IEMs or a headset?

IEMs are better than a gaming headset for sound quality and isolation per pound, and a gaming headset is better for convenience, because it has a microphone built in. The Truthear HEXA costs £69.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026) and has no mic, so a working IEM setup costs £49.98 to £128.44 once a mic cable or USB microphone is added. The Razer BlackShark V2 X does the whole job for £39.99.

The IEM picks are the same as in Best IEMs for gaming UK 2026, and the headset picks come from Best budget gaming headset UK 2026.

Do IEMs sound better than a gaming headset for gaming?

Yes, at the same price an IEM usually sounds clearer, because the money goes on drivers and tuning instead of a headband, a mic and software. The Truthear HEXA uses one dynamic driver for bass and three balanced armatures for mids and treble, with a rated response of 8 Hz to 40 kHz and 20.5 ohm impedance, according to Truthear. The Razer BlackShark V2 X uses 50 mm TriForce drivers rated at 12 Hz to 28 kHz.

Positional audio depends more on the game than on the hardware. Both IEMs and headsets are stereo: two drivers, one per ear. Games such as CS2 and Valorant mix their own directional cues for headphones, PS5's Tempest 3D Audio works through wired headphones in the DualSense jack, and Windows Sonic for Headphones is built into Windows. The BlackShark V2 X's 7.1 surround needs Razer software on a Windows PC, so console players get plain stereo either way.

What an IEM adds is tuning. The HEXA and the 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 keep sub-bass restrained, so footsteps and reloads sit above the low end instead of under it. The Moondrop Aria 2 at £90.00 is the warmer single-driver step up, rated at 16 Hz to 22 kHz and 33 ohm by Moondrop.

Driver count matters less than tuning. Four drivers per side on the HEXA bring cleaner treble detail than the single driver in the Zero 2, while the Zero 2 at £25.99 gets the tuning right for £44.00 less. Both IEMs run from a controller or motherboard jack without an amplifier: the HEXA is rated at 120 dB sensitivity and the Aria 2 at 122 dB, high enough for any 3.5 mm output. A headset's advantage is software: Razer and SteelSeries apps add EQ presets on PC, though the same EQ can be applied to IEMs through Windows tools or the S-Link cable's built-in 5-band EQ.

Do IEMs have a microphone for gaming?

Most IEMs do not, so an IEM player needs one of three fixes: a mic cable, a boom-mic cable or a desk microphone. The HEXA, Zero 2 and Aria 2 all use detachable 0.78 mm 2-pin cables, so the stock cable can be swapped for one with a mic:

• USB-C boom-mic cable: the Kiwi Ears S-Link Type-C at £23.99 has a detachable condenser boom mic, an in-line mic, a built-in DAC and a 5-band EQ, on a 1.2 m cable, according to Kiwi Ears.
• 3.5 mm in-line mic cable: the Moondrop MC2 at £24.99 adds an in-line mic and plugs into any 3.5 mm headset jack, including console controllers.
• USB desk microphone: the Razer Seiren V3 Mini at £39.95 has a 14 mm capsule and a supercardioid pattern, and records at 24-bit/96 kHz, according to Razer.

Distance is what separates these options. Sound level falls about 6 dB each time the distance doubles, so Compare Electronic calculated how loud the voice reaches each mic against a headset boom 2.5 cm from the mouth. Keyboard noise stays roughly as loud at every position, so a quieter voice means more clatter in chat.

The boom-mic cable gets closest to a headset. An in-line mic hangs near the chin and suits party chat more than shot-calling. Discord sends voice at 64 kbps by default, so the gap between mics narrows once it reaches teammates; the full comparison is in Gaming headset mic vs USB microphone.

How much does an IEM setup cost compared with a headset?

A complete IEM setup with a microphone costs £9.99 to £88.45 more than the £39.99 Razer BlackShark V2 X. Compare Electronic priced eight working setups on Amazon UK on 3 October 2026, each with a way to talk in chat:

The cheapest IEM setup, the 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 with the Kiwi Ears S-Link, costs £9.99 more than the headset and gives a detachable boom mic plus an on-cable DAC. The jump to the HEXA adds £44.00 for three balanced armature drivers. The desk mic route costs most, and it pays off only for streamers who want a better recorded voice; the Razer Seiren V3 Mini and Aokeo AK-35 boom arm make that setup.

Running costs favour IEMs. A cable is the part that fails first on any wired audio, and every IEM here uses a detachable 0.78 mm 2-pin connector, so a broken lead is a cable swap: a plain replacement such as the Tripowin Zombur 4N costs £10.44 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The Razer BlackShark V2 X has a fixed cable, so a damaged lead usually means a new headset. Headset ear cushions also wear and flatten, while IEM tips are cheap to replace.

Are IEMs more comfortable and better at blocking noise?

IEMs block more outside noise and avoid clamp and heat, while a headset avoids pressure inside the ear canal. Shure rates its own sound-isolating earphones at up to 37 dB of passive isolation with a well-fitted tip, with no active noise cancelling involved. The same principle applies to the HEXA, Zero 2 and Aria 2: the seal does the work. A closed-back headset isolates through its earcup seal, which glasses arms and hair break.

• Weight and clamp: the Razer BlackShark V2 X weighs 240 g, the lightest headset in Best budget gaming headset UK 2026; IEMs put no weight on the head and no pressure on glasses.
• Heat: the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 uses breathable AirWeave memory foam cushions, but any earcup traps more heat over a three-hour session than an ear tip.
• Fit: the HEXA ships with several tip sets, and the right tip size decides both comfort and bass. A tip that seals poorly sounds thin and lets noise in.
• Awareness: sealed IEMs make it hard to hear a doorbell or someone speaking, which matters for parents and shared homes.

Do IEMs work on PS5, Xbox and Switch 2?

Yes, any IEM with a 3.5 mm plug works on PS5 and Xbox through the controller's headset jack, and the microphone is the part that varies. Microsoft lists a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack on the Xbox Wireless Controller, and the DualSense has one too. Xbox Series X|S consoles do not accept standard USB microphones.

The BlackShark V2 X also works on Nintendo Switch 2 through its 3.5 mm jack. The simplest rule: a 3.5 mm cable with a mic works on every controller; USB gear is a PC setup first.

What is the difference between IEMs and earbuds?

IEMs are wired in-ear monitors with detachable cables and deeper tips tuned for accuracy, while most earbuds are wireless and built for convenience. Bluetooth adds latency between the game and the ear that a wired IEM avoids, which matters in shooters where a footstep cue is only useful if it arrives on time. The 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 at £25.99 costs about the same as the Soundcore P30i wireless earbuds at £23.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), and the Zero 2 has the better case for gaming.

Who should pick IEMs, and who should pick a headset?

PC players in competitive shooters should pick IEMs, and console players who want one plug-in device should pick a headset.

• A PC shooter player with £94: Truthear HEXA plus Kiwi Ears S-Link, for four drivers per side and a boom mic.
• A student with £50: 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 plus a mic cable, or the BlackShark V2 X for a single box.
• A glasses wearer: IEMs, which leave the arms free.
• An Xbox or Switch 2 player: the Razer BlackShark V2 X or an IEM on a 3.5 mm mic cable such as the Moondrop MC2.
• A shared household or a younger player: a headset, which is easier to put on, share and keep track of.
• A streamer: IEMs with a USB mic on a boom arm, for a better recorded voice and no headset on camera.

Buyers who want wireless, surround sound or a better mic should compare the dearer picks in Best gaming headset UK 2026.

Verdict

IEMs are the better choice for sound and isolation, and a gaming headset is the better choice for simplicity and console chat. The Truthear HEXA at £69.99 remains the pick from Best IEMs for gaming UK 2026, and with a £23.99 boom-mic cable it makes a £93.98 setup. The 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 with the same cable costs £49.98, only £9.99 more than the Razer BlackShark V2 X at £39.99, which stays the pick for anyone who wants one device that works on every console.