Although the sound quality is better than adequate, it's not fantastic. Our main concern is that the audio lacks substance. However, this was more noticeable in music tests than gaming tests, so it's less of an issue here. The microphone is easily positioned and the cushioning makes them very comfortable.

Creative’s latest mid-range headset performs quite well considering its price. It’s nothing ground-breaking but it is a solid option for anyone looking for a versatile gaming or VoIP headset.

The Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 is comfortable and easy to use while also delivering excellent audio quality. However, the Messenger features seem somewhat unnecessary.

Not our top recommendation for gaming headphones. They are uncomfortable, cost quite a bit and are merely adequate for music listening.

Interesting headphones designed specifically for gamers. Imperfect highest audio quality compensated for by an interesting force feedback system.

The Plantronics .Audio 480 Virtual Phone Booth is an excellent product that is hampered by one poor design decision. If the cable had been longer we would have been much happier with this headset.

The Audio 500 is a decent, reasonably-priced headset that is simple to install and operate.

Compact, lightweight and functional, Plantronics' Audio 450 is a convenient headset for portable applications.

The Plantronics .Audio 770 is an excellent set of PC headphones that's sure to impress.

The Razer Barracuda HP-1 gaming headphones are a solid surround sound option for PC gaming. The sound quality is fairly good and the overall experience of the eight drivers was, if nothing else, a lot of fun.

Sennheiser's PC141 is a decent all-purpose PC headset that will be suitable for gaming, music or Internet telephony. It doesn't offer the best quality audio, but for the average user looking for a budget solution, it's a good choice.

As a gaming headset that offers high-quality audio and combines it with a relatively comfortable design, the PC161 won't please all listeners, but for gaming and movie-watching, it fits the bill nicely