Check out more of the year's best tech in our PC Gamer Hardware Awards 2024 coverage.
If there's one thing that unites us all, as PC gamers, I think it might be the gaming headset. Sure, there's probably still someone living under a rock that thinks speakers or bust is the way to go. But for the rest of us, a comfy, great-sounding set of cans is one of the best ways to up our appreciation for gaming atmosphere, music, media, and any other audio source emanating from our machines.
But what makes a good one? Well, we spend every year testing as many as we can get our hands on, and yours truly has got his mitts on plenty of good ones in 2024. So have my esteemed colleagues, and as a result, we've picked three of the very best from this year's batch and made them fight for the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024.
So let's check out the competition. First up is the truly fabulous BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro, an open-backed set from a respected manufacturer that blew us away with its superb drivers, immense comfort, and all-round premium quality. It's a wonderful thing, and a tough act to follow for the rest.
It hasn't got this year's competition all to itself, though. Nope, this time around we've included a set of earbuds, by virtue of the fact the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds earned themselves a review score of 94%. That's (if you'll forgive the phrasing) virtually unheard of for gaming in-ears, and as a result, they've cemented themselves a place on this list.
Last but very far from least, there's the AceZone A-Spire, a silly name for an immensely capable headset. It's the noise cancelling that really impresses us about this fantastic set, but it's got some serious chops in the audio department too—and a great mic to round off the package. A tough contender, no doubt, and a bit of a favourite around these parts.
Check out the nominees below. Three shall enter, one shall leave—but you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out the winner. Tense, isn't it?
BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro (open-back)
It's $330, it's wired, and you can't remove the microphone. Oh, and it's a semi open-back, so it leaks a little sound. Now, with all the drawbacks out the way, I feel free to wax lyrical about this simply stunning gaming headset—from a manufacturer that knows a thing or two about excellent audio.
The MMX 330 Pro is a sumptuous thing, right from the plush velour ear cushions to the superb Stellar.45 drivers. It's as comfortable to wear as an old pair of shoes, yet the accuracy, warmth, and aurally pleasing nature of its sound means it's also one of the top-performing headsets we've ever tested.
There are concessions to be made (not least when it comes to your pocketbook), but this Beyerdynamic set came storming through this year's crop of gaming cans and makes for a very high bar to beat.
Read our BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro review.
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
Our Jacob Fox has weird little ears. So he was over the moon when he discovered that not only do the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds fit, but they sound fantastic and feel as premium as their $160 price tag suggests.
Earbuds might not be your first thought when it comes to gaming audio (and yes, before you rush to the comments, they're not technically a headset, we know), but this SteelSeries pair has an impressive array of party tricks. Game-specific audio profiles that are actually useful, Qi wireless charging, and an auto-pause feature—these little buds offer a whole lot of luxuries for a reasonable amount of cash.
They're not flawless, of course. You can only connect to one Bluetooth device at a time, and the WearSense auto-pause feature can be overly sensitive. But the GameBuds earned themselves a score of 94% overall, and that makes them strong contenders by anyone's estimation.
Read our SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds review.
AceZone A-Spire
Noise cancelling can be a hit-or-miss affair. The AceZone A-Spire headset, however, is simply the best noise-cancelling gaming headset we've ever come across, and that's saying something. It does a fantastic job of blocking out unwanted noise, leaving you free to enjoy your tunes—or bask in a bit of peace in a busy office.
That'd mean nothing if the rest of the set was no good. Thankfully, the A-Spire impresses all round with a crystal clear mic, an excellent sound profile, superb comfort and a handy mobile app for tweaks.
Ok, so it'd be nice if you could remove the mic, and it needs plugging in for latency-free audio (although the Bluetooth connection is fine for wandering around the house), but this set has impressed us throughout the year. Silence is golden, after all, and the A-Spire takes that concept more seriously than most.
Read our AceZone A-Spire review.
The winner of the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming headset of 2024 will be announced on New Year's Eve. So make sure you check back with us then to find out the eventual result and throw roses at the winner. Virtual roses, of course. You know what I mean.
