Many people prefer earbuds over larger over-ear (or on-ear) headphones, and while some audio snobs might look down upon such a preference, we don’t blame you; nor do we judge you. Earbuds are lighter, more portable, offer excellent noise isolation, and these days can even produce very comparable sound quality to the huge cans that some people walk around with.
If you’re a gamer who prefers the portability and noise isolation provided by in-ear audio, then you’ve probably tried looking for the best gaming earbuds and found that there aren’t many options. We feel your pain, and come to you with answers. Below are reviews of our top ten picks for gaming earbuds as well as a short guide to help you pick the right ones for you.
Iconic noise canceling
Bose QuietComfort 20
- Frequency Response: 10-20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 1.55 oz
- Features: in-line controls, in-line microphone, excellent noise cancelling
Purpose built gaming earbuds
Razer Hammerhead Pro V2
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth, USB-C, or Apple Lightning connector
- Weight: varies by model
- Features: Noise canceling (on some models), 10mm drivers, in-line controls and microphone
Excellent sound
RHA T20 Gen. 2
- Frequency Response: 16-40kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 1.4 oz
- Features: Customizable tuning, 9 pairs of ear tips
elegant design
Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
- Frequency Response: 15Hz - 22kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.6 oz
- Features: In-line controls and microphone
Detachable boom mic
Somic G618 Pro
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: Bluetooth
- Weight: 0.7 oz
- Features: detachable boom mic, 8 hour battery life
5.1 surround sound earbuds
Oomo Earbuds
- Frequency Response: 8Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 2 oz
- Features: 5.1 surround sound, memory foam tips
best for Apple users
1More Lightning Earbuds
- Frequency Response: 20 - 20kHz
- Connection: Apple Lightning
- Weight: 0.8 oz
- Features: Dual or triple drivers, active noise cancelling (on some models), in-line controls and microphone
Good earbuds with mic
Edifier P270
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.4 oz
- Features: In-line controls and microphone
Detachable boom mic
Bengoo MG-2
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.9 oz
- Features: Detachable boom mic, in-line controls
Most affordable
Koss The Plug
- Frequency response: 15Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mnm jack
- Weight: 0.8 oz
- Features: Foam eartips
Table of Contents
1. Bose QuietComfort 20
Iconic noise canceling
- Frequency Response: 10-20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 1.55 oz
- Features: in-line controls, in-line microphone, excellent noise cancelling
- Best active noise canceling
- Comfortable
- Excellent sound
- Very expensive (It’s Bose after all)
Bose was not trying to deceive anyone when they came up with the name from the QuietComfort 20. These really are the two words that best describe the experience of using these earbuds.
Before the release of the QuietComfort line of headphones, Bose had been manufacturing audio equipment for a couple of decades. One day, however, while on an airline flight, Amar Bose himself began to scribble down the formulas for how to cancel out noise on the back of a napkin (this is not a myth, this is actually how they were invented). Roughly eight years later, in 1989, the first noise-canceling headphones were brought to market.
In 2013, Bose added another achievement to their illustrious legacy when the QuietComfort 20 became the first pair of active noise canceling earbuds making them the best in-ear gaming headphones for those who often find themselves in noisy environments. In addition to the serene bubble of peace they can provide, the comfort is hard to parallel thanks to the carefully designed StayHear+ tips.
These tips are made of soft silicone, which means they are just as comfortable after 3 hours of listening as the moment you put them in. The shape of the tips also helps them stay snuggly in your ear while active and blocks out more noise than standard earbuds.
As for audio quality, it is what you’d expect of a company that has been at the cutting edge of acoustics for over 50 years. Bose tends to have a very neutral tuning, and these earbuds are no different with rich bass, surprisingly pronounced mids, and incredibly clear highs. These Bose earbuds have absolutely no distortion even at very high volumes and will amaze anyone you let try them.
2. Razer Hammerhead Pro V2
Purpose built gaming earbuds
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth, USB-C, or Apple Lightning connector
- Weight: varies by model
- Features: Noise canceling (on some models), 10mm drivers, in-line controls and microphone
- Best active noise canceling
- Comfortable
- Excellent sound
- Very expensive (It’s Bose after all)
If you’ve read any of my reviews in the past, you might have caught onto the fact that I am a bit of a Razer fan (in fact, it pained me to put the QuietComforts ahead of these, but the truth hurts; then again, the Bose earbuds cost over a hundred more, so...). In my defense though, Razer really does make some of, if not THE best peripherals and hardware on the market.
When it comes to the features of the Hammerhead Pro V2, there is a lot to talk about. For starters, there are six different models of these earbuds available, with some sporting active noise canceling, one that plugs directly into iPhone lightning connectors, a wireless Bluetooth model, and more. No matter what connector you’re looking for, Razer is sure to have an option for you.
Razer has tuned the Hammerhead Pros for the sole purpose of being the best gaming earphones, meaning bass and treble are both brought to the forefront over the mids. The result is a crisp yet punchy sound. Shotguns in Doom 2016 have a real impact to them, and the sound of your blade cutting through the air in Monster Hunter: World is sharp, just as it should be. Music also sounds great with this tuning, especially for the relatively mid-range price.
The overall design of the headphones is excellent and the flat cable offers balanced portability and durability. The drawback to this, however, is that some people actually say these earbuds are heavy and can even tug on their ears after extended use.
3. RHA T20 Gen. 2
PC Gaming Earbuds for audiophiles
- Frequency Response: 16-40kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 1.4 oz
- Features: Customizable tuning, 9 pairs of ear tips
- Best active noise canceling
- Comfortable
- Excellent sound
- Very expensive (It’s Bose after all)
Whether you’re a Soundcloud producer or just a music lover, many gamers are looking for a way to enjoy the audio from their games and their music with a single pair of earbuds. To solve this problem RHA has engineered some of the best sounding earbuds on the market period and offered a way for you to alter their sound on your own to suit the task at hand.
The T20 comes with three swappable filters that can either produce a bass-heavy sound, a reference sound, or a treble focused sound. This is a game-changing technology for audiophiles or amateur producers, as the reference filter offers a pure and true sound allowing you to hear your tracks the way they are intended.
When it comes time to game, you can drop in the bass filters for games with tons of explosions such as Battlefield in order to feel like the blasts are rattling your whole house. The treble filters are great for a game like Halo (Masterchief Collection soon) where energy weapons carry a sharp tinny ring to them.
What’s more, is that RHA includes a whopping nine different ear tips ranging from silicone to foam so you can find the most comfortable option for your ears. The glaring drawback to these earbuds and the reason they didn’t outrank the Razer Hammerheads is that they lack a microphone. This means that many people might prefer to use these earphones for their sound and versatility paired with a dedicated microphone.
4. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
Balanced performance and elegant design
- Frequency Response: 15Hz - 22kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.6 oz
- Features: In-line controls and microphone
- Best active noise canceling
- Comfortable
- Excellent sound
- Very expensive (It’s Bose after all)
Sennheiser is a name that will not be new to those who have shopped for audio equipment before. Sennheiser has an illustrious history making recording and audio equipment ranging from consumer level to professional recording studios.
The Sennheiser Momentum line is a family of products Sennheiser designed for, “people with momentum”, while this is definitely self-aggrandizing advertisement talk, what this basically boils down to, people who have stuff to do and would like more features than just good audio, rings true. Sennheiser delivered just that with these Momentum in-ears by incorporating a number of quality of life improvements over previous earbuds they have produced.
For gamers, the presence of a surprisingly decent microphone is a huge boon. It might not be as good as a desktop mic, but it lets you communicate clearly with your team. These also have a naturally favorable tuning for use as an in-ear gaming headset with similar treble and bass presence to the Razer Hammerhead Pros.
The thing that really irked us about these earphones is that the in-line controls are not cross-compatible with iOS and Android devices. While this is fine for some and all you need to do is make sure you’re getting the right version on the Amazon listing, it makes it difficult for those who might share headphones or change phones often.
5. Somic G618 Pro
Wireless in-ear headphones with boom mic
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: Bluetooth
- Weight: 0.7 oz
- Features: detachable boom mic, 8 hour battery life
- Wireless
- Detachable boom mic
- Affordable
- Mediocre sound clarity
Since the dawn of technology, man has yearned for a way to reduce the nest of wires and cables that sits behind computers and desks the world over. Luckily, in 2019, we inch ever closer to achieving that dream with rapidly improving wireless and battery technology.
If you’re on the hunt for a good pair of wireless earbuds for PC, then we suggest the Somic G618 Pro (yeah, I know Somic sounds like Sonic’s inbred cousin, but they are good earbuds). These earbuds use Bluetooth 4.1 wireless to connect with almost any device ranging from phones to desktops.
While the sound quality is pretty middle of the road, the G618 is the first pair of earbuds we’re looking at to use a boom microphone rather than an in-line one. Boom mics are in a much better position to clearly pick up the sound of your voice and avoid excess noise. Many in-line mics will rub against clothing and pick up tons of unwanted background noise, while boom mics avoid this issue entirely.
The microphone is also detachable allowing you to use the wireless earbuds for music listening or gaming on the go without a microphone jutting out in front of you.
6. Oomo Earbuds
5.1 surround sound earbuds
- Frequency Response: 8Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 2 oz
- Features: 5.1 surround sound, memory foam tips
- Surround sound
- Durable aluminum body
- No microphone
If you take competitive games like Rainbow 6: Siege or CS:GO seriously then you probably already know the significance of spatial sound. These games, among others, are known for having excellent spatial sound that is not only immersive but can also give you a competitive advantage if you have earbuds or headphones that can take advantage of it.
The Oomo earbuds offer 5.1 surround sound that will give you a huge advantage and immerse you in your games and other content like never before. The sound quality is also nothing to sneeze at with endorsements from the likes of Forbes and even a four-time Emmy Award-winning sound mixer (someone we think would probably know a bit about audio equipment).
Oomo also took great care when designing and crafting the housing of the earbuds, opting to make them out of durable but lightweight aluminum. Unfortunately, despite the amazing surround sound, these earbuds do not have a built-in microphone, making them more geared towards immersion driven games like Dark Souls and less ideal for teamwork and communication heavy titles like Apex Legends.
7. 1More Lightning Earbuds
Best gaming earbuds for Apple users
- Frequency Response: 20 - 20kHz
- Connection: Apple Lightning
- Weight: 0.8 oz
- Features: Dual or triple drivers, active noise cancelling (on some models), in-line controls and microphone
- Optional active noise canceling
- Great sound
- Cable can wear out
- Only for iPhone
To some, the idea of gaming invokes the image of a high-end desktop pushing out tons of frames in a AAA title. Today, however, you don’t actually need this to have a AAA gaming experience. Fortnite, for example, is a full-fledged desktop gaming title that you can play on your phone right now thanks to improvements in game optimization and mobile hardware.
If you prefer to game on the go and are looking for a great pair of earphones for your Apple device, then 1More has delivered. These earbuds end in a lightning connector rather than a 3.5mm jack meaning no more fussing with adapters. More importantly than that though is the fact that lightning connectors can push more power and more data to your headphones, enabling a number of features that would be impossible otherwise.
More power and a greater transfer rate for information allows earbuds like this to offer richer sound and also makes powering things like active noise canceling possible. 1More has offered two options with these earbuds, either dual drivers with active noise canceling or triple drivers without the noise canceling. The triple drivers offer a more true and robust sound, but both models have excellent and completely distortionless sound even at maximum volume.
The tuning of these earbuds is very neutral making them great not only for gaming on the go but also music listening and even music production. They were tuned by Grammy Award-winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi after all.
Despite the very good sound production and impressively effective noise canceling, these buds have one major flaw that held them back from ranking higher. The cable has a tendency to wear out where it connects to the buds themselves, so if you plan to purchase these earbuds be sure to treat them gently.
8. Edifier P270
Good earbuds with mic
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.4 oz
- Features: In-line controls and microphone
- Good natural sound
- Easy to use in-line controls
- Affordable
- Flimsy cable
We’ve looked at the full spectrum of headphones ranging from very pricey Bose QuietComforts, to the more mid-ranged Sennheisers. Now, towards the end of our journey through the world of gaming earphones, we’re reaching the point in our guide where we start to give your wallet some relief.
If you’re looking for a pair of nearly audiophile grade earbuds that aren’t going to torment you with their price tag, the Edifier P270s are a great choice. They offer a very balanced and neutral tuning that sounds just as good while listening to music as gaming. The bass is present but not overwhelming, and the mids come through well. The P270 can be a bit iffy in the high range though, and a little distortion might come through in complex and nuanced sections of some songs such as the noisier segments of Kanye’s Feedback.
Edifier has also included some great in-line controls that use a single button to play, pause, skip, and answer calls with a single button. The in-line microphone also sports decent quality, especially for the price.
9. Bengoo MG-2
Affordable earbuds with boom mic
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
- Weight: 0.9 oz
- Features: Detachable boom mic, in-line controls
- Detachable boom mic
- Comfortable ear tips
- Mediocre sound
Bengoo is quite an interesting company. If you search for them online you’ll find that they don’t seem to even exist outside of Amazon listings, however, many of their products are best sellers and “Amazon Choices” in their respective categories. The MG-2, for example, is the Amazon’s Choice product for “gaming earphones with mic”.
There is good reason for this too, as they are highly affordable, comfortable, and have a detachable boom mic that offers very clear audio for your teammates. As we mentioned earlier, boom mics also have the advantage of not picking up scratching noises every time you move around like an in-line microphone would.
As for audio, you need to adjust your expectations at this price point. They are nowhere near the Bose or Sennheisers on the list, but they are pretty good in their own right. There is some distortion at very high volumes and the highs can be very muddy, but for the price they actually sound better than you’d expect.
10. Koss The Plug
Most affordable earbuds
- Frequency response: 15Hz - 20kHz
- Connection: 3.5mnm jack
- Weight: 0.8 oz
- Features: Foam eartips
- Detachable boom mic
- Comfortable ear tips
- Mediocre sound
Finally, we have the best pair of cheap gaming earbuds on the market, The Plug from Koss. These earbuds are the most affordable on our list, but even some audio snobs would probably be fooled.
They come with conformal foam ear tips that offer a super comfortable and very noise isolating fit. The sound is better than we anticipated especially in the low range with powerful bass for all the hip-hop heads and EDM fanatics. Unfortunately, however, these do not have a mic relinquishing them to mainly single player or non-teamwork oriented games.
How to Pick the Best Gaming Earbuds for Your Needs
Now that we’ve covered our top picks for the ten best gaming earbuds, you probably still have a lot of questions. We’ll start by looking at some key terms and finish up by selecting a few winners in some key areas.
Audiophile Lexicon
- Frequency Response: In short, frequency response is the range of frequencies that a given pair of earbuds can hit. Human hearing is generally limited to around 20Hz to 20kHz which is the frequency response that most earbuds have. Going higher and lower than this though allows for more true sounds to be produced within the range of human hearing.
- Active Noise Canceling: Noise canceling and the next term we are going to look at, noise isolating, are often confused (even some of the Amazon listings for audio products can get them mixed up). Noise canceling, or ANC, is when the earbuds themselves produce a “negative” version of ambient noise to literally cancel out the sound waves of ambient noise around you. This is an active process that requires a lot of technology to detect and cancel the noise with an opposite wave.
- Noise Isolation: Noise isolation, unlike noise canceling, is entirely passive. This term only refers to the ability of a pair of earphones to block out outside noise with things such as sound insulated housing and foam ear tips to block out more noise. In this way, you can basically think of all over-the-ear headphones as providing some amount of noise isolation.
- In-line Controls / Mic: When earbuds have an “in-line” microphone or in-line controls, it means they are attached at some point to the cable. In-line microphone are common on earbuds but often pick up unwanted sound when they rub against shirts or other nearby things.
Boom mic: Two of the earbuds on our list actually have detachable boom mics. This is the style of microphone found on headsets that extends from the earbud to directly in front of your mouth for the most focused
Top Picks
- Noise Cancelling: If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that will offer you a bubble of solitude in today’s busy world, then nothing beats the Bose QuietComfort 20. Bose invented noise canceling technology and remains the leader in the field today.
- Sound Quality: This category can go one of two ways. If you’re looking for the best earphones that are specifically tuned for the kinds of sounds most often found in gaming, the Razer Hammerhead Pro is at the top of our list with punchy bass and crisp highs. If you want more direct audio for listening to or even mastering music, then the RHA T20 is a fantastic choice.
- Performance per Dollar: For those who want to get the most bang out of their buck there are a number of options on our list. If we had to pick one though, it would be the Edifier P270s since they are within almost anyone’s price range and offer very solid sound quality for the price along with a decent microphone. Some honorable mentions would be the Razer Hammerheads (certain models, the in-line 3.5mm model specifically) and the Somic G618 Pro for it’s Bluetooth wireless and boom mic.