5 Best Headphones For Mobile Gaming
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With mobile games being more rampant nowadays, we understand why you’re reading this article.
From shooting to role-playing games, sounds play a big role in your gaming experience. Given this, you might want to invest in a great pair of headphones. You don’t want to lose a game simply because you didn’t hear the right sound, do you?
However, the plethora of mobile gaming headphones in the market today makes it hard for you to sift through the list. Unless you are willing to spend hundreds of hours reading reviews, of course.
That’s why we’re here. We did the research so you can spend more time playing your favorite mobile game.
But before we dive into the best headphones for mobile gaming, let’s take a look at what you should consider when looking for mobile gaming headphones. After all, we always want you to make informed decisions.
What to Consider When Buying Headphones for Mobile Gaming
Compatibility
First of all, you have to determine if your smartphone is compatible with your gaming headset.
Remember, some wired headphones have 3.5-mm plugs, while others have USB-C. In a few cases, mobile gaming headphones have 2.5-mm plugs.
Not all Bluetooth versions are compatible with all kinds of smartphones as well.
In general, Bluetooth headphones must be able to connect to any Bluetooth device. Plus, headphones with the most recent version of Bluetooth can connect to phones with older versions of Bluetooth.
However, headphones that use Bluetooth Smart technology cannot automatically pair with regular Bluetooth-enabled devices. A special app is needed to do so, only if the smartphone is compatible with Smart Bluetooth. If your smartphone is not compatible with Smart Bluetooth, then you might want to skip headphones that solely use the said technology.
Comfort
Before buying any set of headphones, you must see if they’re comfortable enough for you. You have to make sure that they won’t hurt your ears after long hours of gaming.
Speaking of comfort, you also have to consider the earcup design. Over-ear headphones shut you off from the outside world because they cover your ears. In contrast, on-ear headphones don’t fully cover your ears.
Connectivity
Another factor you have to consider is connectivity. Do you want a wired or wireless headphone?
To give you an overview of their differences, wired headphones allow you to play anytime you want. They don’t need to be charged and are usually lighter than wireless headphones.
On the other hand, wireless headphones are convenient. They allow you to grab a drink while playing and don’t have cables that are prone to wear and tear.
Sound Production
Sound greatly matters when playing mobile games. Thus, you need to choose headphones that produce accurate and excellent sounds.
Most headphones have stereo, virtual surround, or dimensional sound features. Since you’re getting headphones for mobile gaming, it’s ideal to choose those with virtual surround or dimensional sound features. It’s because you’ll accurately hear from which direction the sounds are coming from.
Now that we’ve established what you should consider when choosing the right headphones, let’s take a look at the best headphones for mobile gaming. Here’s a rundown of the 5 best mobile gaming headphones, according to our research:
| Best Quality | Connectivity | Active Noise Cancellation | Battery Life | Latency | |
| Hyper X Cloud Stinger | Affordable wired mobile gaming headphones | Wired | No | Unlimited (wired) | Excellent |
| Mixcder E9 Wireless | Affordable wireless mobile gaming headphones | Wired & Wireless | Yes | 18.3 hours (wireless) | Decent |
| Astro A50 Wireless | Offers the best sound quality | Wireless | No | 15 hours | Excellent |
| Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE | Features the best microphone & vocal quality | Wireless & Wired | No | 20 hours | Excellent |
| Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless | Best mobile gaming headphones overall | Wireless | Yes | 15 hours | Excellent |
#1 Hyper X Cloud Stinger: Best Budget Option for Mobile Gaming (Wired)
The Hyper X Cloud Stinger is the best mobile gaming headset if you are on a budget. With a simple and elegant design, these wired gaming headphones have a decent build. They also have comfortable fading so they won’t hurt your ears after many hours of gaming.
Their spacious ear cups also ensure that you properly hear your mobile game sounds. Despite its bulky plastic frame, the Hyper X Cloud Stinger is fairly lightweight for an over-ear headset.
Its boom microphone also picks up your voice clearly, which is unlikely for budget mobile gaming headphones. Thus, you’re assured of great communication between you and your fellow players. The boom microphone can also pick up sounds even in loud environments like a gaming party.
However, its boom microphone is non-detachable, which could cause inconvenience to some players. On the upside, this means that the boom microphone will probably last longer since it stays in one place only.
The Hyper X Cloud Stinger’s sound profile is excellent for gaming as well. The thumpy bass helps emphasize the intensity of the sound effects. This means that you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite game without having to worry about missing any sound effects.
These over-ear headphones come with a TRRS cable that is not only compatible with smartphones but with your computer, Xbox One, and PS4 as well. The wired cable also assures you that lags will be negligible. In short, you won’t be subjected to any connectivity issues.
Unfortunately, the Hyper X Cloud Stinger is prone to unstable treble delivery, especially of your thick hair hovers over your ears. They also come with tone-down features than a typical pair of gaming headphones. Its side control only contains a volume slider.
However, the Hyper X Cloud Stinger offers more advantages than disadvantages. They’re certainly a steal given the comfort, excellent boom microphone, and great sound quality these headphones offer.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Comfortable
- Good quality mic
- Great compatibility
Cons
- Non-attachable mic
- Limited side control
#2 Mixcder E9 Wireless: Best Budget Option for Mobile Gaming (Wireless)
If you’re on a budget, yet want to buy wireless headphones, the Mixcder E9 Wireless is the best option for you. It has a sleek design, which is credited to its metal-looking cups. The earcups are fairly large, which can cover most gamers’ ears.
The Mixcder E9 Wireless’ cups are on the bulky side, which some gamers might think of as a disadvantage. However, its bulky design offers great comfort that its less bulky counterparts cannot.
As stated, this set of headphones offers excellent comfort, thanks to the thick and comfortable padding. Given this, you can play your favorite mobile game for many hours without hurting your ears.
The Mixcder E9 Wireless also offers high-quality sound. It has excellent frequency response and is versatile enough to cover a wide range of sound effects. This set of wireless headphones is also specifically great when it comes to producing sound effects with heavy bass.
Thus, you are assured of an enjoyable mobile gaming experience. The Mixcder E9 Wireless is also great for mobile gaming tournaments. It’s because it makes the sound effects richer, making you more aware of your surroundings.
This wireless headset also features excellent side controls. Its buttons are big enough and easy to click, which makes the headphones easy to use. In particular, its power button is versatile. it can be used as play, pause, and take-calls buttons as well.
You can also increase or decrease the Mixcder E9 Wireless’ volume, with a warning given whenever the minimum or maximum volume is reached.
The Mixcder E9 Wireless features a non-detachable microphone, which some users might consider a turn-off. The microphone’s recording quality is mediocre. Sometimes, your voice might sound muffled.
Furthermore, its microphone is unstable when it comes to separating noise from speech. Sometimes, it can pick up your speech properly. Other times, it cannot.
On the upside, the Mixcder E9 Wireless has active noise cancellation and long battery life (18.3 hours). This adds to the convenience these wireless headphones offer, as you don’t have to keep on charging it in between long gaming sessions.
Pros
- Excellent comfort
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Long battery life
- High-quality sound
Cons
- Non-detachable mic
- Unstable mic quality
#3 Astro A50 Wireless: Best Mobile Gaming Headset for Sound Lovers
Looking for the best pair of headphones in terms of sound quality? Look no more. The Astro A50 Wireless offers top of the line sound quality.
This pair of gaming headphones will surely be loved by audiophiles. With stellar sound quality, the Astro A50 Wireless is among the very few gaming headphones that offer great audio balance.
This means that this set of wireless headphones offer just the right amount of bass and treble. You see, most gaming headphones in the market have heavy bass, sometimes too heavy, up to the point that it’ll produce annoying, loud sound effects (e.g. explosions, gunfire).
However, the Astro A50 Wireless doesn’t work that way. It produces just the right amount of bass so you can feel the sound effects, without annoying you or destroying your ears.
In addition, this pair of headphones produces high-quality surround sound, which lets you have a full, immersive, gaming experience. The accurate and clear audio pairing with the visuals of your mobile game adds to that experience.
The Astro A50 Wireless is also comfortable enough for long gaming sessions. with measurements on its headband, it assures you of a great fit. The padding is decent and easy to replace as well.
One of the best attributes of the Astro A50 Wireless (aside from sound quality) is its removable ear pads. The earpads are extremely comfortable. They are replaceable as well. If you want to replace them, you just need to pop off the magnetic ear pads and put the replacements.
On the right side, you can find all the buttons. On the ear cup lies two buttons― game and voice. There’s also a button that turns the Dolby virtual surround sound on, an equalizer button, and volume control. On the bottom of the right earcup lies the micro USB port for charging.
On the left earcup lies the microphone. It’s not detachable nor retractable. Instead, it rotates upward. This might be a bit of a turn-off since some users prefer flexible mics.
However, the microphone is sturdy and works just fine during long gaming sessions. You might find it a little annoying at times.
Pros
- Top audio quality
- Easy to replace ear pads
- High-quality surround sound
Cons
- Non-detachable mic
#4 Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE: Mobile Gaming Headphones with the Best Mic
Corsair has made a name for itself over the years for making high-quality headphones. Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE expands that legacy. With an impeccable microphone quality, this pair of headphones is hard to beat in the vocal department.
Its detachable mic is highly convenient for gamers who don’t like having a mic sticking from the side. Despite being detachable, the mic is extremely sturdy, a feature that many gaming headphones cannot offer.
The recording quality is on top of the line as well. The mic effectively separates noise from speech. It can even separate your voice from low ambient noises such as chirping birds and rustling leaves.
Due to this, the Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE is an ideal option for mobile gamers who like to play in groups. It’s because they can communicate with each other properly. Plus, this pair of headphones can be considerably used for tournaments.
These headphones are well-built. The materials have a premium and sturdy feel to them. Furthermore, you won’t hear any creaking noises when adjusting it, which means that the hinges are well attached.
The Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE is extremely comfortable as well. The earpads are made of soft, thick memory foam wrapped in leatherette. It fits just right, with a decent seal that many gaming headphones don’t offer.
However, due to its leatherette wrap, some users, especially those with glasses might find these headphones uncomfortable. The solution to this is replacing the earpads with velour, which is more breathable.
Check out this article for the best headsets for glasses wearers.
The Corsair Virtuoso Wireless SE has a big boom mic that stretches out from the left earcup. Each side also has the Corsair logo filled with colored (and customizable) LED lights.
Additionally, there’s a wide range of ports and onboard controls that are not so subtly lining the bottom edges. Unlike many gaming headsets out there, these are actually well put together.
Pros
- Great mic quality
- detachable mic
- Good controls
- Well built
Cons
- Might be uncomfortable for some
#5 Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless: Best Gaming Headset (Overall)
If you’re not on a budget and want what’s best for mobile gaming, then the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless is your best option. These wireless headphones have a premium, attractive design. The metal design also ensures you that they can last for a great amount of time.
The Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless is highly versatile as well. It has a flexible and sturdy microphone that can retract into the left earcup. This set of headphones also features support for wired connections, which makes it highly convenient especially if you didn’t charge them.
But if you do charge them, the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless offers more than 15 hours of battery life. This should last long enough for an intense gaming session with your friends.
These wireless headphones are extremely comfortable for most users as well. Thanks to its elastic headband frame, the fit can be adjusted depending on your head’s size.
The ear cups are also large, soft, well-padded, and breathable. They feel nice on the skin, making it one of the most excellent gaming headsets in terms of comfort. Thanks to the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless, you can say goodbye to painful ears after long hours of gaming.
The Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless also features an amazing control scheme. It provides excellent feedback and is so easy to use. These headphones have a microphone mute switch & control dial on the left, and a power button & Bluetooth Sync button on the right.
Speaking of Bluetooth, the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless allows you to listen to music while playing your favorite mobile game. Its connectivity is of great range as well, since you can hear sounds even if you’re further away from your phone (as compared to its counterparts).
The microphone is exceptional mainly due to its excellent recording quality. The recorded speech is clear, highly detailed, and rich. This means that you won’t have any problem communicating with your fellow players during serious gaming sessions.
On top of that, the microphone separates noise from speech remarkably well. It can effectively do this even if you’re in a noisy environment such as a gaming tournament.
On the downside, the microphone doesn’t feature volume control. It’s always at maximum volume, which can be a turn-off for some users.
Pros
- Very comfortable
- Great microphone quality
- Excellent controls
- Wired and wireless
Cons
- Expensive
Conclusion
At the end of the day, choosing the right headphones for mobile gaming heavily depends on your preference and budget.
If you want to invest in a great pair of mobile gaming headphones without breaking the bank, you can stick to the affordable options above. If not, then we suggest you stick to the others.
Just remember, investing in a great pair of headphones is totally worth it, especially if mobile gaming is your stress reliever.
