Headphones are the perfect way to bring intense bass and spatial surround audio to your home, without forking out hundreds of pounds for a seven-speaker surround sound. Here are our picks for the best PS5 headsets available now.
Sony has put immersion at the forefront of the PS5, with the incredible new DualSense controller, rapid SSD loading and incredible 4K gameplay all on a home console. Yet the sound setup is so often neglected, despite it being one of the most crucial aspects of true immersion.
We’ve selected five of the best headphones for the PS5 that’ll give you the edge in PvP, and bring the amazing game worlds of the next generation to life.
Not a fan of the PS5? Check out our article on where to find the best deals for the Xbox Series X/S.
Will these headphones work with other consoles?
While not all of the selections we’ve made will work on every platform, many of them do!
Related: Xbox Series X Wireless Headset
What are the most immersive games on the PS5?
Of course, this is largely opinion-based, but Horizon Forbidden West is a clear contender for a next-gen experience that is packed with atmosphere. Plus, using your headphones to track down nearby enemies is an absolute thrill.
Elden Ring also has some terrific ambience and atmosphere, exploring the vast Lands Between simply doesn’t feel right without proper sound.
Related: The best PS5 Games
Best Sony PlayStation Headset
Specifications:
Dimensions: 18 x 22 x 8.5 cm
Weight: 294 g
Drivers: 40 mm
Battery Life: 12 hours
Overview:
PlayStation’s Pulse 3D headset is a great option for an immersive gaming session at an incredible price.
Sony’s PS5 3D AudioTech is a wonder to experience. Paired with the new DualSense controller, it is nigh-on impossible to replicate such an incredibly absorbing gaming experience.
Perfect for FPS shooters, the Pulse Wireless headset is perfect for drawing in your focus with its breath-taking spatial audio.
Rather than having an annoyingly obtrusive microphone extending from the headset, Sony’s dual microphones are hidden in the earcups, without compromising audio quality.
While microphone audio on the Pulse 3D isn't perfectly clear, it's great for casual chatting with teammates in game lobbies.
To top it all off, using the headset is as easy as plugging in the adaptor and pairing the device to the PS5.
Sony has come a long way from the PS4 predecessor, the Sony Playstation Gold Headset, offering bigger bass, great sound and an excellent microphone.
Related: Sony Pulse 3D PlayStation headset review | The best gaming headsets
Best Overall Headset
Specifications:
Dimensions: 20.7 x 21.01 x 5.25 cm
Weight: 423 g
Drivers: 40 mm
Battery Life: 24 hours
Overview:
SteelSeries has constantly been at the forefront of the greatest headsets available, and the Arctis 7P is far from the exception.
Engineered specifically with the PS5 in mind, the Arctis 7P not only looks fantastic, but they’re also some of the best value-for-money headsets ever made.
With a full steel frame and flexible ski goggle headband, the build quality is instantaneously apparent and makes a major difference for daily QOL.
SteelSeries as always does not disappoint as they once again deliver a crisp, punchy sound with great bass. It's excellent for ratcheting tension in those intense Elden Ring boss encounters, or for stealthily tracking down enemy players in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Unlike Sony’s 3D Pulse headset, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P has double the battery life at 24 hours, so there’s no need to worry about losing sound during an intensive all-day marathon.
The microphone itself is a fairly traditional retractable bi-directional unit that fits snugly back into the body of the headphones, perfect for player freedom and customisation.
Best of all, unlike the 3D Pulse, the SteelSeries are compatible with Xbox, PC and even Android, so you’re not totally limited to use with the PS5. As someone who jumps between platforms a lot, this cannot be appreciated enough.
To use, simply plug in the USB-C adaptor, which is far less unobtrusive than the traditional dongle design, and let the gaming commence.
Related: The best monitor for PS5
Great Overall Sound
Specifications:
Dimensions: 21.7 x 11.3 x 24.3 cm
Weight: 784.71 g
Drivers: 50 mm
Battery Life: 20 hours
Overview:
The latest addition to the Turtle Beach Stealth series, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 improves on its predecessor in practically every way.
Gone are the dated blue highlights and the scratchy fabric. Here to stay is the slick, durable frame with Aerofit cooling-gel infused ear cushions that practically eliminate sweat build-up during prolonged use.
With 50mm drivers and Dolby Atmos, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 packs a punch, giving you a very rich and full sound for a great price.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 headset also has a very convenient 20 hours of battery life, which is plenty for even the most dedicated of gamers.
Simply plug in the audio adaptor, pair and play. If you’re feeling particularly picky, you can also adjust the headset’s sound levels using the Turtle Beach app to adjust in-game sound and microphone volume.
Last but not least, Turtle Beach stick with their fold-away microphone design that is strangely satisfying to use. Simply fold the microphone away and it automatically mutes you from other players.
Turtle Beach’s Stealth 700 Gen 2 Headset cannot be recommended enough for great value sound.
Related: The best PC gaming headsets
Best Wired Headset
Specifications:
Dimensions: 18.72 x 16.64 x 8.99 cm
Weight: 50 g
Drivers: 40 mm
Battery Life: N/A
Overview:
SteelSeries once again is crushing the headset competition with their line-up of some of the best headsets money can buy at their price.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime wired headset is compatible with practically any device with an audio jack and is seriously good for the money.
Sporting the trademark steel body that looks incredibly premium and a great ski goggle headband, as well as some plush noise-isolating ear cushions. SteelSeries never fail to deliver a headset with some great build quality.
As for the sound, it’s no surprise that SteelSeries has not disappointed. Rich, well-balanced and vibrant, with a spatial sound, it’s hard to believe these headphones come in around £100.
As for the microphone, the retractable design makes a triumphant return and is perfect for its purpose. The quality isn’t mind-blowing, but it works perfectly well for talking with teammates or just casual socialising.
It’s also wired, which, despite most people’s opinion, is a nice QOL feature, there’s no faff with pairing, just plug them straight into the controller and start playing.
Related: The best SteelSeries headsets
Best Value Headset
Specifications:
Dimensions: 21.7 x 9.5 x 24.3 cm
Weight: 453.59 g
Drivers: 50 mm
Battery Life: 15 hours
Overview:
Turtle Beach headsets have been a mainstay for gamers since the mid-2000s, and they’ve always been an incredibly solid choice for terrific sound quality at an affordable price.
And the latest Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Wireless headset is probably their best yet, bringing great value sound, comfortability and build quality for an unshakeable price.
Unlike the pricier Pulse and the SteelSeries, the Stealth 600 have a truly adjustable headband, which, in our opinion, is going to be far more comfortable in the long run.
Their design is utterly classic, sticking with the oblong can-style headset aesthetic that is at this point almost nostalgic for console gamers such as myself.
The microphone, despite not being customisable, feels solid and folds satisfyingly into the headset itself.
Most importantly, these headphones sound, for the cost, pretty great! They’re engineered with 3D sound in mind, giving that spatial audio effect that you’re used to seeing only in higher-end headsets, and it works very well.
Good bass, great volume and an amazing Superhuman Hearing mode that gives you some serious edge in PVP shootouts. Turtle Beach’s Stealth 600 headset are a serious contender for one of the best budget headsets of the year.