Sound is the most important informational channel in Counter-Strike 2. Sound will tell you where the opponents are, how many of them are there, what they are armed with and many other details. Therefore, choosing good headphones or earbuds for CS2 is vital. CS.MONEY Blog provides a guide to help you choose and buy the right, best headphones or ear plugs for CS2.
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What to look for when choosing headphones for CS2?
Basically, there are three main criteria for a good gaming headset/earbuds. Pay attention to these:
- Sound Quality
- Mic Quality
- Comfort and Fit
Any gaming headphones must have a great Sound Quality. CS2 requires headphones or earbuds with clear, detailed sound because audio is essential in this game. Clarity helps distinguish game sounds such as footsteps, weapon reloading, or grenade bounce.
A balanced sound profile is also very important. Headphones with raised bass cover mid- and high-frequency sounds, as a result, CS2 bangs your ears powerfully but it brings you no useful info. Therefore, it’s important to find headphones or earbuds with a natural and balanced sound profile, allowing you to hear the game as the developers intended.
Effective communication within the team plays a crucial role in CS2 since it’s literally a team-based FPS. Thus, you better have a good mic to clearly transfer your voice without extraneous noise. Noise-canceling microphones deserve special attention because they filter out ambient sounds, making it easier to communicate with teammates.
Comfort is often overlooked but it’s a very important thing for players who spend long gaming sessions. Uncomfortable headphones or earbuds can be distracting and even lead to headaches. Look for headphones with padded headbands and ear pads made from soft, breathable materials. Surely, an adjustable fit is also important: set your headphones according to the shape and size of your head, ensuring comfort and reliability during long-term use.
Which headphones are better for CS2: headsets or earbuds?
So, best eadphones for CS2 can be divided into two large groups: headsets and earbuds. Names speak for themselves: the first ones are put on the head, the second ones are inserted into the ears. Both options have pros and cons.
Pros and cons of headsets for CS2
Here are positive sides of using headsets for CS2:
- Bigger speakers, better sound quality
- Usually a good built-in mic
- Adjustable fit
Here are negative sides of using headsets for CS2:
- Weight and dimensions. Headphones are inconvenient to carry and may be discomfortable during really long gaming sessions.
Pros and cons of earbuds for CS2
Here are positive sides of using earbuds for CS2:
- Often, lower in price then headsets
- Comfortable and compact
Here are negative sides of using earbuds for CS2:
- Small speaker size, not that rich sound
- Low-quality mic or not mic at all
Both headphone options, headsets and earbuds, have their strengths and weaknesses. Note, however, that CS2 does not require exceptional audio quality. Therefore, both types of headphones are suitable for gaming, and you should choose according to your preferences. The only caveat is that full-size wireless headsets last significantly longer on a single charge. Therefore, if you want to play wirelessly, you should pay attention to headsets.
Which headphones do the pros prefer?
Professional CS2 players choose different headsets at home and during LAN tournaments. At home, many people prefer full-size headsets. Here are the popular models among the pros you can find:
- HyperX Cloud II;
- Logitech G PRO X Gaming Headset;
- Razer BlackShark V2 Pro.
These and other popular headsets are priced between $50 to $100. They offer high-quality sound and a good microphone, as well as full comfort. At the same time, on stage, players use earbuds, and they are numerous, so we won’t spare time listing them: just pick your favourite brand and stick to it or try something new. Just know: most good ear plugs are suitable for playing CS2.
Which headphones to choose for CS2?
To summarize, when choosing headphones for CS2, you need to focus on sound and microphone quality, as well as comfort and fit. When choosing between full-size headphones and ear plugs, you should give preference to those that suit you best.
Finally, even good headphones may not provide the best sound level because your audio settings might mess with it (for example, CS2 might be using mono or stereo, 7.1 or other additional sound parameters). It is better to disable it in Windows Settings or Headset Settings. It could also be due to incorrect audio settings in CS2, but luckily, we have a special guide on audio. Be sure to read and you will definitely hear all the enemy’s steps!
