You can play games like PUBG and Fortnite on smartphones, and you may want to play them wherever you like. So it is not always possible to carry your big gaming headsets with you. Earbuds, on the other hand, can fit in your pocket, and you can wear them whenever and wherever you like.
Best Gaming Earbuds In 2023: Specifications & Comparison Table
Best Gaming Earbuds
We’ve researched and compiled a list of some of the best gaming earbuds on the market. Some of them are wired, and others are wireless. The list contains earbuds in all budget segments. So keep your budget in mind, and let’s have a look at our collection today.
#1 – Razer Hammerhead Wireless
Razer is a popular gaming company that makes excellent gaming laptops, gaming headphones, and other gaming accessories. It has now entered the wireless earbuds market with Razer Hammerhead true wireless earbuds.
13mm custom-tuned drivers. Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with 10 meters range. 60ms input latency. Gaming mode for playing games. IPX4 water-resistant. Comes with a little strap to connect it to the case.
Excellent sound quality. Automatically connects to the last paired device. Low latency for competitive gaming advantage. Comes with silicon earbuds sleeves. Fabric USB-C charging cable included. Decent microphone.
Not completely waterproof. It will get damaged if you drop it into the water. Only 3 hours of individual earbud battery life.
To start with, Hammerhead earbuds come with AirPods like design, but they offer some features that make them different from normal wireless earbuds. The hammerhead earbuds are made for the ultimate gaming and media consumption experience. There’s also our favorite Razer logo on both the earbuds and the included charging case. The sound quality of these earbuds is pretty amazing. It has decent bass, and the sound gets very loud. You won’t feel like it should have been louder. The mids are also excellent, which is a very important sound feature in gaming earbuds. Hammerhead comes with 13mm custom-tuned drivers and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with up to 10 meters range. The earbuds come with 16 hours of battery life with the included charging case, which is pretty decent. The Razer earbuds have a gaming mode that switches the earbuds to ultra-low latency for competitive gaming advantage. The latency in gaming mode is around 60ms. It comes with an IPX4 water-resistant rating, which means it is sweatproof and will not get damaged in the rain. But it is not completely waterproof as you cannot drop it into the water.
#2 – Turtle Beach Battle Buds
Battle Buds are one of the best-wired gaming earbuds available on the market today. These are wired earbuds. They do not require charging and are not powered in any way. If you are a Razer fan in general, the Razer Hammerhead is definitely for you. It has the popular Razer gaming feel to it and will look good with the Razer collection you already have. The low latency gaming mode is amazing and will give you an immersive, lag-free gaming experience. These earbuds are not good just for gaming but for general media consumption as well.
10mm drivers. Removable mic for crystal clear voice. A built-in mic to use on the go. Multi-function inline controller Comes with a cloth carrying pouch. Available in black and teal colors. 4-feet wire length.
Comes with plenty of ear tips. A removable microphone like normal gaming headsets. The microphone quality is amazing. Excellent Bass. A built-in microphone to use in public. Universal compatibility.
Not very comfortable on the ears.
One of the first things you notice when you take out the earbuds is the massive ear tips. They are much bigger than the normal ear tips on any earbuds. However, you’ll get used to it with time. As it says on the box, these earbuds work flawlessly with PC, mobile devices, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. These earbuds come with plenty of ear tips, and you’ll easily find one that fits you best. You also get a little cloth carrying pouch, which is very handy as you won’t need to throw your earphones in your bag to get them tangled. The carrying pouch will protect your Battle Buds from tangling and getting scratched. The one thing that makes these earbuds different from most earbuds on the market is that it has a removable mic like the ones you get in big regular gaming headsets. The mic quality is amazing, and it will give you a decent experience in games. Along with the removable mic, it also comes with a pinhole mic if, in any case, you don’t want to use the removable one. It also comes with a switch to turn the mic on and off, so you won’t have to remove the mic every time you don’t want to use it.
#3 – HyperX Cloud Earbuds
HyperX is a well-known name in the gaming industry. It manufactures high-quality gaming headphones and earphones, including wireless ones. HyperX Cloud Earbuds is another great wired gaming earbuds from the company. Turtle Beach Battle Buds are decent earbuds with good sound quality and are very light on the pocket. The biggest advantage they carry is 2 microphones. 1 detachable gaming microphone for using at home during games and the other pinhole built-in microphone to use on the go.
Play pause button. A pinhole mic. 90 degree 3.5 mm jack. Unique ear tips design. Comes with 3 different size ear tips. Includes a carrying case with a little pouch inside.
Optimized for handheld gaming. Signature HyperX comfort. Mic quality is excellent. Excellent sound quality with good bass. Also good for music.
No mute button.
The Cloud Earbuds pretty much sticks to the black and red color scheme of HyperX. It is optimized for handheld mode and works great with mobile phones and Nintendo Switch. You can also use it with your console or PC as it works fine with them too. It has an inline-mic and media controls for an immersive in-game sound experience. The quality of the microphone is also good, and your gamer friends will be able to hear you well. Soft silicone ear tips are included in 3 sizes for more compatibility. The design of ear tips is patented and unique and will give you ultimate comfort while wearing them. The sound quality of these earbuds is very good. The audio is enhanced for gaming, and it is good for music as well. The bass is also deep and gives a good music experience. The one thing this earbud is missing is the dedicated mute button. As it is intended towards gamers, there should have been a mute button to easily mute the mic. There is only one button on it, and at first glance, I expected it to be a mute button, but it was only a pause play button, which is disappointing. These earbuds also include a travel-ready carrying case for easy portability. The case is small enough to fit in your pocket. It also has a little pouch inside of it to keep the other ear tips, so you don’t have to worry about losing them.
#4 – MINDBEAST Gaming Earbuds
Mindbeast Super Bass is a cheap gaming earbud for your gaming needs. It comes with a 3.5mm standard jack, which is universally compatible with all mobile phones, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. It also has a built-in mic with the good recording quality. If you are a HyperX fan and already own HyperX gaming headphones, these Cloud Earbuds will be a nice addition to your collection. You can use your gaming headphones at home and take this outside with you for playing games on the go or even for listening to music.
Play pause button. A pinhole microphone. 3.5mm jack. Comes with different ear tips. A good quality carrying case. Metal shell.
Excellent noise isolating technology. Ultra-deep bass. Very strong cable.
No mute button. No volume buttons. Bass-heavy, but the overall sound quality is average.
As the name shows, it is heavy on bass and is not good just for gaming but also for music. It pumps out deep bass with ultra-clear Hi-Fi sound. Mindbeast also features amazing passive noise isolating technology, which blocks most of the outside noise and lets you enjoy your game and music in comfort. These earbuds also include a cute little carrying case to make your earbuds extra portable. The carrying case is can be easily fit into the pocket. The wire length is 5 feet, and it is very strong, which makes it perfect for going to the gym. It also has a sweat-proof design and seamless connection joint, which prevents stuff from leaking into the earphones, so there should be no problem wearing it to the gym and other sports.
#5 – KLIM Fusion Earbuds
KLIM is a company known for making gaming gears like gaming keyboards, mouse and even gaming chairs. KLIM Fusion Earbuds are another amazing low-cost earphones on our list today. These are the perfect balance of quality and comfort and come at an amazingly low price. If you are very low on budget, you might get these. But we’ll still recommend you to spend a little extra money and get something better. These headphones are good if you love bass in your music and gaming. But the overall sound quality is average. However, the noise cancellation is amazing, and it filters most of the sounds coming from outside and lets you completely enjoy your game or music.
1.7m cable length. Memory foam ear tips. Play pause button. Pinhole mic. 3.5mm jack. A carrying case. Comes with different ear tip sizes. Comes with an audio splitter to use with a PC. Volume control button. Aluminum build.
Excellent noise cancelation with memory foam ear tips. Good quality base. Good overall sound quality. Long cable. Very comfortable on ears. Comes with a warranty. Excellent value for money.
No mute button. Can fall from ears while running.
These earbuds come with noise-canceling memory foam to give you a noise-free immersive gaming and music experience. Plus, these memory foam cushions are very comfortable on your ear, and you’ll not even notice you are wearing an earphone. Fusion earbuds come with a 1.7m long wire with an inline microphone for your phone calls and gaming sessions. The microphone quality is good with minimal distortion. There’s also a volume control slider that lets you control the volume of your media without touching the phone. The sound quality of KLIM Fusion is really amazing for its price. The bass is great, high and mids are excellent. Overall they give you a very immersive sound experience for a low price. It comes with a good quality case for storing and moving around your earbuds. There are multiple ear tips of different sizes included as well, which can also be stored in the case. The earbuds are magnetic at the end caps, which is pretty common with wireless earbuds but not that common with the wired ones. The magnets make it easier to manage and store the wire in the carrying case.
#6 – ENHANCE Gaming Earbuds
ENHANCE Gaming Earbuds is another cheap earbuds from a company called ENHANCE. It comes with surprisingly good features for its price. For what it costs, Fusion is really impressive in terms of sound and build quality. It is made up of aluminum, which feels premium. The sound quality is also surprisingly good, with a good amount of bass and excellent overall quality. If you are looking for something on a budget, this might be the best choice for you.
Comes with an audio splitter. Haptic engine for vibrating feedback. A round carrying case. Audio splitter for PC connection. Pinhole mic. 3.5mm audio jack. Comes with multiple ear tips.
Haptic feedback on bass frequencies. Excellent bass. Excellent sound quality. Aluminum housing to resist corrosion. Comes with 3 years warranty.
No mute button. No volume buttons.
The most distinctive feature of these earbuds is their bass vibration haptic feedback. Its built-in tactile engine responds to the bass frequencies with feedback vibration, which feels good to the ears. This unique feature makes the handsfree not only vibrate on bass in music but also gives vibration responses to in-game explosions and gunshots for an immersive gaming experience. It comes with different sizes of silicone ear hooks for maximum comfort. The packaging also includes a cute carrying case for portability. The earbud design seals your ears for maximum noise cancellation. These earbuds, as the company says, come with full metal driver housings, encased in anodized 5052 aluminum housings that resist corrosion. It also resists wear and tear to make your earphones last longer. ENHANCE gaming earbuds are universally compatible with smartphones, Nintendo Switch, and other gaming consoles. It also included an audio splitter for splitting sound and mic input and using it with a PC. The microphone is also good for the price. Your friends will have no problem hearing you even in longer gaming sessions. Another advantage of this product is that it comes with 3 years warranty. This means you can purchase it with peace of mind and can use it for years before getting another hands-free.
#7 – BENGOO G16
BENGOO G16 is another amazing gaming earbuds on our list today. It is also light on pocket and comes with some unique features. The ENHANCE gaming earbuds are easy on the pocket and come with 3 years warranty. Providing this long warranty with a product this affordable shows the commitment of the company towards their handsfree and how much customer satisfaction is important to them.
Removable high-quality microphone. 10mm drivers. Vibration chip. Weighs 35 grams. “Soft shark fin” buds. Comes with 3 different-sized ear tips. Another pinhole microphone.
Removable microphone. Excellent passive noise cancelation. Haptic feedback. The microphone can be adjusted in different positions.
No mute button. No volume buttons.
It features passive noise reduction so that you can game in public with comfort. 3 different sized ear tips are also included for maximum comfort. BENGOO called their ear tips “soft shark fin buds,” which fit the human ear structure perfectly and seals them for excellent sound reduction. G16 comes with a 360° omnidirectional detachable gaming mic. The mic can be adjusted at any position you like for the best microphone experience. Plus, it includes a noise reduction feature so that your friends could hear you well. Along with the detachable mic, it also has an inline mic, which you can use for calls or when you simply do not want to attach the removable mic. The BENGOO handsfree comes with 10mm drivers for an excellent sound experience. It also includes a vibration chip that gives haptic feedbacks in music and in-game during explosions and other sounds. The G16 can be used universally with all smartphones, laptops, and all gaming consoles.
Best Gaming Earbuds: The Factors To Look Before Buying!
There are some factors which you should keep in mind before getting gaming earphones, like noise cancelation, sound quality, price, and many more. We’ll discuss some important factors in detail below. If you are looking for something affordable with a detachable mic, this is the ultimate choice for you. It also has another inline microphone in case you are outside and do not want to use the detachable mic. The sound quality is also good for the price with deep bass and haptic feedback.
Multi-Platform Support, Comfortable & Premium Sound
When purchasing a gaming headphone, multi-platform support is one of the biggest factors to keep in mind. As you might play games on different platforms like Nintendo Switch, Nintendo DS, smartphones, PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, you should own an earbud that is compatible with all of them. There are some earphones that do not work with a specific platform. Like I recently tested an earphone that was working fine on smartphones and PC but was not working with the PS4 controller, which was weird. So make sure to test your earbuds with all platforms before purchasing them. Also, keep in mind that most companies are dropping support for a 3.5 mm jack in their smartphones. So if you game mostly on your phone, then it will be safer to go with wireless earphones instead of wires ones. Another important factor to keep in mind is that they should be comfortable. Most big gaming headphones are not easy on the ears, and you cannot wear them for long as it starts hurting your ears. This could be the major reason you are getting earphones instead of headphones, as earphones are easy on the ears, and you can use them for hours of gaming sessions. So make sure the earphones you get are easily fitted in your ears and they are sealed properly. Most earphones come with different sizes of ear tips. So try them all and check which ear tip best suits your ears for the best gaming and comfort experience. Sound Quality is probably the most important factor in purchasing the best gaming earphone. Sound quality should be good in every aspect, and it should have excellent high-lows and bass. The in-game sound should also be checked if you can hear everything from footsteps to big explosions clearly. Besides in-game sounds, music quality should also be good as you are going to use your hands-free for music as well. You should listen to some of your favorite songs to check if the handsfree is good enough for your music needs.
Noise Isolation And Noise Cancellation
Noise isolation is also a major feature to check before making a decision about your hands-free. Noise cancellation is of two types. Let’s discuss them both one by one. One is passive noise cancelation. In this type of noise cancelation, earphones fit in your ears properly and seal them so that no noise could enter your ears. And the 2nd one is active noise cancelation. Earphones with active noise cancelation have a separate ANC microphone that captures the noise around you and cancels it by neutralizing it. Active noise cancelation is usually more effective than passive noise cancellation, but earphones featuring active noise cancellation cost more and will be heavy on your pocket. You should always go with the active noise cancellation if budget is not your major problem. Most earphones come with more than one size of earbuds for everyone. You should check them all one by one by playing your favorite song or in your favorite game. First, start with the smallest size and start playing your favorite game and check if you can hear the outside noise. Then replace it with the medium size and large size ear tips and see which one of them fits best with your ear and use them. Not only indoors, check your handsfree for noise cancelation in outdoor environments as well. Wear the hands free and walk around some crowded places to check how does the noise cancelation work in outdoor environments. Make your final decision after checking all the above factors.
Frequency Response
Have you ever been super excited to try a new set of headphones, which is very costly as well, but when you try them on, you feel like the sound quality was not the way you expected? Then maybe you overlooked the “frequency response” section in the spec sheet. Frequency response is one of the key things which differentiates one pair of handsfree from another. Sound is produced by waves within a range of frequencies. Human ears are capable of listening to frequencies within a specific range. Headphones or earphones are also created with a frequency range kept in mind. The frequency response shows the range of frequencies any hands-free or headphone is capable of producing. Human ears can hear frequencies from 20Hz to 20,000Hz. Most headphones also produce sound within this frequency range. This might sound like a good frequency range for headphones as it produces the sound range human ear is capable of hearing, but that’s not the complete story. Because different headphones are constructed in different ways, there are different ways different headphones will produce sounds. Some headphones in the same frequency range will produce better bass, while others will produce better mids and highs. So you should also look at sound signatures online to see what kind of sound the handsfree produces. You should go flat or neutral sound signature if you are not sure what to get. The best way to determine if the handsfree you are getting is good for you is to try it by yourself.
Transducer & Mic
A transducer works to use one form of energy to another. In the case of a microphone, it converts sound signals to electrical signals, and in the case of earphones, it converts electrical energy into sound waves. Before getting a hands-free, you should make sure that the mic quality is absolutely amazing. A microphone is a very important component in a gaming handsfree or headphones. Some earphones come with a detachable microphone, which is very convenient. The detachable microphones are usually very good in quality, and you can adjust them to any position you want. 2 of the earbuds in our list today feature detachable microphones, and both of them are very good in quality. They minimize the noise in the background, and your friends will hear your voice clearly. Both of these earphones also have a 2nd inline microphone as well. This feature is very convenient as you can use the detachable microphone while gaming at home and use the inline microphone when in public places like markets or when running in a park, or when exercising in a gym. The inline microphones are not as good as the detachable ones, but you’ll only need to use the inline microphone for phone calls when outside.
Wireless VS. Wired
This is also a major factor in deciding the best gaming earbuds, and it completely depends on your choice. Some people like wired earphones because they are more affordable, and there is no hassle of charging them again and again. You just pick them up, plug them in your console, PC, or smartphone, and you are good to go. While on the other hand, wireless earbuds need charging again and again, and on some of them, you cannot even watch 2 movies continuously without charging them. But wireless earbuds are easier to use in the way that there is no clutter of wire and your setup looks cleaner. When getting wireless earphones, try to get one with Bluetooth 5.0 as this is the latest version of Bluetooth and has more range with better stability. There’s one more thing to keep in mind if you are a smartphone gamer. Most smartphone companies are ditching the headphone jacks, so you will have to get a wireless earphone to use with them. So if you play games mostly on smartphones, it’s better to get wireless earbuds for future-proofing.
Connection & Overall Design
If you are getting wireless earbuds, make sure it has a stable connection, and there is no lag in sound as a lag-less experience is very necessary for gaming. So as mentioned above, try to get one with Bluetooth 5.0 because it is more stable and has minimal lag for an excellent gaming experience. The design is also a very important factor in deciding on good earphones. You will not only use these earphones for gaming at home but will also use them in outdoor environments, so they should look good. All of the earbuds I recommended today come with a good design, and you can use them anywhere. Like the HyperX one is completely designed for gamers, and by just looking at it, people will know it’s a gaming earphone. Moreover, also look at the buttons you are getting on your earphones. It is always preferred if they have volume buttons as well because you cannot always use your phone to adjust the volume of the game or music you are listening to. A mute button is also a big plus on any gaming earphone. Because you’ll be talking to your online friends on Discord most of the time, and you may need to mute your microphone quickly. So a mute button will be very handy, and you’ll be able to mute your mic instantly. Otherwise, it’s a bit of a hassle to mute it every time by going to the app you are using.
Are Gaming Earbuds Worth It?
They are absolutely worth it. Some gaming earphones give you the features normal earphones do not provide. Like a detachable mic is only available in gaming earphones, which is very handy. Detachable microphones are very good in quality compared to the pinhole microphones, so your friends will be able to hear you better. Plus, you can use these earphones as your daily drivers and can easily detach the microphone and go outside or to a gym. You can still use the built-in microphones for phone calls. Plus, gaming earphones are beautiful in design and give futuristic looks. They also give some extra buttons like the mute mic button, which is not available on simple music earbuds. Their popularity increased with the popularity of mobile gaming. Smartphones are now powerful enough to handle big games like PUBG, Fortnite, and Call of Duty Mobile. So you can play games anywhere and use gaming earphones for the purpose as they are easier to carry around as they can fit into your pockets, unlike big headphones. So if you are a mobile gamer, you should get a gaming earphone with a good mic so that you can play games anywhere and even stream it on the go if needed.
Question 1: What are the best earbuds for gaming?
If you are a wireless fan, then the Razer Hammerhead is the best gaming earphones among all the earphones on our list today. They come with a stable, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and a gaming mode, which will decrease the latency to just 60ms for an excellent gaming experience. Razer Hammerhead has popular gaming feel to it, plus it is IPX4 water-resistant, so you can use it in rains and to the gym as well. And if you want wired earphones, the best gaming earbuds are the HyperX Cloud Earbuds. HyperX is a well-known name in the gaming industry. The design aesthetics are just like the usual HyperX gaming feel. The sound and mic quality is amazing, and the audio is also enhanced for gaming for a better experience.
Question 2: What earbuds do pro gamers use?
Many pro gamers use HyperX Cloud Earbuds, and Razer Hammerhead as both of these earphones are very popular and provide amazing quality.
Question 3: Why do pro gamers use earbuds?
For the very same reason, you’ll want to use earbuds over headphones, and that is comfort. Earphones are much more comfortable than most headphones. Companies are introducing gaming earphones as well, which provide excellent in-game sound experience and detachable microphones like the normal gaming headphones.
Question 4: Are earbuds or headphones better?
It depends on your preference. Sound quality is usually better in headphones because they are bigger, and companies can install bigger drivers in them. But when it comes to comfort and ease of use, earbuds are better. They are not heavy on your ears, and you can use them for longer gaming sessions without feeling uncomfortable. Plus it is easier to wear earphones in gyms and during sports. You can use it in public, and fewer people will notice it.
Question 5: Are earbuds bad for your brain?
Not at all. That’s a myth. But you should still use your earphones or headphones at safer volume levels.