Whether you are hearing the footsteps of your enemies in a first-person shooter game, or having a casual League of Legends session with your buddies, the audio plays a significant role.
Sounds make gaming experience more immersive and interesting for the player. It might even be an advantage to have good-quality audio equipment if you are focused on games that require you to listen to your “surroundings”. This is especially so for the aforementioned PUBG as these games require players to “hear” their opponents in order to reach victory.
So, here are our top picks for the best earphones for your gaming needs.
Table of Contents
- Best earphones for gaming
- How to choose headphones for gaming
8 Best Earphones for Gaming in Malaysia
- HyperX Cloud Gaming Earbuds
- Razer Hammerhead True Wireless
- Edifier GM2 SE
- Haylou GT5
- Turtle Beach Battle Buds
- Logitech G333
- Apple Airpods Pro
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Why it’s our top pick:
“The HyperX Cloud Gaming Earbuds is one of the best gaming earphones in the market right now with its excellent immersive-sounding audio. Its patented silicone earbuds provide exceptional comfort for when you want to game for a long duration. Also, with its 90-degree angled plug, gamers that are on-the-go would heavily benefit from its excellent ergonomics and comfort.”
Features
The HyperX Cloud Gaming Earbuds come with patented silicone earbuds that conform to the user’s ears to provide a customised and comfortable fit. Audio profile has also been tuned for gaming as it has higher mids and lows to make in-game sounds feel more immersive.
Performance
Reviewers have praised the earphone for producing clear and crisp in-game sounds, gunshots and explosions that sound punchy whereas footsteps can be heard clearly. Most reviewers also pointed out that the silicone earbuds fit comfortably in the ear and are great for being used for long periods.
However, some customers feel that the plastic build of the earphones can be a tad tacky and cheap.
Razer is well-known for producing great gaming accessories, and the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless is no exception. With its ultra-low latency connection, the lagging of the audio is virtually eliminated. The custom-tuned 13mm drivers will also provide crisp and popping tones, making every explosion and gunshot sound as though it is happening right in front of you.
Features
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless features a very low latency connection at just 60ms. This means audio will be synced smoothly between your devices, giving little stuttering to the audio. Its custom-tuned 13mm drivers are also tuned to create a more immersive experience for users by pushing out crisp trebles and rich bass.
Not forgetting; the earphones are also IPX4 water-resistant, making it a great workout companion for when you want to get moving!
Performance
Most users praised the earphone for its ultra-low latency connection that provides little stutter to the audio which is great for competitive gaming. The audio quality is also said to be quite balanced, providing deep and strong bass while providing rich and crisp trebles at the same time. However, some users had pointed out that the earphone’s fit is one-size-fits-all, giving little customisation due to its lack of switchable earbuds.
If wires are not your cup of tea and you prefer tangle-free and cheap wireless earbuds, then the Haylou GT5 might be a superb choice for you! With its AAC Advanced Audio Coding system and a specialised gaming mode that cranks in-game sounds up to 11, this little earphone is sure to satisfy the inner gaming audiophile in you!
Features
Using AAC Advanced Audio Coding technology, the sound quality produces well-defined highs, mids, and lows while providing amazing stereo effects. The earphone also has noise cancellation technology that keeps unwanted surrounding noises to a minimum.
Then there is also a gaming mode function that reduces the latency of the earphone to 65ms, providing excellent synching between the earphone and the audio from games or videos.
Performance
Reviewers praised the earphone for its superb sound quality, being well-balanced for both gaming and watching videos or listening to music. However, the shining feature of the earphone has got to be the low-latency gaming mode, which perfectly syncs the audio of games or videos with little delay.
However, the biggest drawback of the earphones have got to be the lack of waterproofing, meaning users can’t do many outdoor activities such as swimming or running with these on.
If wires are not your cup of tea and you prefer tangle-free and cheap wireless earbuds, then the Haylou GT5 might be a superb choice for you! With its AAC Advanced Audio Coding system and a specialised gaming mode that cranks in-game sounds up to 11, this little earphone is sure to satisfy the inner gaming audiophile in you!
Features
Using AAC Advanced Audio Coding technology, the sound quality produces well-defined highs, mids, and lows while providing amazing stereo effects. The earphone also has noise cancellation technology that keeps unwanted surrounding noises to a minimum.
Then there is also a gaming mode function that reduces the latency of the earphone to 65ms, providing excellent synching between the earphone and the audio from games or videos.
Performance
Reviewers praised the earphone for its superb sound quality, being well-balanced for both gaming and watching videos or listening to music. However, the shining feature of the earphone has got to be the low-latency gaming mode, which perfectly syncs the audio of games or videos with little delay.
However, the biggest drawback of the earphones have got to be the lack of waterproofing, meaning users can’t do many outdoor activities such as swimming or running with these on.
Communication in games especially for multiplayer games is crucial. Whether it is some friendly banter or discussing tactics on winning the game, having an earphone with a good microphone is important. The Turtle Beach Battle Buds takes an unconventional approach to earphones, providing users with a boom mic that is otherwise rare in other in-ear earphones.
Features
A prominent key feature of the earphone has got to be the removable boom mic. Just plug it into the earphone and enjoy a highly sensitive microphone that gives you a clear and crisp voice. The interchangeable ear hooks are also great at holding on to your ears tightly while being comfortable.
Performance
Customers appreciate the clear and crisp sound of the highly sensitive boom mic, giving users a natural-sounding voice with little ambient noise. The interchangeable ear hooks are also a nice addition as it fits the ear tightly while being surprisingly comfortable at the same time.
However, customers have said that the audio quality of the earphone is average, putting a heavier emphasis on the bass while lacking other qualities.
As the 3.5mm audio jack is slowly going extinct in smartphones, this proves difficult for mobile gamers with a phone that does not have an audio jack. The Logitech G333 solves this problem by providing users both an audio jack and a USB-C adapter without sacrificing sound quality, giving users great sounding audio thanks to its Dual Dynamic Driver Units.
Features
Equipped with both a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C adapter, this means that the earphones are practically universal for all smartphones. The Dual Dynamic Driver Units also provide high-resolution audio, with one driver for crisp-sounding mids and highs while the other latter for deep and punchy bass sounds.
Performance
Reviewers love the versatility of the earphones, as it provides universal connection for users with both 3.5mm and USB-C audio connection. The audio quality is also very bass-heavy which amps up the in-game sounds greatly. However, some reviewers feel that the noise-isolation quality of the earphone is lacklustre, making ambient noises more noticeable especially in noisy environments.
Although the long-running joke that AirPods users can’t hear others has become stale now, there is some truth to it. Despite not being engineered for gaming use, the Apple Airpods Pro is a great choice for those who are gaming on Apple products.
With great active and passive noise canceling as well as low latency connection, this pair of earphones will satisfy team Apple gamers despite its plain looks.
Features
The active noise cancellation drastically reduces ambient noises, isolating users and giving them an immersive feeling while gaming. Its interchangeable silicone tips are also a great upgrade compared to its predecessor as they not only give a customisable fit but also provide some level of passive noise-canceling qualities.
The low latency of the earphones is also a plus as it syncs up audio with your favourite games with little lag.
Performance
Reviewers praised the Apple Airpods Pro for its noise cancellation qualities, giving little to no ambient noises as well as isolating sounds to only that of the audio you are playing. Gaming on the earphones is also enjoyable thanks to the low latency of the earphones, syncing very well with little delay. However, the earphones are a little pricey.
Noise-cancellation is pretty important when it comes to gaming as you’ll want to listen clearly to the game without background noises annoying you.
Bose, being one of the leading audio device brands around, has come out with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds to shut those annoying ambient noises out. It aims to give a gaming experience that’s only isolated to the sound from the game itself.
Features
The main feature is Bose’s in-house Acoustic Noise Cancelling technology, which lets users adjust the amount of noise-cancellation of the earphone, from no noise-cancellation to complete isolation from ambient noises.
Moreover, the buds are equipped with high-efficiency drivers and acoustic port designs to give the earphone natural-sounding audio. All in all, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds will satisfy gamers that want great-sounding audio without the disturbance of ambient noises.
Performance
Most reviewers enjoy the exceptional noise-cancellation qualities of the earphones and their ability to control the amount of noise-canceling on the fly. Most users also enjoy the boost to the upper-midrange and bass sounds, giving natural-sounding audio while adding a little more “pop” to the mixture.
However, some have pointed out that the earphones are a little bulky while wearing.
How to choose headphones for gaming
Picking the right headphones is important when it comes to gaming as it will heighten the gaming experience, immersing you deep into the game and letting you feel as though as you’re the character in the game itself!
Here are a few important things that you should focus on when you are shopping for your gaming headphone of choice:
Surround Sound
Surround sound plays an important role when it comes to gaming.
- Some games require you to listen to the surroundings of the game such as footsteps or gunshots from certain directions.
- Finding headphones that offer surround sound will let you judge wherever the audio is coming more accurately.
- It’ll also heighten your sense of directionality, giving you an edge when playing ultra-competitive multiplayer games.
Noise isolation
Noise isolation is also important in gaming headphones as it keeps unwanted noises out where they belong.
There are two types of noise cancellation: active and passive noise cancellation.
- Active noise cancellation works by taking the ambient sound waves from your surroundings. It then reduces them by emitting destructive sound waves.
- Meanwhile, passive noise cancellation refers to the noise reduction through the hardware such as the padding of the earphone, creating a tight seal that keeps unwanted noises out.
- If possible, get a headphone that offers both types of noise cancellation to ensure that you are isolated to only the sound from your game.
Comfort and fit
Getting headphones that are comfortable and fit to your ears are beneficial to ensure that you do not put unwanted strain on your ears.
If not, they’ll be physically painful especially when you game for long periods.
- Find headphones that offer plush and soft padding that conforms to your ear shape.
- This gives you a customised feel that’ll be gentle on your ears for long periods while wearing.
Microphone
Communication is important especially in multiplayer games which require much strategising among teammates.
- Therefore, find a pair of gaming headphones that has a clear and loud sounding mic.
- This is crucial to ensure that your teammates can hear you while being subjected to other loud in-game sounds.
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