Wireless earbuds and headphones are amazing for comfort, making them ideal for gaming in theory. But in practice, they usually suffer from audio delay due to the latency of wireless technologies.
Thankfully, things are improving on that front! There are now low-latency wireless earbuds that leverage the latest wireless tech available to provide basically imperceptible audio delay.
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In this article, we’ll cover 5 of the best low-latency wireless earbuds you can get for gaming.
Top 5 Best Gaming Wireless Earbuds With Low Latency
Before we start, you should know that latency is measured in microseconds (ms). Lower values equal less latency! Pretty simple, right?
Generally speaking, wireless earbuds are rated as “low-latency” once they have a latency of 60ms or less. Anything below 60ms is better, of course, but 60ms latency is already nearly imperceptible.
The other thing worth keeping in mind is device compatibility. Some earbuds support more devices than others, at least officially.
Anyway, with the basics laid down, look at this handy chart of the products we’ll be detailing in this article.
| Best Low Latency Earbuds | Supported Devices | Latency | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS ROG Cetra True | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones (PS4, PS5, and Xbox systems require separate adapters) | Unlisted | |
| Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (2nd Gen) | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones | 60ms | |
| Soundcore VR P10 | PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Meta Quest 2, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Phones | Under 30ms | |
| Black Shark Lucifer T4 | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones (PS4, PS5, and Xbox systems require separate adapters) | 35ms | |
| TOZO G1 Wireless Earbuds | PC, Mac OS, Phones | 45ms |
| Best Low Latency Earbuds | Supported Devices | Latency | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS ROG Cetra True | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones (PS4, PS5, and Xbox systems require separate adapters) | Unlisted | |
| Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (2nd Gen) | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones | 60ms | |
| Soundcore VR P10 | PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Meta Quest 2, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Phones | Under 30ms | |
| Black Shark Lucifer T4 | PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, Phones (PS4, PS5, and Xbox systems require separate adapters) | 35ms | |
| TOZO G1 Wireless Earbuds | PC, Mac OS, Phones | 45ms |
Best All-Around: ASUS ROG Cetra True
Our first pick is mostly recommended because of a simple reason: overall quality.
These high-quality earbuds from ASUS have fantastic audio quality and great noise cancellation. No complaints when it comes to audio, at least.
The battery life is also quite plentiful, so they should last you more than one gaming session. Or one very long gaming session, at least!
But of course, you’re probably wondering how the latency is! As far as we can tell, latency is pretty much imperceptible as long as you activate Gaming Mode.
However, we don’t know the actual specs of what latency to expect. The manufacturer simply doesn’t list it anywhere, including the spec sheet on the website.
It appears to be a standard low latency of 60ms, though. No issues there, but we would prefer to have official specs available!
The downside to this high-quality pair of earbuds is that they aren’t compatible with every system out of the box. You’ll need a separate Bluetooth audio adapter if you wish to use them with your PS4, PS5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series!
Pros
- Fantastic audio quality
- Great noise cancellation
- Solid battery life
- Imperceptible latency
Cons
- Requires a separate Bluetooth adapter for PlayStation and Xbox
- The manufacturer doesn’t list the actual latency rating
Most Stylish: Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (2nd Gen)
Low latency alone is great, but what if your wireless earbuds also looked cool? This pair of earbuds from Razer might be to your liking.
This fancy-looking pair of earbuds has LED lighting powered by Razer’s Chroma RGB, allowing for a large variety of colorful light effects. It’s quite flashy!
RGB lighting can be configured using an app on your phone, giving you some nice customization. Said app can also be used as an equalizer, which is quite handy!
Now, let’s talk about sound. Audio quality seems pretty nice and the noise cancellation is fantastic. Latency is also the standard low of 60ms, so they’re just fine for gaming too!
However, the earbuds are only compatible with PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, and mobile phones. They don’t seem to be compatible with PlayStation or Xbox systems, even if you use a separate adapter!
The battery life is also notably shorter than its competition, lasting around 4 hours before needing to charge. Powering up the fancy RGB lights does require more power consumption, after all.
Pros
- Flashy design with RGB lights
- Can use an app to customize lights
- The app can also be used as an equalizer for audio
- Great audio quality
Cons
- Doesn’t seem to be compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles
- Battery life is shorter than average
Best Compatibility: Soundcore VR P10
Next up is the pair of earbuds with the best out-of-the-box compatibility on this list! The Soundcore VR P10 are primarily designed for Meta Quest 2, but they also work with a variety of devices.
Besides the Meta Quest 2, they also work with PCs as expected. Additionally, it supports PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck. It gets around!
Additionally, it boasts an impressively low latency of under 30ms, thanks to its unique dongle. Such low latency seems almost like magic, honestly.
Speaking of magic, these earbuds’ battery lasts a tad more than standard. They can stay on for about 6 hours on a single charge, compared to the average of 5 hours.
Sound quality itself isn’t bad either, but we wouldn’t say it’s great either. We wouldn’t recommend it to an audiophile, but it’s good enough for the average user!
However, we can’t complain at this price point, honestly. The compatibility and lower price really do make the Soundcore VR P10 stand out, even if it’s audio quality might not.
Pros
- Includes its own dongle
- High compatibility with most modern gaming systems
- Battery life is better than average
- Extremely low latency of 30ms
Cons
- Audio quality is subpar for the price
Budget Choice: Black Shark Lucifer T4
Looking for something a tad cheaper than our other picks so far? These earbuds from Black Shark should be right up your alley.
The Lucifer T4 earbuds are primarily optimized for gaming, so they boast a low latency response of 35ms when paired with Bluetooth 5.2 devices. Quite impressive, considering the price!
You can also switch between Gaming Mode and Music Mode. Gaming Mode provides lower latency, while Music Mode provides better audio quality.
The battery life on the Lucifer T4 is also pretty nice, as they can last up to 6 hours, making it above average. Above-average quality with below-average pricing is always neat!
What isn’t above average is the sound quality, though. It’s just fairly average, but it’s about what you’d expect at this price point. It’s not bad, especially in Music Mode, but not great either.
You’ll also need to get a separate Bluetooth 5.2 adapter to use these earbuds with PlayStation and Xbox systems. However, it works out of the box with PC, Mac OS, Nintendo Switch, and mobile phones.
Still, the Lucifer T4 are a great choice if you want low-latency earbuds and don’t want to break the piggy bank!
Pros
- Super low latency of 35ms
- Very affordable pricing
- Battery life is above average
Cons
- Requires a separate Bluetooth adapter for PlayStation and Xbox
- Audio quality is just about average
Alternate Budget Choice: TOZO G1 Wireless Earbuds
If you want another budget-friendly choice, the TOZO G1 are here for you.
This pair of earbuds boasts an ultra-low latency of 45ms when using the built-in Game Mode. Pretty low response time for such cheap earbuds!
The TOZO G1 have a sleek design and an above-average battery life of around 6 hours, so they’re not shabby on that front either.
However, Game Mode seems to drain the battery faster, lasting around 5 hours only!
Sound quality is, as you might expect at this price point, nothing too amazing. It’s not bad, though, and is quite decent for the price. Still, audiophiles should pick something else.
Considering the price, though, it’s about what’d you expect. The low latency mode works, the sound quality is decent for the price, and the battery life is good.
The one catch is the TOZO G1 only works with PC, Mac OS, and mobile phones. At least officially, that is. They might work with other systems using adapters, but there are no guarantees!
Pros
- Very low latency of 45ms
- High quality and low price
- Above-average battery life
- Sound quality is alright for the price
Cons
· Might not be compatible with gaming consoles at all
To Sum Up
The ASUS ROG Cetra True are, overall, the best balance we could find. Audio quality, latency, price, and compatibility are all balanced. It makes for an easy all-around recommendation that should work for most people!
Razer’s 2nd gen Hammerhead, on the other hand, are also great but they somewhat focus on style more than function. They’re a tad pricier, too!
The Soundcore VR P10 are our top pick for those who have multiple systems. It has very low latency and great overall quality, plus they work with most gaming systems without the need for third-party audio adapters.
Getting into the low-budget territory, though, we first recommend Black Shark’s Lucifer T4. It’s a solid pair of earbuds with very low latency, but audio quality leaves something to be desired and you need a separate adapter for use with most systems.
Lastly, the TOZO G1 are a decent choice if you’re looking for something good and cheap. The audio quality is decent, considering the price and low latency features work well. However, it’s not officially compatible with many devices!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a low latency in earbuds?
Anything below 50ms is considered low latency.
2. Do wireless earbuds have latency?
Yes. On average, gaming earbuds have from 34 to 200 milliseconds of latency. The lower the amount the better.
3. Is 40 ms latency good?
Yes. A number between 40 and 60 milliseconds will result in no audio lag.
4. What is high latency in earbuds?
Earbuds with 100ms or more can be considered as high latency and you’ll start to notice some lag.
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