Oftentimes, the best gaming headset doesn’t need to be a “gaming headset” at all. Although these devices can be viewed as niche within the headphone market, they’re ultimately still headphones. And though we’ve found more and more gaming headsets that impress in terms of audio quality, those tend to cost more than a comparable set of wired headphones (which, yes, still exist). If you need to chat with friends, it’s always possible to buy an external microphone and get superior sound there as well.
That said, we know many people just want the convenience of a headset with a mic built right in. So after testing dozens of pairs over the past 18 months, we’ve rounded up a few quality gaming headsets and headphones for gaming, which aren’t quite the same thing. Whichever way you go, all of our recommendations should make your play time more enjoyable, no matter your budget or preferred gaming platform.
What to look for in good gaming headphones
The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
Evaluating headphones is a particularly subjective exercise, so calling one pair the absolute “best” is something of a fool’s errand. At a certain point, whether you’re an audiophile or not, everything becomes a matter of taste. For most, a headphone with a wide soundscape and strong imaging performance — i.e., the ability to position sounds correctly, so you can more precisely tell where footsteps and other game effects are coming from — will provide the most immersive gaming experience, the kind that makes you feel like your head is within a given scene.
For that, you want a high-quality pair of open-back headphones. That is to say, an over-ear pair whose ear cups do not completely seal off the ear from air and outside noise. These are inherently terrible at isolating you from external sound and preventing others from hearing what you’re playing, so if you often play games in a noisy environment, their benefits will be blunted. But in a quiet room, the best open-back pairs sound significantly wider and more precise than more common closed-back models.
Advertisement
More up for debate is how a good gaming headphone should sound. If you want something that’ll help you in competitive multiplayer games, you may prefer a headphone with a flatter sound signature, which’ll keep a game’s mix from being overly boosted in one direction and is less likely to mask the smaller details of what’s happening around you. A slightly brighter sound, one that pushes the upper frequencies a tad, may also work. Open-back headphones almost never have huge sub-bass, so you rarely have to worry about low-end sounds muddying up the rest of the signature. In this light, the fact that an overwhelming amount of gaming headsets are closed-back and bass-heavy seems counterintuitive.
Lots of people love bass, though. And if you don’t really care about competitive play, some extra low-end can add a touch of excitement to action scenes or rousing soundtracks. You still don’t want a pair that boosts the low-end too hard — as many gaming headsets do — but the point is that what makes a pair “immersive” to one person may sound dull to another.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X should please most people willing to pay for a capital-N nice pair of headphones for gaming purposes. It localizes sounds accurately and delivers the kind of spacious soundstage expected from a good open-back model. Bass is a little more present here than on many open-back headphones as well. There still isn’t much in the way of deep sub-bass, unsurprisingly, but there’s enough warmth to give stuff like explosions a bit more juice without muddying up the mids. Details in the midrange get the most emphasis overall, but they’re clear, and their forwardness isn’t a bad thing when you’re trying to listen for enemy players in a competitive FPS like Counter-Strike 2 or Apex Legends. The treble isn’t pushed quite as hard, but it’s neither overly recessed nor harsh.
All of this helps the DT 900 Pro X sound detailed but not boring. It’s the kind of sound that plays nice whether you’re trying to win a multiplayer game or take in a more cinematic single-player story. And when you’re not gaming, you get an enjoyable profile for music.
The whole thing is built well, too. The DT 900 Pro X will clamp down slightly harder than average if you have a large head, but it balances its weight well, and its wonderfully soft velour earpads go a long way toward keeping the pair comfortable over hours-long gaming sessions. It comes with two detachable cables, including a three-meter option that’s convenient if you sit far from your PC. It can’t fold up, though.
Like all open-back headphones, the DT 900 Pro X leak game audio and let in lots of noise, so it’s not great on the go. Clearly, if you can afford to upgrade to an ultra-premium pair like Sennheiser’s HD 800 S, you’ll get more space and true-to-life detail. But for a relatively attainable $250 to $300, the DT 900 Pro X should satisfy.
Advertisement
Pros
Immersive, detailed sound with pleasing bass
Well-built with soft ear cushions
Cons
Leaks and lets in outside noise, by design
Lacking in deep sub-bass, like most open-back headphones
Enclosure: Open-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 6 – 38,000Hz | Mic: No | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 280g
Advertisement
If you’d rather not spend as much, the Sennheiser HD 560S is another excellent open-back headphone that’s often available for less than $200. Like the DT 900 Pro X, it has a wide soundstage that makes it easier to feel immersed in a given game. Its signature is slightly more neutral on the whole, so you won’t feel like you’re missing any part of what’s happening, and it retrieves a lovely amount of treble and midrange detail. There’s less bass power for explosions, though. And the treble, while more present here than on Beyerdynamic’s pair, can sound piercing at times. Imaging isn’t quite as nuanced either, though it’s far from poor.
The HD560S’ design is plenty comfortable to wear for extended periods. It doesn’t clamp down too hard on those with big heads (like yours truly), and its velour earpads hug the ears softly. The included cable is removable, too. The plastic frame doesn’t feel as sturdy or premium as the DT 900 Pro X, however, so you won’t want to chuck it around haphazardly. It won’t isolate much noise either, nor will it prevent others from hearing what you’re playing. Nevertheless, the HD 560S is a pleasure, and a great value.
Pros
Advertisement
Impressively balanced sound
Comfortable
Great value for those who prioritize audio quality
If you can’t spend more than $50, it’s still hard to top the Koss KSC75. It costs $20, but judging purely on audio quality, it’s better than some headphones priced closer to $100. This pair is very obviously devoid of deep bass, so you won’t get that full-bodied oomph from in-game effects. You also won’t hear all the intricate details you’d pick up with the pricier headphones above. But it locates sounds accurately, and its open design delivers a real sense of width. It’s a superb value for competitive play.
The catch is that it’s built like a set of free airline headphones. The KSC75 has an odd clip-on design that is lightweight but won’t be a comfortable fit for everyone. It certainly looks like it costs $20, though Koss backs it with a lifetime warranty that essentially lets you get endless replacements for $9 each. Even if the KSC75 are pushing 20 years old, its relatively balanced sound remains particularly well-suited for gaming.
If you do want a dedicated gaming headset with a built-in mic, we love the Turtle Beach Atlas Air. It’s a bit of a rarity: a wireless model with an open-back design. It sounds much wider, airier and more natural than the vast majority of its peers as a result, creating the sensation that your game is happening around you instead of feeling confined in your head. It’s also better than most at positioning in-game effects in the right places.
The Atlas Air has a mostly flat audio profile by default, with a jump in the treble that lends extra crispness to things like cymbals. Like most open-back pairs, it’s fairly weak in the low-bass region, so gunfire and EDM lack the kind of muscle you’d get with good closed-backs. The DT 900 Pro X still sounds more dynamic, with more detail in the mids and stronger bass that makes footsteps and explosions more intimate. That said, the Atlas Air holds its own surprisingly well. It’s about as spacious, and what bass is here doesn’t come off as blobby. It’s an easygoing listen, and the greater sense of spatial awareness provided by its design makes a real difference whether you’re listening for enemies in Counter-Strike 2 or basking in a giant boss battle in Final Fantasy XVI. Going from a pair like this to a traditional headset often makes it sound like a chunk of the world has been lopped off.
The Atlas Air is also exceptionally comfortable. Its ear cups are generously padded with light memory foam and covered in a soft cloth material; they give plenty of room for larger ears to breathe, without trapping too much heat. The suspension-style headband doesn’t allow much in the way of manual adjustments, but it’s extremely flexible, so those with especially large heads can still pop the headphones on with little struggle. The design as a whole is lightweight at 0.66 pounds, and it’s gentle about clamping down on the sides of your head. Put it all together and you get a headset that’s a breeze to wear for hours at a time.
All of its controls — including a big volume dial that circles the left ear cup — are easily accessible beyond that. Our chief complaint is that the design is almost entirely plastic, so it doesn’t quite feel like a $180 device to the touch. It’s also kind of… ugly, to be honest. None of that is a big deal once you have it on, however, and we haven’t noticed any creaking or looseness to the frame after several months of testing.
Advertisement
The Atlas Air’s detachable boom mic is perfectly fine. You wouldn’t want to use it for podcasting, as it robs a good chunk of bass from your voice, but you’ll still come through clearly in a noisy room, with no harsh sibilance to “ess” sounds. The mic itself is sufficiently flexible, and you simply flip it up to mute it, which is always convenient.
The headset works with PC, PS5 or a docked Nintendo Switch through its USB dongle, plus it supports Bluetooth for mobile devices and the Switch’s handheld mode. You can’t pipe through audio from two connections at the same time, but you can at least switch between the two fairly quickly using a button on the left ear cup. While there’s no support for Xbox’s wireless protocol, you can also use the headset passively (i.e., without relying on battery power) with an included 3.5mm cable with its own inline volume dial. If you’re an Xbox player and don’t mind using a cable, we’d still consider the Atlas Air our top recommendation. Without the wire, Turtle Beach says the device can last up to 50 hours, though we’ve been able to squeeze another five to 10 hours out at moderate volumes. It’s far from the longest-lasting pair we’ve tested, but this means it can likely go for a week or two before it needs a charge.
The main trade-offs with the Atlas Air are the same ones noted above: Because they’re open-back, they let in and leak tons of noise. If you don’t play in a reasonably quiet environment, consider our next pick. We also had a driver issue that prevented us from connecting to PC upon first receiving the headset, but a software update quickly fixed that and we haven’t had any hiccups or stutters since. In general, Turtle Beach’s Swarm II app is fairly straightforward, offering a custom EQ tool, game/chat mix, mic settings and the like.
Advertisement
Pros
More open, natural and immersive sound than most gaming headsets
Supremely comfortable
Multiple connection modes
Decent flip-up mic
Cons
Leaks and lets in outside noise, by design
Lacks deep sub-bass, like most open-back headphones
Enclosure: Closed-back | Driver: Planar magnetic | Frequency response: 10 – 50,000Hz | Mic: Yes, detachable | Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, AAC, SBC), 3.5mm, USB-C digital audio (optional), Xbox Wireless (optional) | Weight: 490g
If you’re willing to pay extra for a premium gaming headset with a more isolating closed-back design, get the . At $299 for a PS5 model or $329 for an Xbox model, it’s not cheap, but it’s one of the few dedicated gaming headsets we’ve used whose audio quality holds up next to the better “normal” wireless headphones on the market.
Advertisement
The Maxwell’s default signature is like a more refined version of the common “gaming headset” sound. Bass is impactful but well-controlled, while highs are crisp but not sharp. There’s a bit of extra energy in the upper-mids, but it’s not overwhelming, and the headset’s planar-magnetic drivers do well to reproduce smaller intricacies throughout. It still can’t provide the immersive width and precise imaging of our open-back picks, the Atlas Air included, but the Maxwell sounds unusually textured, balanced and intimate compared to other wireless gaming headsets. While it lacks the airiness of the Turtle Beach headset, the punchier low-end makes things like footsteps more easily identifiable in games. If you don’t like the out-of-the-box profile, Audeze’s app also includes a number of tasteful EQ presets.
Along those lines, the Maxwell’s detachable boom mic is a standout. It does a phenomenal job of muting background noise, and while your voice will lose some air, it’ll sound clearer and fuller here than on most wireless headsets we’ve tested.
The Maxwell is very much on the bulky side, it leaks sound at higher volumes, and its steel headband uses an odd suspension mechanism that’s effectively impossible to adjust without taking the headset off. In general, though, its design feels substantial. The squishy, heavily padded ear cups can make your ears feel warm, but they keep the headset comfortable and isolate a fair amount of outside noise. The essential controls are built into the left earcup, and the device can connect over Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable in addition to a USB-C wireless dongle. You can even connect to two devices at once, one over the dongle and another over Bluetooth, though you can’t stream audio from both sources simultaneously. The headset also needs to be powered on in order to play music over a cable.
Audeze rates the Maxwell’s battery life at roughly 80 hours, which is great and has generally held true in our testing. You’ll get a bit less if you play at high volumes or use features like Bluetooth or sidetone heavily, though.
If you’d prefer to save some cash and buy a decent wired gaming headset, consider the . It’s another open-back pair that sounds more spacious than most traditional gaming headsets and generally locates in-game effects accurately. Its sound signature emphasizes the bass, which gives explosions a smooth and satisfying thump, but it doesn’t overdo the low-end the way many of its peers do.
The A40’s audio quality is still a step behind the DT 900 Pro X, HD 560S and Atlas Air, especially for online shooters. Next to those headphones, its veiled treble and pushed upper-bass/low-mids can blunt footsteps and other fine details. Its soundstage is narrower by comparison as well. But it’s better balanced than most gaming headsets, especially those in its price range. It does well to envelop you in whatever’s happening onscreen.
Comfort shouldn’t be an issue, either. The A40 is on the bulkier side, but its weight is evenly distributed, and it doesn’t clamp down overly hard. The fuzzy earpads are soft and breathable, while the ear cups are roomy enough to fit larger ears. The headset has the usual open-back shortcomings, though, as it leaks a bunch of sound and blocks almost zero outside noise. The mostly-plastic design looks “gamer-y” and lacks built-in volume controls, too. Nobody would call it “premium.” Still, it’s not flimsy.
The A40’s mic, meanwhile, is just OK. It picks up background noises while you chat and makes voices sound somewhat muffled. It’s serviceable, but you’d buy the A40 for its sound quality (and relative value) first. The mic isn’t detachable either, but you can easily flip it up and out of the way.
Advertisement
The A40 has been around for several years now, but its price has come down from $150 to a more reasonable $130 in that time. Astro sells an optional with extra controls for $130, but at that price we’d strongly advise buying one of our other picks instead.
Pros
More spacious sound than most dedicated gaming headsets
You won’t find a good open-back gaming headset for less than $50, so if you’re on a tight budget and need a built-in mic, you’ll have to compromise on sound quality. With that in mind, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a decent buy for $40 or so. It gets the comfort part right, as its pleather ear cups don’t clamp down hard and have enough soft padding where it counts. Its mic makes voices sound relatively clear and accurate as well. In fact, the mic is a clear step up over the Astro A40’s, though it’s not detachable.
The Cloud Stinger 2 has a V-shaped sound signature, which is to say it exaggerates the bass and treble while recessing the mids. It’s not bad for what it is, and it’ll definitely give action scenes a heavy dose of boom. But the upper-bass is bumped to the point where it may get tiring over time, and you lose some of the fine details you’d hear on our other picks. Since this is a cheap closed-back headset, the Cloud Stinger 2 doesn’t sound nearly as wide as the pairs above, nor is it as nuanced about positioning sounds accurately. All of that makes it less than ideal for competitive games, though it can still sound “fun” with many other titles.
Beyond that, the plastic design feels cheapish. Its cable isn’t removable, and it doesn’t block much outside noise despite having a closed-back design. Nevertheless, you have to pick your battles in this price range. The Cloud Stinger 2 is flawed, but it does enough well to be a good headset for certain budget-conscious buyers.
The Astro A50 X costs an eye-watering $380, so we can’t reasonably recommend it to most people. However, if you can stomach the price, this is a uniquely convenient wireless headset for hardcore gamers who own a PS5, Xbox Series X/S and gaming PC. That’s mainly due to its included charging dock, which serves as a unified A/V station for those three platforms. By chaining HDMI and USB cables from a PS5, Xbox and/or PC to the A50 X’s base station, you can connect the headset to all three devices simultaneously. From there, you can swap to your active machine just by pressing a button on the right earcup.
Advertisement
This is a pain to set up: As shown in Logitech’s 12-minute (!) video tutorial, connecting both consoles and a PC requires seven different cables, a few of which aren’t in the box, plus some futzing around in each system’s menus. It’s not totally seamless once everything’s up and running, either: We had to manually change video signals when switching from a PC to a console (though not when doing the inverse) and manually change our PC’s audio output when we wanted to listen through desktop speakers. All of this requires you to keep your gaming hardware in the same area, too.
But for the most part, the A50 X is the most practical wireless headset we’ve tested for multi-console setups. Instead of needing two headsets for Xbox and PS5/PC, or having to reconnect one headset each time you change consoles, all you have to do is take the A50 X off its dock, turn it on and select the platform you want to use. A small LED display on the dock will show the active connection, and the headset will automatically play the correct audio source. With a PS5 and Xbox, it’ll automatically swap video. So long as you use HDMI 2.1 cables, the base station can pass-through 4K 120Hz HDR video to the two consoles, with support for VRR and ALLM. You can also connect the A50 X to a Switch or mobile device via Bluetooth — though you need to be within range of the base station for that to work, and you don’t get the same fast-switching functionality.
All these connectivity tricks wouldn’t mean much if the A50 X was a shoddy headset, but thankfully, it’s not. It’s among the better-sounding wireless headsets we’ve used; it’s not “$380 good,” but it’s dynamic, with rich, relatively nuanced bass and a clean midrange. Explosions and gunshots have a good crunch without sounding overly thick, and it’s generally accurate at locating footsteps and nearby effects. The Audeze Maxwell is still a level above, however; the A50 X has a darker tilt by comparison, so it captures less detail in the treble range and feels more boxed-in. It also can’t match the wider, more enveloping soundstage of our open-back picks. Still, most people will be happy with it, and you can customize its EQ curve to an extent through Logitech’s G Hub software.
The A50 X’s design is like a nicer version of the A40. It’s largely plastic, but it feels sturdy. The fuzzy, fabric-covered foam on its earpads and headband is soft and breathable, and while the headset isn’t super light at 0.8 pounds, it distributes its weight in a way that feels comfortable yet secure. You can also adjust your game-to-chat audio mix right from an earcup. It doesn’t isolate outside noise very well, though, and its boom mic is permanently attached. Its battery life is mediocre as well — Astro rates it at up to 24 hours at moderate volumes — but since the headset is designed to sit on its dock when it’s not in use, that’s not a serious issue. The mic, meanwhile, is one of the very best we’ve used any gaming headset, wired or wireless. Voices sound cleaner and more natural than they do with the Maxwell, and background noise is largely kept in check.
Advertisement
Enclosure: Closed-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 60 – 20,000Hz | Mic: Yes, not detachable | Connectivity: HDMI audio, USB audio, Bluetooth | Weight: 363g
Pros
Closest thing to a truly universal wireless gaming headset
The Corsair Virtuoso Pro. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
Note: This is a selection of noteworthy gaming headsets and headphones we’ve put through their paces, not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve ever tried.
Advertisement
Corsair Virtuoso Pro
The $200 Corsair Virtuoso Pro is another one of the few dedicated gaming headsets with an open-back design. It has a relatively dark sound with mostly underemphasized treble and elevated upper-bass, though the highs are clearer here than they are on the Astro A40, and it still delivers a wider soundstage than most gaming headsets. We preferred this signature over Astro’s pair with some games, though in others it felt less balanced. The Virtuoso Pro’s mic is decidedly less muffled than the A40’s but still sounds fairly thin, so it’s merely decent compared to the wider headset market. Its headband adjustment mechanism feels cheap, too, and you can’t detach the mic without swapping cables out entirely. Its round, breathable ear cups and manageable weight do make it easy to wear, though, and it comes with a sturdy travel case for protection. Ultimately, it’s a decent buy, but it’s hard to justify over the more featured and easier-sounding Atlas Air.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless can last well over 300 hours at moderate volumes, which is remarkable and by far the best of any wireless model we’ve tested. It’s light and not too snug on the head, and its powerful bass lends a real sense of excitement to in-game action. But it blunts more detail than the Atlas Air, Maxwell and A50 X, and its mic isn’t as good. Several users have also reported latency issues when using the headset with HyperX’s Ngenuity software, and there’s no Xbox, Bluetooth or wired audio support. Still, if battery life is paramount, you may be able to look past all of that.
Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed
If the Audeze Maxwell is out of stock, the Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed is another quality wireless headset worth considering. It sounds better than the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, with satisfying but more controlled bass and more accurate mids, and it’s lighter on the head than the Maxwell. Logitech rates its battery life at 50 hours, but we found it to last much longer at moderate volumes. However, similar to the Astro A50 X, a dip in the treble makes it sound darker and more veiled than the Maxwell, and it doesn’t have any HDMI-switching tricks to fall back on. Its mic also sounds less natural than those of the Maxwell, A50 X and Cloud Alpha Wireless. Plus, while it can connect over a USB dongle, Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable, it can’t pair to two devices at once like Audeze’s and Astro’s pairs. Our biggest issue is the price: Value-wise, it’s in something of a no man’s land at its MSRP of $250. It’s a fine choice if it dips below $200, though.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
The wireless Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is tremendously comfortable and has a good mic, but its boomy sound is less refined and detailed than the Audeze Maxwell. As a closed-back headset, it also lacks the width of the Atlas Air. There’s no support for wired audio either.
Advertisement
Logitech G535 Lightspeed
The Logitech G535 is an impressively light (0.52 pounds) and comfy wireless headset that’s often available for $100 or less. It has a relatively neutral sound signature: not flat, but not beholden to big, thumping bass. It can make details in the mids sound thin, and if anything it could use a little more sub-bass, but it’s an agreeable listen overall. However, its mic isn’t especially full, and its 35-or-so-hour battery life is a significant drop from our top recommendations. It doesn’t work with Xbox’s wireless protocol or Bluetooth either, and it forces you to crank the volume to reach a listenable level. But if you don’t want to spend a ton on a wireless headset, it’s a fine value.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X
Xbox owners who want a more affordable wireless headset than the Audeze Maxwell could do worse than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X. It’s another bass-forward pair, and its mic is comparable to that of the Cloud Alpha Wireless. It offers multiple connectivity options, including Bluetooth and a 3.5mm cable. While it’s marketed for Xbox, it can also connect to PCs and PS5s. Its 30-ish-hour battery life is well short of the Maxwell and Cloud Alpha Wireless, however, and its uneven treble can cause things like in-game dialogue to sound masked in certain titles.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
The wired HyperX Cloud Alpha often goes for $80 or less, and at that price it’s a decent middle ground between the Cloud Stinger 2 and Astro A40 if you really want a closed-back gaming headset. It’s old, but its plush earpads and headband are comfy, and its detachable mic, while not superb, is still better than the one on the A40. Its treble is underemphasized, however, and again it sounds more “in your head” than Astro’s pair.
The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 (left) and HyperX Cloud III Wireless (right). (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is comfortable and has a noticeably clearer mic than the Astro A40. It also comes with a useful DAC that makes it easy to adjust the headset’s EQ and game-to-chat mix on the fly. However, its closed-back design can’t provide the same enveloping sense of width, and its default sound can sound piercing in the treble. Like the Virtuoso Pro, it’s also a bit too pricey, typically hovering in the $200 to $220 range.
Advertisement
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is largely similar to its wired counterpart but adds a passable level of active noise cancellation. Being able to hot-swap battery packs and connect to multiple devices at once is also nice. It’s not as convenient for multi-console play as the Astro A50 X, though, and it usually costs more than the Audeze Maxwell, which sounds better, has a superior mic and lasts longer on a charge.
Beyerdynamic MMX 200
The wireless Beyerdynamic MMX 200 locates in-game effects accurately, feels sturdy and has a great boom mic, but it sounds less articulate than the Audeze Maxwell, with heavily exaggerated bass and recessed lower-mids. There’s no game-to-chat mix or custom EQ tools, which is tough for a $250 headset, and its 35-hour battery life is unremarkable. We also found its sweat-inducing ear cushions and headband to clamp down too tight for comfort. However, the built-in transparency mode is nice and the tight fit does a good job of isolating outside noise.
HyperX Cloud III Wireless
The HyperX Cloud III Wireless is comfy and can last up to 120 hours per charge but sounds less dynamic than the older Cloud Alpha Wireless, with weaker bass response. Like that pair, it also lacks a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth audio support and Xbox compatibility. The Cloud Alpha Wireless still gets nearly three times the battery life, too, so it remains a better buy if you want a wireless headset for PC or PS5 in the $150 range.
Sennheiser HD 490 Pro
The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro are studio-focused open-back headphones that also work well for gaming. They come with two sets of ear pads, one that slightly elevates the bass and another that bumps the midrange, though they deliver impressive width and detail either way without pushing too hard in one direction. They’re a pleasure to wear over long stretches, both lighter than the DT 900 Pro X and less stiff than the HD 560S. That said, they cost $400 and their sound profile is more of a nice alternative to our top picks than something clearly more natural or resolving. Most people don’t need to pay the premium.
Advertisement
Recent updates
November 2024: We’ve updated this guide with a new recommendation for the best dedicated gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, and reorganized our picks accordingly. We’ve also added notes on other gaming-friendly headphones we’ve tested, including the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro and Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, and removed a couple of write-ups on headsets that are no longer available.
Were you considering Motorola’s Razr 2024 or Razr 2024 Plus but found the prices too high? You might be lucky, as more affordable versions could be released soon.
91Mobiles has discovered a listing for a new Motorola foldable device in the Wireless Power Consortium and SGS Fimko certifications. The Razr 50s Ultra may launch soon and be released alongside the previously rumored Razr 50s.
Given their names, the Razr 50s and Razr 50s Ultra are expected to be priced lower and have fewer features than the already released Razr 50 and Razr 50 Ultra, which were released in the U.S. as the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024, respectively.
In addition to being listed on the WPC and SGS, the Razr 50s Ultra has also been spotted on the official Motorola U.S. website under the hearing aid compatibility section, with the model numbers XT2451-1 and XT2451-2.
Advertisement
According to 91mobile, the Razr 50s Ultras should look nearly identical to the Razr 50 Ultra. It appears to have a large flip-style foldable design, with a punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera in the center. With narrow bezels throughout, the Razr 50s Ultra will likely feature a volume rocker and power button on the right edge with a SIM tray on the left side.
The back features a large secondary screen that occupies the upper part of the rear panel and extends to the hinge. Dual camera sensors and an LED flash are integrated into the screen. The lower portion of the back has a leather finish and displays the iconic Motorola dimple along with the Razr branding.
91mobile
The Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024, respectively, are clamshell foldable smartphones in the U.S. They offer a modern take on the classic Razr design. The Razr Plus 2024 stands out with its larger 4-inch external display, which allows for more functionality when the phone is closed, such as replying to messages and using apps. It also boasts a flagship Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, improved cameras (50MP main and 50MP telephoto), and faster 45W TurboPower charging.
In contrast, the Razr 2024 has a smaller 3.6-inch external display, a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor, a different camera setup (50MP main and 13MP ultrawide), and slightly slower 30W charging.
In the U.S., the Razr 2024 is priced at $700, while the Razr 2024 Plus starts at $1,000. It’s unknown what the Razr 50s and Razr 50s Ultra will be called in the U.S. or what their price points are, which should be lower than those of the previous models.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the latest large smartphone from Google, featuring a stunning 6.8-inch Super Actua Display. This display is incredibly bright and looks amazing. To protect it, investing in a good case is a smart choice.
In this list, we will rank the best cases available for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, including top options for carbon fiber cases, leather cases, and more. Without further ado, here are the best cases for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Best Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Case
Google Silicon Case
Google’s own Silicon case is hands-down the best case available for Pixel 9 Pro XL. And it’s actually a really nice upgrade over last year’s version. The Pixel 8 version was pretty sticky, and thus held onto every bit of dust and dirt that might be in the air. While the Pixel 9 Pro XL case is not quite as sticky, but still has a good amount of grip to keep it from falling out of your hand.
This silicon case costs $34.99 and comes in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose Quartz. It can match the colors of the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Advertisement
This case is great because it is a first-party case, so you know that it’s going to fit the phone perfectly. It also makes the camera bump nearly flat, which is great for it laying on a table. It feels great in the hand, and does keep the fingerprints off of those shiny rails, which is definitely important here. This is one of my favorite cases for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and will likely use it for quite some time.
Over the last few years, Thinborne has secretly been making some of the best cases for flagship phones. These are thin, Aramid Fiber cases for the Pixel 9 series, which also includes a Magnet for MagSafe accessories. I’ve been using this case for a little bit and have to say, the MagSafe magnet is actually very strong. I sometimes have trouble taking the MagSafe battery pack off with this case.
Thinborne cases are not cheap, they cost $69.98 for all of the Pixel 9 series. However, what makes up for this is the fact that they also come with a tempered glass screen protector. Kind of making it worth the price.
Advertisement
The only downside to Aramid Fiber cases like this is, the fact that they will hold onto all oils from your fingers. So you will want to wipe it down pretty often.
However, this case does offer a pretty small lip for the display and the camera bar. In fact, the case does go over the camera bar, so when you put the phone on a table, the camera is actually not touching it. Which is even more important. This is one of those cases that I use on virtually every smartphone that I get. So it definitely needed to be on this list.
Bellroy is another company that’s quietly been making some really good cases. This is their leather case, which is only one of a few companies making a real leather case – a lot of others are doing faux leather. Ironically, it’s cheaper than the Thinborne Aramid Fiber case above.
Advertisement
This Bellroy Leather case is available in four colors: RubyRed, Black, Terracotta, and SimplyTaupe. It costs $59, from Amazon. Which is not a bad price for a fully leather case. Especially one that is real leather and will actually patina.
If you’re a big leather person and love seeing it patina over time, then this is a really good option. It also features metal buttons for the power and volume rocker. So it will definitely feel premium in your hands.
The Spigen Tough Armor is another very popular case for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. This is a rugged case with a kickstand. But the good thing here is, it doesn’t look like a rugged case. As those rugged cases are typically pretty ugly. Instead, this looks pretty nice, and does still pass the MIL-STD-810G tests, and can withstand drops from higher heights. So you can pick up this case and not worry about dropping your phone as much.
Advertisement
This is a dual-layer case, which sports a soft TPU layer that goes against the phone, and a hard outer shell that will take the impact when the phone is dropped. Spigen has included a nice lip to protect the display as well as the camera module on the back. Additionally, there is a kickstand on the back. But honestly, this kickstand is rather flimsy and you probably won’t want to use it that much.
Spigen is selling this case for $18.99, and is available in black, Metal Slate, and Abyss Green.
The URBAN ARMOR GEAR case for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the perfect choice for anyone who wants rugged protection without sacrificing style. Engineered with a feather-light composite construction, it delivers military-grade shock resistance, ensuring your Pixel 9 Pro XL stays safe from drops and bumps. The oversized tactile buttons and easy access to ports enhance usability while maintaining the phone’s sleek design. The scratch-resistant skid pads offer additional peace of mind.
Advertisement
This case isn’t just about protection – it’s also compatible with wireless charging, so you don’t have to constantly remove it to power up. Its sleek design and unique honeycomb pattern add a touch of personality to your Pixel 9 Pro XL. If you value both functionality and style, this case is a worthy investment.
The Spigen Rugged Armor Case for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a must-have for those seeking the perfect blend of style and protection. Its sleek, minimalist design with carbon fiber accents complements your Pixel 9 Pro XL without adding unnecessary bulk. Despite its slim profile, this case packs a punch, offering military-grade protection thanks to Spigen’s innovative Air Cushion Technology. You can confidently take your phone anywhere, knowing it’s shielded from everyday bumps and accidental drops.
The case’s precise cutouts ensure easy access to all buttons and ports, maintaining the phone’s functionality. Its raised edges provide an extra layer of defense for your screen and camera lens against scratches. The tactile buttons provide a responsive feel, and the textured sides offer a secure grip. If you’re looking for a reliable, stylish, and pocket-friendly case for your Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Spigen Rugged Armor is an excellent choice.
The TORRAS Magnetic Clear Case for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL stands out as a top contender for several reasons. First, its crystal-clear design showcases the beauty of your phone while adding an extra layer of defense against scratches and smudges. Second, the built-in magnets seamlessly align with MagSafe accessories, opening up a world of possibilities for convenient charging and mounting.
This case isn’t just about aesthetics and compatibility, though. It boasts military-grade protection with Air-Guard corners, safeguarding your device from accidental drops. Raised edges around the screen and camera offer further defense against scratches. The case also maintains a slim profile, ensuring a comfortable grip and easy pocket access.
In essence, the TORRAS Magnetic Clear Case is the perfect fusion of style, functionality, and protection. It lets you enjoy your Pixel 9 Pro XL’s original look while providing peace of mind and enhancing its capabilities with MagSafe compatibility.
If you want slim protection that doesn’t compromise on style or functionality, the Mous Super Thin Case for Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a top contender. Its sleek, minimalist design adds a touch of sophistication while its impact-absorbing AiroShock technology ensures your phone remains safe from everyday bumps and drops.The case’s MagSafe compatibility allows for seamless attachment of magnetic accessories, expanding your phone’s capabilities without sacrificing its streamlined form.
The case’s raised edges safeguard your screen and camera from scratches, and its textured finish offers a secure grip. Precise cutouts ensure effortless access to all buttons and ports. Plus, its subtle design and premium materials enhance your Pixel 9 Pro XL’s elegance. In conclusion, the Mous Super Thin Case provides the ultimate combination of slim protection, MagSafe compatibility, and refined style, making it a standout choice for Pixel 9 Pro XL owners.
While the Spigen Liquid Air case for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL might not grab headlines as the “best” thin case, it certainly deserves an honorable mention for several compelling reasons. First and foremost, its slim and lightweight design adds minimal bulk to your phone while providing essential protection. Its flexible TPU material offers a comfortable grip and easy installation.
Despite its understated appearance, the Liquid Air case doesn’t compromise on protection. It features Spigen’s Air Cushion Technology, strategically placed in the corners to absorb shocks and impacts from accidental drops. Raised bezels around the screen and camera offer further defense against scratches.
Moreover, the case’s unique pattern on the back not only adds a touch of style but also helps prevent fingerprints and smudges. The precise cutouts ensure unhindered access to all buttons and ports, maintaining your phone’s full functionality. And if you’re concerned about wireless charging, rest assured – this case is fully compatible.
The Spigen Liquid Air case embodies a subtle yet powerful approach to phone protection. It delivers a winning combination of slimness, style, and military-grade defense. It’s an ideal choice for those who prioritize a lightweight and minimalist case without sacrificing their Pixel 9 Pro XL’s safety.
Apple’s even tinier Mac mini is here — with M4 power. It’s also more affordable than ever and better value. It won’t shock you to hear the M4 Pro is very fast, but the Mac mini comes with 16 gigs of RAM as standard too.
Engadget
The base Mac mini has an M4 chip sports a 10-core CPU (four high-performance cores and six high efficiency), a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. For $1,399, you can bump up to the dramatically more powerful M4 Pro chip (like our review unit), featuring a 14-core CPU (10 high-performance and four high efficiency) and 20-core GPU. (But that’s a pricey upgrade.)
Its Geekbench 6 and Cinebench scores still beat most of the computers we’ve tested this year, and its GPU is fast enough for solid 1080p 60 fps gameplay. And it’s that small!
Google Vids runs on Google’s AI model, Gemini, to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There’s even a Help me create option.
Google Vids doesn’t make videos from the ground up, like the mostly creepy creations of Runway’s Gen-2 or OpenAI’s Sora. Google uses different media and compiles them based on your suggestions and the content of the source documents.
Variety reports that Amazon MGM Studios is developing a TV series based on the sci-fi universe of Mass Effect. Daniel Casey will be the series writer and executive producer. He has action credits on the screenplay for F9: The Fast Saga and made contributions to sci-fi films Kin and 10 Cloverfield Lane. The Mass Effect series includes a critically acclaimed trilogy of titles and a critically panned sequel, Andromeda. There’s also another game in the works, which I assume would dovetail into this show somehow. Corporate synergy, baby.
Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More
As enterprises continue to invest heavily in advanced analytics and large language models (LLMs), graph technology has become one of the most favored approaches for setting up the data stack. It allows users to understand complex relationships in their datasets, which are often not apparent in traditional relational databases.
However, maintaining and querying graph databases alongside traditional relational databases is quite a hassle (and an expensive one). Today, PuppyGraph, a San Francisco-based startup founded by former Google and LinkedIn employees, raised $5 million to solve this gap with the world’s first and only zero-ETL query engine. The engine allows users to query their existing relational data as a unified graph without needing a separate graph database and long extract-transform-load (ETL) processes.
The engine launched in March 2024 and is already being used by several enterprises to simplify data analytics. Its forever-free developer edition alone is witnessing a 70% month-over-month download increase.
Advertisement
The need for PuppyGraph
A graph database architecture mirrors sketching on a whiteboard, storing all the information in nodes (representing entities, people and concepts) with relevant context and connections between them. Using this graph structure, users can identify complex patterns and relationships that may not be easily apparent in traditional relational databases (queried via SQL) and deploy algorithms to quickly enable use cases such as AI/ML, fraud detection, customer journey mapping and risk management for networks.
In the current scheme of things, the only way to adopt graph technologies is to set up a separate native graph database and keep it in sync with the source database. The task sounds easy but becomes very complicated, with teams having to set up complex and resource-intensive ETL pipelines to migrate their datasets to graph storage. This can easily cost millions and take months, keeping users from running critical business queries.
Not to mention, once the database is set up, they also have to manage it continuously, which further adds to the cost and creates scalability problems in the long run.
To address these gaps, former Google and LinkedIn employees Weimo Liu, Lei Huang and Danfeng Xu came together and started PuppyGraph. The idea was to provide teams with a way to query their existing relational databases and data lakes as graphs, without data migrations.
Advertisement
This way, the same data that is analyzed with SQL queries could be analyzed as a graph, leading to faster access to insights. This can be particularly useful for cases where the data is deeply connected with multi-level relationships, like in supply chain or cybersecurity.
“The deeper the level, the more complex the query becomes in a traditional SQL query. This is because each additional level requires an additional table join operation, compounding the complexity and potentially slowing down the query performance dramatically… In contrast, graph query handles these multi-level relationships much more efficiently. They are designed to quickly traverse these connections using paths through the graph, regardless of the depth of the connection,” Zhenni Wu, who joined PuppyGraph’s founding team, told VentureBeat.
Wu said PuppyGraph eliminates the need for extensive ETL setups entirely, enabling ‘deployment to query’ in just about 10 minutes. All the user has to do is connect the tool with their data source of choice. Once done, it automatically creates a graph schema and queries the tables in graph models. Also, the engine’s distributed design allows it to handle extremely large datasets and complex multi-hop queries.
It can connect to all mainstream data lakes, including Google BigQuery and Databricks, to run accelerated graph analytics – while keeping costs on the lower side at the same time.
Advertisement
“The separation of storage and compute architecture means that low cost is PuppyGraph‘s one of the biggest advantages. There is zero storage cost because the engine directly queries data from users’ existing data lake/warehouse. It provides the flexibility to scale compute resources as needed, allowing adjustments to handle fluctuating workloads efficiently, without risking resource contention or performance degradation,” Wu added.
Significant impact in early days
While the company is less than a year old, it is already witnessing success with several enterprises, including Coinbase, Clarivate, Dawn Capital and Prevelant AI.
In one case, an enterprise transitioned to PuppyGraph from a legacy graph database system and managed to cut its total cost of ownership by over 80%. A leading financial trading platform was able to achieve a 5-hop path query between account A and account B across around 1 billion edges in less than 3 seconds.
Before PuppyGraph, their self-built SQL-based solution couldn’t even query beyond a 3-hop query and had batch time-out issues.
Advertisement
With this funding, the company plans to accelerate its product development, expand its team and increase its market presence by taking the zero-ETL graph query engine to more organizations worldwide.
According to Gartner, the market for graph technologies will grow to $3.2 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 28.1%. Other players in the category are Neo4j, AWS Neptune, Aerospike and ArrangoDB.
VB Daily
Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily
AMD launched its latest Ryzen 7 9800X3D to glowing reviews this week, but if you’re looking to buy one then you might have to wait for more stock. The 9800X3D is currently sold out at Newegg and Best Buy, with the majority of Micro Center locations also sold out of AMD’s best gaming processor.
The situation is similar across Europe, too. In Germany most retailers have run out of stock, with new shipments not expected to arrive until later this month. In the UK Scan is accepting preorders for the 9800X3D, but stock won’t arrive until November 29th. Overclockers in the UK says its stock is currently held at UK customs and that its first and second shipments are allocated and sold out. It’s not expecting another shipment until December.
AMD computing and graphics boss Jack Huynh shared photos on X of people lining up for the 9800X3D at retailers, while AMD CEO Lisa Su has been signing some of the CPUs for “some special partners.” Naturally, scalpers are trying to take advantage of the low stock situation with some 9800X3D listings on eBay asking as much as $999 instead of the $479 retail price of the CPU.
While there’s bound to be some pent-up demand for the 9800X3D after the disappointment of Zen 5 desktop CPUs and Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K, it’s clear AMD doesn’t have enough stock of this new CPU for its launch period. The 9800X3D launch timing came as a surprise, arriving less than three months after AMD introduced its first Zen 5 desktop CPUs in August. AMD didn’t introduce its Zen 4 X3D parts until five months after the Ryzen 9 7950X was first released in September 2022, with the 7800X3D arriving nearly seven months later.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 will be issued to Lufthansa first class flyers ‘for the duration of the flight’
Amazon’s running a great Black Friday deal for UK buyers
US buyers might want to wait for Black Friday
Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones are among the best wireless headphones you can buy, gaining the full five stars in our review. And now they’re taking to the skies – but you don’t need to be a high flier to enjoy a pair thanks to a newly discovered huge discount (in the UK, that is).
Let’s talk about the skies first. Sennheiser has teamed up with Lufthansa for an in-flight collaboration. Travelers in the newest Lufthansa Allegris First Class suites (see main image. Pretty swish, no?) will be offered a special Lufthansa-branded edition of the Momentum 4 Wireless to use “for the duration of the flight”. (Boo!)
They’re well suited to flight: battery life is up to 60 hours, more than enough to travel the globe, and their noise cancellation makes light work of engine thrum. But don’t worry if your travel budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, because we’ve also spotted a really big discount for those of us in the UK. Hopefully similar discounts are coming to the US too – check our best Black Friday headphones deals for top discounts where you are.
Sennheiser’s best wireless headphones just got a deep discount
Amazon UK is currently selling the Momentum 4 for £199, which is the cheapest we’ve ever seen them. The lowest these headphones have ever been is just shy of £245 late last year, so it’s a top deal on first-class cans, quite literally.
Things aren’t quite so cheap over at Amazon US, where the lowest price we’ve seen is $219 and the usual price tends to be around $250. Right now they’re sitting at $289.98, so perhaps a swathe of Black Friday deals is incoming…
Advertisement
These splendid over-ears were released in August 2022 and their relative age (the world of wireless listening gear moves at a startling pace, doesn’t it?) is the only reason you might think twice on them.
For sound, comfort and feature set they’re incredibly good – one great perk is ‘Sound Zones’. You can create up to 20 profiles (think office, train, gym, home and so on) featuring specific EQ and noise isolation levels – which will magically activate or deactivate when you enter or leave a specific ‘zone’ wearing the Momentum 4 Wireless. Want max ANC and a bass injection to kick in as soon as you get within throwing distance of the train station? Want to dip into office chatter – but don’t want to fiddle with the app (good though it is) at your desk? Sound Zones will make it happen.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Elsewhere you’re getting Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint pairing, aptX and aptX Adaptive higher-resolution audio support (if your file is good enough), Sennheiser’s splendid Sidetone tech, which makes your own voice easier to hear during calls, a ‘Sound Check’, which involves listening to your favorite music to help you create custom presets, and Adaptive ANC, which includes a slider to tweak how much extraneous noise you want to shut out. All in all, they’re still excellent in 2024.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login