Hey everyone! I’ve been using various headsets with 3.5mm jacks for around 15 years because I always heard USB audio was worse, so I stuck with that. Currently, I own a Sennheiser GSP 300 headset which I really like, but its mic is acting up now, so I’m thinking of upgrading. Instead of another headset, I’m considering separate headphones and a standalone mic.
The problem is, there’s tons of info on mics but not much on headphones for gaming. What should I watch out for when buying headphones? For example, should I care about bass boost or pitch enhancements? I’ve mostly used stereo headphones successfully for FPS and other games, but I’ve heard mixed opinions about stereo vs 5.1 surround sound. Is 5.1 worth it or is stereo still the best?
Basically, any tips on choosing gaming headphones? How do USB and 3.5mm connectors compare nowadays, especially if considering 5.1 or surround sound? Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
From my experience, I’d recommend getting a good DAC (digital-to-analog converter) with a headphone jack instead of relying on your motherboard’s onboard audio — you’ll get less interference and better sound quality. Most desktop mics are USB these days, but if yours isn’t, the motherboard mic input works fine.
For audio, wired headphones plus a separate wired mic is usually the best combo for Windows gaming. Bluetooth headsets can have a lot of delay and poor sound quality, so I’d avoid them for competitive gaming. Wireless 2.4GHz sets are okay, but bass and music quality often suffer.
As for surround sound, stick with stereo headphones and use apps like Dolby Access to simulate 3D or surround audio — that works well and is simpler to set up. USB and 3.5mm wired headphones offer similar sound quality; 3.5mm gives you more flexibility to use them with different DACs or audio interfaces. Just avoid Bluetooth if low latency and sound quality matter to you.
Honestly, the connector type (3.5mm vs USB) is less important than where you plug in or what hardware is driving your audio. For example, plugging a 3.5mm headphone into your rear audio panel vs front panel can make a difference because of signal paths and degradation. Using an external USB DAC can standardize this and even let you control sound more precisely. So focus more on the quality of your headphones and the audio hardware behind them rather than worrying about USB vs 3.5mm itself.
About Bluetooth headphones: they are super convenient, but delay can still be an issue in gaming, especially for FPS where sound timing is crucial. People use them a lot now, but for competitive gaming I wouldn’t rely on them. Cabled connection is still king for audio and mic latency.
If you’re thinking about a 5.1 surround setup, be ready to invest in quality speakers and a good audio interface to really get the benefits. For headphones, a simple 3.5mm stereo connection usually works great and is very reliable. True 5.1 or 3D audio can be cool in some games, but it’s mostly limited to AAA titles that support it properly, and usually it sounds better through speakers than headphones anyway.
Thanks for clarifying! Yeah, that was my main worry about Bluetooth — speed matters a lot in FPS for me.