The reason you purchase a gaming headset, the reason most people purchase gaming headsets, is to get that sweet level of total immersion with your gaming experience. The first thought that comes to your mind is not how these things will work in the office.
Besides, would your boss be cool with your neon, glowing headset that looks like something out of a Transformers movie resting on top of your noggin all day? If your boss is Bill Lumberg from Office Space, probably not.
But if you need a headset for gaming and work, why buy two if one will do?
The thing is, would it matter? Would a gaming headset at your work take advantage of whatever archaic hardware or software is on offer? Would it take advantage of your smartphone or should you opt for something a little more inconspicuous?
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Are Gaming Headsets Good For Work?
Depending on the number of devices you need to connect to and the business-type functionality you need, a gaming headset can be good for work.
With gaming headsets, you’ll usually have good noise canceling and volume control buttons on the outside of the device, which is great for work. But what you may not have with a gaming headset is the ability to manage calls from applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom when you are not sitting at your PC.
Because gaming headsets need to cover your whole ear to provide that high level of in-game audio immersion, they are often bulky (though still comfortable to wear in the office) but not very versatile when it comes to wearing styles.
With office headsets, you have more options, including types that cover only one ear, leaving the other ear free to communicate with a colleague sitting next to you.
You may also struggle with a gaming headset if you need to pair it with multiple devices around you in the office.
Before you make a purchase, carefully consider the functionality you need from a work headset and check the functionality of gaming headsets to make sure they fit the bill and you don’t waste your money.
If you’re working the kind of job that requires some two-way communication via headset, you’ll be in business with a gaming one.
Gaming headsets are designed to keep outside noise from making its way into the microphone, so the person on the other headset doesn’t have to listen to all of the office shenanigans going on around you.
Both wired and wireless gaming headsets are generally pretty comfortable as well. If your work supplies you with an office headset, it’s probably not going to be anywhere near the most comfortable experience of your life.
Will A Gaming Headset Work On Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a communication platform on the primary competition for Slack. The thing is, not many people use headsets on Microsoft Teams, at least not for the most part. While a gaming headset would work fine, in terms of communications and the regular back and forth, some models aren’t the best choice.
That’s because it needs to be a “Teams certified” headset. There are several headsets out there that are certified for use with Microsoft Teams and, to our knowledge, none of those headsets are what you would consider gaming headsets.
A gaming headset will get you through the minor functions like chatting but you will still have to perform all of the primary functions, such as answering and ending calls, by using your mouse rather than your headset.
One gaming headset that does work well with Teams is the Razer Nari Ultimate. It’s comfortable for long hours and works well with Zoom and Meet as well. You can also mute the headset with a button behind the left earpiece.
Can Gaming Headsets Be Used For Phone Calls?
A gaming headset can be used for answering phone calls, and a good one that has a high-quality mic and features like noise cancellation will usually be great for taking calls.
Fortunately, Microsoft Teams is not the only out-of-the-box idea that might apply to a gaming headset. Since most gaming headsets come with microphones and you can chat in games, why not use them to answer the phone?
A gaming headset is perfectly fine for answering phone calls. However, unless you find a few of the gaming headsets out there that pair to multiple devices, you would be using your sweet, expensive gaming headset to answer calls on your phone.
If you wanted to game with it or use it for other office functions, you would have to pair it to another device or, in the case of USB wired headsets, plug it into something else. There are a few headsets out there that will let you listen to music on your phone while also paired to your computer or another calling device in an office environment.
For instance, the Xbox Wireless Headset will keep you paired to your phone or allow you to take conference calls while also running a game on your desktop or Xbox console. There are a lot of headphones out there that pair with multiple devices.
However, since we’re talking only gaming headsets here, that pool is a lot smaller. So, if you want to use your gaming headset to answer phone calls, that’s great. But, you will want to have the ability to pair to more than one device if it’s necessary for work.
The Astro series of gaming headsets come with a good amount of connectivity but are a bit on the pricey side.
What Are The Differences Between A Gaming Headset And A Normal Headset?
The biggest difference between gaming and normal headsets is in how they are priced, tuned, branded, and marketed.
Gaming headphones are aggressively marketed with buzz words, distinctive branding, and a name that gamers will recognize. And for those benefits, you’ll pay more than what a normal set of headphones of equivalent quality would cost you.
The tuning of gaming headsets is usually geared towards frequencies that matter most in games, like footsteps in FPS games or punch and kick sound effects in beat-’em-ups. This type of tuning usually doesn’t carry over very well for audiophiles who enjoy rich-sounding music.
But the first difference you might notice is the most obvious. Most, but not all, gaming headsets have a streamlined, high-tech, and sometimes colorful aesthetic. Normal headphones often look a bit more traditional.
Gaming Headset
Gaming headsets are mostly like normal headsets, except for the fact that gaming headsets usually come with a microphone. As we mentioned above, you are more likely to see sleek designs, RGB lighting, and more specific tuning than a traditional headset.
Some gaming headset models come with removable microphones or the kind that are designed to move out of the way when you aren’t using them. The major feature that separates gaming headsets from traditional headsets is the in-game chat feature.
Manufacturers of gaming headsets pay a lot of attention to the microphone. The microphone must deliver a clear and concise voice without lag. After all, team-oriented gameplay is heavily dependent on instantaneous communication.
Gaming headsets or, more specifically, high-end gaming headsets, are focused on surround sound and the best audio experience possible. The idea, of course, is to manufacture the illusion of immersion in the game’s environment. In FPS (First Person Shooter) games, being able to hear the enemy’s footsteps approaching from behind you is a huge advantage.
| Pros | Cons |
| >Built-in microphone >In-game surround sound focus >Sleek, futuristic aesthetics >RGB lighting (some, not all) | >Typically too bulky for portability >Not tuned specifically for communicating with people Limited wearing styles >Limited connectivity and office-type features |
Normal Headsets
Using the word “normal” is kind of a misnomer. It seemingly emphasizes the idea that non-gaming headsets are very mundane and ordinary. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you jump online and start browning through traditional headsets, you’ll find that they are priced anywhere between $25 and $900.
For those “normal” headsets that are sitting in the “several hundred” range, the sound is incredible. The two major differences between normal headsets and gaming headsets are that normal headsets are tuned more towards an emphasis on music and they are aesthetically toned down a bit.
Related Article: Can Headphones Break If Too Loud? (Explained)
Normal headsets that are wireless are not as pricey as their gaming counterparts and you get a far better experience listening to music, especially if your headset supports lossless or spatial audio, Dolby Atmos, surround sound, etc.
If you’re an audiophile, your choices are seemingly limitless. That’s not to say that there aren’t a lot of gaming headsets out there but, when it comes to normal headsets, the number of manufacturers and choices is staggering.
| Pros | Cons |
| >Premium music listening experience >More toned down and comfortable designs >More portability >A huge number of manufacturers, designs, prices, and features | >Sometimes they come with a microphone >Not good if you plan to game on them >Lower price headsets aren’t often up to par |
Is A USB Or 3.5mm Gaming Headset Better For Work?
Whether a USB or 3.5mm gaming headset will be better for work will depend on how good your PC’s digital to analog (DAC) converter is.
USB headsets provide their own
digital to analog converters while 3.5mm headsets do the conversation on your PC.
If your PC has a terrible sound card, USB may be the better option, but if your sound card and DAC are decent, 3.5mm may be better.
However, a better-sounding option than both of those might be a set of headphones plus a ModMic.
The 3.5mm jack is probably more associated with a headset than anything else. Something that non-audiophiles probably don’t know is the number of rings on the jack tells you what the capabilities of the headset are.
- 3-rings – Supports stereo sound and microphone
- 2-rings – Only supports stereo audio and a second jack is necessary for a microphone
Outside of the rings, there is one feature that truly separates USB wired gaming headsets from their 3.5mm counterparts. Gaming headsets that connect via 3.5mm jacks can only play analog sound signals. Digital signals are out of the question.
A 3.5mm jack requires a sound card to function because the sound card has to convert digital to analog. A USB headset isn’t limited like that. It doesn’t even require a sound card because USB headsets do all of the converting themselves.
Another feature that gives the USB gaming headset an advantage is that it installs its own driver when plugged in for the first time and even with a garbage sound card, the USB headset will still provide you with quality audio. It may not be the kind of audio that will blow your socks off but it will be better than what your sound card has to offer.
You also have more control options with a USB headset, such as more accessible volume control, a better response rate, call answering functions, and music control. If you’re weighing a 3.5mm jack versus a USB connection, go for the USB.
Are Wired Or Wireless Gaming Headsets Better For Work?
A wireless gaming headset is usually better for work because it allows you the convenience of being able to get up from your chair and walk freely around your office or home. You won’t have the superior audio quality of a wired headset, but you won’t need that for tasks like taking calls and unless you’re an audiophile you probably won’t be able to tell the difference in sound quality.
There are some pros and cons that you can sit back and weigh between wired and wireless gaming headsets for work but, in terms of quality, wireless has yet to take over the helm against wired gaming headsets.
Wired Gaming Headset
| Pros | Cons |
| >Superior sound quality >More affordable >Higher level of compatibility >No batteries | >Restricted movement >Cable gets in the way and goes through some wear and tear |
Gamers, especially professional gamers, usually prefer wired gaming headsets because there is less signal loss and interference to deal with. As far as the “quality” gap, wireless has closed the gap. Unless you are a serious audiophile, you might not be able to tell the difference in terms of quality sound.
The reduced latency and the affordable pricing are huge advantages, especially when it comes to competitive gaming.
Wireless Gaming Headset
| Pros | Cons |
| >Freedom of movement >Good sound quality >No cable wear and tear | >Increased latency >Connection breaks >High price for quality sound |
You pay the price for being able to move around a little more. It’s not a heavy price unless you are a seriously competitive gamer or a professional gamer. You do have to deal with the fact that Bluetooth easily experiences interference, though it’s improving slowly.
Also, if you want a high-end listening experience, you will have to pay a steep price because high-quality wireless gaming headsets are more expensive than equally equipped, wired gaming headsets.
Which Gaming Headsets Are Good For Work?
Surprisingly enough, there are several excellent gaming headsets that are also perfect for working, whether you are working from home or taking your headset to the office.
Razer Kaira Pro
Every gamer recognizes the Razer brand and the Kaira Pro is already an awesome gaming headset. It comes with a boom microphone and outstanding call quality along with gaming sound quality. They also look really nice and that certainly doesn’t hurt.
Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT
The Corsair Virtuoso really stands out for the clarity of its microphone. The flexible boom mic is removable and it comes with both a 3.5mm jack and a USB connection. The battery is a bit on the short side for a gaming headset but it’s otherwise an excellent gaming headset for work.
HyperX Cloud II Wireless
This very lightweight gaming headset has phenomenal sound quality and an excellent microphone as well. It has a USB adapter and is one of the better portable options as far as gaming headsets go. It also has the option to remove the microphone when you don’t need it.
