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Hardware

What is a Gaming Headset?

By Matt Brady
Updated May 16, 2024
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The gaming headset may be as essential to the video gamer's arsenal as a plush chair, the right set of controls and a blazing fast Internet connection. Although generally designed and used purely for gaming, some gaming headphones are capable of pulling double duty, channeling music as well as gaming sound effects. To meet a gamer’s needs and demands, gaming headsets come equipped with many different features, such as microphones for communicating with fellow online gamers. Gaming headsets are used with all types of gaming consoles and computers. Many are also designed to block out any ambient noise, completely immersing a player within the world of gaming.

Any gamer or serious music lover knows that choosing the right gaming headset isn't as simple as finding a set with static-free audio; a set able to provide multiple layers of sound may be more desirable. Think of the difference between mono and stereo, or one set of speakers versus surround-sound. For many gamers, the difference in sound quality may be more than an aesthetic preference. In a first-person shooter game, for example, the ability to pick up on subtle sounds from a stealthy opponent can mean the difference between life or death—virtually speaking. Fortunately, for the right price there are a variety of headsets plenty capable of delivering multi-layered, crystal-clear audio.

With the rise of the Internet and the subsequent advent of local area network (LAN) parties—in which multiple gamers play the same game over an Internet connection—the gaming headset evolved into a multi-faceted listening and communication tool. In particular, many headsets come equipped with microphones, used to communicate with teammates during online gaming. At one time, LAN parties played on personal computers were the primary setting for using microphone-equipped gaming headsets, but today perhaps more people use them while playing on gaming consoles outfitted with Ethernet connections.

Gaming headsets also come with a variety of connectivity features, from headsets using the classic 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) plug-in jack, to headphones equipped with Bluetooth® wireless. Another popular and high-quality connection option is the USB headset. These headsets can plug by cord straight into a USB port, or using a USB connection and wireless technology, they can allow a gamer to roam freely around the room. Using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology, many USB gaming headsets allow a user to communicate while gaming as well as use their headset for making phone calls to friends and family.

Not all gaming headset earpieces are alike in how they channel sound. The choice of speakers is similar to shopping for an external sound system: there may be one set of speakers per earphone, or multiple for a surround-sound experience. One could get headphones that channel standard audio, or a set that delivers high-definition sound. These distinctions aren't any more necessary than making the decision between a 42- or 52-inch flat-screen TV set, but they do make shopping for a gaming headset a fun adventure in technological entertainment.

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Discussion Comments

By irontoenail — On May 23, 2014

@MrsPramm - You have to shop around until you find a headset that really suits your head-shape. I did a lot of research before I bought mine, including making sure I could return them if they were uncomfortable.

Headsets are expensive. I want one that will last and will be worth the price.

By MrsPramm — On May 22, 2014

@KoiwiGal - A good pair of speakers would do almost as well. The only thing they can't do, really, is to block out other sounds that might be distracting from the game.

To me, the problem is that when I'm playing a really good game, I tend to play it for a long time and I end up with sore ears by the end of it even if I wear my most comfortable gaming headset.

So I only really use them if I need the mic, which isn't really all that often these days.

By KoiwiGal — On May 21, 2014

I never thought this was going to be that important until I started playing Skyrim. I began to wear headphones because I didn't want to annoy my roommates and I didn't think much of it. But then I tried playing with the speakers instead, so a friend could watch, and I realized that I had shaped a lot of my gameplay around the sound. There are sounds or music that alert you to most important things that are difficult to see, like dragons, for example, or enemies in the distance. It's much easier to understand and react to what is going on in the game if you are using a professional gaming headset.

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