Whereas cheap headsets, which I’ve primarily defined with a $40-$80 price range, in the past would force you to make sacrifices, they now allow you to enjoy features like wireless connectivity, and/or 7.1 surround sound. Make no mistake that there are a lot of bad eggs still out there, but we’ve sorted them out to ensure you get a list of only the best budget gaming headsets.
After months of testing and too many hours in Super Mario Maker 2, we’ve picked out the top cheap gaming headsets based on overall sound quality, comfort, and features for the money. Read on to find the right budget gaming headset for you.
TL; DR – These are the Best Budget Gaming Headsets:
1. HyperX Cloud Stinger
Best Budget Gaming Headset
The HyperX Cloud Stinger (read our review) delivers impressive and immersive audio for both PC and console gaming, and it proves to be more than capable with music playback on an iOS or Android phone. It’s a versatile performer, although the boom mic is not detachable, so you might elicit some stares walking down the street rocking out to your tunes.
Strengthening our recommendation is the fact that the Cloud Stinger also happens to be the most comfortable of the budget headsets we’ve reviewed. It’s neither too heavy nor too light, so it feels sturdy without becoming uncomfortable during long gaming sessions. And the oval, synthetic leather ear cups offer a great fit and feel. Furthermore, it’s impressively on the lower price bracket of the budget headset spectrum.
2. Corsair HS35
Best Ultra Cheap Gaming Headset
Corsair launched its very first ultra-cheap gaming headset, the HS35 (read our review), recently and it’s extremely good, especially for its $35 price. It’s only a stereo headset, so there’s no fancy surround sound, but you can’t really ask for more from this extremely low price point.
It fully cross-platform though, so you can use it on PC, consoles, and even your phone/tablet. Its large 50mm drivers deliver an expansive soundstage. Its flexible boom mic also delivers great sound quality and it’s Discord Certified too. That all said, the audio balance of the HS35 is only so-so due and the bass can be a little too heavy for my taste. There’s some give and take, but you won’t find a cheaper quality gaming headset than this.
3. Corsair HS70
Best Budget Wireless Gaming Headset
The Corsair HS70 (read our review) was one of the first cheap wireless gaming headsets and it continues to stand out today. This very affordable $70 wireless gaming headset pumps out 7.1 surround sound through a large pair of 50mm drivers, which all adds up to great spatial awareness.
Both the headband and ear cups are made of an incredibly plush memory foam material, so you won’t find many gaming headsets more comfortable than the Corsair HS70. If you want to go wireless and stay on budget, this is the best option for you.
4. Plugable HS53
Loads of Features for Little Money
The Plugable HS53 (read our review) is ever so slightly more affordable than most of the budget gaming headsets on this list—with a price hovering around $45—but it has some niceties we wouldn’t expect from a peripheral this cheap. For one thing, the frame connecting the memory foam ear cups is made of brushed metal. It also has a retractable boom mic, which is always handier than the detachable ones.
In terms of audio quality, Plugable went with slightly larger 53mm drivers that offer punchy, extremely bass-forward audio. This set of cans also features a “True 2.0 Stereo” mode, which pushes directional game audio to a surprisingly convincing level.
5. Turtle Beach Recon 70
Best Multi-Platform Budget Gaming Headset
Turtle Beach is well known for producing quality and affordable gaming headsets, and the Recon 70 (read our review) is a great choice if you want something that can connect to anything. Whether its a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, or gaming PC, this set of cans will work with it and, more importantly, you’ll get great audio too.
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 presents dynamic game music and clear dialog. What’s more, all the sound effects you’ll hear coming out of these ear cups is crisp and powerful, exactly what you’d expect from any good gaming headset.
6. PDP LVL50
Wireless Audio on the Cheap
With the PDP LVL50 (read our review), we’ve come to another affordable wireless gaming headset option. It’s a stand out $80 headset that’ll work with the Xbox One, PS4, and PC thanks to its dedicated wireless dongle that makes setup easy.
This pair of cans push out some seriously loud audio, to the point that we had to keep the volume nob at 50% most of the time. There’s no fancy surround sound here, but positional audio was still pretty good even with just stereo. The only thing holding back this wireless gaming headset is its all plastic and sometimes creaky build quality.
7. Logitech Prodigy G231
Also Worth Considering
The Logitech G231 (read our review) is another excellent gaming headset with a low price-tag, making it excruciatingly close to our favorites. Its mesh ear covers are comfortable, the metal headband is flexible and resilient, and the drivers deliver thumping sound with excellent clarity.
The flip-up mic works really well too, making it a highly-functional set with only very minor flaws. Probably our favorite feature is the removable and washable ear cups, but the inline control module is also perfectly placed and these puppies can get loud.
8. Sades SA902 7.1
A Respectable Super Cheap Option
The Sades SA902 (read our review) can’t match the headsets listed above, but it’s also half their price. If you’re looking for an ultra-budget headset with respectable build quality that’s going to get the job done, this is a solid option.
Not only do you get virtual 7.1 surround sound, but they’re comfortable and have some crazy software too. It’s not the best for listening to music but is fine for games, and for the price can’t be beaten. Just adjust your expectations accordingly.
What to look for in a Budget Gaming Headset
We’ve picked out the cream of the crop when it comes to budget gaming headsets, but you can still run into a lot of bad apples. Here we’ll tell you about a few things you should expect from this market of cheap gaming headsets including build and sound quality.
Of the budget gaming headsets we’ve tested, we found that build quality can run the gamut between flimsy and cheap to super sturdy to the point of being almost too heavy. Of course, you’ll also get better build quality as you move up the price scale—less molded plastic and more metal. If you can check out these gaming headsets in store, be sure to not just put them on but give them a decent stretch (without snapping them in half!) and see if it creaks at all.
Although you will find scratchy fabric ear cups on some models, you’ll also encounter smooth synthetic leather and soft fabric, too. When it comes to leather vs fabric, it all comes down to your preference, but know that leather offers more sound isolation while fabrics are more breathable. Also be on the lookout for memory-foam padding as it offers the cushiest, most comfortable fit against your head.
Sound quality can be impressive across the board, though the tendency we found across the category was to favor low frequencies instead of highs or mids. You’ll get cleaner highs and better separation between mid and low frequencies in the midrange gaming headsets or higher class peripherals.
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Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam