The truth is that most gaming headsets are not good value. I tested a ton of them for my buying guide, and although the space has improved over time, it’s still very much focused on branding and marketing. Everything that passes by my desk seems more expensive than a good set of “normal” headphones of the same range in both audio and build quality. If you have a couple you love, more power to you. But generally speaking, these things tax you perception To be specific to gaming. In reality, most are just fine headphones with a mic, a logo, and maybe some fancy RGB lighting.
All that said, there are always exceptions to the rule, and some headsets have proven to be truly worth the money. My current favorite is the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, which is currently on sale for $130 at various retailers as part of a Black Friday deal. It’s the cheapest it’s been since February, $50 off its MSRP and $20 off its street price compared to last month. When it’s discounted to this extent, it’s the rare gaming headset I’d call a solid deal.
turtle beach
This is the best price we’ve seen in several months for this top pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets.
$130 on Amazon
The hook with the Atlas Air is that it’s one of the few wireless headphones (let alone the headset) with an open-back design, meaning its ear cups don’t completely seal off your ears from wind and outside noise. Pairs like this aren’t for everyone: They both tend to let in and leak a lot of ambient sound, so if you don’t use them in a quiet room, you and anyone nearby will probably be distracted. On the other hand, this can be positive if you don’t want to completely disconnect from your surroundings. More notably, they can produce a far more detailed and natural sound than closed-back models. Games feel like they’re happening around you instead of being confined to a location in your mind.
All of this is true with the Atlas Air. Going from this pair to a traditional headset often feels like a part of the world has been taken away – like huge boss battles in games. alden ring Or final fantasy xvi The sound becomes more narrow, and it becomes harder to predict where exactly the sound is coming from an opponent such as a competitive shooter. counter attack 2It helps that the Atlas Air is well tuned, too, It’s not as dynamic as the best non-gaming open headphones, and like most open-backs it doesn’t get super deep bass, so explosions and gunfire lack a little boom, But it’s balanced and smooth, with a bounce in the treble helping to clarify dialogue and pedagogy,
The headset itself is exceptionally comfortable. It’s lightweight at 0.66 pounds, and the large memory foam earcups provide gentle cushioning without trapping much heat. The battery lasts for 50-60 hours on a single charge, and while the mic isn’t the best I’ve tested, it still lets you come through clearly. It all works with PC and PS5 by default, and you can pair it with the Switch or Switch 2 over Bluetooth. Unfortunately, there’s no Xbox Wireless support, although you can at least use the included 3.5mm cable. And although the plastic design isn’t exactly “premium”, it hasn’t had any cracks or creaks in the months I’ve used it. For $130, it’s absolutely fine.
There are other things to choose from, too: you can’t listen to two devices connected via USB dongle and Bluetooth simultaneously; You’ll want to ignore Turtle Beach’s companion software once you update the firmware; And there’s not much room to adjust the headband, so some heads may have trouble finding the best fit. The design is also a bit ugly if I’m being honest. Yet, in that same market, the Atlas Air stands apart. If you know you can live with the trade-offs that come with any open-back headset, it’s an unparalleled value at this price.