If you’re a serious gamer, you know that headsets are just as crucial as the game controls. In fact, in some ways, they are one and the same.
Today’s gaming environment requires enhanced hearing and communication for better gameplay, whether you’re directing an assault with your teammates, or simply talking a little trash to your opponent. (Or maybe a lot of trash.)
Best Overall pick!
Best Overall: SteelSeries Arctis 3
The Gaming Headset provides an excellent combination of audio quality and comfort, along with other characteristics that make this headset incredibly versatile, and perfect for more than just gaming.
Current gaming headsets need to not only offer superior audio, but also microphones that can pick up your voice clearly, and of course be comfortable enough to wear for those 8 hour marathons that are sure to happen every now and then.
The growing need for gaming headphones and gaming mouse have resulted in an explosion of products that has oversaturated the market, making it hard to find quality headsets in any price range. If you’re looking for best cheap headsets, you’ll have an even more difficult time.
We’ve gone through a massive amount of budget and cheap headphones with mic to find some good ones for a number of different price categories, with the maximum amount being $100.
Below are out top 10 picks for the best budget gaming headsets of 2026. You’ll find a few familiar brands, and also some hidden gems you may have not seen yet.
In any case, always be sure to check the manufacturer’s info to make sure the headset is compatible with your intended console.
The Arctic 3 uses 7.1 surround sound that gives you a full, enriched sound experience that can aid your gaming, and improve the overall gameplay enjoyment. A slightly expanded frequency response of 20 – 22,000Hz gives the headset some added clarity thanks to higher treble range.
40mm neodymium S1 drivers power the audio, and offer low bass and clear treble without feeling pushed or distorted, and without any diminishing of quality at lower volumes. The clarity and lack of distortion make the unit great for music, movies, and television as well.
The comfort of the Arctis 3 headset is noticeable. Earweave cushions provide plush padding, while keeping ears cool and dry. A ski goggle inspired headband is a nice change from the standard metal band, allowing for flexibility and additional padding that comes in handy during extended sessions.
The unit’s ClearCast microphone utilizes proprietary bilateral directioning, ensuring studio-level voice clarity, while filtering out background sounds.
The SteelSeries Arctis 3 has won numerous awards for a reason. If you’d like a little more versatility to go with your headset, and still want optimal sound and comfort, this is it.
The Corsair Void Pro RGB Gaming Headset offers professional gaming quality for a much more economical price. This unit hits all the right aspects, and also has some awesome customization capabilities, including visual and audio settings.
As with any higher level gaming headphone, the Void Pro RGB uses 7.1 surround sound for a more lifelike sound experience. 20 – 20,000Hz frequencies give you a good span of highs and lows, with a clear overall sound that is boosted by 50mm drivers to help enrich the audio at any volume.
The earpads are very lightweight, and have been constructed from memory foam to conform to your head and ears. This allows for all-day gaming that won’t leave you with discomfort afterwards.
The microphone is one of the best we’ve seen in terms of cancelling background noise, so you don’t have to worry about repeating yourself to fellow gamers if you’ve got other things going on nearby.
Corsair’s CUE software allows you to customize audio profiles, so you get the perfect mix in your ears for any specific game. You can also use it to create visual profiles, and sync all of this up with other Corsair hardware.
For those in search of a professional gaming headset for an economical price, it’s hard to go wrong with the Corsair Void Pro RGB. The combination of comfort, control, and audio quality outperforms the price.
Coming in at just under $25, the Sades SA902 Gaming Headset is one of the good headsets for pc, and offers a performance level that goes above and beyond what you’re paying. Gamers on a budget, or any looking for a spare headset will find a lot to love here.
The SA902’s use 7.1 surround sound, which is something you don’t always get with sub-$25 gaming headsets. A 20 – 20,000Hz frequency response is about the same range you’ll find on much pricer models, and it’s powered by solid 40mm drivers that deliver deep bass and rich highs.The earpads of the unit cover the ears completely to eliminate background sound, and use four-piece padding to ensure soft comfort for long periods of play. Padding on the upper band is a nice inclusion too — much preferred over typical metal bands.
The unit’s microphone is retractable, very flexible, and sensitive enough to capture your voice clearly without having to raise your voice. A mute button and inline volume controls provide quick access to audio levels at a moment’s notice.
It’s hard to ask a lot for this price range, but the Sades SA902 goes above and beyond what you’d expect. This makes it the unrivalled Good Cheap Gaming Headset Under $30. This is an incredible value that any gamer will appreciate.
The Kinden Gaming Headset uses a combination of quality audio design, and a number of flashy features and sound modes to create a lively headset that can easily enhance your gaming experience, and all for under $30.
The headset comes with 7.1 surround sound, and backs that up with numerous sound profiles you can switch to in order to better match your gaming situations. This includes everything from heightened bass, to hi-fi mode, quiet mode, and more.
It uses a frequency response of 20 – 20,000 Hz, so there is no real drop off from more expensive models. A massive 50mm driver brings the sound to life, and enables the headset to offer all the various sound modes for better gameplay.
The headset can also vibrate on three different settings, and has a number of lights located on the outside ear areas, as well as the microphone. It also has a very unique look in general, so if you don’t like low key headsets, this is the opposite.
A combination of leather and memory foam make up the earpads, which are very soft, and also comfortable for long periods of time, allowing for proper airflow too. The padding extends to the headband area.
The Kinden Gaming Headset does things a little differently, but not at the expense of core sound aspects. For an affordable price, you get good sound quality, comfort, and a vibrant look tht can easily boost your gaming enjoyment and performance.
The Ghostek Hero Series Gaming Headset is all business. With an emphasis on superior sound and performance for a low price, this unit avoids unneeded extras and goes right for all the core features that serious gamers want.
Everything starts with a 7.1 surround sound setup, which lets you hear all game audio from all directions, and with noticeable clarity. A frequency response of 20 – 20,000 Hz is combined with 40 mm drivers, giving the headset rich, full sound at any volume.
Integrated volume controls are strategically located for frequent adjustments, so you can control both the microphone and the earpieces on the fly when need, which is very helpful for more intensive gaming scenarios when the element of surprise is paramount.
The microphone can pivot 120 degree for added convenience, and you can quickly mute it altogether with the push of a button. Optimized background-cancelling technology lets other players hear you perfectly, no matter what’s going on around you.
A braided power cord gives the headset a boost in durability that you don’t normally see with other units. Lightweight and soft earpads help filter out other sounds around you, and won’t cause any discomfort, even after long periods of gaming.
For just under $30, the Ghostek Hero Series Gaming Headphones perform at twice the price, and mix in added durability and sound control that you don’t always find. Many gamers will love the unique advantages this headset provides.
Aspects to Keep in Mind When Shopping
Below are the main characteristics to examine when determining your gaming headset purchase. Many units will have some extra features at times, but these are the most important.
Without going into all the details about electromagnetic signals and all that, just know that the larger the driver size, the bigger the sound inside the headphones. Driver size is measured by millimeters.
Frequency response refers to the range in between the low end to the high end, or bass to treble. For example, a frequency response listed as 20 – 200,000Hz means a bass response of 20Hz, and a treble response of 200,000Hz. The wider the range, the better quality of sound.