Gaming headphones: a marketing move or a unique product category

For the most productive game and enjoy the process itself, most gamers purchase gaming headphones for their hobby. The modern market of electronic accessories offers a wide range of options that differ in both appearance and technical components. The large price range also becomes an occasion for reflection on the qualitative differences of this device. What is the difference between gaming headphones and ordinary headphones? What characteristics should have the best gaming headset? Is a high-quality accessory always expensive or can you choose a budget option that is not inferior to the top models of the rating of professional gamers? To these and other questions, a person who has set out to determine the best gaming headphones for himself will find comprehensive answers in the article below.

Differences

Before proceeding with the analysis of specific products offered by the manufacturer, it is important to understand what are the main differences between gaming "ears" and ordinary headphones, for example, for listening to music.

Firstly, the gaming accessory has a unique design to provide maximum comfort to the user. As a rule, e-sports involves hours of play, during which there should be no pain or discomfort due to the use of headphones. For this reason, in the production of most of them, “lightweight” materials are used, which, despite the massive appearance, are practically not felt during direct operation.

Secondly, professional headphones for games are distinguished from musical "ears" by the range of reproduced frequencies. In this type of electronic accessory, the manufacturer deliberately “muffles” the “top”, emphasizing the sound at medium and low frequencies. The given feature allows you to create maximum immersion, giving the user the opportunity not only to hear detailed sounds of the game process without getting uncomfortable "stunning", but also to determine the location of audible actions, for example, the steps of the enemies on the left, shooting on the right and so on.

Thirdly, the headphones in the gaming top are equipped with a high-quality microphone with increased sensitivity to the human voice and, as a result, a high level of noise reduction. This feature allows the player to freely use the headset, even while in a noisy place with a lot of extraneous sounds. In such a situation, the microphone will pick up the frequencies closest to it (voice), suppressing distant noise as much as possible.

Fourth, the “ears” for playing on a computer or set-top box always have enhanced sound insulation, which allows gamers to enjoy the process without being distracted by the circumstances surrounding it.

Main characteristics

An important point in choosing a good gaming accompaniment is the knowledge of the main characteristics, which provides an opportunity, discarding the "tinsel" of advertising PR, to identify the really best headphones in its segment. A potential buyer of gaming "ears" should pay special attention to:

• build quality of goods;
• design (in terms of the comfort of wearing an accessory);
• soundproofing;
• sound (frequency range, possible distortion of sound, and so on);
• microphone properties;
• functionality (in terms of the genre of games in which the device is planned to be used).

The assembly of a gaming accessory should be of the highest quality. Professional gaming headphones are an expensive pleasure, reaching an average of up to 3,000 rubles, and in most cases exceeding the mark of 4,000 rubles. Investing in an expensive purchase, you need to be sure of the "reliability" of your choice and the absence of various kinds of flaws. When studying the device in the store, it is worthwhile to devote a sufficient amount of time to a thorough check:

• fasteners;
• connecting elements;
• places of entry of wires (when buying cable "ears");
• ports available;
• headband and cup material;
• Possibilities of interfacing with third-party devices by the method declared by the manufacturer (when choosing a wireless accessory).

It is not so important how “cool” headphones look like, with or without backlight, green or black, how much is the correctness of their design in the assembly. A gaming accessory must have the correct support points when worn on the head. This fact will avoid the occurrence of discomfort, headache, temples, ears or neck pain during the many hours of gameplay. Based on the aforementioned statement, one of the paramount points deserving the attention of a gamer when buying gaming headphones for a PC or set-top box can be considered the presence or absence of compression when used directly.

To ensure maximum sound insulation when immersed in the gameplay, it is worth giving preference to headphones with a covering type of ear pads. This type of accessory is designed to completely "close" the gamer's ears from the outside world. Such isolation is achieved due to the absence of extraneous sounds, which cannot be obtained when using the device with false ear pads. When choosing between open or closed types of gaming "ears", you should rely on your priorities. Open more accurately conveys the sound, despite imperfect sound insulation. Closed maximally immerses in the gameplay, but distorts certain frequencies, which can lead to a rapid onset of fatigue, discomfort in the ears.

Knowledge of the optimal numbers of indicators such as the range of reproduced frequencies, sensitivity, resistance and the level of possible distortion of sound will allow you to make the right choice in the best headphones for your segment. The optimal range of the frequency response is considered to be a range from 16 Hz - 20 kHz. Frequencies significantly higher or lower than those indicated are simply not perceived by the human ear. The sensitivity (the actual maximum volume of the device) of the selected gaming headphones should “fit” within 90 - 130 dB. The resistance indicator is considered optimal if it is from 30 to 100 Ohms. This value will help you to navigate the purity and volume of the sound reproduced by the "ears" (the higher, the cleaner, but quieter). The manufacturer’s tests of the proposed product allow him to indicate the acceptable level of possible sound distortion during direct use of the headphones. Ideally, the SOI should be less than 2%.

Due attention should also be paid to the microphone of the headset selected for gaming. It should have a convenient location (ideally sold removable) and have a high level of noise reduction. It is important to note that the vast majority of gaming-grade headphones, including low-cost options, have a high-quality microphone that meets the basic needs of a gamer.

In terms of functionality, it is worth noting the need to use headphones with an emphasis on high-quality sound for shooters such as Battlefield, Overwatch, Rainbow 6, Farcry and so on.So, for example, when immersing in the gameplay of a team game, an overwatch from Blizzard to a player, being in high-quality "ears" with perfect sound, it will be easier to navigate in battles for objects on the battlefield, capturing the direction of the enemy’s actions, without actually seeing him.

Choosing headphones for streams, the gamer is more likely to pay primary attention to the ease of use and the quality of the microphone. These characteristics will be necessary for him to “maintain the level” of the broadcast review of the game’s gameplay, during which the audience will be interested in the sound converted by the user's microphone, and not what he hears in his “ears”. For example, a good microphone of the headset used for streaming the online game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds from the Korean developer PUBG Corporation will enable the streamer to clearly describe the events that take place in the “royal battle”, their emotions and assessments of the process, prompting them to thereby join the game “for survival” .

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on the above indicators, a potential buyer will be able to make a choice in favor of headphones that best meet his needs and are suitable for the price category. For greater certainty, it is important to assess the presence of pluses and the absence of minuses that are often found in the use of gaming devices.

Pros:

• surround sound;
• high-quality positioning of gameplay sounds;
• maximum isolation of the user from the outside world;
• wearing comfort;
• high noise canceling microphone.

Minuses:

• heavy, rigid design of the accessory itself;
• the high cost of quality products of famous brands;
• distortion of some frequencies (in the case of wireless headphones);
• insufficient cable length (in the case of a wired accessory);
• inflexible microphone design, fettering the movement of the player in the process.

Top 10 Gaming Headphones

In choosing the “ideal” gaming headphones for yourself, it is worth considering, first of all, options from the top of accessories according to professional gamers.

Sennheiser G4ME ZERO

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 10 Hz - 26 kHz
• Resistance: 50 Ohm / 150 Ohm
• Sensitivity: 108 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 38 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 16 kHz
• Cable length: 3m / 1.2m

Ideal for professional gamers willing to pay for a quality accessory.

Razer Kraken Pro V2

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 12 Hz - 28 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 118 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 38 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 10 kHz
• Cable length: 2m / 1.3m

The unique design complete with high-end sound will not leave indifferent even the most demanding user.

Logitech g433

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 107 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 38 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 10 kHz
• Cable length: 2m

An ideal choice at an affordable cost for perfectionists in terms of sound quality and microphone sound transmission.

SteelSeries Arctis 5

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 98 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 48 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 10 kHz
• Cable length: 3m

The unique sound, coupled with high-quality microphone quality, completely fulfills its value, excluding comparisons, for example, with gaming "ears" of the price category up to 5,000 rubles.

HyperX Cloud Revolver S

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 12 Hz - 28 kHz
• Resistance: 30 Ohm
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 44 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 18 kHz
• Cable length: 2m / 1m

The choice of professionals that can increase the chances of winning any game due to complete immersion in the gameplay, thanks to the unique surround sound and the purest voice transmission by the microphone.

A4Tech Bloody G300

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 58dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 16 kHz
• Cable length: 2.2m

Gaming headphones related to the price category up to 2,000 rubles are ideal for beginner gamers.

Oklick HS-L320G PHOENIX

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 54 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 16 kHz
• Cable length: 1.9m

Gembird MHS-780B

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 105 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 54 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 16 kHz
• Cable length: 1.8m

Plantronics RIG 500E

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 113 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 45 dB
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 10 kHz
• Cable length: 1.5m / 2m

ThunderX3 TH30

• Type: full-size, closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Resistance: 60 Ohm
• Sensitivity: 103 dB
• Microphone Sensitivity: - 40 dB
• Cable Length: 1.2m / 1.2m

The main conclusion that arises after reading the article is the reasonable importance of acquiring special gaming headphones. When choosing the right accessory, you should pay attention to the special characteristics that are important for the type of activity in which the device is planned to be used directly. The best headset means high-quality assembly, surround sound, positioning during gameplay and a high level of noise reduction. The competent choice of a stereo device will provide not only an increase in the effectiveness of the game process, but also maximum enjoyment from a comfortable long-term use of “ears”.

Title	Sennheiser G4ME ZERO	Razer Kraken Pro V2	Logitech g433	SteelSeries Arctis 5	HyperX Cloud Revolver S	A4Tech Bloody G300	Oklick HS-L320G PHOENIX	Gembird MHS-780B	Plantronics RIG 500E	ThunderX3 TH30
Frequency Response Range	10 - 26000 Hz	12 - 28000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	12 - 28000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity	50 ohm	32 ohm	32 ohm	32 ohm	30 ohm	32 ohm	32 ohm	32 ohm	32 ohm	60 ohm
Impedance	108 dB	118 dB	107 dB	98 dB	100 dB	100 dB	105 dB	105 dB	111 dB	103 dB
The weight	312 g	322 g	259 g	306 g	376 g	210 g	278 g	320 g	200 g	720 g
Membrane diameter	50 mm	50 mm	40 mm	40 mm	50 mm	40 mm	50 mm	40 mm	40 mm	53 mm
Price	from 11650 rub.	from 7000 rub.	from 6650 rub.	from 7300 rub.	from 8650 rub.	from 1200 rub.	from 500 rub.	from 400 rub.	from 6850 rub.	from 2000 rub.