Are Earbuds Good For Gaming? We Tried The Bestselling Ones

When you’re gaming, you want to be fully immersed in your game and its environment. Not only does this require visual captivation, but the audio component as well. Players may use speakers to blast the sound around them or headphones for a loud but more individual experience. Both are sufficient, but are they the only ones? This is where earbuds come in. 

Are earbuds good for gaming? Unlike speakers or over the ear headphones, gaming earbuds provide an immersive audio experience with specific technology designed for gaming. They are built similarly to regular earphones, but are designed to enhance audio quality, comfort, and are adjustable for specific game environments with high-quality sound drivers. 

Earbuds can be a great addition to your gaming experience for their premium sound technology, comfort in wearing for extended periods of time, and ease of storage or transport. They are a lightweight and an easy to use sound option for a truly immersive gaming experience. We’ve tried the bestsellers so you can pick a pair that best suits your gaming style! 

Bestselling Gaming Earbuds

There are so many different brands and types of gaming earbuds depending on your desired style and preferences. The ones we’ve chosen are best all-around and are bestselling based on customer feedback and purchasing. This proves their ability to provide a great gaming experience as consumers pick these brands again and again for their gaming audio needs. 

MINDBEAST Super Bass Earbuds

The MINDBEAST earbuds not only provide solid sound quality, but they are highly regarded for their sleek design. The design not only makes them look cool, but it also provides useful functions for quality. Their tornado shape fits securely in your ear and is comfortable for extended use. They are also lightweight, and a metal casing around the earbud makes them sweat proof as well. 

As its name says, it delivers deep bass for gaming sound effects and can reduce ambient noise by up to 90%. This keeps you engaged and away from distractions during your game. Sound quality is not compromised by turning up the volume, and they are crisp and clear with emphasis on low-midrange frequencies (which are best designed for gamers). 

Sony Extra Bass Earbud Headset

Technology reigns with the Sony Extra Bass earbuds as they have premium sound drivers to deliver deep bass tones and crisp sound quality. The bass can hit the lowest of frequencies, picking up on all sound effects during gameplay. You feel as though you can hear all the small details associated with your game. The microphone also includes noise-cancelling technology. 

These headphones are also designed to be lightweight and comfortable with hybrid silicone earbuds for extended use. They offer great sound depth and quality being near your eardrum but don’t feel stuffed into your ear like most earbuds. They don’t fall off easily and aren’t as “bulky” as other earbuds you may try. 

Hyper X Cloud Earbuds

We appreciated that these earbuds were designed specifically for gamers. They are a great choice for earbuds if you want solid sound quality but not at an expensive price. They were designed to be used with a Nintendo Switch, or any portable gaming system. They are compatible with any devices that have a CTIA standard connector. 

Attention to detail is a plus for these earbuds as you can hear everything going on in the game. This is great for spatial awareness in your game environment. The sound quality is excellent with emphasis placed on enhanced bass clear frequencies from high to low. These earbuds allow gamers to fully immerse themselves in the game. 

Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Bose products are known for their top of the line technology, and these earbuds are no exception. While they are among the most expensive in the category, they back it up with premium quality and features. Sound performance is consistent, and they offer quality mid-range frequencies considering their size. Bose’s Triport technology is used in this product. 

As the name suggests, these are a bestselling earbud for their comfort and noise cancellation. Their design is different from many earbuds in that they sit snuggly in your ear for increased sound without going too deep into the ear canal. The active noise cancelling technology is able to block ambient sounds much more successfully than typical earbuds. 

SoundPEATS Magnetic Wireless Earbuds

We wanted to add a wireless option to the list as they are often more convenient for users. This does require a Bluetooth connection, but they make it much easier to move around and play on consoles without being physically connected. SoundPEATS is one of the most popular on the market for all users, gamers, and beyond. They are one of the best value earbuds too. 

With a 10-meter range for Bluetooth, set up and connection are very easy. This is more than enough space for gaming or listening to music. Compared to other brands in the same price category, the SoundPEATS win on sound quality and design. They come with multiple earbud tips and fins to fit any consumer’s ear as well. 

Turtle Beach Battle Buds

We like the design of the Battle Buds as they have a more traditional headset for gaming with the same in-ear technology. This “boom mic” is removable, making it perfect for gaming at home or on the go. The in-line mic controller has lots of features, including master volume, muting, and multifunction buttons for other devices. 

This is your earbud for clear chatting with the boom mic that can pick up your voice clearly. The clear sound allows you to hear all game sounds and hear other gamers without issue. The buds offer great sound quality for high and low frequencies. They are also designed to be comfortable and lightweight with three sizes of buds for consumers. 

Are Earbuds Good For Gaming?

The great reviews and high-quality features of the earbuds listed above show you that earbuds are indeed good for gaming. Not only do they provide excellent sound quality, but they are comfortable and much more affordable than other gaming headset options. Let’s dive deeper into why earbuds should be your audio choice for gaming. 

Earbud vs. Headphone 

Many gamers use over the ear headphones for gaming as they typically provide enhanced surround sound for your gaming environment. They are usually noise-cancelling and can provide great bass tones with many drivers built-in. But headphones can also be bulky and harder to transport. They also can be uncomfortable after extended use, especially sweaty. 

Earbuds may not be able to deliver on bass tones as well as your high-end headphones, but they aren’t really needed for most gaming environments. You can achieve high sound quality and needed bass tones with an earbud. They do make noise-cancelling earbuds as mentioned above, offering these features at a lower price than most headphone counterparts. 

This goes to show that both earbuds and headphones are good for gaming. Earbuds are just a more convenient, lighter, and less expensive way to immerse yourself in a game. 

Earbuds are good for gaming because they are: 

• Comfortable
• Affordable
• Portable 
• Universal
• High Quality 

Breaking these areas down further will show you that earbuds are a quality option for gaming across all categories. 

Comfortable 

Regular headphones or even over the ear headphones can become uncomfortable after extended use. Gamers often play for hours at a time and you want a headpiece that will not make your ears or head hurt. With a proper fit, earbuds are cushioned with silicone padding to protect and pad your ear canals. 

Earbuds typically come with multiple sized buds so you can choose one that fits your ears for best comfort. This will prevent them from slipping during play and allow them to fit in your ears most easily for complete gaming immersion. 

Affordable 

Many gamers use over the ear headphones for their immersive experience. High-quality headphones will cost a gamer at least a couple hundred dollars. For earbuds, you can get a quality pair for around $20. This price will increase with more advanced technology and features, but they are a great solution to get great quality sound at an affordable price point. 

The lighter weight and more compact technology (smaller hardware) make these available at a lower price. This lower price point makes them more accessible to all groups of gamers. It also continues to drive the technology forward as this market becomes competitive with lots of earbud options. 

Portable 

Being lightweight and compact, gaming earbuds are perfect for transport as well as gaming while moving. They are easily compatible with portable gaming devices, making them easy to use wherever you are. Most come in a convenient carrying case, making them easy to store and to move for whenever you need to access them. 

Almost all pairs will fit into your pocket, which can’t be said of over the ear headphones! 

Universal 

Most earbuds are designed to work with any gaming console or system. This makes them a great investment (regardless of price point) knowing that they will work with a variety of devices. Wireless earbuds are also an excellent option to ensure compatibility and more convenient use. 

Make sure you check the specifications of the product before purchase to ensure it is compatible with your gaming consoles and devices. 

High Quality 

Last but not least, the quality is not compromised by using earbuds. In fact, it is often enhanced. Earbuds have become incredibly popular for gaming because they allow for the best sound quality combined with all the benefits mentioned above. We’ve broken down quality further for what makes earbuds a great choice. 

Earbud quality technology: 

• Sound drivers: Sound drivers are what connect the software and hardware in earbuds. Essentially, it converts electrical signals into sound for you to hear. Larger drivers typically provide more bass and greater volume. Multiple drivers are put in an earbud to provide different frequencies. Balanced armature drivers (even sound) are best for gaming. 
• Bass: These sounds are produced by low frequencies and are often the deepest sounds you’ll hear in your earbuds. These are generally associated with vibrations that you can feel while listening to your earbuds. Larger drivers produce more bass. Increased bass in gaming may make things feel more lifelike, but this is dependent on preference. 
• Frequencies: Having a larger range of sound frequencies increases the ability to hear a greater range of sounds. Larger ranges are not necessarily associated with increased sound quality. 
• Noise cancellation: Technology has been created to block ambient sounds and noise beyond the game that are distracting. This technology is able to listen to the ambient noise and block it by producing different frequencies. This is called active cancellation while passive is using padding and additional materials to block sound. 

Sound quality is an important aspect of gaming to make environments, and sound effects appear lifelike. Earbuds for gaming sit mostly in lower frequencies, making the range needed less than those needed for desired music listening. 

Earbuds ARE Good For Gaming 

The question of headphones versus earbuds comes down to preference for gamers. They both provide their own set of benefits that are dependent on your desired gaming environment. While headphones have typically been the go-to for gamers, earbuds are making their mark for their sound quality, convenience, and technology all packed into a pair you can fit in your pocket. 

Choosing a pair may be the most difficult part, as many of them harbor around the same price range and offer unique and desired benefits. The most important considerations for choosing earbuds come down to comfort, sound quality, affordability, and compatibility. Your choice is dictated by which factors are most important to you. 

For the best noise-cancelling technology and great sound quality, we recommend the Bose QuietComfort earbuds. They are much more expensive than anything we have on our list, but they deliver across all the categories. They use Bose technology, making them a high sound quality option. 

For best all-around earbud, try the SoundPEATS. They are incredibly popular among consumers and offer great sound quality and comfort at a very competitive price point. You won’t go wrong with any of the options on our list, proving that earbuds are an excellent choice for gaming! Give earbuds a try for a fun and immersive audio gaming experience.