With all the gaming headsets available online today it’s always a tough decision choosing the right one. You don’t want to break the bank and at the same time you want a headset that’s of decent quality and good enough for your gaming lifestyle.
Today I’ve made your life a whole lot easier by narrowing it down to 4 choices. I was going to go with 5 options, but I was forcing it with the 5th one and narrowed it down to four.
I’ve actually ordered my headset and should have it in the next week or so, it only took me 2 weeks to decide!! The headset I’ve chosen is among the 4 in this article and you can find out which one I ordered at the end.
By no means do you have to choose one of these gaming headsets, better yet just understand why I’ve chosen them and how making your decisions based on these simple reviews would help you when choosing your own gaming headset.
Rule of thumb: What you pay for is what you get.
In this industry, the what you pay for is what you get saying is so true. Sometimes it’s better to buy a cheap headset, because if you’re anything like me your going to break it anyway. I used to buy the skullcandy earbuds for 20$ a piece and in all fairness they aren’t bad little earbuds. However, they just don’t compare in audio quality when it comes to a premium gaming headset. It only takes a couple of tugs on the cable to break them and then your out of another 20 dollars.
If what you are looking for is a quality designed gaming headset, then raising your budget is key to finding that ultimate headset. I’ve gone through my fair share of gaming headsets and they’ve all been on the cheaper side. That is why I’ve decided to go for a higher quality gaming headset and explain how I’ve made my decision. Based on reviews, price point and design perspective.
At the same time, don’t pay too much
I think that $150 to $250 is a reasonable price for a “decent” gaming headset. I feel that a $400+ gaming headset is far too much and I can’t justify buying one for that price, but that’s my personal preference. I realize that you can get an amazing gaming headset for at least $400 and if you can afford to buy one of that caliber then by all means go for it. But remember that you can get just as good of a headset for much less and with a closely comparable audio quality. So if you’re looking to save money then keep reading.
Now we have that out of the way here are the headsets I’ve selected.
Headset #1 – Lucid Sound LS40 Universal Gaming Headset
I really like the lucid sound brand they are one of my favourite brands over most gaming headsets and yet they look nothing like your typical gaming style headsets. The Lucid Sound LS 40 headset speaks for itself. The reviews were very impressive and I couldn’t find any serious negative remarks other than someone had an issue with the bass being lower than a comparable headset, but overall he still gave the headset 5 stars so I’m thinking it wasn’t an issue more of a preference.
The LS40 is a reasonably priced headset and it has a slick, stylish and premium design. This is the best model for Lucid Sound and it comes equipped with a bunch of features such as 7.1 digital surround sound that provides a clear audio quality sound experience and the design itself sets it apart from the competition. It also has 2 microphones, a 15 hour battery life and touch controls on the sides of the ear cups to give it that extra smart-techy feel.
The selling point for me and this may surprise you is the fact that the ls 40 design can be used for more than just gaming and that alone prompts me to want to buy this headset. I’d be lying if I said it was only the design that prompts me to buy… Of course the 7.1 surround sound, 15 hour battery life and the touch controls have their input, but my deciding factor was the fact that the design was not completely gamer centric, but it still came with all the necessities a gamer would need.
Features
- 7.1 surround sound for ps4, xbox one, pc and ps3
- Design – crafted for comfort
- 15 hour battery life
- 2 mics – one integrated mic and a removable boom mic for gaming
- Mic monitoring capability (hear your own voice)
- Mobile phone controls – Answer calls, play/pause your music, change tracks and more with the on-earcup controls
Headset #2 – Razer Man O’War Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset
My second choice was the Razer Man O’War, like the lucid sound ls 40 this headset features a 7.1 surround sound system for the ultimate gaming experience and other comparable features. One thing that threw me off with this headset were the mentions about the plastic headband on the headset. Quite a few reviews mentioned that the plastic was not very durable and people were breaking it easily, but I do take every review with a grain of salt and if you do decide to bend the plastic band on the headset or throw it across a room, then sure it’s going to snap. We’ve all been there.. That being said, there are nothing but raving reviews about the audio quality and comfort of this headset and that earned it some brownie points in my eyes.
The selling point for this headset has to be the fact that I couldn’t find a reasonable complaint about the audio quality and that’s ultimately what we are looking for when choosing a gaming headset. The other thing I absolutely loved was the chroma lighting which is customizable with over 16.8 million options to choose from. I like the little things like that.
Features
- 7.1 surround sound for PC, PS4, Steam Link
- Retractable digital microphone
- Quick action controls on the earcups
- Latency-free wireless performance audio on PC and works with PS4
- Customizable chroma lighting – 16.8 million colours to choose from
- 14 hours battery life
Headset #3 – Turtle Beach Stealth 520 Wireless Gaming Headset
The Stealth 520 Turtle Beach has all the gaming qualities you would need for a gaming headset. Again with the 7.1 digital surround sound capability and the “superhuman hearing” competitive advantage for major gamers. It comes equipped with large 50mm speakers and 3D 360-degree soundscapes with unmatched spatial accuracy. This is an easy setup headset and a truly wireless headset.
I’ve had a few turtle beaches in the past and the audio quality is always good, the only thing I find with these gaming headsets are that they always feel a little flimsy, but at the same time they are lightweight and also somewhat durable.
For the build quality I’m searching for it’s not the headset I want, and unlike the lucid sound ls 40 the design of this headset is strictly gamer centric. There’s no chance you’d be using these anywhere else but your gaming basement. That being said, from a gaming standpoint you can’t go wrong with the audio quality for this gaming headset and it’s a significantly cheaper price. Turtle beaches are truly gamer focused headsets and offer a sound quality that’s perfect for gamers. It’s just not the premium headset I’m searching for, but for some of us this is an ideal headset especially for the price point.
The selling point for this headset is the price and the quality you receive for that price. If what you are looking for is an above entry level headset for a reasonable price with standard gaming features then you can’t go wrong with the Turtle Beach Stealth 520.
Features
- Wireless gaming headset
- DTS Headphone:X 7.1 Surround Sound
- Mic monitoring capability
- Compatible with ps4 pro
- 360 degree soundscapes with unmatched spatial accuracy
- Adaptive microphone
- 15 hour battery life
Headset #4 – HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset for PC & PS4 – Red
I’ve heard nothing but good things about the HyperX II cloud gaming headset. It has everything you would want with a gaming headset. 7.1 surround sound, audio box controls, memory foam earpads and the design of it is a slick gamer style design. This headset will only cost you 129.99 CAD which is nothing in comparison to some of the top name brand gaming headsets, and it comes equipped with comparable features such as that of the audio quality.
The only thing I question is the price. It’s an amazing price for a headset of this caliber, but when the price is so low I’m always a little nervous. Maybe its just me who is like that, but I have to question the quality of the build because of the price they are selling it for.
The downfall for this headset and it’s not really a downfall just a personal issue for me. Is that it looks kind of flimsy and like it could be broken fairly quickly.
You do have to keep in mind that when you buy a headset for that kind of price. How much do you think it is costing the manufacturer to build and is it built with quality materials or cheaper materials to cut down costs? Having said that the reviews for this headset are outstanding and among the best reviews I’ve seen for a headset. There was mention of it breaking easily and also a few reviews mentioning the microphone quality was not as good as competing headsets. I do not doubt that the audio quality of this headset is as good as they say, but I have to question the quality of it because of the cost. I could be wrong, but it’s my just 2 cents.
Overall this could be a great entry-level headset for any gamer.
Features
- 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound
- Advanced Audio Control Box
- Universal design
- Digital Microphone
Conclusion – Which Gaming Headset Did I Choose?
I’m sure you’ve already figured out the headset I’ve chosen as I mentioned it a few times through out this article. The headset I ended up buying was the Lucid Sound LS 40. I’ll be writing a more thorough review on this headset and may even do a video when it arrives.
Why did I choose this headset? Even though the LS 40 was the highest priced headset of all 4 I immediately fell in love with it from a design standpoint. I like the idea that you can kill 2 birds with one stone with this headset and that is why I was not bothered about the extra cost. When you buy the ls 40 you get a gamer headset with digital surround sound and you also get a music headset that you can take wherever you like. It truly is a universal gaming headset and has a premium look and feel to it.
Like I said before I’d be lying if I said the design was the only reason I chose the ls 40, but it is by far the deciding factor for me. The fact that you get all the gaming necessities you would need with this headset and a design like no other headset had me sold right from the beginning. I just had to do some homework and look into other headsets before I made that decision.
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