Here’s what to look for in a wireless headset for your Nintendo Switch, plus our top 6 recommendations.
| Name | Connectivity | Sound Quality | Battery Life | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteelSeries Arctis 1Best Overall | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle); Wired (3.5 mm) | 40 mm drivers; 20 Hz-20 kHz | 20 hours | BUY |
| Razer Barracuda XStrong Runner-up | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle); Wired (3.5 mm) | 40 mm Razer TriForce Drivers; 100 Hz-10 kHz | 20 hours | BUY |
| Gtheos Captain 300Budget Pick #1 | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle; Bluetooth 5.2); Wired (3.5 mm) | 50 mm drivers | 35-40 hours | BUY |
| NUBWO G06Budget Pick # 2 | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle; Bluetooth 5.0); Wired (3.5 mm) | 50 mm drivers; 20Hz-20 kHz | 47 hours | BUY |
| Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2Most Comfortable | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle; Bluetooth 5.0); Wired (3.5 mm) | 50 mm Nanoclear drivers; 20Hz-20 kHz | 20 hours | BUY |
| HyperX Cloud AlphaBest Battery Life | Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle) | 50 mm Dual Chamber drivers; 15 Hz-21 kHz | Up to 300 hours | BUY |
How to Choose the Best Wireless Headset for Nintendo Switch
For Nintendo Switch gamers, the convenience and freedom of movement offered by wireless headsets can significantly enhance the gaming experience.
While the benefits are clear, choosing the right headset isn’t as easy as it looks. There are many factors to consider, such as compatibility, audio quality, battery life, and more.
Fortunately, when you know which features are relevant to your needs, choosing the right headset is a simple process. In the following section, we’ll explain every factor you should consider and how it relates to your gaming experience, so read on!
Is the headset compatible with your Nintendo Switch?
The Nintendo Switch was updated to be compatible with Bluetooth audio in September 2021, and all models currently run on Bluetooth version 4.1.
However, you can only utilize the Bluetooth features of the device with the lowest Bluetooth version. Even with a Bluetooth 5 headset, you’ll be restricted to the speed and range of Bluetooth 4.1.
The Switch also doesn’t support mic input from a Bluetooth headset, so you’ll need either a Bluetooth USB dongle with built-in mic support or a separate mic dongle. This only works when your Switch is docked, and even then won’t enable the mic on your Bluetooth headset.
Does the headset sound good?
Clear sound is important when gaming, as it lets you quickly interpret the game audio without interference from static or lag. Even in a game where the audio isn’t essential to the gameplay, such as Animal Crossing, you’ll want to enjoy the soundtrack without crackling or muffled audio.
Three factors can affect your audio quality when it comes to wireless headsets:
- Driver size: Headphone drivers are the speakers that vibrate to ‘drive’ the sound waves into your ears. If they’re too small, the sound waves they produce will be limited in range and volume. For headsets, a good range to go for is 40-50 mm to support powerful, dynamic sound.
- Frequency response: The frequency response of headphones is the range of sound they can produce, from bass to mids to trebles. Sound cues are crucial in games like Fortnite, so having a headset with a wider frequency range ensures even the subtlest sounds are captured accurately and that you don’t mishear any vital information.
- Additional features: Access to other audio quality features designed for gaming, such as Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing or DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio, can allow you to immerse yourself in the game’s soundscape better. This increases your awareness of your character’s surroundings, resulting in a competitive edge.
How long does the headset’s battery last?
A good headset should have a battery life of ten or more hours to ensure uninterrupted use.
Suddenly running out of charge can interfere with gaming at inopportune moments, distracting you or putting you at a disadvantage due to your audio cutting out. If you don’t have a spare set of headphones, it could even cut your gaming session short.
Longer battery life is always better. If you often forget to charge your headphones, a headset with around forty hours of battery life is ideal. You’ll have the power to keep gaming even if you forgot to charge your headphones after your last gaming session.
Is the headset comfortable?
An uncomfortable headset can affect your enjoyment and performance, while ill-fitting headphones can result in muffled, poor-quality audio.
There are three main factors that affect the comfort of a headset:
- Ear padding materials: One common cause of discomfort from headphones is the build-up of pressure and humidity within the ear cups. Soft and breathable padding materials will alleviate this discomfort by allowing more airflow and less pressure. A common favorite material is velour, but artificial materials like the Arctis 1’s moisture-wicking AirWeave ear cushions are also popular.
- Headband materials: Go for a padded headband as it helps distribute pressure, preventing painful tight spots from developing. Flexibility is another factor to consider. The headband material determines the pressure with which the ear cups clamp to your head. A more flexible material, such as aluminum, reduces the clamping force and keeps the pressure off your head.
- Adjustability: Everyone’s head and ears are different in size and shape, so no headset will fit everybody perfectly. Adjustable ear cups and sliding headbands will let you tailor the headset to your proportions, resulting in a more comfortable fit.
6 Best Wireless Headsets for Nintendo Switch in 2023
SteelSeries Arctis 1
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle), wired (3.5 mm)
- Driver size: 40 mm
- Frequency range: 20 Hz-20 kHz
- Additional features: N/A
- Battery life: 20 hours (4 hours for full charge)
- Build: AirWeave ear cushions, steel-reinforced and well-padded headband
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 headphones are our top pick because they provide all the essential features for a quality gaming headset. They have a lossless sound quality, low-latency audio transmission, and a lightweight but durable build and comfortable materials.
One great feature of the SteelSeries Arctis headset is that you can use the mic to voice chat, as the headset uses a 2.4 GHz wireless connection instead of Bluetooth. The mic is detachable, so it can be removed when it’s not needed, and equipped with Discord-certified ClearCast noise-canceling for clearer communication.
However, this isn’t the only advantage. Another plus of the 2.4 GHz connection is its ultra-low latency, resulting in less delay than standard Bluetooth headphones.
These headphones come with AirWeave ear cushions– an ultra-breathable material designed to be gentle on the ears and ideal for long gaming sessions. However, you can purchase replacement ear cushions in various other materials, such as vegan leatherette and velour.
The headband is adjustable, well-padded, and reinforced with flexible steel. It’s extra-durable while still being lightweight and low-profile.
Razer Barracuda X
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle), wired (3.5 mm)
- Driver size: 40 mm Razer TriForce drivers
- Frequency range: 100 Hz-10 kHz
- Additional features: N/A
- Battery life: 20 hours (3 hours for full charge)
- Build: Breathable memory foam, oval-shaped for a better fit, lightweight and extra-padded headband
Similarly to the SteelSeries Arctis 1, the Razer Barracuda X headset has excellent features all around for gaming. While it might even top the Arctis 1 in terms of comfort, we’ve put it in second place because of its higher price point.
Like the Arctis 1, the Barracuda X uses a high-speed 2.4 GHz wireless connection, enabling the headset’s removable microphone. However, you can also switch to a Bluetooth connection using a button on the headset. This makes the headset a little more versatile, in our experience, as it’s easy to set up a Bluetooth connection with your other devices.
A great feature of these headphones is their swiveling, oval-shaped earcups. Everyone’s ears are different sizes and positioned a little differently on their head. The angle and rotation of the earcups let you fit them perfectly to your proportions.
The headphones’ design is quite subtle, so you can wear them out and about without looking like you’re wearing a gaming headset. They’re also lightweight, weighing only 250 g, despite their extra-padded headband.
Gtheos Captain 300
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth 5.2 and 2.4 GHz USB dongle), wired (3.5 mm)
- Driver size: 50 mm
- Frequency range: 20 Hz-20 KHz
- Additional features: N/A
- Battery life: 35-40 hours (3 hours for full charge)
- Build: Memory-protein ear cushions, well-padded adjustable headband
The Gtheos Captain 300s are our top budget pick because they have all the crucial features necessary for a gaming headset at a low price. They’ve got large custom drivers for stronger audio and more accurate gunshot sounds, as well as two different wireless connectivity options you can switch between for convenience.
With this headset, you can connect to your Switch using the integrated Bluetooth option when you don’t need to voice chat. Then you can attach your mic, dock your Switch, plug in the USB dongle, and start talking without changing your headset.
Another great feature is their memory-protein ear cushions, which are great at isolating noise without stifling your ears. Combined with their long battery life, the headset is an excellent choice for long gaming sessions.
The headset comes with an omnidirectional detachable microphone, equipped with noise canceling for clearer voice chat. It’s attached by a flexible arm, so you can adjust the mic to the angle you want.
One cool feature of this headset is the RGB lighting that can further immerse you in the game’s atmosphere. You can turn this on and off with the push of a button, so the headphones are still usable in public without it looking like you’re wearing a gaming headset.
NUBWO G06
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4 GHz USB dongle), wired (3.5 mm)
- Driver size: 50 mm
- Frequency range: 20 Hz-20 KHz
- Additional features: N/A
- Battery life: 47 hours (4 hours for full charge)
- Build: Foam/cloth ear cushions, steel reinforced adjustable headband
The NUBWO G06 headset is our second budget pick, as it has a lower Bluetooth version than the Gtheos Captain 300s, is slower charging, and is a bit more expensive. Nonetheless, it’s still a solid headset for a low price point.
Fortunately, Bluetooth isn’t the only connectivity method of the NUBWO G06. It has 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, letting you use the included mic with the Switch when it’s docked. The mic isn’t detachable, but you can swivel it out of the way when you’re not using it.
With imitation-protein foam ear cushions covered by cloth, you get the comfort of foam ear cushions without the potentially irritating surface texture. The ear cups are also large and spacious, relieving clamping pressure on the ears.
The headband is steel-reinforced for extra durability, comfortably padded, and adjustable in length. It also has clear markings to indicate the left and right ear cups, which can be convenient when you’re in a hurry.
A notable feature of this headset is the long battery life– the second-longest on this list, which is impressive for a budget pick.
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4 GHz USB dongle)
- Driver size: 50 mm Nanoclear drivers
- Frequency range: 20 Hz-20 kHz
- Additional features: Superhuman Hearing® sound setting
- Battery life: 20 hours (3-4 hours for full charge)
- Build: Aerofit Cooling Gel-Infused Memory Foam Ear Cushions, metal-reinforced adjustable headband
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 headset is our most comfortable pick due to its lightweight, glasses-friendly design and gel-infused memory foam ear cushions.
Weighing only 325 g, this headset won’t cause any discomfort after long periods of wear. Additionally, thanks to the cooling gel-infused ear cushions, no humidity or air pressure will build up inside the ear cups. This makes them ideal for lengthy gaming sessions.
Another factor contributing to their comfort is the ProSpecs™ Glasses Relief System. This easily adjustable channel in the ear cushions allows gamers with glasses to wear the headset without discomfort.
However, this headset isn’t just listed because of its comfort. The Stealth 700 Gen 2 is also an excellent headset in terms of sound quality. Using Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing® technology, you’ll be able to hear every detail of the virtual world around you. With 50 mm Nanoclear drivers, the audio will come through loud and clear.
Furthermore, with a flip-to-mute omnidirectional microphone and 2.4 GHz wireless capabilities, you can switch to voice chat by simply lowering the mic and plugging in a USB dongle.
Compared to their earlier model, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 headset, the Stealth 700s have an additional 5 hours of battery life. They also use improved memory foam ear cushions covered by synthetic leather instead of fabric.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
Key features
- Connectivity: Wireless (2.4 GHz USB dongle)
- Driver size: 50 mm Dual Chamber drivers
- Frequency range: 15 Hz-21 kHz
- Additional features: DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio
- Battery life: Up to 300 hours
- Build: HyperX memory foam and leatherette ear cushions, aluminum-reinforced adjustable headband
If you’re looking for a long battery life, there’s no better headset than the HyperX Cloud Alpha. With up to 300 hours of active battery life, you can get weeks of gaming with just one charge.
However, you’re not just getting an exceptional battery life with this headset. The DTS Spatial Audio feature fully immerses you in your game’s soundscape. This gives you a tactical advantage against approaching enemies. With 50 mm Dual Chamber drivers and a low-latency 2.4 GHz connection, the headset can communicate all that information clearly and without lag.
The memory foam and leatherette ear cushions are plush and breathable. Additionally, the headband is easily adjustable and very durable, thanks to the aluminum reinforcement. Though the headset comes at a high price point, we found it’s durable enough to withstand years of use.
The detachable mic has an LED indicator, which lets you know at a glance whether you’re muted. This can be handy when gaming, as you don’t need to worry about accidentally broadcasting yourself to your teammates via voice chat.