The best PS4 headset is still one of the top PlayStation console accessories you can buy. Despite the PlayStation 5 being well and truly released now (if you can PS5 stock, that is) a headset for PS4 is likely (not certain, though) to work with PS5, will still be of great quality and offer audio excellence, and will be a great companion to the enormous PS4 library we now find ourselves at the top end of.
Adding a top PS4 headset is an easy, surefire way to enhance your PlayStation experience, and it's never been easier to add one to your armory. Such are the advancements in the headset market the right PS4 headset for you really is a guaranteed way to take your setup, and your gaming experience, to a new level - one that far exceeds even the best gaming TVs', and that offers slightly more immersion than even the best gaming sound systems.
And now, there's an incredible range of headsets available, all offering serious audio quality. Gone are the days where headsets are only seen as multiplayer aides, with many being so good that they are the best ways to enjoy games. Whatever you play, they'll increase your immersion and boost your experience. What's more, you really don't have to throw money at the situation to get a top-quality set. You can easily get one of the best PS4 headsets for less than $100 / £100. Though having said that, if you have the opportunity to stretch your budget beyond that, then you'll be in line for a treat as truly premium audio experiences lie that way. Expanding on this, Razer headsets and Astro headsets, for example, can cover some of the best audio and features across this list, but also span the price spectrum, so there's always something on offer from the big audio players too.
We should say now, though, it'd be wise to have an eye on the PS5 and the best PS5 headsets now if you have any inclination to upgrade to next-gen at any point. Luckily we are seeing a lot of manufacturers confirm forward compatibility of existing PS4 headsets, and releasing next-gen ready PS5 headsets - if you want to get one headset that'll serve you well on both, you can absolutely do that - starting off as simply as using anything with an audio jack or right up to tailor-made PS4 and PS5 headsets.
In terms of the basics and the practicalities, most PS4 headsets will simply plug directly into your PS4 controller - wireless models that connect to your console via Bluetooth are somewhat rare beasts, so don't just assume that whatever wireless headphones you own will automatically be supported. We test our headsets with a PS4 Pro, and the minimum standard for their inclusion on this list is that they plug into the controller and provide great audio. We also assess the comfort of each headset for long gaming sessions, and we, importantly, assess their price to determine value for money.
The best PS4 headset for 2021
In a strong field of those considered the best PS4 headsets, the Sennheiser GSP 370 set runs every one of them either into the ground or very close to it. It might not quite be top of this list but I'd very much consider it in the top tier of the category along with the Kraken TE, Nari Ultimate, and the Sony Platinum headset. Where it does become the best, is in the premium wireless class, while also offering an immense battery life.
In terms of sound quality, Sennheiser's reputation shines through in abundance: there's clarity, detail, and depth here in bucketloads; the build and design are solid, sturdy and the perfect weight while the ear cups fit so they block out external noise through design alone; and the battery life is genuinely incredible, clocking in at nearly 100 hours. The price tag will be a bit steep at first glance, but it's not unusual for a premium gaming headset to come in above the three-figure mark nowadays, and if there's one PS4 headset that does more than enough to justify that price, its this one.
If audio quality and battery life (if you had to pick two factors) are the most important features in one of the best PS4 headsets for you, then you should go for the GSP 370s.
The Razer Thresher is a truly exquisite Razer headset in every way: it's got a quality build and design, some of the best sound going for PS4 headsets, a quality mic - that is retractable - a neat optical-to-dongle audio set up, and drivers which can carry the biggest boom to the tweetiest of tweets, and also ensure you can hear your teammates over both.
The Razer Thresher has become my staple, go-to PS4 headset - overtaking the Platinum headset for me (don't get me wrong the Platinum is still excellent and deserves its place on this list, as you'll see). Personally, I chose to stick with the Thresher over the Platinum as it has a better low-end and its microphone doesn't carry anywhere near as much background noise through to my teammates - the retractable, boom mic on this generation of Razer headsets are still some of the best, in my opinion.
Now there are a few variations upon the Razer Thresher PS4 theme still available, but whatever one you snag, you'll be really delighted with the results. If you pushed me, I'd probably say that saving up a bit more budget for the 7.1 version or the Ultimate version is worth the step up. The prices you see above will represent the range of PS4 Threshers still available. And the word available is key at the moment as it is probably coming toward the end of its true life span - you can often see it out of stock with Razer - as focus will surely shift toward a range of PS5 headsets.
But, if you're on the lookout for a seriously good wireless PS4 that will last you a long while, support you on PC, give you audio excellence, and quality chat and game sound then the Razer Thresher is it. Still a very worthy investment.
You would be hard pushed to find another wireless headset with the sound quality and feature set of Sony’s dedicated PlayStation Platinum headset. In fact we’d argue that it’s pretty much an impossible task - the Sony headset has a fantastic mix of price and performance. If the Platinum is too expensive, we'd actually really recommend the Gold version too, which is about $40/£30 less, but doesn't quite offer the same quality of sound or the extra metallic trim.
The 50mm drivers maybe lack a little power at the low-end but they have an impressive level of clarity to their overall audio. They also neatly hook up to your PS4 offering game-specific audio profiles. But the big tick for them is the 7.1 virtual surround that links into those profiles. Well, that and the fact your headset battery will likely outlast your controller’s too.
It's worth noting that as both the Platinum and Gold headsets are Sony PlayStation official, they have been designed with the PlayStation VR headset in mind too. This means they will fit neatly and comfortably on your head when wearing the headsets in conjunction with the PSVR gear. Check out the best PlayStation VR bundles here to complete such a package.
Check out our guide on whether you should buy a Sony Platinum headset here.
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition is currently the best PS4 headset you can buy - and the best Razer headset you can buy - when you balance out performance and price. While we'd also recommend the regular Kraken Pro V2, and the lighter and cheaper Kraken X, the TE has the better audio. It's a fantastic all-rounder, with audio capabilities that punch well above its price tag, and excellent bass that makes it perfect for gaming. Even with the standard 5.1 audio you get from a 3.5mm connection on PS4 (the 7.1 is on PC only), the Kraken TE is fine-tuned for online games like Apex Legends, helping you to pinpoint enemy movements and gunfire accurately. Take it on PC, and you can even get THX Spatial audio too, which takes things to the next level.
As a single-player headset, it performs well with most types of game, and even handles in-game dialogue admirably, which is something that catches out most gaming headsets. Sure, it lacks a little subtlety in the mid-range and loses out to headsets that will cost you $150-200, but generally speaking, the audio here is excellent. It's very comfy, thanks to the redesigned headband and cooler ear cushions, the mic is clear and loud, and the cable is a decent length. Overall, it's a fantastic package, and will significantly enhance the audio for all PS4 games for less than the four-figure mark.
A new offering from Corsair, the HS60 is indeed another headset under the 100 dollar or pound mark but over the 50 dollar or pound mark. While it goes straight into the most congested part of the gaming headset market, it does distinguish itself very much and thus is worthy of inclusion on to our best list for PS4. It's compatible with anything you plug it into so its not exclusive to Sony's console in anyway but the sound and build quality is so good that its definitely worthy of high praise.
The black and yellow build is strong and comfortable, and the pair of 50mm drivers that power the HS60 Pro Surround’s sound articulation are certainly powerful. In stereo mode they provide a low-end punch that really brings out the more bombastic elements of shooters and destruction-heavy action titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 . And in shooter and battle royale games like Apex Legends, PUBG and CSGO the pre-sets withjin Corsair's iCUe software really come to the fore with the the 'FPS Competition' preset clearly and brilliantly enhancing noise such as footsteps, door opening sounds and reloading.
This revamped HS60 Pro Surround is now the first and foremost model to check out from Corsair’s line - and across the market - at the sub $100 / £100 mark. It's slightly weak in terms of its mid-scooped EQ the build quality and comfort can’t be beaten.
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The second generation of Turtle Beach Stealth 700's comes with some serious upgrades from the previous generation, and for only $50 more than the Stealth 600 Gen 2, it's a serious contender for your next gaming headset.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 has gotten a design upgrade from the original headset, with a slightly toned-down look (no more bright green on the Xbox version) and a flip-to-mute mic that folds neatly into the earcup. The control buttons have also been reorganized and moved to just one earcup. The buttons are nicely sized and well-spaced out, but if you're used to the Gen 1 Stealth 700s, you might need some time to get adjusted to them.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 is leagues more comfortable than the Stealth 600 Gen 2, which is saying something as I found the latter fit my glasses-wearing head quite well, but had ear cups that began to pinch after a few hours of gaming. The supple memory foam cushions with Aerofit cooling gel on the Stealth 700 Gen 2 is incredibly comfortable and lets you wear this headset with ease for hours upon hours of gaming.
And these headphones sound great, with large drivers that give you some great all-around sound, and the ability to fine-tune the audio to your liking with the Audio Hub. Turn on Superhuman Hearing mode to get the upperhand in online shooters, or enable the bass boost for some serious rumble during a heart-pumping campaign mission. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is a great headset for the price point.
As I said in my review "Getting a Sennheiser-quality headset like this, at this price point, and with this device-versatility, is an excellent proposition and one that is easy to recommend." If you're desperate to get some Sennheiser-level audio quality without paying the premium price tags, then the GHSP 300 is just that headset. It's compatible with every device and provides detailed audio, excellent surround/directional accuracy, and great overall richness. Its microphone is great too though it being non-detachable does perhaps preclude it from being a good match for PS4 players who want something for mobile devices too.
In an ideal world, it'd be nice to have some features but the stripped-back approach helps to keep the costs down too. Its sheer bang for buck value cannot be denied though and this is one of the best gaming headsets going for less than the three-figure mark. I use it as my go-to secondary PS4 headset when my other one is charging so it very much gets a great big stamp of approval from me.
The second generation of Turtle Beach Stealth 600's are a great low-budget wireless headphone that works with PS4, PS5, and PC. With a 15-hour battery life, a comfortable fit for glasses wearers, and finely tuned 50mm speakers, you'll be getting plenty of bang for your buck with these.
This is certainly a great choice for gaming on a budget, as the sound quality is top-tier and the microphone sensitivity is ideal for those who want to communicate without shouting. However, because of the reasonable price, the headset plastic does feel a bit cheap, especially across the headband and on the ear cups, and unfortunately, the ear cups do get rather uncomfortable after an extended play session. Mic monitoring is not a feature we're a fan of, as it echoes back any noise to us, but luckily it can be turned off via the Turtle Beach audio hub.
In short, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2's are a good sequel to an affordable wireless headset. It looks pretty good, feels pretty good, and sounds great - a no-brainer if you're looking to get a pair of headphones ahead of the next-gen release that won't bankrupt you.
The Razer Nari Ultimate is the only gaming headset with rumble functionality. Yes, this PS4 headset will actually vibrate when you hear bigger sounds (although, you can disable this function), and it does actually make a difference to how immersed you feel in the game. It's what Razer called Hypersense technology, and while it won't necessarily revolutionize all gaming headsets, it's one of the few gimmicks we'd actually recommend you try.
As for the rest of the headset, well, you're getting a really great wireless model here. The battery life is excellent, clocking in around 8 hours with haptic feedback enabled, and 20 hours without it, so you're not constantly recharging during long sessions. The connection is incredibly solid too, with almost zero artefacting or loss of sound, and the headset is surprisingly light and comfortable, meaning you won't really feel it on your head unless you're playing for extended sessions. The frequency response range doesn't quite match the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, so the sound isn't quite as crisp for non-gaming applications, but this is a thunderously good PS4 headset with a key feature that you won't find in any other model.
This headset is lazer-targeted at anyone who loves to win at shooters. It features a system called Superhuman Hearing, which ups the sound created by footsteps, nearby movement, gunfire, and all the telltale signs that someone is sneaking up behind you in Black Ops 4 or Fortnite. It gives you an incredible edge in competitive online games. The surround sound is also excellent, and it genuinely places you in the middle of any game you play.
In addition to that, the Elite Pro 2 is a rather comfy piece of kit, and the plush ear cushions are perfect for long gaming sessions. It even caters for people who wear glasses, to mimimize the pressure on your ears. No, the Elite Pro 2 can't quite compete with the sound quality of the Sennheiser and SteelSeries entries on this list, and it's a little weaker when you're watching regular TV and movies, but as a PS4 headset, this is an accomplished and specialized choice for anyone interested in nabbing Victory Royale more often.
Note: This is a slightly older model of PS4 headset now so you might see stock fluctuating, prices change, and maybe even a lack of availability. Still a worthy contender if you can find it though.
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