Best wired gaming headsets in 2024 (2024)

The best wired gaming headsets are able to offer immersive audio to enhance your gaming experience. Better yet, wired gaming headsets tend to be much cheaper than their wireless counterparts, so if you're someone who already tends to sit closely to their PC or console during play, then you're in luck.

It's not just price that can be a driving factor in picking up a wired headset instead of a wireless one, though. They can also provide a more reliable connection, and potentially greater sound quality. Of course, wireless options still have their perks, and you can check out our guide to the best wireless gaming headsets to expand your options further.

What's more, many wired headsets are not console specific, meaning that if you're someone who likes gaming on multiple platforms, they can often be compatible with all, and swapped between your Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. With that said, if you’re shopping with a specific console in mind, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best PS5 headsets or the best Xbox Series X headsets.

The Quick List

Best wired gaming headsets in 2024

The best overall wired headset

Thanks to its incredibly comfortable design, the Epos H3 is our pick for the all-round best wired gaming headset. It makes the audio from your games sound crisp and clear and comes with an exceptional microphone to boot. Its design is also understated enough to not stand out too much in non-gaming settings, meaning that you could probably get away with using this one in the office.

The price is also great too, coming in at just under $100 / £100. This model is also frequently found on sale, making it very easy to find at an even better price.

The only sticking point is the proprietary 3.5mm cable, which could be difficult to replace if you manage to damage or lose it. Still, we think this is a fair trade-off given the excellence of everything else you're getting in the package here.

• Read more: Epos H3 review

The best budget wired headset

Found for under $50 / £50, the Corsair HS50 has brilliant build quality for such an affordable headset. It punches well above its weight in the sound department and the microphone can be easily detached if you want to use the Corsair HS50 on the go. It is worth nothing, however, that the microphone is a little small and could be easily lost if kept on its own.

Higher-end features like surround sound are absent, but there is really very little that we can find fault in this model such a low price point. This is our number one choice if you are a console or PC gamer buying a gaming headset on a tight budget.

• Read more: Corsair HS50 review

The best wired gaming headset for esports

If you love competitive gaming, then the Fnatic React Plus headset is well worth your consideration. As well as its aesthetically pleasing black and orange color scheme, the headset supports Dolby Atmos in order to simulate surround sound audio, which is perfect for playing online games such as Overwatch 2 and Fortnite which require you to be aware of your surroundings.

Costing $74.99 / £84.99, the Fnatic React Plus is also quite affordable, and cheaper than many of branded wired headsets on the market. As a long-running esports organization, Fnatic priority clear was clearly on tailoring the audio experience to suit competitive gaming, although this unfortunately means that the headset's performance is rather underwhelming when it comes to listening to music.

The Fnatic React Plus' boom microphone is also great, and definitely handy for anyone who enjoys talking to their friends as they play. Its cardioid pattern and pop filter work to ensure that even in the middle of a gunfight, your teammates will be able to hear you loud and clear, so you can coordinate effectively at all times.

• Read more: Fnatic React Plus review

The best premium wired headset

They say that you can't put a price on perfection, but those people obviously haven't tried the Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R. For around $199 / £150 / AU$280, you're getting some of the absolute best audio quality that we've ever heard. This headset features an open-back design, which helps elevate the already realistic and immersive sound.

Although they sound fantastic out of the box, this headset really begins to shine when it's paired with a DAC or headphone amplifier - making a full setup quite an expensive investment. If you're a gamer who plays a lot of online games, you will also likely need to buy a separate microphone as one is not included on this design. For single-player games (not to mention listening to music), however, the Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R is an absolutely fantastic choice.

• Read more: Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 Rreview

The best wired headset for streamers

Our testing found that the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Pro sounds just as good as it looks. Not only are you getting an adorable neon pink design (complete with RGB lighting and glowing kitty ears) that will help liven up your streams, but a very capable headset. We enjoyed using this model with games on both PC and PS5, where we were impressed by its performance across a wide range of genres. It's also perfect for listening to music, making it one of the more versatile choices on this list.

Such a striking design comes at a price, however, as the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 isn't exactly cheap. Still, given the unique design and superb performance here we believe that this headset is well worth the asking price. It is well worth noting that this cable is on the shorter side, just 6.74ft / 2m in length, meaning that it might be unsuitable for gaming in your living room or certain setups.

• Read more: Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Pro review

Best wired headsets - Frequently asked questions

How we test the best wired gaming headsets

We made sure to test all of these headsets thoroughly before deciding whether they should appear on this list. There are plenty of brands out there and, with so many options, we endeavor to discover which are worth your time and money. Some of the most trusted brands that we frequently recommend include Razer, Fnatic, and Epos.

We test the best wired gaming headsets in a variety of ways. Audio quality is naturally the highest priority on our list but we also take build quality into account as well as ease of use, device compatibility and of course, the price. The best wired gaming headsets will be able to provide a quality experience in most of these areas, and be suitable for a range of budgets.

Our best wired gaming headsets guide is updated regularly as new products are released. We strive to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to recommending you the best products you can purchase at any given time.

For smaller form factor, you may want to give our best gaming earbuds guide a look.