Best Headset for Fortnite (2023 Guide)

Audio is crucial in battle royale games like Fortnite to help alert players to threats they cannot see. A good gaming headset can significantly enhance your ability to hear footsteps and other critical audio cues.

To find the best headset for Fortnite, we analyzed reviews and specs of top headset models to finalize a list for in-house testing. Our final list of headsets is then hand-tested for audio quality, ergonomics, features, microphone, and more, to help you find the best headset for Fortnite.

Best headset for Fortnite

• Wired pick: Astro A40 TR
• Wireless pick: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
• Studio headset pick: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
• Wired alternate: HyperX Cloud II
• Wireless alternate: HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
• Budget wireless pick: Logitech G735

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wired
• Design: Open-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile
• Drivers: 40mm
• Weight: 369 grams
• Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz
• Microphone: Detachable boom, flip-up

The Astro A40 TR, released in 2019, is a gaming headset built for esports players. The A40 “Tournament Ready” looks similar to classic Astro headsets of the past, with a few more tricks up its sleeve.

Astro designed the A40 TR to look like a gaming headset with oversized ear cups and a glossy plastic exterior. Almost every prominent feature on the A40 TR is customizable; the magnetic speaker tags, ear cushions, headband, and microphone can be easily swapped with a different color or a custom ID set from the Astro website.

The magnetic speaker tags on the exterior of the ear cups can be popped off to reveal an open-back driver design. The open-back design allows air to pass through directly to the drivers, which creates a more spacious soundstage that many players prefer for competitive gaming. Open-back headsets don’t block out as much background noise as closed-back headsets, so they aren’t recommended for use in noisy places like an office or airplane.

The A40 TR’s open-back design shines while playing Fortnite. The headset is dead-quiet in between audio cues, making it easy to hear footsteps, reloads, and other crucial sounds from far away. The A40’s default audio mix does an excellent job reducing the volume of loud sounds and environmental noise, so you can more easily hear the audio cues that matter.

One of the A40 TR’s biggest selling points is its durability; the audio cable, ear cushions, headband cushion, and microphone are detachable and easily replaced. Detachable parts greatly extend the lifespan of gaming headsets since components like the audio cable and ear cushions are usually the first to wear out.

The A40 TR combines comfort and durability with uncompromising audio for gaming. If you want to enhance your hearing for Fortnite, the A40 TR could be your end-game headset. Check out our review guide of the best monitor for Fortnite to see how the latest screens can improve your gameplay.

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wired, wireless
• Design: Closed-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile
• Drivers: 40mm
• Weight: 337 grams
• Frequency Response: 10-40,000 Hz (wired), 10-22,000 Hz (wireless)
• Microphone: Retractable

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the ultimate wireless gaming headset. The Nova Pro combines intelligent design and premium materials with high-end features you won’t find on many other gaming headsets.

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless’ ear cup design breaks away from the previous generation of Arctis Pro headsets. The ear cups have been slimmed down in favor of a beveled design with metallic speaker plates. The magnetic speaker plates can be removed to reveal a hot-swappable battery in one ear cup and a USB charging port in the other.

SteelSeries carried over the suspension headband design from the previous generation, but instead of velcro, there are three holes in each side of the strap to adjust the length, similar to a baseball cap. The stretchy suspension headband does an excellent job distributing the headset’s weight; to me, it’s the most comfortable headband design.

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless includes a ton of killer features, like ANC (active noise canceling), transparency mode, multi-point connection, hot-swappable batteries, an OLED base station, and more. Transparency mode uses microphones on ear cups to amplify outside sounds, which is especially useful for holding conversations without needing to remove the headset.

The Nova Pro’s OLED base station is another feature that adds unique functionality. The base station can simultaneously control volume, chat mixing, EQ tuning, and connection to two devices, like an Xbox and a PC. The base station also charges the Nova Pro’s extra battery, so you always have a full charge on standby.

While playing Fortnite with the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the headset’s 40mm drivers produce clear, accurate audio ideal for critical listening. The headset’s leatherette ear cups create a passive noise seal that, when combined with ANC, completely blocks out the outside world.

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is versatile, connecting via a 3.5mm audio cable, Bluetooth, or low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless. Even Xbox gamers can enjoy the Nova Pro’s wireless capabilities if they purchase the Xbox-specific version of the headset. If you want to level up your setup and are willing to spend a little extra, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless might be your perfect headset.

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wired
• Design: Open-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile
• Drivers: 45mm
• Weight: 345 grams
• Frequency Response: 5-40,000 Hz
• Microphone: No

The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X is an open-back studio headset with the top-notch sound quality for competitive gaming. Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro X for studio listening and mastering, but it’s become a favorite among gamers who want to gain an edge over the competition.

The DT 900 Pro X was designed from top to bottom with quality materials and finishes. The headset’s headband is made from a solid steel band that extends to hold each ear cup in place. The steel headband clamps tightly to create a secure fit while maintaining flexibility.

The Pro X’s ear cups, made from hard matte-black plastic, have slits that let air pass freely to the 45mm drivers, creating an open-back design. The circular ear cups are finished with supple velour ear cushions that maximize breathability while reducing heat buildup during extended use.

Beyerdynamic made essential components of the DT 900 Pro X replaceable, including the audio cable, ear pads, and headband cushion. The two 3.5mm to mini-XLR audio cables included with the headset are thick, premium, and can be coiled for storage without becoming deformed.

The secret to Beyerdynamic’s popularity is the sound quality created by STELLAR.45 drivers and open-back design. When playing Fortnite, the DT Pro X sounds detailed and transparent. I found this headset enhanced spatial awareness, making recognizing the distance and direction of sounds easy.

The DT 900 Pro X doesn’t just excel at gaming. The headset can also produce mind-blowing audio for listening to music and media. When listening to music, DT 900 Pro X generates accurate highs, lows, and mids to create a listening experience far superior to any gaming headsets on this list.

The DT 900 Pro X’s lack of a microphone complicates things, but if you don’t mind spending the extra money, an external microphone can be purchased that will outperform the boom mics included on most gaming headsets. If you’re an audiophile who loves listening to music and playing games, the DT 900 Pro X is an excellent value 2-in-1 headset.

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wired
• Design: Closed-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile
• Drivers: 53mm
• Weight: 267 grams
• Frequency Response: 10-23,000 Hz
• Microphone: Detachable Boom

The HyperX Cloud II is a recognizable headset that’s been in service since 2015. You’ve probably seen the Cloud II worn by countless pros and streamers who swear by its combination of comfort and sound quality.

HyperX almost perfected headset ergonomics when they designed the Cloud II. The ear cups are roomy and deep, with plenty of space for ears to fit comfortably without touching the inside of the ear cup. The Cloud II also comes with leatherette ear cushions, which can be swapped with velour pads, depending on your preference.

The Cloud II headset is easily adjustable, with notches on the metal arms to help you find the perfect size for your head. I liked putting the Cloud II on and pulling the ear cups down until the headset was the right length. Some headsets are difficult to adjust while wearing, which gets old when you need to remove the headset to adjust its size.

An in-line control box on the Cloud II’s audio cable controls features like volume, mic mute, mixing between game and chat audio, and 7.1 surround sound. I found the chat mixing feature useful while playing Fortnite with friends and talking over Discord, so I didn’t have to Alt+Tab to my PC’s sound settings to find the audio balance.

The Cloud II makes use of specifically-tuned 53mm drivers to create more expensive-sounding audio than the price of the headset would suggest. While playing Fortnite, I would describe the audio as sharp, with plenty of soundstage to feel immersed in the map. The audio quality and comfort of the Cloud II make playing games an enjoyable experience; I can play for hours without feeling fatigued.

After reviewing the HyperX Cloud II, it’s easy to see why millions of gamers around the globe have used the headset. The Cloud II fits like a glove, with the audio chops to help you compete with the best in Fortnite.

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wireless
• Design: Closed-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch (docked)
• Drivers: 50mm
• Weight: 327 grams
• Frequency Response: 15-21,000 Hz
• Microphone: Detachable Boom

The Cloud Alpha Wireless combines HyperX’s renowned comfort with an incredible low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless connection. With enough charge to play for months and no cords to tangle with, the Cloud Alpha Wireless keeps you immersed in the game for longer.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless shares a familiar design with the Cloud Alpha and Cloud II headsets, with minor, aesthetic differences. The Cloud Alpha and Cloud II are some of the most comfortable gaming headsets on the market, so we’re glad HyperX didn’t make any significant changes to the design. The ear cups are spacious, the leatherette is soft, and the headset has a Goldilocks clamping force that’s not overly tight during extended use.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless is effortless to operate. A clear voice conveys the connection status and remaining battery. A mute button illuminates a red LED on the tip of the microphone, so you always know the status of your mic. These tactile elements go a long way to streamline the operation of the headset.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless sports a 300-hour battery life, enough to drop from the Battle Bus for months without recharging. Most modern wireless gaming headsets have a battery life of around 15-50 hours, so it’s impressive that HyperX can 6x that with no significant drawbacks.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless has a balanced sound mix for Fortnite with crisp highs and enough depth to immerse you in the action. I could easily hear footsteps in the distance and had no trouble making out the different surfaces players were walking on. The Cloud Alpha helped prevent me from being ambushed, and it made me more aware of the sounds my character made.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless is one of the best wireless headsets on the market; it’s well-built, reliable, and features fantastic audio for Fortnite. If you’re a Fortnite player looking for a wireless headset with Xbox compatibility, consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.

At a glance

• Connectivity: Wireless
• Design: Closed-back
• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch, Mobile
• Drivers: 40mm
• Weight: 165 grams
• Frequency Response: 10-20,000 Hz
• Microphone: Integrated

The Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless is a gaming headset that redefines the wireless budget genre. After spending time with the G435, we were surprised by its ability to keep pace with much more expensive headsets.

The G435 is comfortable to wear, thanks partly to an ultra-light weight of 165 grams. The G435 has little, if any, padding in the headband, though it’s not needed because most of the headset’s mass can be held up with the clamping force of the ear cups. Speaking of ear cups, the G435s have a slim profile on the outside with plenty of room for ears in the interior. I’m a big fan of the synthetic weave used on the ear pads; it’s breathable and doesn’t build up heat over time.

The G435 is a budget headset, and cost savings are evident with the materials used in construction. Given the low price point, the headset is primarily plastic, which makes sense. I found that the headset’s spartan design suits the overall theme of the G435 because the lack of premium materials like metal helps keep it from becoming cumbersome.

Reading Logitech’s promotional material on its website, it’s clear that the G435 was designed for a younger audience. The headset has optional decibel limiters so that kids don’t harm their hearing, and the headset’s slim profile can fit smaller heads (though the G435 also fits nicely on my adult-sized head). Logitech even sells colorways like blue and raspberry or off-white and lilac, which I could see being a hit with the youth.

The G435 can connect via 2.4 GHz LIGHTSPEED wireless with the USB dongle or over Bluetooth. The microphone is integrated into the left ear cup, which helps maintain a streamlined exterior. The microphone quality isn’t as good as some of the more expensive boom-mic setups, but it’s still serviceable for communication.

The G435 is an excellent choice for entry-level gamers, kids, or anyone wanting an inexpensive wireless headset. For the price, the G435 has the sound quality and comfort to compete with much more expensive wireless headsets.

Fortnite headset test results

Below is a side-by-side comparison of specs and test results for the best Fortnite headsets. Subjective testing categories are rated on a scale of Excellent, Great, Good, Poor, and Bad.

Audio

We tested the audio quality of each headset by playing Fortnite and listening to a selection of music tracks, paying close attention to the sound mix, clarity, directional audio, and soundstage.

The two open-back headsets on this list, the Astro A40 TR and Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X performed the best while playing Fortnite. The open-back design of these headsets helps facilitate a wide soundstage, making it easier to determine the distance and direction of sounds.

The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X retails for more than the Astro A40 TR, but each headset features similar excellent audio for Fortnite. The difference is listening to music, where the DT 900 Pro X shines and the Astro A40 struggles, primarily due to its audio mix, which is not well suited for music.

The HyperX Cloud II and Cloud Alpha Wireless have similar audio for gaming and music because they share a design and many internal components. Your preference between these headsets will come down to wireless or wired connectivity.

Connectivity

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the most compatible headset we tested, with connectivity via 3.5mm wired, low-latency 2.4 GHz, and Bluetooth. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless can connect via any two of these methods simultaneously, and it’s even one of the few wireless headsets compatible with Xbox consoles.

The Cloud Alpha Wireless has the longest battery life, with an astounding 300 hours of charge. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless comes with two hot-swappable batteries that maintain power to the headset if switched within 8 seconds. If you keep one battery charging in the OLED base station, there are always another 22 hours on standby.

The HyperX Cloud II has an integrated 3.5mm audio cable with an optional USB dongle that houses the in-line controls. Certain features like channel mixing and 7.1 surround sound are only available with the USB dongle plugged in.

Hands-On

We got hands-on with the best headsets for Fortnite, paying close attention to their build quality, comfort, and usability over multiple days of testing.

The headsets that scored the highest in the ease of use category are all essentially plug-and-play. These headsets don’t require user manuals; onboard controls can access most features. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless scored poorly in ease of use since its many features require a close study of the user manual.

The build quality score considers the materials used in construction and the overall durability of each headset. Headset models with replaceable parts, like the A40 TR and DT 900 Pro X, scored higher in build quality.

Comfort is subjective since no two people have the same sized head and ears. Our comfort rating considers clamping force, weight, materials, roominess, and overall fit. Any headset with a good comfort rating or above should be suitable for multiple hours without head fatigue.

Features

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has the most features, including talk-through, channel mixing, active noise canceling, and more. The Nova Pro’s ANC activates with a single power button press, and talk-through is enabled with a double press. Both of these features perform their features as intended and help the user better adapt to the environment.

None of the headsets we tested include hard-shell carrying cases, and the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless and DT 900 Pro X are the only headsets with a soft carry pouch. The DT 900 Pro X had the most substantial carry pouch, made from a thick neoprene material that protects against scratching and moisture.

Microphone

We tested the microphone quality of each headset by recording phrases of speech under ideal conditions and with a loud fan in the background. The headsets that performed best with background noise isolation did the best at separating speech from the sound of the fan.

The headsets with microphones we tested displayed ample clarity for communicating with teammates. The A40 TR and Cloud Alpha Wireless did the best job reducing background noise; even with a loud fan blowing two feet away, there was almost no background noise upon playback.

What headset do Fortnite pros use?

Over 12% of Fortnite pros tracked by Setup.gg use the Logitech G Pro X headset. This comfortable wired headset offers accurate, low-latency audio at a reasonable price.

Honorable mentions

The Razer Blackshark V2 is a wired headset specializing in comfort with ultra-thick cushioning on the headband and ear cups. The Astro A40 TR has a similar ergonomic quality to the Blackshark V2, with a better sound mix for Fortnite.

The Razer Kraken V3 Pro is a comfortable headset with unique features, including haptic feedback and RGB lighting. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless outperformed the Kraken V3 Pro in sound quality and battery life.

The Logitech G Pro X is a well-built, premium-quality wired headset with an esports-ready sound mix. The HyperX Cloud II has a slightly more comfortable fit, with a more spacious soundstage for Fortnite.

The Logitech G735 is a dual-connection wireless headset with RGB lights and 56 hours of battery life. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a more expensive headset with ANC and talk-though, with better directional audio for Fortnite.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a budget wired headset with a flip-to-mute boom microphone and leatherette padding. The Logitech G435 is a similarly priced gaming headset with wireless functionality via 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth.