The best PS5 headsets can provide top-class audio and superb comfort while gaming on Sony's current-gen system. In this list, we're recommending the very best options across the budget, mid-range, and premium price spectrum. We endeavor to have you covered whatever your product preferences are and have tested dozens and dozens of headsets in our quest to give the best list of options, distilled down to help make your purchasing decision as easy as possible.
Similar to the best PC gaming headsets on desktop, we consider PS5 headsets to be one of the most important extras you can get for your console. Not only would any options on our list bring you a greater level of audio clarity, but you'll also be able to keep your sound localized instead of relying on blasting Hi-Fi or the built-in speakers of a gaming TV.
The Quick List
Best overall
Offering premium SteelSeries features, the ability to change your EQ on the fly with its companion app, and serious versatility and audio quality mean the Arctis Nova 5 is probably the best PS5 headset you can buy right now.
Best budget
The build quality is basic but the audio more than picks up the slack considering the MSRP.
Best premium
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is as close to perfect as PS5 headsets come offering a premium audio experience, an excellent battery solution, and more.
Best wired
Keeping things distinctively straightforward, the Epos H3 knocks it out of the park when it comes to audio performance.
Best wireless PS5 headset
If you're looking for the absolute best wireless headset then we wholeheartedly recommend the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. Not only does it have dual wireless connectivity, but it's got stupendous features and that awesome SteelSeries gaming audio pedigree which sets it apart from its competition.
Best official
Taking over the crown of best official headset for PS5, the Pulse Elite from Sony ups the ante from its 3D predecessor by including planar magnetic drivers and some of the best audio we've heard, as well as an update to the mic and connectivity too to offer a very compelling package.
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Best earbuds
The Sony Inzone Buds provide superb versatility thanks to their on-board touch controls and excellent audio.
Best value wireless
There's little to fault with the performance of Sony's official PS5 headset for the asking price, and it's a great value wireless offering.
Best for audiophiles
The Audeze Maxwell is a great PS5 headset for audiophiles given it's fantastic soundstage, quality, and drivers with professional pedigree.
Out of all the major types of gaming peripherals, it's headsets that I've tested the most of and have been testing the longest. Ever since a review of a Roccat headset back in late 2018, I've regularly had my mitts on headsets for all platforms, putting them through hours of testing each. On top of that the PS5 is my main platform (and PlayStation has been my primary platform since the mid-90s) for single-player games and multiplayer gaming so I know what a headset has to offer in order to be a worthy contender for your hard-earned money. From sound quality to mics, from features to price, I know what it takes for a good headset to become one of the best PS5 headsets.
Best PS5 Headsets in 2024
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Best overall headset for PS5
✅ You want a PS5 headset with a long battery life: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless features up to 60 hours of battery life which is more than enough for several gaming sessions between charges.
✅ You want 'affordable luxury': SteelSeries has really nailed it with the Nova 5 as it crams in loads of premium features, awesome audio, great design and build, and genuine multiplatform connectivity into one great value package.
❌ You don't want to tinker with EQs: One of the stars of the Nova 5 show is the Companion App which allows you to change between game audio presets on the fly. If you have no interest in dedicating time to this and want something simpler then you can potentially skip this headset.
Offering superior connectivity, brilliant audio, wonderful customization options, and a fine feature set and companion app to boot, the Nova 5 is a brilliant PS5 headset and wireless gaming headset overall.
Design: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 is from the new design school from the brand, and as such looks slick, sleek, and very tidy. It's certainly low-key enough to be worn outside as a pair of headphones too. However, it's also incredibly comfortable; not once in our many hours of testing did the headset ever get uncomfortable with the AirWeave material on the cup and the flexible ski-goggle headband proving their worth once again. It can be adjusted to fit and also feels robust enough to withstand a bump with ease.
Features: Intuitive controls adorn the excellent design with the mic mute button, the volume wheel, and the retractable mic itself on the left cup, while the right cup is home to the USB-C port, a game-chat balance wheel, the power button, and the Quick Switch button to swap between 2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth. You've also got a 60-hour battery life supported by fast charging which is an excellent amount of juice to have in the tank. Finally, enhancing the Nova 5 beyond its nearest peers is the Nova 5 Companion App. Installed on iOS and Android this App offers more than 100 presets for games, music, and movies, designed by esports pros, game devs, and audio experts that give you so many EQ tools at your disposal. Throw in multi-platform compatibility and you've got one of the best feature sets in a gaming headset.
Performance: SteelSeries' 40mm Neodymium drivers shine once more, and the Nova 5 provides absolutely gorgeous out-of-the-box gaming audio. Throw in the excellent aforementioned App and audio profiles and the audio on offer by this single headset is astronomically good. The whole sound spectrum is portrayed near-perfectly with rich middles, chirpy highs, and boomy but not overwhelming lows - no matter the game, the audio is brilliant.
Verdict: Given all the above comes in a headset priced at $129.99 / £129.99, the Nova 5 gets our nod for best PS5 headset overall - and for most people. I'm personally a huge fan of the Nova 5's big brother, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and would definitely recommend that as an alternative best PS5 headset, but the value and quality that's stuffed into the Nova 5 means this is our pick overall as it just offers so much for the price of admission. A seriously quality headset.
- Read more: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review
Best budget headset for PS5
✅ You want a quality, affordable headset: At $60 / £60 / AU$140, the Arctis Nova 1X strikes a fantastic balance of quality and affordability.
✅ You primarily play on consoles: The wired 3.5mm connectivity means that the Arctis Nova 1X will work on multiple consoles, including Switch, PlayStation and Xbox systems.
❌ You'd prefer a wireless set: Simply put, you're going to have to up your budget to get the same level of hardware in the SteelSeries lineup.
While it won't set your world on fire, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X is an excellent budget choice for the PS5. With its humble asking price of just $57.82 / £59.99 / AU$139, with few compromises to speak of, this is a strong performer across the board which consistently punches above its weight.
Design: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X features a rather minimalist design, which is to be expected for a relatively budget pick. Build quality is also slightly lacking; while not terrible by any means, it certainly feels a little cheaper than pricier sets. The headset's 3.5mm connection means it'll plug straight into your DualSense gamepad (or controllers for other consoles, for that matter). On the plus side, it doesn't weigh much, either, allowing for comfortable and stress-free gaming.
Features: Sveral features from SteelSeries' pricier headsets also make their way to the Arctis Nova 1X. So, you can expect to get memory foam cups, a retractable microphone of decent quality and some pretty exceptional 40mm drivers that offer superb audio.
Performance: Those aforementioned 40mm drivers the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X headset boasts are much better than its budget price would entail. Occasionally, audio quality was comparable to that of the pricier Arctis Nova 7P+. Dialogue, music and general audio design sounded crisp and richly detailed, and we found that particularly action-focused games, or ones with busier audio profiles, benefited most here. We were also surprised by the headset's microphone, which performed with crystal clear register during online multiplayer sessions with friends.
Verdict: Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X puts forward a very impressive performance despite its relatively scaled-back budget. There's some flaws, of course, like the lackluster design and build quality, but it nails performance where it counts.
- Read more: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X review
Best premium PS5 headset
✅ You want exceptional comfort and audio quality: There's nothing else on the market that sounds quite this good or features as much of a stellar build quality and considered design.
✅ You want a fully versatile headset: What's great about the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is how you can dual-connect with both the hub and Bluetooth as your catch-all gaming headset for not just the PS5 but everything else, too.
❌ You're on a tight budget: There's no getting around the fact that the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is one of the most expensive options on the market right now. If you're watching your cash, you may be better served by other options in our roundup.
For a player looking to spend a little more on a headset to receive a quality product capable of providing an incredibly immersive experience, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro ticks every box. It’s simple to set up and use and the on-cup controls offer an accessible experience even for beginners new to wireless pro-level headsets.
Design: The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is the most premium PS5 headset that we have ever tested, rocking a sturdy metal construction with a signature style rivaling some of the best headphones on the market. The addition of a sleek, low-profile hub (keeping the tech inside the headset itself) means you can use it to its fullest potential, too. You can also dual-connect to your smartphone.
Features: There's a lot going on under the hood of the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro. At a baseline level, the hand-tuned 50mm drivers are exceptional especially when paired with the best ANC that we have ever experienced. That's not all, though. That's because Turtle Beach's "Superhuman Hearing" gets its own dedicated button and works in a much more elevated way than it has previously through controllers for the competitive edge.
Performance: While the initial 15-hour battery life may sound unimpressive, it's bolstered by the fact that you're always charging a second battery that can be swapped in instantly for 30 hours of playback. There are no compromises to achieve that lifespan, as you can keep ANC and other features fully active with no rapid drainage. Without question, this is the best sounding headset we've used for gaming and multimedia to date.
Verdict: The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is an expensive proposition for your PS5 setup, however, for all it offers when compared to the competition, we think it's ultimately worth the price of investment for the committed hardcore gamer.
- Read more: Turtle Beach Stealth Pro review
Best wired PS5 headset
✅ You want an affordable and comfy wired headset: The Epos H3 doesn't break the bank with its humble asking price and happens to be one of the most comfortable headsets we've ever used.
✅ You need a great sounding microphone: The microphone on the Epos H3 easily ranks as one of the best we've used in a long time, making it ideal for gaming sessions with friends and game streaming.
❌ You enjoy strong bass when gaming: While the Epos H3 deliver a clean and balanced sound profile, the bass performance is far from the most impressive when enjoying high-insensity gaming.
Considering that the Epos H3 only runs $99.99 / £89 / AU$129, they are an easy pick for the best wired PS5 headset. It all comes down to the fact that they boast some of the most consistent audio quality performance at a truly budget price.
Design: The Epos H3 keeps things straightforward with its all-black color scheme and satisfyingly chunky build. We found that the stainless steel slide to adjust the height moved smoothly, with earcups that hugged with conviction, without being too tight. The only divisive feature is likely to be the microphone which does not detach.
Features: The audio brand has chosen to go the no-frills approach when it comes to features which means there's nothing immediately flashy. The decision to utilize a 3.5mm jack instead of USB means that you can easily slot it into your DualSense controller (or other capable devices) and be powered up without needing to sit too close to the console.
Performance: One word that summarizes how the Epos H3 headset performs is clean. The bass may not melt your face off, but it's certainly present and accounted for. It's a fine line for sure, and this PS5 headset walks that fine line excellently, which meant it could deliver on the low-end and the quieter noises strongly.
Verdict: The Epos H3 isn't going to turn many heads, but it's so capable at what it sets out to do for its price that it is an easy PS5 headset to recommend for those who don't mind staying plugged in.
- Read more: Epos H3 review
The best wireless PS5 headset
✅ You want one of the all-round best wireless gaming headsets going for PS5: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is simply one of the absolute best gaming headsets I've ever tested from audio to comfort, to connectivity, to feature set.
✅ You want flexibility from a premium headset: The Nova Pro Wireless is flexible and versatile in more than one way. First, it can be used on more than one platform (also, whisper it, but the Xbox version can be used on all platforms); and secondly, you can use the DAC unit to tinker with EQs and preset profiles to get even more out of your wireless PS5 headset.
❌ If you're happier with a simpler affair: There's a lot going on with the Nova Pro Wireless, and while all of its parts make it excellent, if you're just after a simpler PS5 headset, then there's likely a better fit on this list somewhere.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is my favorite wireless gaming headset, ever. It's an exceptional PS5 headset for those that have the budget, and want something that offers everything - and does everything brilliantly.
Design: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is as slick as gaming headsets come in terms of its design language and aesthetic. Both the original all-black model and the newer white-with-metallic-accents are slick as heck and look about as good as headsets can. Make no mistake, you'd be happy taking these out and about as a pair of headphones for casual or commute use. Buttons are intuitive and well placed, while the traditional SteelSeries retractable mic fits extremely tidily into the shell of the earcup. It's also incredibly comfortable with the plush leatherette cushioning your ears beautifully.
Features: You get a whole lot of features for your money with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. As well as noise-cancellation, you get dual wireless connectivity (one of which being low-latency 2.4Ghz), superb audio quality for all games, genres, and media, a brilliant mic, an excellent DAC unit that offers EQ adjustments, and an ingenious battery solution. The latter ensures you'll never be out of battery: of the two hot-swappable batteries included, one is inside your headset powering it, and another is housed inside the DAC being charged; simply swap the mouth when you run out. However, you can also charge the headset and its batteries via USB-C - these two methods combined mean you'll never run out of juice.
Performance: The Arctis Nova Pro is one of my favorite sounding and performing gaming headsets, ever. Its audio across the spectrum is superb with clear mids, crisp highs, and deep, rumbly (but never muddy) bass. The audio is always clear and detailed and it excels in all genres of games, and types of media. And even if it's not quite to your liking on PS5, you can use the DAC unit to find an EQ that is and switch between a few easily. First class performance, all around.
Verdict: If you want the cream of the crop when it comes to a PS5 headset and particularly the PS5 wireless headset market, then the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is absolutely the one to go for. Even in the face of growing competition from the likes of our premium pick, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, for example, the Nova Pro Wireless is absolutely breathtaking and has it all. Testing headsets for a living, I often have to cycle through many, however, the Nova Pro is always the one I return to and it has had a permanent palace next to my PS5 ever since it came out. A superb wireless PS5 headset that you'll never look back on if you pick it up.
- Read more: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless review
Best official headset for PS5
✅ You want a briulliant headset for PlayStation Portal: The Pulse Elite is simply the best official headset going now and is also the best headset for PlayStation Portal given its PlayStation Link connectivity. If this is what you're after then the Pulse Elite is for you.
✅ You want some of the best drivers a gaming headset can have: Sony has installed some of the best tech going into the Pulse Elite, and its planar magnetic drivers produce some of the finest game audio we've heard in recent years. If you're a bit of an audiophile and want that to translate to your gaming headset then the Elite is a great fit.
❌ You want something lightweight and sleek PS5 headset: The Pulse Elite has a rather bulbous look when it's on your head, and it also weighs a bit more than a lot of competition too; if you're after something that's super lightweight or that you'd be happy with on the commute then you'll likely have to look elsewhere.
Taking over the baton of the best official PS5 headset from the Pulse 3D, the Pulse Elite offers upgrades in every area and is an easy recommendation to make, especially given the new planar magnetic drivers found within.
Design: The PlayStation Pulse Elite headset channels the same slick and chic design language that adorns the PS5 console and accessory family, and comes out with sweeping curves and striking white-on-black contrasting materials. The headset is a little on the heavy side compared to others - at 12.2oz / 347g, it’s nearly two ounces (almost 60 grams) heavier than its Pulse 3D predecessor and weightier than the likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 (9.5oz / 266g) - but not once in my testing did it ever become uncomfortable. And while I'm not a huge fan of the bulbous design that made me frown every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, the material of the earcups, the neat retractable mic, and the intuitive controls all easily outweighed that slight downside.
Features: The Pulse Elite offers updated controls and features from its Pulse 3D headset predecessor from controls to connectivity. Laying it out, there's a charging point on the underside of the headband that will connect to the included headset hangar, and on the left arm there's the retractable mic featuring AI-enhanced noise cancellation. On the right 'arm' there's a dual-purpose power and PlayStation Link connection button, the volume controls, and the USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack ports. However, two key features aren't onboard but rather built-in: PlayStation Link connectivity and the planar magnetic drivers. The former enables the Pulse Elite to connect directly to the PlayStation Portal - one of only two products to offer such connectivity - and the latter enables the headset to offer some of the most premium audio going on PS5. It's worth noting the headset can connect to any PlayStation Link dongle in other PS5s or PCs too.
Performance: The planar magnetic drivers in the Pulse Elite have provided me with some of the finest game audio I've ever experienced in my years of testing PS5 headsets. Out of the box, the audio is so good. You can tinker with EQs when on PS5 too, but, seriously, the depth, detail, range, and clarity of the soundstage are excellent. The mic is not quite one of the best ever, but is a clear and robust performer while connecting and using it across PS5 and PlayStation Portal is easy and a joy.
Verdict: If you're looking for the best official PS5 headset, the Pulse Elite is the new king of the hill. Taking over the mantle from the Pulse 3D, it offers upgrades in almost every area and is a delight to use. Its price tag of $149.99 / £129.99 means it requires a bit more investment and faces stern competition from the likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5, but given the quality on offer, and the excellent audio and PS5 and Portal integration, this is the best official PS5 headset going and an easy recommendation.
- Read more: PlayStation Pulse Elite review
Best earbuds for PS5
✅ You prefer a smaller form factor: Want something more portable-friendly than a headset? The Inzone Buds are a great option for that.
✅ You want seriously good audio: Despite the slightly muddy bass, overall audio quality here is exceptionally clear.
❌ You want buds that work with Nintendo Switch: As the Inzone Buds operate on Bluetooth LE, you're unable to connect them to the Nintendo Switch for portable gaming.
The Sony Inzone Buds are our choice for the best gaming earbuds for PlayStation 5. While certainly on the pricier side, the quality on offer here makes the price tag worth it if you can afford them.
Design: The earbuds themselves are extremely well crafted, featuring sturdy build quality that's very resistant to wear and tear. The glossy finish of the touch-enabled front can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet, however. More positively, the buds also offer a high level of comfort, and the carry case is decently compact and convenient, also featuring a slot for the 2.4GHz USB-C dongle.
Features: The Sony Inzone Buds work out of the box for PS5 so long as you have the dongle slotted into the console's front USB-C port. The buds also feature touch controls, allowing you to adjust volume and mic balance easily.
Performance: This is where the Inzone Buds really shine, offering fantastic audio quality that only suffers a bit due to those muddier lows. Battery life is also a highlight here, with the buds offering up to 12 hours on a single charge (or up to 24 hours via Bluetooth LE). A further 24 hours is provided by the charging case, too.
Verdict: The Sony Inzone Buds are certainly quite expensive. But for your money, you're getting some seriously versatile buds that offer excellent build quality, robust features and largely solid audio.
- Read more: Sony Inzone Buds review
Best value wireless headset for PS5
✅ You want an offically licensed wireless PS5 headset: Sony's Pulse 3D is made natively for the system and works out of the box like a dream with simple setup and use.
✅ You want to experience 3D audio: The Pulse 3D is impressive and works incredibly well with this particular headset as its namestake would suggest.
❌ You want a more premium PS5 headset: For as much as we love the Pulse 3D for its price and performance, it doesn't feel as high-end as some other options in our list.
Sony's official Pulse 3D headset is a hard value proposition for the asking price. As the poster child for the company's Tempest 3D AudioTech, coming in at a pleasing $98.99 / £89.99 / AU$139.99, this is a PS5 headset to suit most general needs.
Design: The PS5 Pulse 3D wireless headset looks like an extension of the console as the two were truly made for each other. That means you're getting a matching black-and-white aesthetic (unless you go for a special edition variant) which is all about being sleek. The on-cup controls are stealthily recessed in plastic which makes for a headset that's punching above its mid-range asking price. It doesn't necessarily feel premium, though, as with the system itself, plastic is the name of the game.
Features: Arguably the biggest selling point of the PS5 Pulse 3D is how it brings the console's 3D Audio to life. As the frontrunner for the Tempest AudioTech, it's built with the GPU-accelerated virtual surround sound in mind. There's microphone monitoring so you can hear yourself back, too, so there's no need to shout across the room when talking will suffice. You've also got the option of USB-C or a more standard 3.5mm jack for added versatility.
Performance: By and large, the PS5 Pulse 3D is every bit as impressive to use in 2024 as it was at the time of release. In our testing, we took note that the headset works instantly with the console requiring no extra steps to get into the game. Though still limited compared to the likes of Dolby Atmos and Windows Spatial, the games that support the 3D Audio sound exceptional bringing a new level of immersion to console gaming, but we found that music didn't carry over quite as convincingly.
Verdict: Considering the price tag of under $100 / £90 /AU$150, you can't really go wrong with everything that the PS5 Pulse 3D offers as a package. If you want to see if 3D audio is worth the hype, then we feel confident giving this model a strong recommendation.
- Read more: Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset review
Best PS5 headset for audiophiles
✅ You want a PS5 headset built for audiophiles: There's no denying the Maxwell's audiophile pedigree coming from Audeze and its long line of professional-focused headphones. If you want something that's built on providing the best audio going the the Maxwell headset is a fine choice.
✅ You want some of the biggest drivers going to provide your gaming audio: The Audeze Maxwell's 90mm planar magnetic drivers are massive and deliver the goods on gaming audio, absolutely. While not always the case, size of driver really does seem to matter in the context of the Maxwell.
❌ You want a more streamlind PS5 headset and are budget conscious: The biggest barriers to entry for the Maxwell are it's price tag and the overall size of the thing. If you value audio quality but need something smaller and also cheaper, then you can find that elsewhere on our list.
The AUdeze Maxwell is a premium headset with a premium price tag, but if you're an audiophile who wants only the very best soundstage from your PS5 headset, then step forward and come to the front of the class to don the Maxwell gaming headset.
Design: Let's address the design elephant in the room straight away: the Maxwell is a big and bulky headset. This is perhaps one of the weakest elements and ones we aren't huge fans of. The reinforced aluminum and steel chassis is strong and robust, of course, but it's massive and a little weighty and also gave us a little bit of clamping fatigue in our testing. It's not going to be the same for everyone of course, but something to be aware of. Elsewhere the controls are also intuitive and easy to use, while the quality microphone is detachable.
Features: The 90mm planar magnetic drivers are the stars of the show when it comes to the Maxwell's features and are truly excellent (more on those below). Elsewhere however, there are some top-quality features to support its audio prowess: a battery life of up to 80 hours and beyond, a detachable hypercardioid microphone offering AI-powered noise filtering, Dolby Atmos, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and a host of codec support too.
Performance: The sound given by the Maxwell is staggeringly good and comes good on its proposition of offering an audiophile level of gaming audio on PS5. The headset delivers detailed, articulate highs, rich mids, extended low end, and a great immersive soundstage. Across all games, it provides excellent detail and immersion-building audio, and it also excels with music and other media. Our only caveats are that the bass is a little quiet at times, and some of the mids and highs can just be a bit restrained; however, all in, it's some of the best sound we've experienced for a gaming headset.
Verdict: If you're after the best-sounding headset for PS5 then the Maxwell is in the very top group to consider. Its huge and excellent planar magnetic drivers deliver the goods when it comes to pure quality audio, while there's a strong supporting cast of features to fill out the proposition. If you have the budget and can overlook the slight shortcomings, then the Maxwell is a great audiophile pick for PS5.
- Read more: Audeze Maxwell review
How to choose the best PS5 headset for you
There's plenty to consider when choosing the best PS5 headset for you - after all the most premium, all-singing, all-dancing headset won't be within everybody's budget. That's why it's a good idea to break the choice down to really hone in on exactly what you need.
Budget
Think carefully about how much you can realistically spend. I like to often take the approach of deciding on an ideal budget, but then also deciding on a budget I could stretch to if the right headset was at the right price. You're also better off just discounting those shiny premium ones if they truly are out of your range - there's no point holding off for a $200 discount that's not going to happen so just don't think about them.
Wired vs wireless
Some folks, like me, can only imagine using wireless headsets nowadays, while some folks love the flexibility that a wired connection can offer (as well as a likely lower price tag, too). One key way to help when making this decision is to think about platform compatibility: it's far less likely that a wireless set will work on all consoles and devices; and a wired headset with a 3.5mm jack is wonderfully versatile and can be used on almost everything.
Battery life and solutions
If you do go wireless then it might be worth a quick consideration of battery life - how much do you need? Do you never want to worry about it again, or are you happy to keep charging every night? At the premium end of the scale, headsets like the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless can offer ingenious battery solutions, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless can offer enormous battery life (claimed 300 hours!). However, something like the Pulse 3D headset from Sony will offer something much more modest (but robust) but will just require more frequent charging.
Features - microphone, DACs, EQ customization, modes and presets, and driver types
In 2024, this is where a lot of headsets differentiate themselves from their competition. think about what features you really want: is it the biggest drivers? What about the best mic possible for clear comms? Is it customizable EQs or pre-loaded presets? There's plenty to rule in or out which can guide the decision. However, you might also be very happy with something that's well-made, no-nonsense, and cuts right to it - this is one of the reasons that the HyperX Cloud Alpha has been a stalwart for so many years.
Our dedicated gaming headset vs gaming earbuds and wired vs wireless gaming headset guides might well come in handy here too.
How we test the best PS5 headsets
We test every PS5 headset that we get our hands on for review. Not every model that we have passed our desks will be put into our guide. That's because we test headsets for overall audio quality, microphone use, gaming performance, and how they perform with music.
We spend hours and hours playing a range of PS5 games to fully put the headset to the test in a number of scenarios. From the best single-player games, to chaotic multiplayers and everything in between, across all genres, we want to make sure we're hearing all the headset has to offer, and how it works with 3D audio to fully stress-test virtual surround, too.
If a PS5 headset is wireless then we will test the battery from full charge to completely flat and compare the quoted performance that hardware manufacturers provide with the actual performance. With wired headsets, we test if the cable is noisy or not, how long it is when plugged into our consoles or controller, and the overall comfort with the cups on our ears.
Most of all, we test them in a way that gets as close to real-world living conditions as possible. You're going to be living with these headsets day to day, treating them as your own and using them in a whole different variety of ways, and we want to replicate that as best we can so as to give an honest recommendation.
Best PS5 headset - FAQs
Which headsets are compatible with PS5?
When buying a PS5 headset, it's important to note if it's even compatible with the console in the first place. That's because many of the best PS5 headsets will actually have two separate versions: one for PS5, and one for Xbox Series X|S. When buying, make doubly sure you're not accidentally buying the version of the headset for Microsoft's consoles, as it won't work on your PS5.
What is the best wired headset for PS5?
Look no further than the EPOS H3 if you're looking for an excellent wired-only PS5 headset. The H3 provides excellent sound quality and a fantastic mic for crystal-clear voice communication. It's also one of the friendlier PS5 headsets on your wallet, coming in at less than $100 / £100. Perfect for if you've freshly bought an expensive console.
What's a better PS5 headset, Pulse 3D or Pulse Elite?
The two official headsets from Sony for the PS5 are both great, however they are a little different, and have different pros and cons which means it might be hard working out which one is for you.
Straight up, the Pulse Elite, being a newer headset and slightly more expensive, does have the better audio drivers, and thus wins on sheer audio quality. However, the Pulse 3D is a superb headset that has a slightly more compact design, built-in mics, and intuitive controls so - especially with its lower price tag - offers an excellent value-busting wireless headset experience.
The Elite will win you over if you're after something to go with a PlayStation Portal too though - it connect directly to the remote play handheld device via PlayStation Link and is one of only two devices to do so. It also has a retractable boom mic which is better than relying on just built-in ones for communication and removing background noise going to your teammates too.
What's better, wireless or wired?
This is a perennially important question for gamers and anyone looking to buy a PS5 headset. The long and the short of it is that both types of headsets have their pros and cons and you'll likely need to factor in a few elements of your setup, as well as some preferences - and that all-important budget - before coming down on one side of the fence or the other.
In brief, and important to say first, audio quality is not compromised with either connection type - both wired and wireless gaming sets sound fantastic in 2024 and on PS5.
However, they do differ in other key areas. Keeping it short, wired headsets are often cheaper and offer a higher degree of flexibility given their multi-platform compatibility. Wireless headsets offer far greater convenience, offer increasing compatibility (many now offer cross-console compatibility), and often (particularly if they are premium sets) can have far-reaching feature sets to consider too, including Bluetooth connectivity so you can use your phone simultaneously.
For a more thorough breakdown, check out our dedicated wired vs wireless gaming headset discussion article.
Are gaming earbuds good for PS5?
In the past couple of years, PS5 users have been blessed with some excellent gaming earbud options that would rival the best PS5 headsets in a lot of ways.
I'm particularly partial to the PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds, and the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. Both provide absolutely brilliant audio quality, and some distinctly excellent features too - such as PlayStation portal wireless connectivity in the former, and a bank of pre-engineered EQs to choose from with the latter.
As a result, shoppers looking for PS5 headsets can now absolutely consider PS5 earbuds as viable alternatives to traditional headsets.
