The 5 Best Over-Ear Headphones for Gaming and Music

Right off the bat, the most important aspect to a good pair of headphones is comfortability. You need to make sure they are comfortable for you to wear. For me personally, the headphones I use have excellent sound quality, but since I wear glasses, my discomfort grows as I continue to wear them.

The headphones I’ve selected for this list are used by professional musicians and gamers and are some of my personal favorites as well.

Often, if a pair of headphones is good for music, it’ll usually be good for gaming as well. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Sol Republic Master Tracks X3

Weight: 1.1 lbs.
Dimensions: 8 x 3.3 x 6.8 inches
Frequency Response: (500 Hz – 3 kHz)

The Sol’s are an ideal option for someone who is on a budget. The sound quality is comparable to Beats (by Dre). It has very deep bass and clear highs.

Pros: The headband is very comfortable and VERY durable. You can hyperextend them completely and they go right back into shape. The sound quality is near perfect and both speakers, headband and wires are all interchangeable so you can develop your own style.

Cons: The wires that come with the headphones feel a bit cheap, and I had to replace mine after a few months of casual use. The speakers rest over my ears comfortably when I don’t have my glasses on. With glasses on, after a few hours of use, it starts to hurt the sides of my head.

Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1X Open Air High-Fidelity Gaming Headset

Weight: 0.63 lbs.
Frequency Response: 5 - 35,000 Hz

This is a very powerful and popular pair of headphones, especially for gaming. They feel light and durable, with very comfortable ear pads. For a higher price, these might be a good option for the frequent gamer.

This pair is not noise cancelling, so the people around you can hear sound from the headphones and you can hear them. Might not be the best option for late night gaming.

Pros: Earpads are very comfortable for longterm use. Microphone works perfectly.

Cons: They are not noise canceling. The microphone is not detachable.

HyperX HX-HSCF-BK/AM Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

Weight: 0.69 lbs.
Dimensions: 7.5 x 3.4 x 7.4 inches
Frequency Response: 15 – 25,000 Hz

This wireless headset, although slightly less powerful than the previous picks, makes up for it on many fronts. 30 hours of battery life [with the LED Mode off] give this extremely comfortable pair a slight advantage over the Audio-Technica Open Airs. [Used by professional gamer: Shroud]

Pros: One of the most comfortable pairs out there. Excellent sound quality. The microphone is removable. Comes with appropriate cables for most gaming and music connections. Works well with PC and PS4.

Cons: Microphone quality is a little drowned out, an external microphone might be needed. With the normal lights running, you’re only looking at about 13 hours of battery life. No surround sound, only stereo.

Logitech G433 7.1 Wired Gaming Headset

Weight: 0.23 lbs.
Dimensions: 2.7 x 1.7 x 4.9 inches
Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz

This wired headset is a lighter weight version of the HyperX’s. A few advantages of this pair are: the microphone quality is significantly better, it comes with a replacement set of pads (which are more comfortable than the originals), and it works on any computer (Mac or PC) and any console. [Used by professional gamer: TSM_Myth]

Pros: Significantly cheaper than previous pairs. Light-weight. Replaceable ear pads with different quality (Soft leather vs. Standard leather). High quality removable microphone. 2.0-meter cable that comes with extension cable.

Cons: 7.1 Surround sound only works on computers, there is only stereo sound through consoles. Bass sound gets drowned out on mobile phones.

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Studio Headphones

Weight: 1.3 lbs.
Dimensions: 8.7 x 4.7 x 9.1 inches
Frequency Response: 5 – 35,000 kHz

Our heaviest headset also happens to be my personal favorite. They feel high quality and the frequency response is unbeatable. Although this pair requires an amplifier to drive the high-quality sound, it is a small price to pay for the best sound quality. [Used by professional gamer: Ninja]

Pros: Best sound quality in any pair of headphones. Best for music editing and gaming. Very comfortable for long term use, even with glasses. Open back design adds to comfort.

Cons: Although the sound quality is higher, it requires an extra amplifier to drive the higher end sound. Non-detachable cable, if the cable breaks the headphones are useless.

Conclusion

There are many options available when it comes to over-the-ear headphones, but we try our best to keep the lists short so it’s easier to make a decision.

We also tried to narrow down the list by focusing on gaming and music. Hopefully, you’ll find something that suits your needs. Enjoy!