7 Best Gaming Headphones Without a Mic Right NOW [2024 Buyer’s Guide]

Best Gaming Headphones Without a Mic

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It seems that a lot of gamers assume that the best headsets for gaming are the ones that come with their own microphone – and indeed, some of the very best gaming headphones you can buy, like the basic but brilliant Razer Kraken or the superb Audeze Mobius, do have their own very high-quality built-in microphones.

But some of us would much prefer, for various reasons, to get a pair of great headphones for gaming that don’t include a mic. In fact, we here at Speakergy seem to be getting asked more and more lately for recommendations, and hearing a lot of questions like:

  • Who makes the best gaming headphones without a microphone?
  • Are music headphones good for gaming?
  • What brand of music headphones is best for gaming?
  • What are the best wireless gaming headphones without a microphone?
  • What is the advantage of a gaming headset without a mic?
  • Can I use an audiophile headphone for gaming?
  • What’s a good pair of headphones for gaming and music?

So we’ve decided to put together this buyer’s guide for the best gaming headphones without mics currently available, to answer questions like these and to help you find a great set of ‘phones.

Why Get a Gaming Headphone Without a Microphone?

The most obvious answer to that question is that some gamers just don’t like to chat. Maybe they are into single player games, where excess chatting just makes you look, or feel, a little crazy, or maybe they want or need to stay focused on action, and they feel they perform better even in team and multi-player games when they are silent and concentrated.

We know a lot of gamers like that who insist on having a headphone without a microphone because they feel having a mic available is just a temptation to start signaling and communicating with team members, and would rather not even have the possibility.

But even if you’re a chatter, and communication makes the whole gaming experience more enjoyable and successful for you, you still might not want a mic included with your new gaming headphones.

Tons of gamers prefer a separate stand-alone microphone and want a specific brand or model, and others prefer a particular brand or model of headphones – usually, music headphones which can have far superior sound quality, more specific and accurate imaging, and detail, and maybe better sound isolation as well.

And you might find that a superior pair of audio headphones and a killer separate gaming mic cost less than many of the best-selling gaming headsets!

Gaming Headphones Without a Mic

How Can You Find the Best Gaming Headphones Without Microphones?  

Well, that’s where we come in. So many of us here at Speakergy are not only deeply into gaming, we’re deeply into audiophile music listening, and so we have a great perspective – not to mention hours and hours (and hours and hours and hours) of experience using many different headphones – both gaming sets and more music-oriented pairs – for games of all types.

So we’ve put together this article listing our favorite headphones and our top recommendations at all price levels. These gaming headphones without mic will focus on what is important to gaming:

  • Extreme detail – being able to hear and identify absolutely everything
  • Precision imaging – that full and accurate four-dimensional portrayal of space and time that gives you a real edge
  • Wearing comfort – being able to game for hours – I mean, we’re going to anyway, so we might as well be as comfortable as possible
  • Great sound – deep bass, dynamics and energy, clear, non-distorted sound and a warm and beautiful tone not only make gaming more fun and engaging, but make your new headphones the best for music as well

Please note that some of these picks, in particular the wireless models, do in fact have microphones – we’re including them all the same, though, because the mics aren’t typical gaming types, and because, well, they’re just killer headphones!

We’ll list our top picks for the best gaming headphones without microphones in order of price, from most to least expensive, with a brief description of each set, but here’s the quick list:

  1. Best Overall Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black
  2. Best Noise Canceling Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
  3. Best Wireless Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Sennheiser RS 175 RF Wireless Headphone System with Transmitter
  4. Best Affordable Wired Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Closed Back Dynamic Headphones – New Model
  5. Best Affordable Wireless Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Audio-Technica ATH-SR30BTBK Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Charcoal Gray
  6. Best Affordable Noise Canceling Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Canceling Headphones
  7. Best Budget Gaming Headphone without a Microphone: AKG Pro Audio K72 Over-Ear, Closed-Back, Studio Headphones, Matte Black

And, while a bit off-topic (really, just a bit), at the end of the article we will list just a couple of our favorite stand-alone gaming microphones, in our bonus section – Don’t Drop the Mic!

But first, let’s get into the best-wired headphones and the best wireless headphones for gaming without microphones.

The 7 Best Gaming Headsets without Microphones in 2024

Best Noise Canceling Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wireless
  • Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Battery Life: Up to 30 Hours (NC On) :: 38 Hours (No NC)
  • Noise Canceling: Active
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 4 Hz to 40 kHz

We tried – honest, we did. Everybody and their brother recommend either these Sony or the even more ubiquitous Bose QuietComfort 45 as the best of the best in noise-canceling headphones, and we really wanted to come up with something different – a new and exciting option to these almost annoyingly popular models.

But in actual fact, the Bose are great phones, and these Sony are even better – especially for gaming. We toyed for a while with the idea of recommending the Shure Aonic 50, which are in fact better sounding than either, and really astounding audiophile headphones that are also incredibly effective for gaming, but they aren’t really comfortable enough for endless gaming sessions (unless you’re unusually small-headed). And, to be fair, the Sony also sounds pretty darn amazing and is also easily in that exclusive audiophile stratosphere.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 has absolutely incredible retrieval of detail – a really crucial factor in gaming, and equally important in high fidelity music playback – and in fact, are the best active noise-cancelers we’ve ever used in this regard.

They are also almost spooky in the accurate portrayal of space and pinpoint positioning of all sounds, as well as movement through that space. And they have a dynamic energy that has to be heard to be believed and makes any game absolutely thrilling. 

Much better sounding than any gaming headset we’ve ever used, and in fact better for gaming too, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is not just the best choice for gamers playing in noisy environments, but one of the best choices period, and one of the very best pairs of headphones on the market today. They are our clear choice for the best wireless gaming headphones without a microphone.

Best Overall Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wired
  • Cable Length: 3 Meters
  • Driver Size: 50 MM
  • Design: Open Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 40 kHz
  • Sensitivity: 100 dB SPL/V at 1 kHz

But, as good as the Sony wireless headphones above sound, these Philips X2 open-back headphones sound even better! Yeah, they are a bit cheaper (though still pricey), but what Sony spends on state-of-the-art wireless and noise-canceling technology, Philips puts into driver design and materials, wiring, housing, tuning, and all other things audiophile.

And you can hear the difference – there is a noticeable increase in clarity and even detail – a real strong point for the Sonys already, but on a whole new level with these superb Philips. And, being an open-back design, the Philips X2HR have the best soundstage we’ve heard without spending lots and lots more – and soundstage size, solidity, accuracy, pinpoint placement, and fluid movement, directly translate into more confidence and better performance in almost any game, and for many games is probably the key factor.

This all also translates directly into drop-dead gorgeous music reproduction, and the Philips’ big 50mm drivers have such deep, fast and neutral bass that metal, rap. techno, electronica, and pop sound as amazing as classical, jazz, and acoustic music – and without any of that Beats sludge and distortion. 

Even if you have and use one of the best gaming headphones on the market today, you will hear a big improvement with these Philips X2HR in every aspect of sound reproduction, especially in those that matter most to gamers. And we’re guessing your gaming will improve accordingly. An easy and obvious choice, then, for the best overall gaming headset without a microphone on the market today.

Best Wireless Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wireless
  • Wireless Technology: Kleer Digital RF Wireless
  • Battery Life: Up to 18 Hours
  • Noise Canceling: Passive
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 17 Hz to 22 kHz

People tend to think of wireless headphones with their own transmitters (that is, ones that don’t use Bluetooth but have their own wireless system) as being cheap and tinny things mainly for watching television, but nothing could be further from the truth with these stunning Sennheiser RS 175 wireless audiophile ‘phones.

In fact, if you think of the wide-open, huge, and holographically precise imaging of an open-back headphone with the noise isolation and low leakage of a closed-back (which these 175s actually are), the convenience of Bluetooth with none of the potential signal problems, and some of the other best qualities of top-end gaming headphones – long battery life, extreme wearing comfort, hyper-dynamic sound, and very high-level detail recovery – combined with some of the best qualities of audiophile-level music headphones, you begin to get the idea of what the Sennheiser RS 175 headphones are all about.

Sennheiser is one of the very few companies that is equally loved and respected by both gamers and audiophiles, and we can definitely attest to the fact that some of their finest headphones really do offer the best of both worlds.

This is nowhere more true than with the Sennheiser RS 175 wireless stereo headphones, which sound beautiful, work perfectly, and offer staggeringly capable, precise, and accurate support for gamers on any level. They are our choice for best wireless headphones without a mic for gaming, and one of our favorite wears. 

Best Affordable Wired Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wired
  • Cable Length: 3 Meters
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 8 Hz to 25 kHz
  • Sensitivity: 113 dB SPL/V at 1 kHz

We just said that Sennheiser is one of the very few companies that is equally loved and respected by both gamers and audiophiles and that some of their best efforts offer the best of both worlds, and while this is delightfully clear in the RS 175 above, it is also quite effectively and beautifully evident in these legendary Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio headphones – and for quite a bit less money.

If you are still hanging onto the idea that somehow gaming-specific headphones are better for gaming than high-resolution audiophile headphones, you really should play for a while on some Razer, SteelSeries, or Turtle Beach and then go through the same scene with these beauties.

You will immediately realize that even slight false emphasis of detail, placement, dynamics or tonality does not up to your game at all and that the truest and highest fidelity representation of detail, space, and energy is the way forward.

And that’s exactly what you get with these affordable, tank-like Sennheiser corded studio headphones, which are known by music lovers and music producers alike for their accuracy, their reproduction of detail and spatial-temporal cues, their huge and precise imaging, and their beauty of sound. Does the beauty of sound help gaming? Well, it doesn’t hurt…

An overbuilt audiophile gaming headset that is comfortable to wear, completely seals you into your enormous, wide-open gaming universe and keeps everybody else out, and provides all of the sonic information you need to succeed, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio headphones are an incredible value and our choice for best affordable gaming headphones.

Best Affordable Wireless Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wireless
  • Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Battery Life: Up to 70 Hours
  • Noise Canceling: Passive
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 35 kHz

The Audio Technica ATH-SR30 are some fantastic headphones, with a bright, musical sound that makes both gaming and listening to music so exciting and so engaging. In fact, lots of gamers seem to think these AT headphones are even better in some regards – especially the dynamic energy and excitement and the extraordinary reproduction of details and micro-details – than many much more expensive headphones.

For sure, if you want to hear everything that’s going on, in games or in music, you can’t do much better than this, and the accurate and abundant detail – including space and time details – means you will always know what is happening, where it is happening, what it is and where you are in relationship to it – and at literally the exact moment it occurs.

With 5.0 Bluetooth wireless technology for the lowest possible issues with lag, noise, or signal interruptions, big, dynamic 40mm sound drivers for low distortion, deep bass and extreme dynamic range, a superb internal amplification system (they can also be used as wired headphones) and excellent passive noise isolation, these Audio Technica ATH-SR30BTBK headphones are the best affordable wireless gaming headphones without a microphone we’ve ever found, and very highly recommended!

Best Affordable Noise Canceling Gaming Headphone without a Microphone 

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wireless
  • Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Battery Life: Up to 40 Hours
  • Noise Canceling: Active
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 16 Hz to 40 kHz

Here we can finally break away from the universal adoration of Sony and Bose noise-canceling headsets, because these Q30 phones are, at their price point, by far better than anything those two companies, or any of the other giants, have on offer.

And they are relatively cheap. Yes, sure, just shy of eighty bucks is still a pretty big hit for most of us, and we get that budget and desire don’t always jibe, but it should be clearly said that to spend even a little less is to get far less in terms of the qualities that make a headset really great for gaming (or, for that matter, for music listening). 

But if you consider these Soundcore Q30 wireless headphones affordable, don’t hesitate, because you will experience holographic realism and accuracy in imaging placement and simply exceptional reproduction of detail, dynamics – in short, all of the things that gamers need to reach their highest potential – as well as super low distortion and a warm, musical sound that makes gaming and music listening so much more pleasurable.

And it shouldn’t go without saying that these Anker Soundcore Life Q30 wireless headphones avoid all of the faults and problems of other similarly affordable wireless noise cancelers – with excellent 5.0 Bluetooth circuitry that reduces cut-outs and lags and increases range, and surprisingly advanced noise-canceling that works beautifully without hurting or even significantly altering the sonic information.

When you add it all up, the Soundcore Q30 is one of the best values on the market today, whether you game or not, and in our opinion will thrash other ‘phones at the same price level either music headphones or game-specific sets. They are one of our favorite headphones and our strong choice for the best affordable noise-canceling gaming headphones. 

Best Budget Gaming Headphone without a Microphone

At a Glance:

  • Connection: Wired
  • Cable Length: 3 Meters
  • Driver Size: 40 MM
  • Design: Closed Back, Over Ear
  • Frequency Response: 16 Hz to 20 kHz
  • Sensitivity: 112 dB SPL/V at 1 kHz

An inexpensive product from the legendary AKG Pro Audio line, the K72 headphones are known for accuracy. Like the wonderful Sennheiser HD 280 above (but for around half the price), these K72 show how the best qualities of studio cans can also offer people like us the best possible gaming experience.

Specifically, the K72 has a level of accuracy no other headphones we have found at this low price level can even come close to. Near perfect reproduction of phase information, which is so crucial when monitoring music recordings in the studio, also provides a sense of placement and movement through space that is astonishing – in fact, forget about “at this low price level” – we’ve rarely heard this kind of space-time reality in even the most expensive gaming ‘phones. And I’m sure you already know what this can do for your game.

With lots and lots of detail, and an almost overwhelming clarity and presence, the AKG K72 is actually a bit too bright for some music lovers – though they have exactly the right sound signature for many others – this intense level of detail is amazing when you’re playing, and you will hear everything so easily and identify it all so much more quickly and accurately.

That’s really the key – like all of the more expensive sets in our guide to the best gaming headphones sans microphone, these cheap AKG K72 will not only improve your game, they will increase your confidence as well. And it should be said that they are anything but cheap in terms of built quality, fit and finish.

The AKG K72 wired studio headphones are an easy choice for the best budget gaming headsets without microphones. You can spend less, definitely, but this is the cheapest next-level set we know, and one of the best values on the market today.

Bonus Section: Don’t Drop the Mic! – A Few of our Favorite Gaming Microphones 

Now that you’ve chosen your perfect set of gaming headphones without a microphone, you may need, you know, a microphone…

Again, lots of gamers don’t chat at all when they’re playing (some we know don’t chat at all, playing or not), but a lot of the time serious gamers want to get the best sounding headphones they can afford and then, separately, the best microphones possible.

So to close our article on the best gaming headphones, we thought we would list just a very few of our favorite microphones.

Really, just a list, without descriptions or any other information – the topic of the best gaming mics really does deserve its own article, which I promise I’ll get to, right after this game!

  1. Shure MV7 Dynamic Podcast Microphone – the best premium gaming mic we know, and a superb product in every way (and in every room)
  2. HyperX QuadCast USB Condenser Gaming Microphone – best mid-priced gaming microphone, with almost unbelievable sound quality and build quality for the money
  3. Razer Seiren Mini USB Supercardioid Microphone – best budget gaming microphone, and a crazy good value

Thanks for reading our latest article! Make sure to check out the Speakergy website for lots of other great buyer’s guides, tutorials, and informational articles. And, most importantly, good gaming!

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