Because You Need The Right Gear!
Contents
Headphones, gaming mouse models, microphones. These are all expendable accessories in a way, so there’s really no need to go for overkill with a $500 headset you might even end up breaking.
We’ve searched the market for the best gaming headsets and have come up with the list of top 7 budget models we think you might like. Let’s get straight to the reviews.
We’re opening up our review of the best budget gaming headsets with HyperX’s Cloud Stinger. This particular model is in fact one of the Amazon’s choices in the ‘gaming headsets under $50’ category.
This headphone set is incredibly light despite its somewhat bulky size, and it features ear cups that can rotate up to 90 degrees. The Cloud Stinger is also outfitted with a set of 50mm directional chips that provide incredible sound accuracy and precision. Just like most HyperX headphones, this one packs an adjustable slider made of durable steel.
The overall sound quality of the Cloud Stinger is incredibly good for the money, plus there are onboard controls for volume and noise cancellation (activation and deactivation), which is certainly convenient.
Here we are looking at Corsair’s HS60 gaming headset. This is one of the newest budget headphones on the market, and we highly recommend that gamers check them out. They’re very durable and incredibly comfortable to wear due to plushy memory foam pieces inserted into the cups.
Sound wise, the HS60 headset is powered by the 50mm neodymium drivers, so you should expect full spectrum sound with plenty of bass and treble. Speaking of sound, this is one of the few budget gaming headphones that actually sport the surround sound technology.
Additionally, there’s a unidirectional microphone onboard that packs a decent ambient noise reduction technology for unobstructed in-game speaking. It’s easily removable, so if you’re playing offline games you can just plug it out.
Jeecoo is perhaps not counted among the most famous headphone manufacturers, but this particular model is in fact one of the Amazon’s choices in the PC gaming headset department. There are many reasons why that is so, including the high-quality microphone with noise cancellation technology, the cans themselves are pretty durable, and the earmuffs are highly comfortable to wear.
There are a couple of things that some people won’t like as much though. Namely, the headband doesn’t feature any form of padding, so you should expect to start sweating after a couple of hours. Moreover, the earcups are rather big, but they put up quite a bit of clamping pressure, so there’s bound to be some ear fatigue after a while.
Even so, Jeecoo’s gaming headset packs quite a punch for the money. These cans sound great, sport onboard volume controls, and they’re built to last.
Runmus is yet another underdog brand in our review, and their gaming headset proves that there are exceptional cans to be found in the budget price point category.
First of all, these headphones look like a beast, so you can be absolutely certain that you’ll be taking the spotlight on any tournament while wearing them. They’re not just for show either, as they come outfitted with 50mm neodymium drivers and an ergonomically designed construction.
Aside from the superb quality of sound, they’re also very comfortable to wear. The earmuffs are sized just perfectly, so there shouldn’t be too much of the clamping pressure either. However, just like with Jeecoo’s headphones, the headband only packs a leather ‘bumper’ of sorts, so using them for several hours will result in heavy sweating.
The EcooPro’s Gaming headset is a great value pick for gamers who are on a low budget and don’t want to invest too much. It looks pretty cool and packs a set of great features, such as a very durable braided cable, a removable noise cancelling microphone, ergonomic design, and such.
Apart from the features that we just mentioned, one of the most important benefits these headphones can bring you is the 7.1 surround sound technology complemented by the high precision neodymium drivers. Needless to say, these headphones sound way better than most similarly priced cans.
We’ve briefly mentioned that EcooPro’s gaming headset features an ergonomic design. This means that the headband is very elastic and the earmuffs highly comfortable to wear. There are plenty of foam pad reinforcements all over, so you shouldn’t even sweat that much.
Mpow is in fact one of the most renowned brands in the budget range of headphones, so we’ve decided to take a look at what the EG3 Pro headset can do.
Essentially, the sound of these headphones is great, as they’re powered by two 50mm driver chips that boast plenty of bass and accentuated highs. The headphones might not be as comfortable to wear as the ones we’ve reviewed so far due to the metal joint connectors, but they’re certainly superior in terms of durability.
Apart from that, there’s a noise cancelling mic and onboard volume controls, as well as the earcup LED lights. The EG3 Pro is so great that it could easily go toe to toe with some of the best gaming headsets under 200.
Lastly, we’re going to talk about Beexcellent’s GM-1 gaming headset. Basically, this is a great option for gamers that are looking for quality within their pocket money budget.
The GM 1 headset sounds great as it’s fuelled by the 50mm chip driver. There’s plenty of character and clarity in the sound, although it’s not as great as the models that pack surround sound technology.
One of the best things about the GM 1 is its weight. Namely, it’s practically weightless with only 300 grams, but it’s still sufficiently durable to withstand several months of usage. Durability wise, it’s made of relatively flimsy plastic, but with proper maintenance it should survive for quite some time.
Cheap gaming headsets usually sound relatively the same, they’re built from similar materials, and are generally not too comfortable to wear. However, there some differences between exceptional models, such are the ones we’re recommending to you in this review. Let’s take a look at what separates the best from mediocre models.
Knowing that most low-cost headphones are flimsy by default, you could easily save up some cash and get a decent model instead of replacing the one you have every couple of weeks. That’s why durability is the most important factor of a good budget gaming headphone set. Even though the vast majority of models are made of plastic materials, some cans, like the HS60 or Cloud Stinger for example, are actually pretty sturdy.
You shouldn’t expect too much from budget gaming headsets in terms of sound quality, as they can’t even begin to compare with higher end models. However, there are certain hidden gems in this price range that even come outfitted with the surround sound technology.
Alternatively, the HyperX Cloud Stinger doesn’t come supplied with this feature, but its sound chip is exceptionally strong and delivers a well-balanced soundstage.
Low cost cans are either uncomfortable altogether or they put up too much of clamping pressure on the ears. In other cases, there are no pads, but the earmuffs themselves are plushy, so figuring out just how comfortable the earphones are can be quite tricky.
The first thing you need to look out for (in terms of comfort) is the design of the earphones. If the muffs are oversized, the clamping pressure should be minimal. Secondly, if there are pad reinforcements on the muffs and the headband, that means you’ll sweat a bit less. All these factors contribute to the overall comfort rating of the headset in question.
People tend to ask this question for a variety of reasons. First of all, it doesn’t seem logical that the headphones, which are intended to transmit sound from one source to the other, can be so different in terms of price. It’s a given that there are flimsy and durable headphones, as well as ones that are comfortable more than others, but is that still a reason enough to put out models that cost roughly ten times as much (or even more)?
Basically, the sound quality is different between these models, as some come with cutting-edge technologies while low-cost models simply ‘do the job’. Their durability is different, as high-end models should last for years. Lastly, premium-quality headphones come laden with exquisite features, such as ambient noise reduction technologies, removable features, onboard controls, and such.
In most cases, you should be lucky if you find a ‘functional’ model within the price range of $50. Most of the headsets in this price range excel in a single field of performance, be it sound quality, durability, or comfort. If you happen to stumble upon a model that has several of these benefits to offer, don’t think twice.
As a gamer, you’re probably going to use your headphones for extended periods of time hence the comfort rating should be the most important factor. On another hand, the quality of sound is perhaps equally important, as many modern games utilize very immersive sound systems and platforms.
Picking a decent gaming headset in the budget price point category is, perhaps, harder than searching for a boutique level model simply due to the fact that the majority of models offer the same set of benefits.
However, there are several models that stick out from the rest, such as the Cloud Stinger made by HyperX. This headset is certainly one of the best gaming headsets under $100 because it’s one of the most versatile set of cans you could get for the money.
It’s lightweight, it sounds great due to its 50mm precision drivers, the microphone outfitted to this headset is incredibly reliable and easy to use, and there are onboard volume controls. On top of that, they’re super comfortable and durable. With that being said, if you’re looking for quality within the price range of 50 dollars, you should check out the Cloud Stinger and the other models we’ve covered in this review.