How we test gaming headsets at PCWorld

Gamers tend to place a lot of emphasis on their PC’s hardware to get an edge in games, but the right gaming peripherals can be just as critical to performance outcomes. That’s why at PCWorld we review any gaming headsets we can get our hands on. You can see the fruits of our labor in our articles on the best gaming headsets and best wireless gaming headsets, which we update regularly.

In these articles we’ve done the heavy lifting for you, sorting the wheat from the chaff so to speak, so that you can simply have a read and select the gaming headset that’s right for you. But you might still want to know how our expert reviewers arrived at their decisions. Here, we’ve summarized our extensive reviewing process below.

How we evaluate gaming headsets based on sound quality

A headset’s sound quality is critical to how you will experience your game’s audio. When evaluating sound quality, nothing beats listening to them while gaming. We listen for two main things — any defects in the sound, and to see how good the headset’s audio fidelity is.

Some signs of defects include any rising or falling in the amplitude, static or popping noises, and/or tinniness in the audio profile. Most gaming headsets have already been vetted by the manufacturers for these defects and it’s rare to find one that exhibits these issues. Even so, we do occasionally find one and it’s our duty to let you know.

On the other hand, we frequently find big differences in the audio fidelity and clarity of headsets. When analyzing audio fidelity, a scale from 1 to 5 is a useful tool. The worst sounding headsets sit at 1. They tend to lack detail across their tonal range and often sound muffled and unclear.

At 5 are headsets with richer and clearer sound. They convey more detail across the audio spectrum, producing deep, commanding bass notes; warm, exuberant mid tones; and bright, cheerful treble tones.

That said, ambient noise entering the audio stream can ruin even a very fine-sounding headset’s sound, so we also consider whether a headset effectively blocks unwanted environmental noise. We also listen for it in the headset’s microphone.

As a general rule, it’s often headsets with high-res 96KHz / 24-bit audio, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), noise suppression technology, and 3D spatial audio that have the best sound quality, but not always. The Audeze Maxwell Wireless headset is a good example of a headset that gets a lot right when it comes to sound quality.

How we evaluate gaming headsets based on design

A headset’s design is critical to the comfort levels you’re going to experience. Ideally, you’ll want a headset you can play with for many hours without needing to take it off.

To that end, we analyze factors like how thick the cushioning is and how the material used in the earcups feels on our ears. Medium to thick cushioning prevents soreness, while soft materials like leather or leatherette feel more luxurious on your ears than mesh materials, but the latter are cooler.

Some headsets like the Asus ROG Delta S Wireless come with interchangeable earcups — a plush leather set and cooler mesh set, so this headset gets full marks for earcup comfort.

Clamp pressure refers to how tightly the headset presses on your head. Ideally, your headset shouldn’t press too tightly so that it hurts or so lightly that it allows a whole lot of ambient noise in.

We also analyze whether the varying components can swivel or tilt to prevent tension in the head and neck. Adjustability in the headband allows gamers to find an ideal fit — so that’s also something we look for.

We also consider how the mic fits into the headset, whether it’s detachable or not, and whether you can simply flip it to mute your voice.

How we evaluate a headset based on build quality and style

No one wants a headset that breaks after a few wears — they want a strong headset that will last. Then again, if the headset is not expensive, a slightly less-than-perfect build quality is to be expected since the materials are going to be cheaper.

Regardless, our reviewers put our headsets through their paces to find out whether a headset has the former or the latter.
We also evaluate the headset’s style.

Admittedly style is a subjective thing, but our reviewers deal with enough headsets to know whether one looks sophisticated or cheap, trendy or boring, interesting or plain.

How we evaluate gaming headsets based on functionality

The best gaming headsets go beyond being merely headphone clones. Here, we’re looking for special features that make them easy to use, but also effective gaming devices. Gaming headsets that go above and beyond in regard to their controls, compatibility, and connectivity tend to be the best of the bunch.

A headset that is compatible across a range of devices and has more connectivity options can save you having to buy multiple devices. More controls allow for ease of use and more functionality in games.

Connectivity can be wired, wireless, or a combination of the two. Headsets that offer both wired and wireless connectivity, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, tend to be the most versatile. In wireless headsets, Bluetooth functionality can be a big boon for gamers, allowing them the freedom to connect to their PC or another device without needing a dongle.

This is especially the case if Bluetooth allows for simultaneous audio that lets you stream a second audio source while you’re gaming.

Since wireless gaming headsets aren’t tethered, our reviewers look closely at how long the headset can last without needing to be recharged and also the distance with which you can still use the headset away from your device without losing your audio signal.

How we evaluate gaming headsets based on their software

Here our reviewers want to see how much extra functionality you can get from your headset via its companion software app.

They’re generally impressed by features like customizable EQ charts, readymade presets that change the audio profile for different game genres or for different types of media, directional settings for spatial audio, and settings options for the microphone — all of which allow you to optimize your headset’s sound in games.

There’s a lot to try out, so we do lots of tweaking and leave no stone unturned.

Gaming headset value and final scoring

It’s rare to find a gaming headset that aces every category, but the more they get right the higher we score them out of five stars.

A big part of our evaluation process is considering the price being asked for the kind of features and functionality on offer. In other words what the value-for-money proposition is like. To help with that, we also compare each headset to similarly priced competitors on the market. That way you can rest assured you’re getting the best bang for the buck when you buy our recommendations.

Author: Dominic Bayley, PCWorld Australia Editor