Only one with a detachable mic
HyperX Cloud III
Best for: Long sessions on any console
- Comfortable for hours
- USB adapter in the box
What buyers love: sound in games.
Catch: Software barely works.
Best gaming headsets under $100
Three headsets: the comfiest all-rounder, the best cheap mic, or wireless.
Updated November 10, 2026
Cheapest here, mic ignores typing
Razer BlackShark V2 X
Best for: Team chat in shooters
- Mic rejects keyboard and TV
- Light enough to forget
What buyers love: sound in games.
Catch: Feels fragile, mic is fixed.
Only wireless one, lightest by far
Logitech G435
Best for: Kids, smaller heads, couch gaming
- No lag on the dongle
- Bluetooth for phone and Switch
What buyers love: what you get for the money.
Catch: No boom mic, no cable mode.
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Good to know
What matters at $100, and the trade-offs to expect.
Comfort over hours
Weight and clamp matter more than drivers when a session runs past midnight.
How your voice sounds
A boom mic near your mouth beats mics built into the earcup.
Your platform
A 3.5mm plug works on every controller. Wireless dongles are tied to certain consoles.
Surround labels
Virtual surround rarely helps much. Good stereo already tells you where footsteps are.
The trade-offs that matter
Cable or none
The G435 is the only one without a cable, but it can't plug in when the battery dies.
Mic you can remove
Only the Cloud III's boom comes off. The Razer's stays put, and the Logitech has no boom at all.
Xbox
The two wired ones work on Xbox through the controller. The G435's dongle covers PC and PlayStation only.
Final buying advice: Most people should get the HyperX Cloud III: comfortable, sturdy and at home on every console. If teammates keep asking you to repeat yourself, the Razer BlackShark V2 X fixes that for less. For a child or a cable-free couch, the Logitech G435 is the light, wireless pick.
How they compare
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Connection | 3.5mm cable, USB-C and USB-A adapter | 3.5mm cable only | USB dongle and Bluetooth, no cable |
| Mic | Detachable boom, noise filtering | Fixed boom, cardioid | Two mics in the earcup, no boom |
| Weight | 308g with cable (Tom's Hardware) | 240g (maker) | 165g (maker) |
| Battery (claimed) | Wired, no battery | Wired, no battery | 18 hours |
| Works with | PC, PlayStation, Switch (USB); Xbox (3.5mm) | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, phones (3.5mm) | PC, Mac, PlayStation (dongle); phones, Switch (Bluetooth) |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Does the HyperX Cloud III work on Xbox?
Yes, through the 3.5mm plug in the controller. The USB adapter is for PC, PlayStation and Switch.
Can you remove the mic on the Razer BlackShark V2 X?
No. It bends out of the way but stays attached. The HyperX Cloud III is the one here with a detachable mic.
Is the Logitech G435 good for kids?
Yes. It's very light and fits smaller heads, which T3 singled out for young gamers. Its mic is weaker than a boom mic.
How we reached this
We shortlisted gaming headsets that independent reviewers rate well and that we saw selling under $100 at a major shop, then compared them on the makers' specs.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: HyperX: Cloud III gaming headset, Tom's Hardware: HyperX Cloud III review, TechRadar: HyperX Cloud III review, Razer: BlackShark V2 X, Tom's Hardware: Razer BlackShark V2 X review, Hardware Canucks: Razer BlackShark V2 and V2 X review, Logitech G: G435 LIGHTSPEED wireless gaming headset, Tom's Hardware: Logitech G435 Lightspeed review, T3: Logitech G435 Lightspeed review.