A great pair of headphones is a crucial component for any gaming session. Nothing quite puts you in the game than truly immersive and all-inclusive sound. While it’s true that there seems to be an endless variety of gaming-specific headphones on the market, they can be expensive, even compared to Beats pricing. So, a lot of people are wondering, ‘Are Beats good for gaming?’
While it is certainly possible to use Beats headphones for gaming, dedicated gaming headphones will always provide a much better experience. This is because gaming headphones are purpose-designed for gaming, so they are going to have all the things games have come to expect such as virtual surround sound, a high quality built-in microphone, a frequency response that is optimized for gaming, and a high level of long-duration comfort.
In this article, we will go over all the reasons why you may want to use Beats headphones for gaming. We will also cover some reasons why you probably shouldn’t.
What Makes The Best Pair Of Gaming Headphones?
If you feel lost in the world of gaming headphones, you are not alone. It can be confusing as there are a lot of terms to remember and every headphone brand out there is claiming that they have the best ones.
The good news is, we are here to help. There are a few key aspects that make a pair of headphones good for use with games. Here are some of the things we think you should look for:
Driver Size And Design
The size and design of a pair of headphone’s speaker drivers will determine its sound quality. The best gaming experience is obtained by using a driver of at least 40mm. Anything less than 40mm will often result in poor sound quality, at least for gaming.
Another important aspect of the drivers is how much bass they can provide. Bass is a big part of the immersion that is experienced when using headphones to play games.
Comfort
Comfort is more important than you may realize. Remember, gaming sessions can sometimes last many hours. And remember, while a given pair of headphones may feel really comfortable right when you put them on, if you want 30-40 minutes, you will still notice how comfortable they really are (or aren’t).
So, if you are not wearing a comfortable pair of headphones, you may find it a bit harder to focus on the action an hour or so into gaming. For this reason, headphones that have some type of cushioning material are best for gaming.
Durability
Most gaming headphones are rather expensive. So, it’s important that they stand the test of time. After all, you don’t want to have to spend $200 a year on headphones, do you? Of course you don’t. So, that’s why it’s important to make sure that you are investing in a durable pair of headphones that will last many years. Build quality is almost as important as sound quality.
So, Are Beats Good For Gaming?
Well, that’s a bit complicated. While Beats makes some of the best headphones for the consumer market, they are optimized for listening to music. This means that Beats headphones may not necessarily have the best features for gaming.
Beats headphones are, however, a little better than your garden variety, low-end gaming headphones and they will certainly always perform better than the $20 headphones that most people buy at places like Dollar General when they just need something that works.
When Should I Use Beats Headphones For Gaming?
Also, if you do more than gaming, then you may want to use Beats headphones because, for you, the drawbacks and limitations when using Beats for gaming may be worth it.
So, here are a few quick overviews of some of the most popular Beats headphone models on the market and whether or not they should be used for gaming.
Beats Solo Pro
Beats Solo Pro headphones have some of the best active noise cancellation technology out there. For this reason, these headphones are often used to enjoy music in loud environments.
Noise cancellation can be very helpful when gaming, as it cuts out the outside world much better than a pair of headphones that does not have active noise cancellation. This allows you to enjoy your game without any interruptions and with total focus.
Another great thing about Beats Solo Pro headphones is the fact that they are lightweight, which adds to their already comfortable design.
Are Beats Solo Pro Headphones Good For Gaming?
While Beats Solo Pro headphones have fantastic noise cancellation, a light-weight design, and sound great when listening to music, you might not want to use them for gaming. Remember, headphones that are optimized for music can often leave large portions of a game’s soundstage feeling a bit lackluster.
Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones
Beats Studio 3 wireless headphones feature an over-the-ear design in a closed-back configuration. These headphones are world-renowned for their high level of performance and sound consistency.
The noise cancellation in these headphones is the same technology that you find in the Beats Solo Pro. In fact, Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones are, more or less, a wireless version of Beats Solo headphones.
In any pair of wireless headphones, battery life is of critical importance. The good news is that these headphones have an excellent running time, boasting 22 hours with noise cancelling on and just over 40 hours in normal mode.
Are Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones Good For Gaming?
Using Beats Studio 3 for gaming will present a similar experience to Beats Solo Pro headphones. The good news is that the wireless connection does not cause any loss in quality, and the battery life on these headphones is good enough to not have to charge them for several days at a time.
So, like the Beats Solo Pro, these headphones will certainly work for gaming but they will not provide the best experience.
Beats Powerbeats Pro
Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones are a favorite among sports enthusiasts. This is because they are comfortable to use and have astounding sound quality. These wireless earbuds fit very comfortably in the ear and have an excellent built quality.
These headphones are known to be user-friendly and have a really easy setup process. They have a 9 hour battery life, which is excellent for a pair of headphones this small. As you would expect, performance is terrific.
As with most in-ear designs, the bass that is provided by these headphones isn’t all that great. So, expect just under 9 hours of battery life with Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones. While that may seem like more than enough battery life for a long gaming session, you will find yourself unable to use your headphones unless you charge them every single day.
Are Beats Powerbeats Pro Headphones Good For Gaming?
No. You never want to use in-ear headphones (earbuds) for gaming. Especially if they are wireless. Those two points are for the same reason: In-ear headphones are too small. Too small to produce sound in the frequencies that are used for gaming, and some would argue, music too.
The small size (along with the fact that these are wireless headphones) means that there is not much room for battery, here.
So, Are Beats A Good Choice For Gaming?
While Beats certainly has some great headphones, not all of them are great for gaming. This is because gaming headphones are made specifically for gaming. Beats headphones, whether they are studio focused or not, are made for listening to music.
Do Beats Headphones Have A Mic?
Yes, there are some Beats headphones that have a built in mic, but the overwhelming majority do not. The ones that do have microphones are not boom mics, so that means they are built into the headphone chassis itself.
This may look stylish, but this setup does not provide anywhere near the best microphone performance.
Can Beats Connect To Xbox Consoles?
Yes. Beats headphones can be used on the Xbox family of consoles for listening to music, watching shows, and of course, playing games. This is because the Xbox family makes use of a (relatively) standard 2.5mm audio connection.
This is basically the same connector, electrically, as the much more familiar 3.5mm variant. So a simple, low-cost adapter can be used.
Conclusion
With Beats being recently purchased by Apple, they are only going to get more popular. This, along with the fact that the right pair of headphones is essential for a good gaming experience, a lot of people have been left to wonder, ‘Are Beats Good For Gaming?’
The short answer is ‘not really.’ Sure, they are compatible with gaming and will often provide a better gaming experience than your average bargain-bin gaming headphone brands, Beats headphones are simply not optimized for this application.
Gaming headphones are designed for gaming, this is why it’s in their name. A proper pair of gaming headphones is going to have a gaming-optimized frequency response , will be comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and most crucially, a high quality built-in microphone.
