PC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming headsets of 2024

3 days ago 29

(Image credit: Future)

If there's one thing that unites us all, as PC gamers, I think it might be the gaming headset. Sure, there's probably still someone living under a rock that thinks speakers or bust is the way to go. But for the rest of us, a comfy, great-sounding set of cans is one of the best ways to up our appreciation for gaming atmosphere, music, media, and any other audio source emanating from our machines.

But what makes a good one? Well, we spend every year testing as many as we can get our hands on, and yours truly has got his mitts on plenty of good ones in 2024. So have my esteemed colleagues, and as a result, we've picked three of the very best from this year's batch and made them fight for the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024.

So let's check out the competition. First up is the truly fabulous BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro, an open-backed set from a respected manufacturer that blew us away with its superb drivers, immense comfort, and all-round premium quality. It's a wonderful thing, and a tough act to follow for the rest.

It hasn't got this year's competition all to itself, though. Nope, this time around we've included a set of earbuds, by virtue of the fact the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds earned themselves a review score of 94%. That's (if you'll forgive the phrasing) virtually unheard of for gaming in-ears, and as a result, they've cemented themselves a place on this list.

Last but very far from least, there's the AceZone A-Spire, a silly name for an immensely capable headset. It's the noise cancelling that really impresses us about this fantastic set, but it's got some serious chops in the audio department too—and a great mic to round off the package. A tough contender, no doubt, and a bit of a favourite around these parts.

Check out the nominees below. Three shall enter, one shall leave—but you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out the winner. Tense, isn't it?

Best gaming headset 2024: the nominees

The winner of the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024 will be announced on New Year's Eve. So make sure you check back with us then to find out the eventual result and throw roses at the winner. Virtual roses, of course. You know what I mean.

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Andy built his first gaming PC at the tender age of 12, when IDE cables were a thing and high resolution wasn't. After spending over 15 years in the production industry overseeing a variety of live and recorded projects, he started writing his own PC hardware blog in the hope that people might send him things. And they did! Now working as a hardware writer for PC Gamer, Andy's been jumping around the world attending product launches and trade shows, all the while reviewing every bit of PC hardware he can get his hands on. You name it, if it's interesting hardware he'll write words about it, with opinions and everything.