Beyerdynamic includes two different cable lengths cables; 3m and a shorter 1.8m for console gamepads, Nintendo Switch, or other portable devices. These cables didn't make any noise, which was something that was present on the MMX 100. The low power requirement of 48 ohms allows you to use the DT 900 Pro X on almost anything without needing an amplifier too.

Many gaming headsets and sound cards come with a “virtual surround” feature, which aims to provide a more accurate sense of space to your gaming audio. If you’re on the fence about whether the feature is worthwhile, though, there are virtual surround apps that will add the feature to your current headphones, for free or a small price. With such a dedication to monitor mode, there's no buttons for anything else on the headset. It makes sense, especially for a headset that wants to make sure you sound good. All other audio is meant to be controlled through your PC. Remembering to reach for your PC volume controls as opposed to the headset itself takes a little bit of getting used to, but I think the trade off in simplicity is worth it. In 2017, Microsoft introduced a new feature to Windows called Spatial Sound, which allows different programs to directly interface with the audio stream in Windows and add virtual surround sound for headphones. Some programs and games are designed specifically to work with Spatial Sound.This is a 3.5mm wired headset, however, so just bear in mind that both the microphone and audio quality could be adversely affected by your motherboard's DAC/amp or whatever sound card/external device you plug it into. It shouldn't make a huge difference nowadays, even the cheapest motherboards have relatively decent audio, but worth sparing a thought for your holistic audio setup. If you want to use your headset with last-gen systems, such as the PS3 and Xbox 360, you must see if the headset supports those console's unique connections, or if adapters are available. PCs are the most flexible with gaming headsets, since they can work with USB headsets (which are generally only compatible with PCs), 3.5mm analog connections (though you might need a splitter adapter if your headset ends in just one plug), and often optical audio. Compatibility: PS4, PS5, PC | Connectivity: Wireless dongle | Drivers: 50mm | Battery life: 16 hours | Weight: 256g

Compatibility: Xbox Series X/S, PS5/PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac | Connectivity: wired | Drivers: 50mm Neodymium | Surround sound modes: Dolby Audio 7.1 | Weight: 282g Connectivity: The best wireless gaming headsets offer a 2.4GHz dongle that’ll slot into your PC or gaming console, delivering a latency-free connection to ensure you never miss audio cues in a game. Beyond the dongle, you’ll also often get Bluetooth to listen on other devices, and many offer a wired lag-free connection, too. As for wireless headphones, you’re usually just limited to Bluetooth, and there’s always a bit of latency that comes with it, which could make or break you in a gaming setting. However, some higher-end headphones do offer a wired connection to devices, making lag less of an issue, but you’ll be tethered to the device. The larger the driver, the more air they can move to not only to make louder sounds, but it also allows them to produce a wider, more nuanced range of frequencies—which happens to take us to our next specification.

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The Xbox Wireless Headset is exactly what it says on the box: a wireless headset for the Xbox. It uses the same wireless connection Xbox Wireless Controllers use to pair with an Xbox One or Series S/X console without a separate transmitter, while keeping lower-latency and higher-quality sound than what Bluetooth allows. It has Bluetooth as well (also like the Xbox Wireless Controller), so you can also use it with any phone or PC if you don't mind compromising on audio. However, even if a certain game is not designed for it, the Spatial Sound feature can “upscale” a stereo signal to provide surround effects through your headphones. Presumably, games designed to work with Spatial Sound will sound better than unsupported upscaled games, but it’s nice to know you can use it with anything. There are a few console-specific headsets and variations you can consider, like the Xbox Wireless Headset, which offers strong performance. Still, you generally won't find a "best" headset unique to a console; the top models usually have multiple, system-specific versions.