The best wired gaming earbuds aren’t just for gaming, they’re also great for a seamless plug-and-play experience between all your devices, so we’ve rounded up our top picks.
There are dozens of audio options for gamers, such as headphones, headsets, wireless earbuds, open-ear earbuds, and bone conduction earbuds. But not all of them are good for gaming.
Gaming earbuds may not have fancy modern features like noise cancellation or multipoint connectivity, but they have a versatile design that makes them compatible with most devices like gaming PCs, Xbox or PS5, smartphones and handhelds.
1. Razer Moray: The best gaming IEMs
The Moray is Razer’s first attempt at making gaming IEMs. These ergonomic gaming earbuds have everything you need to play on your PC or handheld.
These professional gaming earbuds come with foam ear tips that block out ambient noise so you can focus on the in-game sounds. However, make sure you use the right ear tips for best results.
The Razer Moray is comfortable even for long periods of time and comes with a travel case. While the sound quality isn’t the best for listening to music, it’s great for casual listening and gaming for long periods of time.
Also keep in mind that the Moray doesn’t have a built-in microphone or a boom mic attachment, meaning you can’t use it for in-game voice chat.
2. Sennheiser IE 300 IEM: The best wired gaming earphones
The Sennheiser IE 300 is an audiophile’s dream, so if you’re a gamer, why not enjoy the best audio experience? These earphones are lightweight, extremely portable, and known for their balanced audio output.
The Sennheiser IE 300 is ideal for people who want to hear music and sound the way it was meant to be. These IEMs, or in-ear monitors, use a single dynamic driver and feature an improved version of Sennheiser’s 7mm extra-wide-band transducer.
Priced at $259 a piece, the IE 300 isn’t the cheapest and doesn’t come with an inline microphone for calls and gaming sessions. Still, it makes it onto the list of gaming earbuds thanks to several features like an impressive soundstage that helps pinpoint in-game sounds.
You also get rich bass for an immersive gaming experience and noise isolation thanks to the ergonomic design that provides a great fit.
And while these earbuds are designed to withstand the rigors of extended gaming sessions, if the durable cables give way, you can simply detach them, replace them with brand new ones, and continue your winning streak.
3. 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earbuds: Best Triple Driver Gaming Earbuds
You may have never heard of the 1More brand. However, it is an accessories manufacturer founded by former employees of smartphone maker Xiaomi. The 1More Triple Driver gaming earbuds are exceptional and apart from being affordable, the 1More Triple Driver are known for their clear and high-quality audio output.
As the name suggests, the 1More Triple Driver earbuds feature three separate drivers, one each for bass, mid and high frequencies. This configuration ensures precision and sound clarity, resulting in an immersive and detailed soundstage for gaming, which translates into accurate audio and an immersive sound experience.
Known for their excellent build quality, these earbuds, like most earbuds on this list, feature an in-ear design. Their versatile design makes the earbuds ideal for almost any use case, including listening to music, gaming, calling, or watching your favorite web shows.
The 1More Triple Driver earphones are ergonomic, feature a lightweight aluminum alloy housing and ear tips in different sizes that help isolate outside noise.
4. SteelSeries Tusq: The best gaming earphones with boom microphone
The SteelSeries Tusq is a simple wired earphone with a 3.5mm jack and a detachable boom microphone, making it ideal for people who like to chat with friends while gaming.
The SteelSeries Tusq is an affordable wired gaming earphone with powerful Hi-Fi drivers for clear and precise audio reproduction. It also features bass-heavy sound output that makes gameplay more immersive and adds an extra kick to the battlefield.
Additionally, the extra bass also helps you hear the smallest of sounds, such as the footsteps of a person sneaking around, which can be crucial in an FPS game. The earbuds could handle ambient noise better, but are very competitively priced.
5. Logitech G333: The best budget earphones for gaming
If you’re looking for no-frills wired gaming earphones that you can also use as headphones for your smartphone for making calls and listening to music, the Logitech G333 is the perfect choice.
Using these gaming earphones is extremely easy: all you have to do is connect them to your device and use the integrated remote control to answer calls or adjust the volume.
This dual-driver earphone features tangle-free flat cables that, together with the aluminum housing, are durable enough to withstand rough treatment without any problems.
The audio quality of these budget gaming earbuds exceeds all expectations. In-game dialogue, soundtracks, and other audio effects can be heard clearly. The audio output only gets better when you use the USB-C adapter.
6. Moondrop Aria: Best IEM earphones for gaming
The Moondrop Aria offers studio-level audio quality at an affordable price. These earphones offer a comfortable fit thanks to their over-ear design, but the in-ear fit is also comfortable.
With its audio quality, the Moondrop Aria punches well above its weight and price class. It delivers incredible audio performance that sounds natural. It has enough bass to provide spatial awareness so you can locate footsteps, gunshots, and other important in-game sounds, giving you a competitive edge.
The pleasant organic tuning of these earbuds also means you can use them to listen to music on your phone or MacBook.
The Aria features a detachable cable with a two-pin connector for pairing with the driver. While the cable is braided and looks sturdy, it could have been better. Thankfully, you can replace it at any time, which extends the life of the earbuds.
7. SoundMAGIC E11C – The best budget wired gaming earphones
The Soundmagic E11C is not only a budget-friendly wired gaming earphone, but also an excellent choice for someone looking for a gaming earphone for listening to music.
These great sounding earbuds look and feel premium thanks to the materials used. Sound quality is the E11C’s selling point and it does a great job. The single dynamic driver on these earbuds produces a balanced sound. It also produces a tight bass that provides a satisfying punch in any action game.
Although the Soundmagic E11C is an in-ear earphone, it produces a spacious and well-defined soundstage – an aspect where many budget earphones fail.
The SoundMagic E11C features a three-button inline remote that works equally well with most smartphones and lets you control music or answer calls.
Why choose wired earphones for gaming?
Wired gaming earbuds have their own advantages. First of all, these earbuds offer a zero-latency gaming experience, meaning there is no delay between the audio being generated on the console and your ears. You hear it instantly.
Plus, the audio quality is generally better than their wireless siblings. You’ll hear every gunshot, footstep, or dialogue perfectly in sync with the action, with no lag. Wired earbuds also offer more detailed audio and richer bass without compression.
You can purchase a pair of high-quality wired gaming earbuds at affordable prices. Wired earbuds will give you better sound quality for your money than their wireless counterparts.
What to look for in wired gaming earphones
When buying wired earphones for gaming, you need to consider various factors and sound quality is the first one. There is no need to compromise here because a bad sounding earphone will not only be a torture for your ears but will also spoil your gaming experience instantly.
An excellent wired gaming earbud needs to be comfortable, and since you’ll be wearing these earbuds for extended periods of time, you can’t have ill-fitting earbuds that quickly become uncomfortable.
In addition, you need to consider build quality, portability, microphone capabilities, and device compatibility. Of course, you also want to make sure that
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