Gaming can be an expensive hobby as its gear doesn’t come cheap. From building a Beast PC to the peripheral like a gaming keyboard or headset, the gamers pour more and more money into their passion as they level up the game. The pros do have the right skills and passions, but they could achieve a little more than insignificant without their solid gadgets.
In this article, we will discuss the best gaming headphones under $150. No matter if you are a rookie and a veteran, this one-time investment will help you unleash your gaming passion to the maximum extent. So without further ado, let’s get straight to the buying guide.
Buying Guide: Gaming headsets under $150
Make a checklist of these features. Also, be mindful of the games you usually prefer. Though most of the gaming headphones discussed in this article will be compatible with all platforms (PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox), they may have the edge in a particular type of gameplay. (Multiplayer, First Person Shooting games, Epic games)
Let’s find out the features that must be considered in a budget gaming headset.
Comfort:
As gamers usually wear headphones for hours, and sometimes without breaks, comfort quality of headphones cannot be compromised. It should be your number one priority. But how to assess it?
The Headband and the ear cups are the parts which have to do most with the comfort. For your convenience, the head band should be adjustable and preferably padded. The ear cups should be in Over-ear type design and should preferably have memory foam padding. Gaming metal cans do come in on-ear design, but they are highly unsuitable for long gaming sessions.
A gaming headphones under $150 have no excuse to compromise the comfort as the budget is more than enough for premium design and padding.
Noise Cancellation:
Both passive and active noise cancellation are must-haves for gaming. Without them, you will be devoid of an immersive gaming experience. Believe me, you would hate it.
Passive cancellation has to do with the design of the earcups: they should be closed back and are heavily padded. A Breathable padding is a must if you don’t want the headphones to make you sweat while gaming.
Active noise cancellation is done with the help of sensors. These small chips use electronic processing to find out and separate the ambient noise and cancel it out effectively. ANC Gaming headsets don’t come cheap, hardly under $150.
Mic:
Multiplayer games, especially the first person shooting type, know the importance of a mic in gaming. Effective coordination and communication is impossible without a mic in such games. So if you are into multiplayer gamers, a mic should be in your priority list.
Connectivity:
You have two options for connectivity: Wireless and wired. Though wireless have closed the gap in the last few years, wired ones are the standard and are more reliable. But there is a catch. Wired headphones are prone to damage. Why?
Just suppose that after an intense gaming the opponents dealt you a humiliating defeat. You will likely lose your mind and might need to get off the computer screen for a while. It happens all the time that frustrating gamers in anguish snap the wire of the headphones, which in most cases is irreparable.
If you want to go with the wireless option, prefer those with a long battery life and the most advanced bluetooth or wifi technology.
Sound quality:
Of course, sound quality is unquestionably one of the key priorities in a gaming headset. It depends on the size of drivers(read speakers), the audio frequency range, and advanced features like surround sound.
You will most likely find headsets with virtual surround sound (Stereo headphones + Sound Virtualization technology). The advantage? You will be able to hear sound from multiple directions and thus will have a competitive edge over your competitors in FPS games.
Quick controls:
In E-sports, just like in many other sports, timing is everything. The milliseconds saved while lowering or increasing the volume can save you a team match. The headsets must have quick control buttons either on the wire or on the earcups to help you fast-track the volume manipulation while gaming.
Durability:
At all cost, avoid plastic. Both the head band and the earcups should have metal construction. The headphones should be strong enough to withstand abuse during bouts of frustration and anger inevitable in gaming.
When wired, the wire should be of considerable length and braided. Under $150 is still enough budget to get you a pair of headphones with solid construction.
Top Budget Gaming Headphones Under $150
1. Corsair Hs60 Pro Review—best ps4 headset under 150
$49.99 in stock
Corsair Hs60 have a class of their own. Though they can be categorized in a number of way, we have added them as our best gaming headphones under $150 with an exceptional mic. The microphone is its distinguishing feature and is fully detachable. Also, it is certified for its
crystal-clear communication and outstanding sound.
Apart from the mic, the headphone’s second most striking feature is its build quality. It is built to last for years, with exceptional comfortability. Thanks to its plush memory earcups, you will enjoy hours of gameplay without any fuss.
In addition to that, it doesn’t disappoint in sound quality. Powered with High-quality, custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers, and 7.1 virtual sound they will complement your gaming setup in fast-track games, and especially FPS.
Lastly, the headphones offer multi-platform compatibility. They are compatible with PC, PS4, Xbox One*, Switch, and mobile devices. However, wireless connectivity is only offered with the PC via a USB dongle.
2. Razer Nari Essential Review—Best Budget Wireless Gaming Headset
$52.89 in stock
10 used from $38.63
Razer Nari Essential has been awarded the title for the best affordable wireless gaming headsets. It offers the features of expensive headphones at an attractive price point and with a few limitations in features.
The 7.1 surround sound is available along with manual EQ control flexibility but that option is only limited to PCs. On other gaming consoles, it will work like a regular Stereo headphones.
These headphones are strong enough to bear extreme abuse by gamers which is usually very common. The headband has a two piece design with the top section consisting of an aluminium band and the lower section consists of padding for heads’ comfort. Memory foam, leather and a breathable fabric makes the earpads that are comfortable in all aspects.
Razer Nari essential can last for 16 hours on a single charge and is only compatible with the PC and Playstation gaming consoles. The sound quality is impressive and is truly immersive. The microphone is of Boom type and delivers an excellent sound quality with no sign of fuzziness.
We would only recommend it for PCs as with the Razor’s windows app you can get the most out of its surround sound feature.
3. SteelSeries Arctis 7 Review—Best Budget Gaming headset for a Big head
Steel Series Arctis 7 is the best budget gaming headset for big heads for the reason that it doesn’t have an all-in-all steel frame but rather a combination of a sturdy aluminum frame and an adjustable suspension band. The band is comfortable and elastic and can be adjusted for any type of head.
Steel Series Arctic 7 relies on a USB dongle for connectivity. It connects to the PCs, and other gaming consoles, with no perceivable latency. With many features, it is much like the Razer Nari Essential. For instance, you can only get the surround sound and manual tweaking on the PCs. For gaming consoles, it won’t allow you much flexibility.
The headset has a huge battery timing. It can last upto 24 hours on a single recharge, and so, will make it to the end of the day. The build quality is hands down exceptional, almost similar to the expensive models.
The sound, however, is not very focused on minute and subtle details and rather on bass. You won’t be able to shell out the most of it in FPS games as the sound will be less focused on the enemy’s footsteps and more focused on the explosions.
The best part about these headphones is that they can be used as wired headphones. A 3.5mm port and detachable cable allows you such flexibility.
4. PDP Gaming Headset Review— Best Budget pc gaming headset
$45.07 in stock
12 used from $25.75
These headphones were originally licenced by Sony for Playstation, and therefore the best budget headphones for playstation and similar consoles. Backed by the powerful 50mm drivers, they deliver a clear and balanced sound. However, the headphones are the stereotype which means that you won’t get surround sound in the games.
These wireless headphones have a fairly long battery life of 16 hours and an excellent connectivity range of 40m. You just need a usb dongle to connect it to your gaming consoles or PC. Yes, it does work with PC just as well as it works with other gaming consoles.
The headband and ear cups are highly comfortable. You can put the headsets on for hours and hours without any break and still feel unbothered. It doesn’t bite and neither does it make you sweat while gaming.
The wires have quick-control features but not as many as you would find in other headphones. Whereas, the mic is so-so, not as good as to stand among the top-tired headphones and not as bad to count among the worst of gaming headphones. Nevertheless, it has one trick up its sleeves: You can quick Flip Mute by simply flipping up the mic boom.
5. Skullcandy Hesh 2 Review—Best Budget Bluetooth Gaming Headset
$49.99 in stock
9 used from $45.35
Skullcandy Hesh is the best bluetooth gaming headphones under $50. The reason why we added it among other much expensive models is that most high end headsets have discarded bluetooth for a 2.4 Ghz WiFi connectivity. The latter is much faster and has imperceptible latency. Bluetooth is left for low end models.
The headband of the headphones is strong and sturdy but is not very comfortable. Skullcandy needs to have done a better job at the cushioning of the headband. But, we can argue little with such an affordable price point offered by the company.
It has a reasonable battery life of approximately 15 hours, however if you listen at a very high volume, it would only last for a little more than 10. But the recharge is quick. With only 2.5 hours recharge time, the headphones will be usable again.
These headphones, unlike others in our list, are not built for gaming but rather are a general purpose stereo headphones that can be used in a variety of ways. Gaming can be one of them.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S: Best PC Gaming Headset
$89.99 in stock
22 used from $37.09
Features
- Frequency response 13Hz – 27kHz.Headphones fit type:Over-Ear
- Custom-tuned HyperX 7.1 surround sound
- Bass adjustment sliders
- HyperX Dual chamber drivers
- Game and chat balance
HyperX Cloud II: best 7.1 surround sound gaming headset
2 used from $67.50
Features
- 15-25kKhz Frequency Response.Headphones fit type:Over-Ear
- Designed for comfort: Exceptionally comfortable memory foam ear cushions and padded leatherette headband help keep you focused on gaming
- Supreme audio quality: Large 53 millimeter drivers provide high-quality audio. Hear in-game details better and get the in-game advantage on your opponents
- 7.1 virtual surround sound: Truly immerse yourself in your games with hardware-driven virtual 7.1 surround sound for precisely located audio
- Passive noise cancellation: The closed ear cup design blocks out outside distractions to keep you in the game
Razer BlackShark V2: most comfortable gaming headset
8 used from $41.24
Features
- Frequency Response 12 Hz – 28 kHz.Headphones fit type:Over-Ear
- Gaming Peripherals Brand: Source - The NPD Group, Inc. U.S. Retail Tracking Service: Gaming Keyboards, Gaming Mice, Gaming Headsets, Gaming Peripherals; Based on dollar sales, Jan-Sept. 2021 combined
- THX 7.1 Surround Sound Capable: Provides industry-leading audio realism for in-game immersion by providing accurate spatial audio information beyond standard 7.1 surround sound directional cues
- Triforce Titanium 50mm High-End Sound Drivers: Outfitted with cutting-edge, 50mm drivers divided into 3 parts for individual tuning of highs, mids, and lows
- All-Day Comfort: Oval, cooling gel-infused cushions that prevent overheating and pressure build-up
FAQs: Budget Gaming Headphones
Are cheap gaming headphones worth it?
It mostly depends on your gaming needs. For pro gamers, surround sound and active noise cancellation are the two most critical features and they don’t come cheap. So it is better to invest a little extra on them. Whereas, beginners can make the most out of cheap headphones.
How much should I spend on gaming headphones?
Speaking of figures, $100-150 is more than enough for a solid gaming headset. You will get a perfect mix of essential and advanced features in this budget. Those who could afford must go for headsets by reputed brands even if they cost more money.
Good affordable Gaming headphones are hard to find?
A tight budget will always put you at unease whenever you will be looking for the gaming headphones. Yes, a good affordable gaming headphone is hard to find. However, with insight and a little patience can get a solid pair at an affordable price.
What headphones do pro use?
Pro gamers prefer brands more than anything else in headsets. Razer, Hyperx Cloud and Sennheiser are some of the top brands that you would find the pro gamers’ personal choice. These companies have special series of headsets for gaming and live truly upto their name. However, they are highly expensive.
Kevin is a Tech journalist for over a decade. He writes on Wearables, Headphones, and Laptops. When he is not glued to his laptop, You will find him working on exciting projects that include Unboxing new Gadgets, comparing them, and tweaking their hardware.