So you’ve been using your stock speakers for a while now, or you’re ready to ditch your over-ear headphones. And while neither haven’t really been horrible, they haven’t been great either
So I guess it’s upgrade time?
You don’t really like headsets because they’re heavy and make you sweaty. And you never were crazy about earbuds because you felt they’re “just not for gaming”.
What if I told you that earbuds have actually been great for gaming for a lot longer than you think.
So why aren’t people using earbuds more for gaming?
The short answer is awareness and perception: people just don’t see them as good for gaming because that’s not what the big e-sport athletes and streamers use.
The longer answer is that most earbuds are simply built more for phones and tablets, not for gaming …but in the last few years, we’ve been getting new earbuds built for gaming too.
We wrote this guide to help you find the best gaming earbuds for your setup. We’ll break down the essentials to look for finding the perfect pair for your own gaming setup. And we’ll cover everything from understanding compatibility with your gaming rig to discussing critical features like connectivity and sound quality.
SUMMARY
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Determine what your setup will be first. PC, console, and mobile all demand different connection types, latency needs, and overall setups.
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Pick earbuds based on what you will primarily use them for: competitive players need low latency and precise sound cues, while RPG and casual players can lean more on immersion, comfort, and convenience.
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Great options exist at every budget, but you generally will get the quality that you pay for. You should also prioritize performance and fit over just looking at spec sheets.
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The “best” earbuds are the ones that fit you: your platform, your games, and your playstyle; not whatever’s most hyped or the most expensive.
Why Gaming Earbuds?
We get much deeper on why earbuds are better than headsets in our main post here but to recap:
Earbuds are simply more portable and convenient to use. As long as you don’t get those bargain-bin $2 earbuds at the grocery, they sound better and they’re a lot more comfortable with the right-sized ear tip for your ears.
They’re more discreet and weigh less, so there’s less strain on your neck and you don’t get that head dent from headsets clamping on your head. And overall, it’s a cleaner desktop setup since you won’t need to dedicate some desk real estate for huge headsets.
Now let’s get into it.
What Setup Will These Earbuds Be For?
This is the first question that you need to answer because your platform will ultimately dictate the type of earbuds you’ll have to get.
From our experience, there are three main types when it comes to a gaming setup:
- PC gaming, which is largely stationary and desk-based;
- Console gaming, which is also stationary but couch-based where you are potentially much farther from your console;
- Mobile and handheld gaming, which is for gaming everywhere else but your desk and couch.
And of course, the hybrid mix of all three above
PC handhelds could be a fourth category but they function the same way as mobile, so for this post we’ll just consider them under mobile and handhelds – since they function the same way.
Here’s our breakdown:
A. PC Gaming
PC gamers have the most options, but you can’t just use anything. The best earbuds out there are those that connect via USB-A or USB-C, the “ol’ reliable” 3.5mm audio jack, or using wireless dongles.
Bluetooth earbuds are okay but generally they come with a noticeable amount of latency, so they’re not the best if you game competitively online, or immersively through single player campaigns(although there are low latency options that can go down to 50ms and below).
If mics are essential to you, most earbuds come with built-in mics that do a good job, with some earbuds having detachable boom mics. However if you’re serious about mic quality, your best bet are dedicated external mics – which you’re probably looking at anyways, complete with the crane looking mic arm and the pop shield.
B. Console Gaming (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
Consoles present some unique connectivity challenges.
On the one hand, you really need wireless since you may be on one end of the living room and your console could be on the other. But also, people, pets, and even your roomba, could trip or snag over that setup you jury-rigged with extension cables and adapters.
Fortunately, there’s only a handful of consoles, each with their pros and cons:
- PlayStation (PS5, PS4): The most common way is via the 3.5mm jack on the DualSense/DualShock controller. Sony really thought of couch gaming when they added this feature so that nobody needs to deal with extra long earphone cables. USB-C earbuds can also connect directly to the console, which makes those with a 2.4GHz dongle ideal for the PS5.
- The PS5 also supports proprietary wireless solutions like PlayStation Link, which offers excellent performance with compatible earbuds.
- Xbox (Series X/S, One): Similar to PlayStation, the 3.5mm jack on the Xbox controller is the primary method. While some headsets use Xbox Wireless protocol, it’s less common for most earbuds in the market to have this feature, making wired 3.5mm or 2.4GHz USB dongles the better options.
- Nintendo Switch (1 & 2): In handheld mode, the 3.5mm jack is the easiest plug-and-pay option out there. However, the Switch also supports Bluetooth audio, though this can sometimes come with noticeable latency. For docked mode, some USB-C wireless adapters can be used with compatible earbuds, though these will need to plug into the dock directly, which may require a USB-A adapter; there may also be compatibility issues for USB-C earbuds since Nintendo is known to get a bit weird that way.
- Microphone Considerations: Consoles rely on the controller’s audio input for the microphone, so you generally won’t really need your earbud’s native mic capabilities to carry you through your matches. And getting them to work might be some trouble too.
C. Mobile & Handheld Gaming
Gaming on phones and tablets has come a long way since the days of Angry Birds and Flappy Bird (but seriously though, mobile gaming had a lot of birds back in the day). Nowadays we’ve got higher-end games like COD: Mobile, Genshin Impact, Diablo, and PUBG, which makes earbuds essential when playing these titles:
- Connectivity: Even with 3.5mm headphone jacks available, most earbuds will work well via Bluetooth. Some newer phones and tablets have even ditched the 3.5mm jacks entirely, so Bluetooth is the way to go, and a much better experience in Android or iOS compared to other operating systems. You can’t go wrong with Bluetooth on mobile – latency aside, of course.
- Portability & Battery Life: Since you’re on the go, having a good battery life is crucial if you’re going wireless. If you’re going wired, you might need adapters depending if you get a USB-C earbud or a 3.5mm one.
- Touch Controls: Most wireless earbuds come with controls for volume, playback, and call management. Although generally the same across most devices in the basic controls, more advanced controls can become too much to manage, which makes companion apps very useful in customizing or managing your controls.
A Note on “Low Latency Bluetooth”: Some earbuds are marketed as having “low-latency modes” or dedicated “gaming modes”. These don’t necessarily have better hardware and codecs, but typically work by lowering the bitrate or sound quality, which would in turn reduce the latency. Sound quality might suffer slightly but you’ll get lower latency with these modes.
Which Earbuds Should You Get?
Rather than focusing on the brand and model, let’s focus on what you should look for.
Different games and genre preferences require different priorities, and your audio needs are no different. You can make your choice of earbuds as laser-focused for that one use case as you want it to, or you can opt for the most versatile choice. It’s all up to you, but here’s what you need to look out for.
A. Competitive FPS & Esports
If every millisecond and every sound matters, accept nothing less.
- Your Focus: The lowest latency possible, pinpoint sound accuracy, and a great spatial soundstage (for identifying enemy footsteps, reloads, and abilities). For clear comms with your team, watch out for mic quality too. These aren’t just buzzwords btw, they are key in actually communicating when all the S’s, HTF’s.
- Recommended Features: If you want wireless, prioritize getting 2.4GHz connections for the least delay. 2.4GHz isn’t necessarily faster, but it’s usually dedicated to just one device so there’s no interference or distractions from other devices like you’d have in Bluetooth ones. Find earbuds with excellent soundstage and imaging too for precise audio cues. And don’t forget a high-quality, clear microphone.
B. Immersive RPGs & Story-Driven Adventures
What you want is immersion and “the cinematic experience”.
- Your Focus: The cinema in your ears. Your earbuds should enhance the atmosphere, and provide deep and high-impact bass for cinematic moments. A broad soundstage can also help you become immersed in the game world better too.
- Recommended Features: Look for a balanced sound profile that emphasizes environmental sounds and music. Make sure it’s comfortable because you know you’re gonna be there for long play sessions. And obviously some good sound isolation can help to block out noise from your environment. You’re also honestly fine with a good low-latency Bluetooth protocol here as long as the latency isn’t too distracting. However, 2.4GHz still provides a much more stable connection than Bluetooth.
C. Casual & Mobile Gaming
Sound quality and low latency is good, but you want this to be simple and easy.
- Your Focus: Portability, ease of use, and good sound quality overall that’s to your liking.
- Recommended Features: Bluetooth (especially with a good low-latency mode if available), a long battery life, intuitive touch controls for when you actually need it. From my experience I never use touch controls outside of pausing songs and videos (though a ‘skip ad’ function on YouTube would be dope), but they’re nice to have if they’re there. Most Bluetooth earbuds already come with the same features but if you really want to game competitively look for Bluetooth earbuds with low latency modes.
How To Find Great Value at Any Price Point
So you’ve decided on your setup and what games you want to play – what’s your budget?
Contrary to popular belief, you can find excellent value at any price point, regardless of your budget. We’ll even argue that anything below $50 is more than enough!
However, we also believe that you get what you pay for, so don’t come buying $20 “IEMs” and complain that they’re not up to par with $300 headphones.
Here are the broad tiers when it comes to pricing
- Entry-Level (Under $100): At this price, you can expect decent sound quality and basic features. They’re a great starting point for casual gamers or those new to gaming earbuds. But quality can be hit or miss, especially at the $20 to $50 mark.
- Mid-Range ($100-$299): This is often the sweet spot where you get the best performance for your buck. You’ll find better microphone quality, more reliable low-latency wireless options, and notably, a lot better quality in sound.
- High-End ($300+): These premium earbuds offer the best sound quality, advanced features like superior ANC, top-tier microphone performance, and premium build materials for ultimate comfort and durability …or they’re AirPods, and they perform okay. But they just have that Apple™ branding that bumps up their price
The key is to consider your needs and prioritize features that offer the most value for your specific gaming habits. You don’t always need the most expensive option to get fantastic gaming audio experiences.
We’ll even argue that there’s diminishing returns the higher up you go; but we’re talking about the multiple hundreds or thousands of dollars levels here. At that level, that’s more on the ultra enthusiast level such as audiophiles or cinephiles. But for gaming, what you should really look for is performance, comfort, and quality. And most importantly: do these features actually help improve your game?
Conclusion
We understand that tiny earbuds might not do the job when it comes to gaming – or at least that’s what it looks like on the outside, and looks can be deceiving. And it might get intimidating when you realize that a lot of manufacturers are stacking features upon features; most of which you don’t even know what to do, or need them.
The important thing here is not to get the right one, and only one pair of earbuds. What’s more important is to buy the right pair that fits you, and your gaming setup. Because let’s face it: you’re probably gonna buy multiple pairs of earbuds anyways. Because these things are amazing, and they’re so much fun if you end up in the same IEMs rabbit hole we are.
But by understanding what your exact setup would be, you can prioritize the features that would truly matter the most to your playstyle or use case. And defining what your budget would be for this life upgrade, you’ll be well-equipped to make good decisions.
Remember, the goal is to make your gaming experience as best as it can be. Whether that’s through pinpoint accuracy and low-latency in competitive play, deep immersion in a sprawling open-world RPG, or simply enjoying clear and reliable audio on the go. With the right pair of gaming earbuds, you’re set.
If you need some recommendations, you can check out our list of top gaming earbuds of 2025 here (ranked!).
This is our shortlist of all the earbuds that are great for gaming so we go beyond just sound quality or price, and we break down exactly how best each of these can up your game.
