The Best Virtual 7.1 Surround Gaming Headsets

It is the lowest-priced USB headset here. Its noise-cancelling mic and ear-cup volume control are plug-and-play over USB-A or USB-C. No other pick in this guide offers a wired USB sound card connection; compare the G432, which has a wired USB DAC and 3.5mm connection.

A boom mic microphone is unique to it among these picks, while the HS65 Surround uses a flip-to-mute microphone. It also comes with 50mm drivers. It connects over USB, which also handles the audio processing on your PC.

It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the G432 was the next step up. Buyers who need a confirmed battery life should compare it with the Cloud Alpha Wireless, which runs for 300 hours.

Its 6mm mic flips up to mute. No other pick in this guide offers a wired USB DAC and 3.5mm connection; compare the Vliveaudax, which has a wired USB sound card connection. A 6mm flip-to-mute boom microphone is unique to it among these picks, while the HS65 Surround uses a flip-to-mute microphone.

You also get 50mm drivers. USB and 3.5mm options let it move between a PC and a controller. Its price falls between the Vliveaudax and the HS65 Surround, based on our last check. Buyers who need a confirmed battery life should compare it with the Cloud Alpha Wireless, which runs for 300 hours.

Leatherette memory foam cups with a soft fabric layer sit on an adjustable headband reinforced with aluminum. Its custom-tuned 50mm neodymium drivers support Dolby Atmos spatial audio on PC. You get a flip-to-mute microphone here, which sets it apart from the Xbox Wireless Headset and its an included microphone.

USB and 3.5mm options let it move between a PC and a controller. On price it sat third of 5, between the cheaper G432 and the pricier Cloud Alpha Wireless, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its battery life; if that figure matters, the Cloud Alpha Wireless runs for 300 hours.

It pairs that with DTS Headphone:X spatial audio and dual-chamber drivers in an aluminum frame. It is the only pick here with a 2.4GHz wireless connection; the Vliveaudax has a wired USB sound card connection instead. It shares an included microphone with the Xbox Wireless Headset; the HS65 Surround goes with a flip-to-mute microphone.

It connects through a USB wireless dongle, so keep a free USB port near your desk for the best range. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper HS65 Surround and the pricier Xbox Wireless Headset, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its driver size; if that figure matters, the Vliveaudax comes in at 50mm.

Its 20-hour battery is the shortest here, so it suits shorter sessions or a nearby charger. It shares an included microphone with the Cloud Alpha Wireless; the G432 goes with a 6mm flip-to-mute boom microphone. You also get dual wireless connectivity.

It connects to Xbox consoles over Xbox Wireless; on a PC, check the product page for the connection it supports, since Xbox Wireless on Windows usually needs Microsoft's adapter or a built-in radio. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Cloud Alpha Wireless. Buyers who need a confirmed driver size should compare it with the Vliveaudax, which comes in at 50mm.