If you're a gamer who thinks good audio quality is just as important as state-of-the-art graphics, you'll know how crucial a decent gaming headset is to your gaming experience.
The best gaming headsets combine immersive directional sound, with a comfortable fit, and the flexibility to be worn as regular headphones when you need a break from battling your enemies; all features that Audio-Technica's latest headset models are set to offer, according to the Japanese audio company.
The two new gaming headsets comprise the wired ATH-G1 and the wireless ATH-G1WL, both taking design inspiration from Audio-Technica's ATH-M50x professional studio headphones.
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The company says both the new gaming headsets will "transform even the most demanding player's gaming sessions", thanks to their lightweight design and "proven studio audio quality".
Stay wired
The wired version of the gaming headset, the ATH-G1 is compatible with PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and any platform with a 3.5mm output. It's available to buy for $169 /£159 /$249.
Inside the cans are 45mm drivers, which promise to provide a powerful sound, while Audio-Technica says the headset's 1,300mW input capacity "takes full advantage of dedicated sound cards to deliver a full-force gaming experience".
Crucial to any battle royale game is a decent microphone for barking commands at your teammates, and helpfully the microphone's hypercardioid polar pattern (or the directions sound is picked up from in layman's terms) means it rejects unwanted noise and feedback, like the tapping of your keyboard as you frantically battle your enemies.
That microphone is detachable too, so you can use the ATH-G1s as a pair of regular headphones if you wish.
Cutting the cord
If you don't like to have too many cables clogging up your gaming station you may want to opt for the wireless model, the ATH-GW1L gaming headset instead.
With the same 45mm drivers and microphone as its wired sibling, Audio-Technica says the GW1Ls offer the "added flexibility of [a] stable, low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connectivity".
Unlike the G1 headset, the GW1L also supports virtual surround, for an "even more immersive 3D audio gaming experience" – this is great if you're playing games with directional sound that alerts you the presences of friends (or foes).
It comes with 15 hours of battery life, and has controls for surround sound, volume, and muting on the earcup.
The G1WL is only compatible with laptops and PCs via its wireless USB Type A receiver, and is the more expensive of the two headsets at $249 / £229 / AU$349.
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