Open-back headphones have become incredibly popular in the gaming community due to their excellent combination of high-quality sound and comfort.
Compared to closed-back headphones, open-back headphones offer distinct advantages that more and more gamers find hard to resist.
Our article on the best open-back gaming headphones in 2025 is here to introduce you to the most popular open-back models and answer all your questions about open-back gaming headphones.
We hope it helps you find the model that’s right for you.
Top 9 Best Open-Back Headphones For Gaming in 2025
1. EPOS Game One
The Game One headset boasts a sleek design in sleek black and red, complete with a comfortable plush headband and soft ear padding.
This feature-rich headset provides a secure fit, providing lasting comfort during long gaming sessions.
The built-in microphone, which flips up and off, makes in-game communication easier than ever to control. That’s why it’s one of the most popular open-back headphones for gaming.
The Game One headset’s features are designed to enhance your gaming exploration. The Hi-Fi audio delivers unrivaled sound quality with minimal noise and distortion, giving gamers a superior experience.
Plus, the open acoustic design provides a realistic sound perspective that won’t leave your head sweaty even during long gaming sessions.
The Game One headset delivers exceptional audio quality, allowing you to pay attention to every detail on the battlefield.
Whether you’re trying to detect enemy footsteps or immerse yourself in the game’s soundtrack, this headset ensures a superior audio experience.
The headset’s compatibility is also noteworthy, as it’s compatible with a wide range of devices, including computers, consoles, and mobile devices with auxiliary ports.
The Game One headset is designed with solid mechanics and specially curated materials to withstand intense gaming sessions.
The padded headband and plush earmuffs not only provide maximum comfort but also increase the headset’s overall resilience.
To enhance your gaming experience, gamers will find the EPOS Game One headset to be an excellent choice with impressive sound quality, comfort, and durability. It’s a valuable asset to enhance your setup.
2. ASTRO Gaming A40 TR X-Edition
The A40 TR X-Edition is a special gaming headset released to celebrate Astro Gaming’s 10th anniversary.
It’s a versatile and very attractive headset with interchangeable/interchangeable earcup covers, headband, earpads, and microphone.
The only thing I like more than the customization options available is the sound performance of this gaming headset.
The headset is interesting and eye-catching. The original color scheme is red/black, but the good news is that you can customize the scheme and look in a number of different ways.
You can buy a full mod kit (earcup covers, boom mic, headband, earpads) or design your own earcup covers (aka speaker tags) or the entire headset.
Almost everything on this gaming headset is replaceable/interchangeable. The build isn’t exactly premium and feels a bit plasticky, but it’s sturdy enough for everyday use.
The headset comes with a non-detachable 2m audio cable with inline controls (volume and mic mute) and an extension cable with two 3.5mm connectors to connect the headset to your PC/laptop/Mac.
The comfort is satisfactory, but there is room for improvement. The good thing is that removing the earcup covers improves airflow.
The earpads are also soft and padded. The headband is a bit tight, but it’s well-padded and doesn’t put too much pressure on you.
The audio cable attaches to the left cup and the boom mic can be connected to either the left or right cup.
The cable terminates in a 3.5mm connector and is compatible with any PC or gaming console with a standard AUX output.
The mic is on a flexible arm. It is a unidirectional mic with excellent noise cancellation. You can mute the mic by pressing the mute switch on the audio cable, but it will not mute when it is raised.
The mic performance is not perfect, but it is very good for the price. It is a bit focused on the midrange (vocals).
The A40 TR X-Edition offers very good sound performance. The sound is very clear and almost perfectly balanced. The midrange is detailed and sweet. The bass is powerful.
The overall listening/gaming experience is very immersive. With the earcup covers removed, the soundstage is much larger and has a great sense of space.
The headset weighs 13.3 oz and is a bit heavier than average, and the headband is a bit narrow.
It would have been better distributed if it was wider. The mic does not mute when raised. You need to press the inline mic mute switch to mute it.
The earcup covers (speaker tags) are not sold separately. Even if you only want the other earcup covers, you will need to purchase the entire mod kit.
3. Sennheiser HD 650
The HD 650 is based on the next smaller model, the HD 600. In the new version of the HD 650, Sennheiser relies on the proven strengths of the model, but at the same time offers technical improvements. The design follows the tradition of its predecessors.
In terms of sound, the open-back headphones continue where the HD 600 left off, but offer a much more powerful midrange and more room for bass and treble reproduction.
This makes the HD 650 even more suitable as a sound companion when listening to pop and classical music, as well as watching movies, series, and documentaries.
Audio signals with a strong midrange, such as human voices and vocals, are always very recognizable and distinguishable, which is great for your next gaming session.
Furthermore, the HD 650 impresses in terms of comfort and serviceability. The updated Sennheiser HD 650 is a convincing Hi-Fi reference with a lot of personality.
4. Sennheiser Game One Headset
The Sennheiser Game One fills a particularly rare spot in the gaming personal audio space: it is an open-back headset. And it does so with great sound quality, boldly.
The open acoustics deliver a very precise, airy, and extended sound. The highs are rich and the lows are balanced. If you are used to closed headphones, this type of style may take some getting used to at first.
However, the game effects feel more natural and sound as the designer intended. The output quality is neutral enough that you could probably use this as a studio headset for monitoring.
That said, the Game One will perform best when fed by an aftermarket sound card or amplifier. Most PC motherboards won’t be able to supply enough power to run it properly, which will result in poor audio quality.
There’s a volume button on the right earcup. Note that the volume doesn’t go down to zero. That’s odd. The boom mic automatically mutes itself when raised.
You’ll hear a small click to let you know it’s muted. Thanks to the open-back design, you shouldn’t have any trouble hearing yourself.
If you’re in a very noisy space, you’ll probably want to use it in a quiet place, as outside sound will leak in.
The Game One has a lightweight all-plastic construction, and users have reported that it feels quite durable. The cord is braided, which means it won’t tangle.
How about comfort? Those velvet earpads are pleasantly soft. The best part about open-back headphones is that your ears can breathe, and these headphones excel at that.
Compatibility isn’t an issue. They come with a replaceable cable, so you can use them on PC, Mac, consoles, mobile, and tablets. There’s no Bluetooth, though.
These headphones are great for gaming. They sound great, are comfortable, and have a variety of connectivity options.
5. Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1X
The Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1X headphones, which sit at the top of our list, make for a delightful gaming experience thanks to their massive 53mm drivers that pump out crisp sound across all frequencies.
This pair shines in fast-paced games where hearing your enemy’s footsteps is key to victory.
This model boasts excellent ergonomics, especially considering the 3D Wing Support system that Audio-Technica uses to adjust the headband to your head posture.
The earpads are also padded with plenty of foam for long gaming sessions, making them one of the best headphones under $150.
The built-in microphone with noise cancellation means your audio communication with your team will never be interrupted again. Audio-Technica also includes a windscreen to further enhance the microphone’s clarity.
The audio mic is equipped with volume and mute switches, so you don’t have to use the push-to-talk button as you do with these best phone earbuds.
6. EPOS H6Pro
The EPOS H6Pro gaming headset perfectly combines comfort and superior sound quality. Built to deliver a natural, realistic audio experience, it’s the perfect choice for gamers who want an immersive, expansive soundstage.
The H6Pro Open delivers outstanding audio performance, allowing you to be in touch with your surroundings or play in a quiet environment.
The well-designed transducers deliver natural, high-quality audio for an immersive gaming experience.
The H6Pro Open headset offers gamers an exceptional audio experience. The expansive soundstage and vivid game audio create an immersive gaming environment.
Additionally, the headset incorporates EPOS BrainAdapt™ technology, which uses AI to optimize audio based on each individual’s unique hearing profile.
The H6Pro Open is a gaming headset that can withstand extensive gaming sessions, thanks to its durable mechanism and carefully selected materials.
What’s more, gamers can replace almost every component in this headset, giving them peace of mind knowing that it’s the ideal, sustainable option for their needs.
The EPOS H6Pro Open is a great option for those who value top-notch audio quality in their gaming experience.
With outstanding sound output, comfort, and durability, this addition will further enhance any gaming setup. If you’d like to learn more, please visit the dedicated product pages for more information.
7. Philips Fidelio L2 Headphones
The Philips Fidelio L2 falls somewhere between the open-back and closed-back segments of the headphone world. They’re technically semi-open, but they fit pretty well into that category.
You can think of the Fidelio L2 as either open-back headphones with some noise isolation, or closed-back headphones with a slightly airy soundstage. Everyone’s listening style is different.
In terms of sound, these headphones have the spatial quality of open-back headphones. It delivers clean, clear highs with a smoothness that doesn’t tire your ears.
The bass is detailed and strong, but not resonant. So if you want really powerful bass, this isn’t for you.
However, if you want a good soundstage for positional audio in games, this is a good choice. And if you want the direction of the instruments in that soundstage, this is also a good choice.
The instrument separation is good. If the song is too complex, the audio loses some definition, but overall, the L2 provides a great listening experience.
The L2 works well out of the box. However, if you have a sound card, the sound will likely be better, as your PC motherboard may not have enough power to drive the capacity.
Running it through an amplifier is another option to make the most of its capabilities.
These offer some noise isolation compared to fully open-back headphones, but loud noises will still come through.
And since they are semi-open-back, some noise will leak through, but not enough to annoy those around you.
The build quality is pretty solid, with a metal headband, aluminum earshells, and leather ear pads. Some may find the clamp pressure a bit strong. It’s best to physically test them before purchasing.
The inline mic is positioned a bit low, so if you need an in-game chat, you might want to connect a mod mic instead so other gamers can hear you.
8. Sennheiser HD 599 SE
With the Sennheiser HD 599 SE headphones, you want premium open-back gaming headphones that deliver unbiased stereo imaging.
That means they capture accurate tones without distortion when overlapping.
Thanks to the Sennheiser HD’s open acoustic gaming design, these headphones deliver a soundstage effect that fills your ears when playing games.
Also, open-back sound leakage is minimal compared to other open-back headphones. However, you’ll eventually find yourself being sensitive to ambient noise.
Well, you might think that the 38mm drivers are inefficient. However, they deliver excellent, distortion-free, clear highs and warm mids.
Due to the 12Hz base frequency, the bass head may lack bass. However, it is acceptable for most gamers. For comfort, the velour-filled headband and ear cushions prevent ear fatigue.
Sennheiser provides this model with a 3m detachable cable for audio playback devices and home entertainment. However, gamers will need a 1.2m cable for laptops and computers.
9. Philips SHP9500
Philips is known for making top-notch high-fidelity headphones, and the SHP9500 doesn’t live up to expectations.
In fact, the reason we consider this model to be the best Hi-Fi pair is because the sound reproduction is completely free of coloration, which often results in inauthenticity across the frequency response.
The pair delivers detailed treble and midrange, thanks to the high frequency response up to 35kHz. I found the bass to be a bit lacking.
However, the massive 50mm drivers do manage to boost the presence of the low end, but they still lack the punch that bass heads prefer.
The critic in me didn’t come out when I saw how well thought out the ergonomics were. The cold-rolled steel headband is self-adjusting with ample padding.
The audio ear pads are also fully cushioned with breathable velour to eliminate pressure. Plus, the over-ear design provides an improved soundstage with minimal leakage.
The comfortable pair comes with a generous 1.5 detachable long cable and a ⅛” to ¼” screw adapter for audiophile-grade equipment such as audio playback devices or stereo systems.
This pair does not have an onboard microphone but does have a 3.5mm jack for a good microphone connection.
FAQs
Are open-back headphones better for gaming?
Yes and no. Both open-back and closed-back headphones have their pros and cons. Closed-back headphones block out ambient noise much better and offer more privacy as they do not leak as much sound.
They also generally have stronger bass reproduction. Some gamers say that closed-back headphones provide a more immersive overall gaming experience as you cannot hear anything other than the game.
On the other hand, open-back headphones sound more natural. They provide a more open soundstage and allow for more accurate imaging.
They also allow your ears to breathe, making them more comfortable for long sessions.
Do open-backed headphones sound better?
Well, it depends on your personal taste in music and sound. Some people prefer a bass-heavy sound signature, even booming bass, while others prefer a more balanced sound with accurate and solid bass reproduction.
In general, open-backed headphones sound more natural, refined, and audiophile-like. However, not everyone is an audiophile.
Some people, even most people, can say that they like a bass-heavy sound. If that’s you, then closed-back headphones might be a better choice.
Should I buy open-back or closed-back headphones?
I have explained the pros and cons of both types. The choice depends entirely on your preference and the conditions in which you will be using the headphones.
Open-back headphones are made simply for personal listening/gaming sessions. They are not suitable for commuting, traveling, or gaming in groups.
What headsets do most pro gamers use?
Most pro gamers use closed-back gaming headsets. The most reputable gamers usually contract with various gaming equipment manufacturers and use headsets made by these manufacturers, as well as gaming chairs, keyboards mice, joysticks, etc.
Some of the most popular brands for pro gamers are Steel Series, Sennheiser, HyperX, Razer, Turtle Beach, etc.
Is it essential to buy the best open-back headphones with a mic?
While it is a matter of personal preference, it is definitely worth it, especially if you are playing quality games with friends and have voice chat in-game.
On the other hand, if you are playing solo or have a separate mic, you can save money by buying headphones with a mic.
Are wireless open-back headphones better?
If you have multiple gaming setups or are using the best open-back headphones for gaming on your computer and other gaming consoles, long-wired headphones are more practical.
Otherwise, wireless headphones will get the job done and save you a lot of hassle.
Also read: 9 Best Open Back Headphones For Mixing