Suppose you’re looking for a great pair of headphones for your gaming sessions, and you’re considering an open-back set instead of the regular closed-back headphones everybody uses (check our open-back vs. closed-back comparison). In that case, you’re in the right place.
Benefits of using Open-back headphones for gaming
Open-back headphones for gaming emphasize sound quality while allowing you to hear your surroundings plus, you get fresh air in your ears, and they can be lighter than regular headphones. If you’re serious about gaming, you’ll enjoy the experience you get from an open-back headset, as every sound feels more natural within your surroundings.
Additionally, you will hear yourself better when chatting as if you were in a normal conversation, helping you modulate your voice volume without screaming, as it happens with closed-back headphones.
Let’s check out our top 7 options for gamers based on quality, design, and features. There are some great brands and models to choose from, although not as many as you can find with closed-back headphones. If possible, a good pair of headphones for gamers should also include a microphone.
Top 7 Best open-back headphones for gaming
1. Sennheiser GAME ONE
Sennheiser is one of our favorite headset brands, and they’ve created one of the best gaming headphones with an open-back design.
With a comfortable, plushy band over your head and soft earpads around your ears, you’ll enjoy hours of gaming comfortably. The GAME ONE is a headset focused on gamers, as seen by its design and color scheme.
- SIGNATURE SOUND DYNAMICS -Engineered for incredibly natural and accurate, high fidelity sound, the proprietary speaker system delivers the bass extension balanced with the other frequencies to deliver extreme acoustic clarity
- NOISE-CANCELING MICROPHONE - The flexible boom arm easily adjusts for best voice pick-up positioning and the microphone design minimizes background noise for acoustic clarity and crystal-clear communication.
- OPEN ACOUSTICS - The classic high-end open acoustic gaming headset is designed for extremely natural, spatial sound. It delivers sonically accurate hifi audio that reveals the details and dynamic realism of the game’s audio for better game performance.
- QUICK VOLUME ADJUSTING – An integrated volume control is built the right ear cup of the Game One headset for on-the-fly adjustments.
- LIGHTWEIGHT - Modern, lightweight yet robust design featuring plush velour covered XXL ear pads for extreme comfort. Velvet ear pads lets your skin breathe.
- Crystal clear conversations ensured with the professional quality noise canceling microphone that automatically mutes when boom arm is raised
- Open back design keeps head cool while delivering extreme sonic clarity and accuracy courtesy of Sennheisers model specific transducer technology (50 ohm)
- Two year warranty when purchased from an authorized Sennheiser dealer
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The sound quality is fantastic as they’re paired with a 50 ohms impedance, and its noise-canceling microphone will keep your voice loud and clear during intense battles. The audio frequency range goes from 15,000 to 28,000 hertz (not that we can hear such high-frequency sounds, though), and it comes with volume control in the cable for easy access.
The noise-canceling in terms of sound won’t be as impressive as you’ve heard with some of the best headphones with a closed-back design, but it does the job, and the microphone quality is excellent for an open-back headset.
2. Audio-Tehnica ATH-ADG1X
Another of our favorite headphone brands, Audio-Technica, is well known for its high-quality audio, although not everybody is a fan of their designs.
Audio-Technica is well known for its monitor headphones, but in this case, the ATH-ADG1X is aimed at gamers looking for a tremendous open-back solution. The price is a bit of a step for many, which is mainly why we’re putting them in second place, but if you have the money, you won’t regret it.
- Advanced 53 mm drivers provide extremely accurate sound reproduction for FPS (first-person shooter) and other games
- Open-air design provides unrivaled sound quality clarity and comfort
- Improved 3D Wing Support system offers hours of comfort and a secure fit
- Audio-Technicas state-of-the-art microphone enables crystal clear in-game voice communication
- Simple volume control and locking microphone mute switch enable one-hand operation
- Extremely soft earpads provide superior comfort for extended game play
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With powerful 53mm drivers, tuned for FPS gaming, and great sound for any other genre, the Audio Technica headphones will be super comfortable for intense hours of online gaming. Frequency response goes from 5 to 35,000 Hz, and with a 48 ohms impedance, you’ll get enough power for a unique audio experience.
Similar to the Sennheiser GAME ONE, the microphone features noise-canceling for great chatting sessions, and it comes with simple volume control and soft earpads for maximum comfort.
3. Sennheiser HD 599 SE
A new model from Sennheiser with excellent audio quality and a mid-range price. The Sennheiser HD 599 SE is a well-balanced headset available in the market with comfortable padding and a simple yet efficient design.
It’s got a 50-ohm impedance which makes it great for audiophiles and gamers looking for clarity but where it shines is in its mid-range sounds. The bass isn’t as impressive as you’d expect from closed-back headphones, but that’s expected.
- Premium, audiophile-grade over ear, open back headphones
- Lightweight with luxurious velour covered ear pads for extreme comfort
- Compatible with virtually every audio device including phones, tablets and computers
- Two detachable cables included (3m with 6.3mm jack and 1.2m with 3.5mm jack)
- 2-year limited warranty only when purchased from an authorized dealer
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We put this model in 3rd place because it’s not entirely aimed at gamers, and because of that, it doesn’t have a microphone or any of the noise-canceling features for mic other headphones include in this list.
4. Audio Technica ATH AD700X
Similar to the Sennheiser HD599 SE, these pair of headphones are an excellent option for open-back lovers, with great comfort and coupled with 53mm drivers and a lightweight design.
Frequency ranges go from 5 Hz to 30,000 Hz, and you can wear them for long gaming sessions without feeling pressure or sweating your ears (same as with all listed models). The ATX AD700X has a 38-ohm impedance with excellent power, and they have nailed directional audio, so you can feel where your enemies are coming from.
- 53 mm drivers reproduce clear treble and midrange. Connectivity Technology: Wired
- Bobbin-wound CCAW voice coils for superior power handling. Impedance: 38 ohms
- Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW . Full open-air type headphones produce no sense of pressure on the ears, resulting in a completely natural sensation
- Lightweight aluminum honeycomb casing with excellent acoustic properties
- Self-adjusting 3D Wing Support provides a comfortable listening experience; total ear-fit design minimizes pressure. Maximum Input Power: 700 mW
- Frequency Response - 20 – 20, 000 Hz and Impedance - 45 ohms
- Connector Type: 3.5mm
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This is a high-quality audio headset, but again, it’s not aimed at gamers, which means there are no microphone or noise-canceling features, and the design might look simple for some.
One good thing about them is the price, which puts them in a very competitive position against other open-back gaming headphones on this list.
5. Beyerdinamic DT 990 PRO
This brand might not be as well-known as the other two, but there are different variations available with 3 levels of impedance. The 250-ohm version is well-balanced, should you choose to go with them.
These open-back headphones for gamers are an excellent option for tight-budget buyers. The sound quality will be outstanding for gaming nights, with solid bass and a very comfortable design.
- Open over-ear headphones, ideal for professional mixing, mastering and editing
- Perfect for studio applications thanks to their transparent, spacious, strong bass and treble sound
- The soft, circumaural and replaceable velour ear pads ensure high wearing comfort
- Hard-wearing, durable and robust workmanship - Made in Germany
- Practical single-sided cable (3.0m coiled cable)
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As happened with the last 3 models, these headphones have excellent quality. Still, they’re not aimed at gamers, so they don’t include microphones or noise-canceling features, but the price is reasonable and competitive with the Sennheiser HD 599, and you won’t regret getting them.
6. Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X Gaming headset
Another great option from Sennheiser, this time at a great value and aimed at gamers. These pair of headphones offer premium audio quality for those long gaming nights.
The drivers included in this headset are the same as you can find in the Sennheiser HD600 and HD598 series, which are known to offer excellent quality and realistic audio. With angled drivers and an open-back design, the PC37X offers awareness and comfort while playing any game.
- A SENNHEISER STANDOUT, REVAMPED: Based on Sennheiser’s top-tier gaming headsets, our Sennheiser PC37X features the same exceptional audio and microphone quality, with some key tweaks to make these headphones even better
- ANGLED DRIVERS: Made with drivers that are positioned at an angle, which is typically seen in much more expensive headsets, the PC37X maximizes natural sound reproduction resulting in more clarity in your games and tunes
- LOCATIONAL ACCURACY: A COMPETITIVE EDGE: The PC37X helps you hear enemies and sense your surrounds more clearly. Thanks to the angled drivers and open-back design, it offers better stereo imaging and locational accuracy for your games
- AUDIOPHILE DRIVERS: The drivers come from the same family as the Sennheiser HD598 and HD600 headphones—two audiophile favorites in the Sennheiser collection
- CLEAR, AMBIANCE-FREE COMMUNICATION: The noise-cancelling microphone is designed for high-volume, low-distance recording, and is optimized to handle unpleasant pops and hisses—great for gaming, Skype calls and video chatting
- INTEGRATED VOLUME AND 10 FT CABLE: The right ear cup has a volume adjustment wheel for quick tweaks in the heat of battle, and the 10-foot braided cable is long enough to reach the back of desktop towers
- CONVENIENT MICROPHONE MUTE: Simply raise the boom arm to the upright position to effortlessly mute your microphone
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
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As you’d expect from a gaming headset, the Massdrop x includes a microphone with noise cancelation, a very convenient mute mic switch, and a cable volume switch.
You can’t go wrong with Sennheiser overall, and the price is well worth it. With a lightweight design, a frequency response from 15 Hz to 28,000 Hz, and a 50-ohm impedance, you’ve got enough power to enjoy your games for hours.
7. Audio Technica ATH PDG1 Gaming headset
Finally, another model from Audio Technica is aimed at gamers. This is the model you want if you’re on a budget but still want to enjoy a superb audio experience while gaming.
The PDG1 Gaming headset has a large pair of ear cups with comfy pads for long gaming sessions and raw, crisp audio.
These headphones are as lightweight as most open-back headsets, delivered with comfort in mind. With a frequency response from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, this headset sounds the most limited from this list, but fear not, the range is significant enough for the human ear (read how an equalizer works based on frequencies).
- Frequency Response - 20 Hz - 20.000 Hz and Impedance - 42 ohms
- Connector type: Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm 4-pole
- Headphones Form Factor: Full size
- Connectivity technology Wired | Detachable
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The cable has convenient volume control and an integrated microphone, although it lacks noise canceling as expected for its price.
It also rocks potent 40mm drivers and a honeycomb aluminum casing for hours and hours of gaming sessions. You won’t regret getting the PDG1 from Audio Technica if this is your first time buying an open-back headset.
Conclusions
There it is—our list of the 7 best open-back gaming headphones and their main features. As you can see, the list is wildly dominated by Audio Technica and Sennheiser, but it’s for a good reason.
Open-back headphones for gamers are increasing as they provide comfort, ambiance awareness, and, generally, better sound quality with crisp details while keeping your ears fresh instead of sweaty.
You can’t go wrong with any of those brands, and the fact they already have so many open-back headphones available for gamers or non-gamers is an excellent sign that this industry is still growing and giving.
Have you tested a different pair of headphones we should recommend? Let us know in the comments!