Audio has been a big part of gaming in recent years, with games like Ghost of Tsushima setting new standards for in-game music that adds to the immersive beauty of the game’s environment. In the multiplayer side of things, in-game voice chat has become necessary with games like Valorant and Call of Duty getting increasingly competitive. First-person shooters have also made directional audio an essential element in gaming across all platforms.
That being said, if you are here that means you are looking for good headphones under 5000 rupees, to game with. A single search on amazon can give you a plethora of headphones, yet that abundance of choice just makes it harder to finalize your choice. This article aims to provide you with some of our favorite picks when it comes to gaming headphones in the budget range.
Before you read on and pick your favorite, here is a little buying guide to help you choose the right one for you!
Connectivity: The first thing to look for while choosing a headphone is connectivity. Headphones generally come with a 3.5mm pin, yet some might have USB connectivity, Bluetooth is common too, although we would not recommend opting for Bluetooth headphones in this price range because the latency on those is usually very high, which leads to audio lag and often ruins your experience. Your main goal should be to check for compatibility.
Microphone: An in-line microphone is one key piece of hardware that differentiates gaming headphones from general-purpose headphones, while it might not be necessary for most games, you definitely will be grateful for the same if you are playing competitive games with voice chat. This comes in handy when you do not have an external microphone to turn to.
Comfort: Remember that the purpose of a good pair of headphones is to aid your gaming experience and enhance your skills, comfort plays a decisive role in the same. Comfort can be subjective but things to look out for usually consist of earpads, cushioned headbands, and the size of the earcups. A lot of people tend to sweat with closed-back headphones as well so you might as well want to take into consideration the ventilation offered by the pair of headphones.
Audio Quality: The quality of sound a headphone produces can depend on many factors, like the soundstage, and the frequency response, and often it is subjective, a lot of people like bass-boosted headphones while others love balanced headphones. A bigger driver does not always mean better sound quality, in fact, there is no single unit defined to measure something as vague as sound quality, that’s the reason it is so hard to judge by simply looking at features. There are terms used in evaluating the quality of sound that might confuse the average listener, terms like “Soundstage”, “Imaging” and “Sound separation”. That is exactly the issue this article aims to eliminate by providing you with a list of some of the best-sounding headphones along with a general idea of how their sound is.
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1. HyperX Cloud Core
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2. MSI Immerse GH30 V2
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3. Razer Rz04-02830200-R3M1
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4. Cosmic Byte Equinox Neutrino
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5. Logitech G431
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6. HP X1000
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7. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
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1. HyperX Cloud Core
HyperX is pretty well known in the gaming industry per se. Their products are widely trusted by a variety of customers, and the HyperX Cloud Core stands up to that reputation very well. The cloud core is a wired headphone with a detachable microphone and has a solid build. It also supports virtual 7.1 surround sound, which can be toggled on or off with the click of a button on the “Advanced audio control box” that comes in the box. This advanced audio control box also allows you to control the microphone input gain and the headphone output loudness.
The build on this headphone is quite amazing for the price, it is not a full metal build, yet sturdy as far as durability is concerned. The earcups are made of memory foam and are quite comfortable, the same can be said for the headband. Earcups are nicely sized and despite being closed-back pair of headphones, the Cloud Core manages to be lighter on the ears, my ears do not sweat on this pair as they do with most others. The connecting cable is, however, non-detachable.
Talking of the sound quality, the mids are clear and well separated, and the bass is not overwhelming and nicely balanced, which might be a deal breaker for some but personally, I prefer it that way. The highs are a little thin but do not hurt my ears. Definitely does not have an audiophile-tier sound quality but is still the best out of most of its competition.
2. MSI Immerse GH30 V2
The Immerse GH30 V2 by MSI is quite similar to Cloud core in terms of sound, one of the main highlights of this pair of headphones is that they are extremely lightweight. They weigh just 222 grams, and I barely ever feel them on my head, if you prefer gaming for long hours, this is the one for you. The build is all plastic, which is quite expected given its weight. It comes with a carrying bag in the box. The microphone is detachable and flexible. The in-line controller acts as a toggle switch for the microphone as well as a volume controller for the headphone.
Another interesting in-box item these headphones come with is a little splitter cable, to make sure that the headphones are compatible with devices that use different ports for microphones and headphones. The highs are not shrill, and the overall sound is quite balanced, although the bass is a little boosted. The microphone being detachable means that you can simply take it off and connect your own favorite microphones. The pads are soft and comfortable, the clamping force is just about right as well, and the price for which you can get these headphones makes them a great choice.
3. Razer Rz04-02830200-R3M1
Razer is a brand generally known for premium accessories that cost quite a lot. This one is one of their budget products yet does not compromise on the quality the brand has its reputation for. This headphone has an all-metal build, uncommon in this price range, it is built sturdy and can survive blows that others at this price point might not. It comes with an in-line controller that allows you to control the volume and toggle mic on and off. The microphone is not detachable, instead, it is compressible, somewhat like a slinky. It can be expanded back out when the need arises.
Comfort is one aspect where I would say this pair stands out, the pads are soft and big, the headband has a nice fit to it and the clamping force is quite moderate. This one is a level-up in terms of sound quality, the 7.1 virtual surround is very effective and optimized. The microphone supports noise cancellation and the input quality is on par with much pricier razer hardware. These headphones are known to be quite loud, however, I would not suggest using them at full volume since there is quite a bit of sound leak.
4. Cosmic Byte Equinox Neutrino
The Equinox series of headphones by Cosmic Byte has been delivering one of the most value-for-money headphones on a budget. The Equinox Neutrino is the latest in the series and offers a lot more than its predecessors. For starters, it comes with Dolby Atmos support and can be used along with the Dolby Access desktop app to further customize the sound. Apart from that, it comes with its own neutrino app that offers you features like EQ, with a lot of presets to choose from.
Along with the headphones, you will find a carrying pouch, a USB Type-C (female) to USD Type-A (Male) adapter, a 3.5mm to USB Type-C adapter, and a USB Type-C to USB Type-C connector. The primary input on the headphones is via USB Type-C. You also get a detachable microphone, which has a surprisingly outstanding quality of input. The mic also supports noise cancellation and is unidirectional, which means, it does not capture the sounds from all around and instead just where the receiver is facing, which, by default is the user’s face.
The build is aluminum and hard plastic, and the build quality is truly premium, especially for the price. The earcups have yellow lighting that fit the color scheme of the headphone. The headband is flexible and comfortable, and so are the earcups. The control buttons are on the headphone itself, along with some ports which include, a microphone input, a USB Type-C input, a dedicated surround sound button, a dedicated button to toggle the mic on/off, and a volume control wheel. The headphone is not very heavy, yet not the most lightweight, fits well, and feels comfortable on my head.
The sound is well-balanced, again, it does not have a ton of bass in case that’s what you are looking for, the soundstage is excellent. The Dolby experience with this pair of headphones is quite impressive, you can access different modes using the Dolby access desktop app. On top of that, you can connect it through USB to a PS5 and opt for 3D audio for an amazing immersive gaming experience.
5. Logitech G431
Logitech is the most trusted brand when it comes to PC accessories be it gaming or any other field. Better known for their mice, keyboards, and webcams, Logitech also happens to have a series of headphones. In the box, you get of course the headphones, and along with them a 3.5mm to USB Type-A dongle, a splitter cable, and some other Logitech goodies. The headband on this pair is my favorite in terms of comfort, and the earcups, although unusually shaped, make for a truly comfortable gaming experience. The headphone has a black and blue color scheme overall. The volume control wheel can be found on the headphones itself.
The microphone is quite durable, and interestingly, is foldable, it mutes itself upon folding, which in itself is an amazing accessibility feature. The connecting wire, however, is not the best quality-wise. Apart from the hardware, you get amazing software support from Logitech with this pair of headphones, with their own app. It features 7.1 surround audio accounting for a great gaming experience.
6. HP X1000
HP is not exactly known for headphones and audio products in general but here they are, with the most unique product on this list. This is the only wireless headphone for this price that I felt was worth including. It does not offer Bluetooth connectivity but instead comes with a dongle that can be attached to the device you wish to use the headphones on. When it comes to wireless, battery life and latency are the major concerns. Battery life on this thing is decent, you get 15 to 17 hours of playback with 2 hours’ worth of charging.
In terms of sound quality, it’s quite similar to the Equinox Neutrino from Cosmic Byte, except for the soundstage being superior to the HP X1000. The microphone, however, is not remarkable, in case it is the microphone quality you are looking for, this is not the one for you. It does come with a wire but it is advisable to use it in the wireless mode because the wire is too short and might restrict head movement in most cases.
A few very clever design decisions can be seen in these headphones, for example, the USB dongle simply fits inside one of the earcups. Yes, you just remove the back cover on the earcups and there is a place to fit the dongle there, to ensure that you do not lose the dongle when the headphones are not in use. The overall build quality is nothing impressive for the price but is not anything bad either.
Note that the dongle is USB Type-A and so this pair of headphones would not be ideal for people who wish to game on phones.
7. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
Yet another amazing product from HyperX, the Cloud Stinger 2 earns a place in my favorites primarily because of its sound quality and how lightweight it is. At roughly 275 grams, this is one of the lighter HyperX headphones, and it achieves that low weight by being built mostly out of plastic. The plastic feels premium to the touch and there is a nice texture to the earcups as well.
The microphone is a fold-to-mute one, similar to what we had in the Logitech G431, however, with the much better recording quality. It is a great option for streamers as well, you can have this on your ears for hours and barely feel fatigued, thanks to the massive soundstage these headphones have to offer. One of my favorite things about this pair of headphones is definitely the sound quality, the frequency response range is huge and you can hear the lowest of lows and highest of highs clearly. Although there is a lack of sparkle in the higher frequencies, the headphones manage to be surprisingly great at sound separation for the price point. You can hear different sound components of a song or even a movie scene clearly and distinguish between them. That is the power of great imaging, which is something remarkable about this pair of headphones, especially at the price point.
In the box, you will also find a splitter cable that can be used to connect the microphone and the headphone to separate audio channels.
Conclusion
I have tested a bunch of games, like COD Warzone, Valorant, Forza Horizon 5, Elden Ring, and even some of the old-school GTA stuff with these headphones, they all perform great, and some of them even match the quality standards of headphones priced higher than them, which is quite an impressive feat. I would advise you to do your own research on specific aspects of the headphones in case you are looking forward to buying one of these, otherwise, you can simply take our word for it, and you won’t be disappointed.
A great gaming and streaming setup might also consist of an audio interface connected to an external microphone and a decent pair of headphones to accompany them as well as to experience all of the great sound experiences modern games have to offer.