Top Headphones 2023

Good for gaming. The Audeze Mobius have a good sound, a great mic, and a wired design with low latency. They're also wireless via Bluetooth but will not work with your consoles that way and have a bit too much latency with this connection option. On the upside, they have mic and audio support when used wired via the analog 1/8" TRRS cable or USB-A to USB-C cable on PC, PS4, and PS5.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha are good wired gaming headphones. Their microphone has a good recording quality and does a great job of separating your voice from background noise. They're comfortable enough to wear for long gaming marathons but, unfortunately, have no software support for added customization options, unlike some of the more feature-packed gaming headsets that we've tested. They also aren't the most breathable so your ears may get a little warm after gaming for a while.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless boasts premium build quality, a comfortable design, and outstanding sound. Plus, the clever battery-swapping design means you’ll never be without power. As good as its sound is, however, I give the performance edge to the Arctis Pro + GameDAC. Sure, it’s wired, but it’s still very comfortable and versatile and $70 cheaper. Or you can save a bundle and opt for the wireless Arctis 7 for less than half the price.

We found the Denon to deliver a fantastic overall package as a portable headphone with the AH-MM400. However, we did not find it capable to dethrone or compete with the older Denon AH-D600, D7100, D2000, D5000 and D7000 headphones, which simply outclassed the MM400 in almost every single aspect but for portability. The Denon AH-MM400 therefore provide current Denon owners with a great way of having a similar sound signature headphone on-the-go. In comparison to its competition in the portable headphone market, we felt the Denon AH-MM400 was almost unrivaled by its overall sound quality and build quality, making the headphones an easy recommendation for portable listeners.

Bose's QuietComfort 25 over-ear headphones feature excellent noise cancellation and sculpted, powerful audio performance.

The Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X are good for neutral sound. While lacking in rumbly low-bass, they sound bright and analytical, with vocals and lead instruments that are present and clear, if not a little veiled and thin. Their over-emphasized treble range makes sibilants like S and T sound piercing, though. This sound profile can be fatiguing, but you may still enjoy it as it can help emphasize imperfections in mixes. On the plus side, their cushy ear pads are a welcome treat for long listening sessions, and their low impedance means you don't need an amp to drive them.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless are decent for wireless gaming, although they have a couple of big caveats. They have a comfortable fit, and their long battery life easily lasts through multiple days of gaming. However, their latency is a bit high, which causes slight lip sync issues. Although you can customize their v-shaped sound profile using their companion software, users have experienced high latency when using the app, which is a deal-breaker if you game competitively. On the upside, their boom mic has a very good overall performance, so your voice sounds clear, even in moderately noisy environments.

The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are great for neutral sound. Their sound profile is very neutral and well-balanced, although lacking a bit of thump and rumble due to their open-back design. Their soundstage is perceived as wide and spacious, which helps them create an immersive audio experience. They also deliver sound consistently, so you shouldn't need to readjust them constantly.

As long as you don't expect big bass, the Razer Opus headphones offer active noise cancellations and crisp, clear sound at a reasonable price.

The Philips Fidelio X2HR are great headphones for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is very well-balanced, though some may find they sound a bit dull with some frequencies and piercing with others. They also lack a bit of low-bass, though this is common with open-back headphones. Their weighted harmonic distortion is very good, and even critical listeners shouldn't notice much distortion. Thanks to their open-back design, their soundstage is quite open and natural, and they're very consistent between various users or reseats.