Gaming Headphone vs Music Headphones: How to Decide in 5 Minutes

Introduction

I’ve probably written the most amount of articles relating to gaming headsets and gaming headphones. Everything from noise cancelling ones to how to use Beats as a gaming headset. There’s a lot of online information about this subject regarding headsets with USB cables, soundcard drivers, voice quality, wired vs wireless headphones, so my goal is to make this as simple to understand as possible.

For this article, I did some original research, texted my hardcore gamer friends, and even asked the Facebook Gaming community that I’m apart of. I also created some easy to read tables for some goo product recommendations that you can find at the end of this article.

By the time you’re done reading this, you will be left with the best understanding possible about all the focus points associated with gaming headphones and regular music headphones, and which one is right for you.

But can gaming headphones be used for music? Gaming headphones can be used for music if they have an auxiliary output cable or come with Bluetooth connectivity. However, gaming headphones produce average quality sound on iPhones/ Androids because companies sacrifice sound quality for essential gaming features (such as built-in microphones). Gaming headphones are generally bulkier and come with double the cords, making them an inconvenience for mobile use.

I recommend you pick one for gaming and music headphones for miscellaneous use. I’ll explain why in the next section. If you are in a rush, take a look at the Tips throughout this article!

How do I decide between gaming and music headphones if I want both?

You need to ask yourself the following questions to ultimately decide if you should get gaming headphones or music headphones:

Gaming headphones are best for those who want quality voice communication with friends when they game online. Music headphones have higher quality audio drivers are best for players who prefer superior in-game sound quality and don’t want a built-in mic to talk to friends.

The infographic above is the best way to understand which one is right for you. But with this information, now we need to figure out what features you prefer to have in either your gaming or music headphones.

Imagine going through 3 or 4 pairs of headphones and having to constantly keep returning them because there’s one or two features that you just don’t like. I was in this boat a couple years ago before I found the two headphones that I love and enjoy to this day for gaming and music listening.

I created a table in the next section that will help you identify the best feature about each headphone. I absolutely wish this was something I had access to when I was in the buying stage of my headset gear.

If I can save you just a little bit of time because of this below resource, then it was well worth it!

Gaming headsets have built-in mics while also providing in-game sound. In order to achieve an affordable price for gamers, companies will install cheaper audio drivers and microphone features.

What are the pros and cons of gaming and music headphones?

Check out this infographic to give you the best idea

If the image isn’t loading, here is what it says:

Gaming headset pros:

Built in microphone for hassle-free compatbility
Works with all consoles

Gaming headset cons

In-game sound quality is lower unless you buy a really good pair (more than $150)

Music Headphone Pros

Higher in-game sound quality (surround sound especially)
Can be used for other activities like working out

Music Headphone Cons

Microphones that come with music headphones aren’t compatible with consoles or PCs most of the time

Reddit user InhailedYeti had a really good response to this question when he quotes:

“Music headphones are better for gaming overall, just get a cheap mic to get rid of the compatibility issues. Most people will notice a sound quality difference instantly between the two types. My 4 friends and I used to use headsets and now we just use regular music headphones and spent a lot of $ on good ones now” — Valued responder on the r/gamingheadphones page

I agree with his comment. My brother and I used to have a cheap $30 of Turtle Beach and it never sound as good as the new Sennheiser’s that I still use to this day.

What are the best music headphones for gaming?

Gaming Headset	Quality / Style	Remarks
Phillips SHP9500	Best all-in-one with great sound quality
Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X	Most highly regarded on Reddit
Audeze Mobius Premium	Best quality for gaming and music listening	Bluetooth, VSS, head tracking. Constant updates by Audeze. Planar drivers.
Creative Aurvana SE	Best for under$100	Not comfortable for glasses wearers

There is a way to make Beats work as a gaming headset. They’re actually a great option if you get a couple accessories to make it like a gaming headset or at least compatible with talking to friends during an online game. That link will take you to the article I wrote about it.

Phillips SHP9500

This is one of the best and most well reviewed headphones for entry level-open back design. You can look at how many reviews point to this one being the best, or you can take my word for it from all the research many have already done.

Audio Technica ATH-AD500X

The design might look a little clunky, but that’s because they’ve installed 53mm drivers into their design and that’s really good! If you don’t know anything about sound drivers, just know that 50mm is a great standard, and anything above that is going to provide you some good quality.

Audeze Mobius Premium

A lesser known brand, but by no means are they trying to be a knock-off. They’re most known for being good at studio recording. For gamers, this means these headphones will pick up even the slightest footstep in a game of Rainbow Six Siege. Great for surround sound and directional games too (specifically for first person shooters). Check out the video review of it above.

Creative Aurvana SE

If you truly can’t tell the difference between 50mm and 53mm drivers, or don’t even know what that is, then these are great for you. They’re entry level and unless your an audiophile (someone who’s insanely obsessed with sound quality), these will be a great first pair to own!

You might be set on wired headphones, but there’s a lot of organizational benefits to trying wireless. Check out this article on how to decide between a wired or wireless headphone. This article is specific to music headphones with better in-game sound quality.

Sennheiser: The Ones I Use and Love

I’m not sponsored at all by this company! I got these a while ago and I still use them for my gaming PC and PS4 sessions. They come with directional audio, and you can get the full review of them in the link above! If you have any questions about these, feel free to shoot me an email. I appreciate the questions and comments I’ve already received about these!

If I’m set on gaming headsets, which ones are the best?

I did a bunch of research on these products and created the below table myself. It is meant to help you decide on which feature is most important to you and then the link to the exact product. You’re not wrong for choosing any of them, as they are all great products for their price range.

Before we begin, most headphones are uncomfortable for glasses wearers (like myself), I wrote an article on the best headphones for glasses wearers if this applies to you!

Gaming Headset	Quality / Style	Remarks
Hyper X Cloud Flight	Best Voice Clarity	For use with Console Gaming: get this cable
Logitech G432	Most customization	Can connect to multiple devices, has great sound quality
Infurture	Best Style	Great for kids and affordable for anyone
Turtle Beach Force Recon	The ones I use on console	Only good for voice chat, not sound quality

HyperX Cloud Flight

This is one of the most talked about headsets on the market. Ask anyone in the Reddit or PC Gaming community. They’re great entry level headphones that do exactly what you want them to. You can always sell these off and upgrade in the future because these last a while too!

Logitech G432

These also win with style points. While they are noticeably cheaper than the other ones on this list, they are actually really good quality and come with great reviews. Here is a video review of it below. Remember this is great for mainly entry level players.

Infurture Headsets

This is perhaps a lesser known brand, but they definitely put effort into the style of their headphones. Delivering average sound and better microphone quality, these are great for gamers who need serious communication and callouts during games like Rocket League and Rainbow Six.

Almost every gaming headset will come with an aux cord as well as a USB cable. Read the article I wrote here if you want to know why. This can make cord management challenging if you aren’t organized.

Turtle Beach Force Recon

My brother and I have used these ones for years. The best feature about them is you can easily adjust the bass, treble, and mic volume on a single dialing unit. Not every gaming headset has this feature. I don’t use them for the sound quality, but rather just for talking with friends without having to call them.

Additional Resources

There’s one more article I think you find useful. A lot of people also like the idea of wired vs wireless headphones. I wrote a super in-depth article on how to make a quick decision on which one is right for you. As you can tell, I’ve spent a lot of time on this subject and I want to help the next person out!

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or additional comments, feel free to reach out at entertainmentden.ns@gmail.com. I’m usually good about responding in the next couple days! Stay tuned for the next article!