We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a plug-and-play USB headset with virtual 7.1 surround sound and a mic you can flip out of the way, choose EKSA E1000; if you need a dual-connection headset that works over both 3.5mm and USB with 3D surround sound, choose GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset. That's the short version, and for most people the decision really does come down to that one fork in the road: USB-only with in-line control, or a jack that fits almost anything.
• EKSA E1000 — biggest strength: A true USB audio path feeding 50mm dynamic drivers tuned for 7.1 surround sound, with a boom mic that mutes when you flip it up and an in-line volume wheel.
• EKSA E1000 — biggest trade-off: It's USB or nothing. There's no 3.5mm jack, so phones, tablets, and older controllers without a USB audio port are out.
• GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset — biggest strength: Flexible connectivity. It offers both USB and a 3.5mm jack, so it moves between PC, console, and handheld setups without an adapter hunt.
• GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset — biggest trade-off: Passive noise cancellation only, and the in-line remote relies on a push button rather than a dedicated volume wheel.
• Who each pick is for: EKSA E1000 for a dedicated PC or PS4/PS5 desk setup where USB audio is always available; GAMER FANATIC for someone who splits time between devices and wants one headset to cover them all.
The EKSA E1000 is a wired, over-ear USB headset built around a single idea: get clean digital audio into your ears with as little fuss as possible. The 50mm dynamic drivers cover a 20Hz–20KHz range at 32 ohms, and the 7.1 surround sound processing is what gives it its sense of direction. In practice, that's the part that matters in a shooter — hearing a reload behind your left shoulder or footsteps rounding a corner before you see anyone. It's plug-and-play with no driver install, which is a genuinely nice quality-of-life detail if you move between machines.
The microphone is the other half of the story. It's a 6mm boom that's adjustable through 120 degrees, and it mutes when you flip it up. That flip-to-mute gesture is one of those small design choices that quietly becomes habit — you stop hunting for a button and just push the mic up when you don't want to be heard. There's also an in-line mute switch and a volume wheel on the cable, so during a match you're not alt-tabbing or digging through Windows settings.
On the body side, it's a plastic over-ear frame with an adjustable headband and soft memory ear pads and head pad, and EKSA points to that combination as the reason it stays comfortable over long sessions without heat or pressure building up. The 2.2m cable gives you room to lean back or stand up without yanking the headset off your head. The RGB lighting on the earcups is cosmetic, but it does sell the gaming-desk look. It ships with a pouch, and it's backed by a 2-year warranty and 24-hour customer support.
Buy it if you game at a desk with a PC (Windows 7/8/10), a PS4 or PS5, a laptop, or any device with a USB audio port, and you want surround processing, a flip-mute mic, and physical volume control without thinking about it. It's also a reasonable pick for call-center-style work, since the same mic clarity and in-line controls apply there.
Skip it if your main device doesn't do USB audio. If you're on an Xbox controller with only a 3.5mm jack, a phone, or a Switch in handheld mode, this isn't the headset for you — there's no analog fallback.
The GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset takes the opposite approach: cover as many devices as possible. It's a wired over-ear set with 50mm dynamic drivers at 32 ohms, a frequency response starting at 20Hz, and a sensitivity rating of 108. It's marketed around 3D surround sound, which is the spatial-audio angle — the point being that footsteps, reloads, and directional cues get placed around you rather than flattened into a stereo blob in front of your face.
Where it diverges from the EKSA is connectivity. You get both a 3.5mm jack and USB, which is the single most practical thing about this headset. One cable for the controller, another for the PC, no adapter in a drawer somewhere. The description names Xbox Series, Xbox S, PlayStation 5, and general PC and console setups, so the intent is clearly "works with whatever you've got."
Build-wise, it uses a stainless steel skeleton headband with soft PU protein leather ear cushions, and the cable is a 2.2M PVC run. That steel frame is a meaningful detail for anyone who's had a plastic headband crack after a year of being tossed in a bag. The earcups get a seven-color RGB breathing light in an armor-style shell — aggressive styling, and the breathing pattern keeps it from being a constant strobe in your peripheral vision.
The mic is integrated and described as HD, aimed at clear callouts. Noise handling is passive cancellation, meaning the ear cushions physically block some outside sound rather than using electronics to do it. Controls live on an in-line remote with a push button, so you're working with a button rather than a wheel. It's rated for ages 13 and up and carries a 1-year warranty.
Skip it if you specifically want a boom mic you can flip up to mute, a volume wheel instead of a button, or active noise handling. Passive cancellation is fine for a quiet room; it won't do much in a loud one.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for surround sound on PC or PlayStation → EKSA E1000. The USB path feeds its 7.1 surround processing directly, no adapter involved.
• Best for multi-device flexibility → GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset. USB and 3.5mm in one unit covers PC, PS5, and Xbox setups.
• Best mic control → EKSA E1000. The 120° adjustable boom mutes when flipped up, plus there's an in-line mute switch as backup.
• Best for long-session comfort claims → EKSA E1000, on paper. Memory ear pads plus a memory head pad is a more complete comfort package than cushions alone.
• Best for durability in a bag → GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset. The stainless steel skeleton headband is the sturdier-sounding frame of the two.
• Best volume control → EKSA E1000. A wheel beats a push button when you're adjusting mid-fight.
• Best for quiet-room noise isolation → GAMER FANATIC Gaming Headset. Passive cancellation via sealed protein leather cushions.
• Best for buyers who want a longer warranty → EKSA E1000, which is covered for 2 years against the GAMER FANATIC's 1 year.
In my opinion, the EKSA E1000 is the better buy for the majority of people searching this comparison. The combination of USB 7.1 surround sound, a flip-to-mute boom mic, an in-line volume wheel, memory padding, and a 2-year warranty is a more complete package for a desk-based gaming setup, and that's where most surround-sound headsets actually get used. I'd only steer you to the GAMER FANATIC if multi-device connectivity is non-negotiable for you — if you genuinely split time between a console controller and a PC, its dual 3.5mm and USB connection solves a problem the EKSA simply doesn't address.
Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one variable that can flip this call.
FAQ
how to get surround sound headphones
how to test surround sound headphones
Play something with clear directional audio — a game where you can hear footsteps or gunfire move around you — and turn your character in a slow circle. You're listening for whether sounds track left, right, front, and behind rather than just getting louder. Both headsets use 50mm dynamic drivers, so the difference you're testing is the surround processing, not the driver size.
how to fix surround sound headphones
Start with the connection. The EKSA E1000 needs a USB audio port to run its 7.1 processing, so a USB hub or adapter that doesn't pass audio will break it. For the GAMER FANATIC, confirm you're on the USB cable rather than the 3.5mm one if you want the full surround effect, and check that the in-line remote isn't muted.
how to make surround sound headphones work on console
The EKSA E1000 connects to PS4 and PS5 over USB, so it's a straight plug-in there. The GAMER FANATIC covers more ground with both USB and 3.5mm, which is what makes it the easier fit for Xbox controllers that only expose a 3.5mm jack. Match the cable to the port your console actually offers.
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