Should you buy an open-back headset for gaming?

Open back gaming headsets aren't new by any means, but if you've ever spent time choosing the best gaming headset to make yours, you've likely stumbled across a pair or two. Unlike traditional headsets, these cups feature open grills varying in design on the back of each earcup. Air (and the sound traveling through it) on an open-back pair can move more freely, which helps create a more natural sound, regardless of what game you're playing.

Many audiophiles have been using open back headphones for years in audio recording and studio-based environments because of the more natural and in-depth sound on offer. Over the years, this trend has translated to gaming too, where brands like Asus ROG, Skullcandy, and Corsair have been releasing gaming headsets with an open back design to offer up the same natural audio quality to players. However, just because they allow games to sound more natural doesn't make them the best fit for all types of players.

Open back vs closed back - what's the difference?

A closed-back gaming headset includes ear cups which enclose around a player's ears, keeping sound isolated to them and them only. The speakers or 'audio drivers' in each earcup are physically "closed off" behind them, so sound is trapped and isolated to the wearer's ears.

As the earcups are physically closed off to the rest of the world, a closed-back design can also be ideal for noise isolation, keeping you immersed in your current gaming obsession. Even if a pair is absent of specific ANC features, the closed design can still be advantageous to blocking out unwanted noise, from the sound of your washing machine to your noisy neighbours.

Meanwhile, open-back headsets feature little vents behind the audio drivers. Sound can move and vibrate more freely, which creates less distortion and that "natural" sound. Your game audio has more space to breathe, just like the real-life sounds of the world around you.

However, it can also cause audio spillage, which others around you can hear, making them less ideal for gaming on the go or turning into an everyday pair of cups for music listening. Additionally, if you share a gaming space with others and need to be mindful of what they hear, open-back headsets are not an ideal choice.

Should buy an open-back gaming headset?

If you're a bit of an audiophile and want your game soundstages sounding as natural as possible, by all means, an open-back pair is a great fit. When I reviewed the Skullcandy PYLR 720, I was taken aback by its high standard of audio quality, which transposed well, no matter if I was playing a single-player experience like Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth or Marvel Rivals.

Open-back headsets don't always come with pricey MSRPs, either. Take the likes of the Corsair Virtuoso Pro, which our hardware team's own Tabitha Baker reviewed back in 2023. It sports an open-back design that Tabitha exclaimed brought an "incredibly natural experience" and a solid level of directional audio, which was "enhanced by the clear detailing of those graphene drivers." Since that review, it's regularly discounted as low as $139.99 at Amazon.

It's your environment that will shape whether you should buy an open-back gaming headset. If your gaming setup is in a small, isolated space with others around you, an open-back design would not be the best choice. Your friends, roommates, and loved ones will be able to hear a constantly small, tinny sound coming from the back of each earcup due to the nature of the open-back design.

Yet, if you have your own gaming space away from anyone else's, like a dedicated gaming room, then an open-back pair would be a great addition to your setup.

Just be aware that while open-back headsets have been a thing for a while now, they aren't as prevalent as closed-back options. While browsing the best headsets at US and UK retailers, you're going to find an easier time finding closed-back pairs.

• View all open-back gaming headsets at Amazon
• View all closed-back gaming headsets at Amazon

Our guides to the best PS5 headsets, best PC headsets for gaming, and the best Xbox Series X headsets are full of closed-back alternatives if open-back headsets aren't for you.