In the world of gaming headsets, wireless models have become the go-to option for gamers on all platforms. Even if you can argue that a wired gaming headset has some advantages, the idea of going wireless has become more popular over the last few years.
As gaming headsets are all about having a convenient way to play with your friends and family without disrupting the world around you, not having a cord is about as convenient as you can get.
The last thing you want is a cord tripping you or someone you care about when they are walking in front of a family or living room TV. In addition, you don’t want to have yet another cord hanging around your gaming PC setup even as there is more to a wireless gaming headset than just being cordless.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 7 reasons why you should choose a wireless gaming headset today.
Why Use a Gaming Headset?
There is no question that if you want the best audio experience while playing a game, you’re going to want to use TV speakers, a soundbar, or desktop speakers with a PC. However, using these types of speakers may not always be an option as someone in your family may be on a video call or they are sleeping and, in these moments, you need something a little more private.
Enter the wireless gaming headset, which makes for a convenient way to give you all of the sound you need, without interrupting anyone else. Whether it’s for talking with teammates and setting up a plan of attack or hearing the footsteps of an opponent, a gaming headset can make all the difference between winning or losing.
So, now that you know why having a wireless gaming headset is good for you, let’s jump right into why a wireless model is the best choice.
#1: No Cords Allowed
There is no question this is undoubtedly the best reason why you should go with a wireless gaming headset over a wired one. The lack of a cord is a huge advantage, and even if you have to plug a dongle or connector into the front/back of your console or PC, it’s still every bit as convenient without any cables just sort of hanging around. The lack of a cord also means you can sit just about anywhere in a room without worrying about cord length.
You can also think about the benefits of not having a cord in terms of how you handle gameplay while you’re out of a match. What if you want to walk into another room and grab a drink or grab a package from the front door while you’re still waiting for your teammates to pull out a victory? The last thing you want to do is put your headset down and potentially miss a game-winning moment.
Not to mention any fast movements on your end and you can potentially yank any cord out of its input, which opens the door to potential damage to your headset, console, or PC. All of this is to say the benefit of not having a cord or cable is clear and the number one reason why a wireless gaming headset is the way to go.
#2: Bluetooth Means Freedom
Adding to the discussion around no cables allowed, choosing a wireless gaming headset often means you have Bluetooth on board and this means you can go up to a certain distance before the audio starts to become choppy. For many Bluetooth-enabled gaming headsets, you can be up to 30 feet away from your console or PC before there is any risk to audio quality, voices starting to break up, or losing the connection altogether.
This is very much an add-on to the no-cords-allowed argument but having built-in Bluetooth can make a huge difference beyond just being cordless. Where Bluetooth also has an advantage is with the many wireless gaming headsets that offer both Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz connection, which enables these headsets to connect to two devices at once. This means that one headset is for gaming on a console or PC and another is for phone calls, which means easy multitasking all day long.
What all of this means is that with a Bluetooth wireless gaming headset, you can quickly swap from your gaming laptop to your PC and then over to your mobile device all in a few seconds. Having the freedom to do that without worrying about unplugging and plugging in cables is a huge win for gaming.
#3: Increased Portability
Still sticking to the idea that not having cables is a huge advantage for a wireless gaming headset, going with a wireless model is great for portability. If you’re packing up for a vacation or just heading over to a friend’s house, you can easily grab your wireless gaming headset and pack it up so you’re ready to go. With a wired gaming headset, you have to worry about the cable when packing up and this might mean an additional item in your bag you have to worry about.
As wired gaming headset cables are also prone to damage when bent improperly, you have to take an extra level of care when packing up these cables before heading out the door. With a wireless gaming headset, this consideration is nonexistent as you just pack up the headset and go. If you are someone who travels frequently but likes to take a gaming laptop or portable console like the Nintendo Switch on the road, the less you need to pack, the better.
#4: Noise Cancellation
As you start to look at premium-level wireless gaming headsets, there are a number of features that stick out, but none may be as important as noise cancellation. When you look at a wireless gaming headset like the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, you get active noise cancellation that can reduce overall volume by 25 decibels. This helps you take down the overall noise you’re hearing from the outside world by a considerable margin and enables all of your focus to belong to the gaming world.
There is little debate that wireless gaming headsets are designed to help you block out more external noise than those of the wired variety. Better yet, many wireless gaming headsets offer noise-cancelling microphones, something wired gaming headsets cannot.
By utilizing technology built into the microphones, these wireless gaming headset models can significantly reduce outside noise that is coming through the microphone so teammates or random strangers on the other end of the microphone don’t hear your dog barking, kids screaming, or doorbells ringing.
©iStock.com/Sushiman
#5: Latency Issues Are Overblown
One of the biggest arguments against a wireless gaming headset has always been that wired headsets are better due to their lack of latency. Even as there is some truth to this statement, latency issues for wireless gaming headsets have long been overblown. This is especially true for wireless gaming headsets that make use of the 2.4GHz connection through a dongle to your console or gaming PC of choice.
Even though Bluetooth might suffer from a bit of latency compared to a 2.4GHz connection, any arguments over latency dramatically impacting gameplay are overestimated. Proponents of wired gaming headsets would have you believe there is a multiple-second lag between hitting a button on a keyboard or gaming controller and the associated action registering on screen.
You are talking milliseconds of latency here and while any latency is bad, wired gaming headsets are not immune from similar issues even if they are less likely to incur them. The bottom line is that over time, wireless gaming headsets, specifically those that use a 2.4GHz connection, can suffer from almost zero latency and any latency that is incurred is likely imperceivable by most gamers.
#6: Battery Life Isn’t a Concern
As is the case with latency, fans of wired gaming headsets will argue that battery life is a major downside to wireless gaming headsets. In fact, the very opposite is true as having battery power enables active noise cancellation for both the microphone and earcups as well as allowing true portability while playing games.
What is true is that battery life can vary on wireless gaming headsets, with some only offering 8-10 hours before needing to be recharged while other headsets might offer north of 40 hours of battery life.
The very same argument can be made for wireless gaming controllers, and yet, wireless gaming controllers are the norm. The controller argument aside, having battery power enables the addition of many features including enhanced audio quality through surround sound instead of the stereo sound commonly found on wired gaming sets.
#7: Accessible Audio Controls
For reasons only gaming headset manufacturers can tell you, many wired headset models enable audio controls somewhere on the cord rather than placing them on the headset itself. This is a huge annoyance and can lead you to fumble around looking for volume controls when you need to immediately make an adjustment and you do not know where the audio control unit or hub is dangling on the cable at any given time.
Instead, wireless gaming headset models enable audio controls directly on either earcup, which makes them centrally located and almost second nature to use. Having this advantage can mean you are not wasting a few precious seconds when your hands are off a controller or keyboard and might make the difference between victory and defeat.
The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets You Can Buy Today
#1 Best Overall: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X
- Custom-designed Nova Acoustic sound system
- 360-degree Spatial Audio
- Dual Audio Streams using 2.4GHz and Bluetooth
- 38-hour battery life on a single charge
When it comes to the best overall wireless gaming headset around, competition is fierce but the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X stands alone.
Full of outstanding features, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X immediately jumps out as the best overall option due to its 360-degree spatial audio. Fully compatible with both Microsoft’s Spatial Audio and PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D Audio, the Nova 7X will provide some of the best sounds you can hope for on a gaming headset. Plus, with support for both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, you can simultaneously be available for phone calls, gaming, Discord, music, and listening to podcasts.
As a multiplatform headset, the Nova 7X is officially licensed for Xbox but is also compatible with PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile platforms. Regardless of which platform you fancy, the 38-hour battery life will have you gaming for days at a time and a 15-minute USB-C fast charge gives you an easy 6 hours of use.
Best Noise-Canceling: Turtle Beach Stealth Pro
- Officially licensed for use with Xbox Series X consoles
- 50mm Nanoclear drivers
- Noise-canceling boom microphone
- Simultaneously listen to music and Discord chat
If you’re looking to block out the world while gaming, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is the best wireless gaming headset you can find today.
Powered by 50mm Nanoclear drivers, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is highlighted by its exceptional audio quality. Optimized by Turtle Beach’s specialized software, the Stealth Pro headset works well with Windows Sonic, Sony 3D Audio for the PlayStation 5, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone: X technologies. No matter which of these platforms you use, you are going to find the Turtle Beach headset delivers an unrivaled audio experience that gives you the ability to easily listen for approaching enemy footsteps.
Where the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro also shines is with its active noise cancellation that can reduce noise levels up to 25 dB. Four internal noise-cancelling microphones help the noise level while you can also make use of the Stealth Pro’s ultra-comfortable earcups to tune out additional distractions.
Wrapping Up
The wired versus wireless gaming headset debate will continue to rage on for the foreseeable future as both camps are firmly entrenched in their beliefs. The good news is that gamers have different options and there are absolute advantages to going wireless like being able to forget about cords or connect to multiple gaming platforms at once.
In addition, you don’t have to worry about a cable when packing or taking off the headset when you want a drink of water. For all of these reasons and more, a wireless gaming headset very well might be the right choice for you.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Jose Manuel Perez/Shutterstock.com.
