The noise isolation of in-ear gaming headphones is much better than in-ear headphones due to the tight fit to the ear canal surface

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Choose the Best Open-Back Headphones for Gaming The Intelligent Investor
On-ear headphones can be open or closed...

Types of gaming headphones

The main types of gaming headphones are in-ear and on-ear headphones.

In-ear canals are so called because they are small in size to be inserted directly into the ear canal. They should not be confused with the cheapest and simplest in-ear headphones that resemble a pill or button. The latter do not hold well in the ear, have poor noise isolation and, as a rule, have a short cord, which is why they should not be seriously considered as headphones for gamers.

The noise isolation of in-ear gaming headphones is much better than in-ear headphones due to the tight fit to the ear canal surface. However, they do not hold perfectly in the ear, they can slip out, which interferes with the game. And in terms of sound quality - due to the small size of the inserted porous part - such headphones are usually inferior to overhead gaming headphones. Their only advantage is that they are cheaper.

To Choose the Best Open-Back Headphones for Gaming note they are placed over the ear and may differ in the size of the ear cushions, that is, the cushions adjacent to the ears. If the user's ear is completely covered by the ear cushion, then they are talking about full-size on-ear headphones. For games, it is preferable to use full-size headphones, since they do not disrupt blood circulation on the surface of the ear and put less pressure on the head, which is very important in long gaming sessions. The membrane size of the on-ear headphones provides a wider range of reproducible frequencies. And on the head they also hold much better than the intracanal ones thanks to the arc fastening.

On-ear headphones can be open or closed. Sometimes, an intermediate half-open (half-closed) type is distinguished between them. The back of the closed earcup has no holes, so the sound resonates better, the bass sounds deeper, and the sound insulation is impeccable. The downside can be the appearance of discomfort and headache during a long game - the increased sound pressure on the ears affects.

The back of the open earcup is completely open or slightly covered with a mesh with many pores. Therefore, the pressure on the ears is minimal, the sound quality, except for the bass, is very good, but the sound insulation is weak. Consequently, in-game sounds are audible to others, and noises from the real world can distract the player. However, the spaciousness of the gaming sound is provided with open headphones even better than with closed ones.