on having a mic and no cable.
6 products · 5 with live prices
Roundup
The Best Audio for Steam Deck and Handhelds
USB-C dongle or 3.5mm — those are your options on a handheld. Bluetooth has too much latency, and a USB-A dongle needs an adapter you'll lose.
6 products · 6 with live prices
- Buyer's guide
Buyer's guide
Why You Can't Hear Footsteps
The mechanism nobody explains: ITD below ~1.5kHz, ILD above it. A headset that wrecks either one wrecks your ability to locate anything.