When you first purchase an Xbox One, there are a couple things that we recommend picking up. The first is an external hard drive. You will eventually run out of space on your Xbox’s internal hard drive at some point, especially if you decide to go all digital when it comes to games. Even if you have a 1tb or 2tb version of the console, chances are that are you’re going to use up all that space. The second thing we recommend picking up is a decent headset. These headsets aren’t just for use when talking to each other (which is a huge benefit in some games), but it also just enhances the gaming experience if you don’t have a decent sound system setup in your house.
It’s super annoying that the Xbox One S does not come with the default Microsoft headset anymore, but that doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune on a top of the line 3rd party headset, just to use when you game. Actually, if you wanted to, you can just use any headphones if you have the latest version of the Xbox One controller that has the 3mm headphone jack on it. If you don’t have a newer controller, like me, you can also buy a stereo adapter that allows the old controllers to work with any headset.
If you’re looking for something specifically designed with the Xbox One in mind, and you want something that is sure to let you hear every single footstep in Call of Duty or Rainbow Six Siege, then check out the list below. We’ve compiled 5 of the best xbox one headsets that span a wide spectrum of prices. You don’t have to break the bank to have a quality headset.
Best Xbox One Headsets
BEST
Turtle Beach Ear Force XO Four Stealth
As I said, Turtle Beach is one of the top names in gaming headsets, so it should come as no surprise that two different headsets from this brand show up on this list. The Ear Force XO Four is an amazing headset at an amazing price. With most of these other headsets coming in at over $100 each, this headset can usually be found for anywhere from $50 to $75, and it’s absolutely worth it. It’s not wireless like the 420X+, but that just means you don’t have to worry about batteries dying on you in the middle of the game, which we think is a huge plus. This headset also comes with mic monitoring so you can hear your own voice in the headset to ensure that you’re not screaming at your teammates during a round of Call of Duty. It also includes the ability to independently adjust game volume and voice volume.
If you’re looking for a decent headset, and you don’t need wireless, and you don’t want to spend over $100, we highly recommend the Ear Force XO Four. We use this headset on a daily basis now and couldn’t imagine going back to anything else. It feels great, it sounds great, it doesn’t break the bank, and you’ll be able to game in peace without disturbing your roommates or neighbors.
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Turtle Beach – Stealth 420X+ Fully Wireless Gaming Headset
Turtle Beach is one of the most well known brands when it comes to gaming headsets. They continue to pump out quality products year after year and gamers seem to love them. This headset is the only headset on our list that is fully wireless, for the other headsets you will be required to have a cord running from the headset to the controller, which might be an inconvenience to some (not us), so if that’s the case, then shell out the extra cash and go for this one. The only downside to being fully wireless is that the headset itself requires batteries. There is a 15-hour rechargeable battery in the headset so that should give you plenty of use time, but can still be annoying if it dies in the middle of a match.
The Turtle Beach also offers ‘Mic Monitoring’ which is actually something we miss quite a bit from our current headset. ‘Mic Monitoring’ allows you to hear your own voice inside the headset so you can be sure that your voice is loud enough (or quiet enough) for the other people in your game. Combine that with the ability to independently adjust both game volume and voice volume, and this headset is a solid choice for anyone looking to upgrade their current headset. It won’t break the bank, but it’s a little more expensive that some of the other options on this list.
ASTRO Gaming A40 TR Gaming Headset
There are two different versions of the ASTRO Gaming A40 headset for Xbox One, but we can’t bring ourselves to recommend the version that comes with an external mixamp. It’s an extra $50 and we don’t necessarily think it makes sense for the casual gamer. This one is not wireless like the Turtle Beach model above, so you will have a cord connecting the headset to the controller, but as long as you’re not flailing around like an idiot when you play, then the cord shouldn’t be a problem. Moreso than some of the other headsets on this list, we really like the way this one feels on our head. It’s super comfortable and lightweight, and feels like something you could wear for long stretches of time without issue. We also like the boom mic on this one. It stays out of the way enough and picks up your voice great while minimizing the background noise. It can be adjusted so that it sits on either side of the headphones, which is nice, because on most of these you’re just stuck with wherever the boom mic is, or plugs in.
This headset has been specifically tuned for gaming and you can tell. You will never get snuck up on again in any game. The ASTRO A40 headset is probably our favorite on this list, but it’s also the most expensive. If you aren’t looking to spend over $100 on a headset for your Xbox One, than this may not be the option for you, but you do get what you paid for in terms of quality.
Xbox One Stereo Headset
While the headset that Microsoft was packaging with the original Xbox One consoles that came out is ok for the casual person, all it does is allow you to hear the voice chat. It doesn’t give you any in-game audio, or even stereo audio. It’s a weird little one-ear headset with a pretty terrible boom mic, so it’s no surprise that Microsoft released their own stereo headset to try and compete with the big guys… and they did a pretty decent job.
The Xbox One Stereo Headset from Microsoft is a wired headset, that just needs to plug in to your controller, and doesn’t require any batteries. It includes the stereo headset adapter for your controller so you can adjust game volume and chat volumn right at your fingertips. If you have a new controller with the 3mm headphone jack you can do mic monitoring through the settings in the console (if you have any old controller you are currently out of luck). The headset it self feels great on your head, it provides awesome sound quality and the microphone is pretty great for what it is. I’m actually surprised at how well of a product Microsoft put together here. The price point is cheaper than any of the 3 headsets listed above, so if you’re looking to upgrade to a better headset, but don’t want to spend more than $50, this is your answer.
HyperX Cloud Stinger Gaming Headset
The last gaming headset on our list is the HyperX Cloud Stinger. This headset comes in at around the same price point as the Xbox One Stereo Headset above, but we liked the feel of it a little better than the MS one. It’s super lightweight and padded so it feels great on your head. It is also a wired headset, like most of these, so it does not require batteries or charging, just plug in and go. The 50mm directional drivers in the speakers provide crystal clear quality and the volume control on the side of the headset itself is kind of nice, but a little annoying at the same time. It’s nice to have the volume controls at your fingertips on the controller, but there’s something about the volume dial on these ones that makes us feel like it’s more precise and we’re not fumbling around with the buttons trying to get things to sound how we want them.
And our favorite feature, which may or may not appeal to you, is the swivel-to-mute microphone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been playing a game thinking I’m talking to my team only to find out that I’ve been muted the entire time without realizing it. Or when I’ve been talking to my wife and everyone in the game hears our conversation. Now, by swiveling the microphone up, as you would do if you weren’t talking, the microphone is automatically muted. We really dug that feature in this headset, but you may not want that. But all in all, this is a quality headset for a fair price. Coming in at between $50 and $60, this is perfect for the casual gamer that wants a decent headset, but doesn’t feel the need to spend a ton of money on it.
Honorable Mention:
Polk Audio 4Shot
We wanted to include the Polk Audio 4Shot on here because up until a couple months ago, this is the headset that we were using. It is by no means the best headset out there, and at the time we only bought it because of a recommendation from a friend, and it was cheap. There’s not much to this headset, it’s comfortable on your head, durable, fairly lightweight and the audio quality is pretty solid. Polk Audio is an audio company first and foremost. They’ve been around for as long as I can remember, and I remember their car stereo products being incredible, so they know what they are doing when it comes to speakers. The audio quality on this headset is great, everything is crystal clear, and I actually loved using it for watching movies through the Xbox One. My only complaint about it is the retractable microphone in the ear pod. It didn’t seem to pick up the audio that great, and people said I was quiet. But if you reach out to Polk Audio support directly, they will send you a boom mic attachment for free to add to the 4Shot which makes it leaps and bounds better. So while we no longer use this headset, we felt it was appropriate to add it to the list since it did good for us for so long.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, 5 of the best gaming headsets for Xbox one, in our opinion. If you’re a casual gamer just looking to add some better sound quality to your gaming life, then any of these headsets will fit the bill. These headsets range in price from $50 to $150, so you’re sure to find something that will enhance your gaming experience, while at the same time not breaking the bank.
We do truly feel that there’s nothing quite like a decent gaming headset to help push your engagement to the next level, so if you’ve been on the fence about a headset for a while, we highly recommend picking one up. You’ll hear things you’ve never heard before when it comes to your favorite games, and it might even help your Call of Duty or Rainbow Six Siege game since you’ll be able to hear the enemies coming from a mile away.
Your favorite headset not on the list? Let us know in the comments which headset you use on a regular basis and what’s so great about it. The above headsets are just our opinions, so we’d love to hear yours.
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