It's never easy figuring out what you need when there are so many options. We will review five earbuds and three other options and how they pair with your Steam Deck, PC, or phone.
Favorite: The Everyday Earbuds from Raycon
While not the perfect set of earbuds, it marks off all the boxes for a great daily set priced under $100. They sound great while playing games and podcasts. They fit in the pocket very well and are easy to take out and put back in quickly.
Notable Features:
- Great Noise-canceling
- USB-C and wireless charging
- Podcasts and Games sound great with the extra base
- Easy to use side buttons and commands
Downsides:
- Mic quality is average
- Not the best option for music
Runner-Up: Apple Airpod Pros
Apple Airpods are some of the best earbuds you can get, but they aren't the best for the price or if you own devices beyond Apple. If you mostly have Apple products and like the ability to connect the Airpods to them, this is a no-brainer if you have the money.
Notable Features:
- Great Noise-canceling
- USB-C and wireless charging
- The sound and mic are great
- Easy-to-use squeeze buttons
Downsides:
- Mic quality is average
- Lighting port
- Could use a little more bass
So Close: Razer Hammerhead Pro
I have a love-hate relationship with razer products, and these earbuds are no exception. While I like the design and sound quality, I don't like how you must push the device into your ear so hard to get the device to recognize a command. Make sure to pick these up on sale, as they aren't worth more than $80.
Notable Features:
- Great Noise-canceling
- USB-C charging
- Great for game sound/music
Downsides:
- Mic quality is a little below average
- No wireless charging
- difficult and painful to use the buttons (pause, play, etc.)
- Not worth the total price
Budget friendly: Black Shark Lucifer T6 RGB
Don't let these RGB earbuds fool you with the price and flashing lights; they sound and function well for under $40. If you plan only to play games with your next set of earbuds, then you should grab these. You can't beat the price for what you get.
Notable Features:
- USB-C charging
- Games sound great for the price
- Mic quality is above average
- Has RGB and gamer style
Downsides:
- Mic quality is above average
- No noise-canceling
- Could use a little more bass
- Hard to use side buttons and commands
Best Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4
The best set of headphones you can buy for quality, price, and functionality. While the Raycons have the best value for earbuds, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is the best wireless headphones for life. You won't regret getting these unless you need more portable headphones, then go for Raycons or Airpods.
Notable Features:
- USB-C charging
- Everything sounds great
- Easy to use tap buttons and commands
- Supports Google Assistant and Alexa
- Noise-canceling is amazing
Downsides:
- Expensive
- Mic quality is average
- Noise-canceling has some white noise
Bonus Round: Options For The Occasion
Here are a few more options that offer a different experience than the Headphones above.
The AfterShokz Air Bone Conduction offers a great experience if you need to listen to your environment, and you can think of them like ant-noise-canceling headphones that vibrate sound into your ears.
The Pixel Buds Pro is Google's answer to the Apple Airpod pros and allows you to connect to multiple devices simultaneously.
AfterShokz Air Bone Conduction
Pixel Buds Pro
