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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• hp USB PC Gaming — biggest strength: 50mm dynamic drivers with virtual 7.1 surround sound, so directional cues like footsteps and gunfire are easier to place in a game.
• hp USB PC Gaming — biggest trade-off: USB-only connection, so it is limited to PCs and laptops with a USB input and will not plug into a PS4, Xbox One or Switch controller.
• ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset — biggest strength: a 3.5mm jack plus a 1-to-2 splitter cable, which makes it usable across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Mac.
• ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset — biggest trade-off: smaller 40mm drivers versus the hp's 50mm, and a retractable mic rather than a fully detachable one.
• Pick hp USB PC Gaming if you play on a desktop or laptop and want simulated surround plus a detachable mic.
• Pick ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset if you split your time across a console, a handheld and a PC and want one cable to cover all of them.
The hp USB PC Gaming headset is built around one idea: making a PC game sound bigger than it is. Inside are 50mm dynamic drivers running a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range, and HP pairs those with virtual 7.1 surround processing. In practice that means the headset is trying to create a sense of direction — the fire off to your left, an opponent's footsteps behind you, a scenario indicator pinging somewhere in the distance. A 50mm driver is a large one for a headset, and large drivers generally move more air, which is why the spec sheet emphasizes low and high frequency reproduction.
Comfort is handled by a self-adjusting padded headband and all-cover ear cups with soft memory foam under a protein cushion coat. The enclosure is plastic, the whole thing weighs 380g, and the dimensions are 220 x 220 x 95mm. That 380g figure is worth noting — it is a substantial headset, and the padding is clearly there to compensate.
The microphone is omnidirectional with a 10 Hz to 10 kHz frequency range, mounted on a long flexible boom. It can be repositioned freely and detached entirely if you only want to listen. An in-line controller handles volume, mic on/off and LED on/off, and the cable runs 2.2m — generous enough to reach a tower under a desk. The RGB lighting on the ear cups and mic is a cosmetic touch aimed at matching a lit-up desktop setup.
ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset: Who It's For
The ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset takes the opposite approach: one wired headset, as many devices as possible. It terminates in a 3.5mm jack and ships with a 1-to-2 splitter cable, which is the standard trick for turning a single TRRS plug into separate headphone and microphone plugs for a desktop. That splitter is the reason it can claim compatibility with PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Mac, plus Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and XP in 32-bit and 64-bit. Plug and play, no drivers.
Audio comes from 40mm dynamic drivers, also rated 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with 110dB sensitivity. ZIYOU LANG describes the tuning as deep bass with crisp treble, and the smaller driver size is the honest trade-off here — you are not getting the same air movement as the hp's 50mm units. What you do get is a headset that works with almost anything you own.
The microphone is the interesting part. It is a 6.0 x 5.0mm noise-isolating element rated at -38dB sensitivity, and it swings through about 120 degrees so you can park it at the right angle and fold it up when you are done. ZIYOU LANG also markets it as retractable. The volume control box sits on the cable rather than on the ear cup.
Comfort follows a similar formula to the hp: an adjustable head beam with a soft top cushion and large over-ear pads made from soft memory protein cotton, sized to fit different head shapes. The finish is white with a cotton-look enclosure material. The RGB backlight cycles through seven colors automatically, and you turn it on or off by plugging or unplugging the USB leg of the cable — a slightly unusual arrangement, since the lighting is powered separately from the audio.
Who should buy it: multi-device gamers who move between a console, a handheld and a laptop, and anyone who wants a lighter, simpler plug-and-play setup. Who should skip it: PC-only players who specifically want virtual surround sound and a mic they can pull off entirely.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for virtual surround sound → hp USB PC Gaming. Its 7.1 processing is the whole point of the headset.
• Best for PC-only simplicity → hp USB PC Gaming. One USB plug, no splitter to lose.
• Best for the largest drivers → hp USB PC Gaming. 50mm versus 40mm.
• Best for a stowable mic → ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset. The boom folds to about 120 degrees; the hp's mic detaches completely instead.
• Best for a lighter, less bulky feel → ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset. The hp is listed at 380g, which is on the heavy side.
• Best for a dedicated desktop setup with RGB → hp USB PC Gaming. Lighting on the ear cups and mic, controlled from the in-line box.
• Best for plug-and-play across Windows versions → ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset. It lists Win7 through Win10 and XP, 32-bit and 64-bit.
If I were buying for myself and my gaming happened entirely on a PC, I would take the hp USB PC Gaming headset. In my opinion the 50mm drivers and virtual 7.1 surround are the more meaningful upgrade for actual gameplay, the detachable mic is genuinely useful for people who also watch video or listen to music, and the 2.2m cable reaches a floor-level tower without a extension. I would only switch to the ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset if I needed one headset to follow me between a console, a Switch and a laptop — in that case the 3.5mm jack and splitter cable beat better PC audio every time. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since the better fit is the one you will actually use on your setup.
what is noise isolation headphones
Noise-isolating headphones reduce outside sound passively, by physically sealing your ears with padded over-ear cups rather than by generating anti-noise. Both headsets here list "Sound Isolation" as their noise control method, and both use over-ear memory foam ear pads to block ambient sound. Neither is active noise cancelling.
are noise cancelling headphones good for gaming
Active noise cancelling headphones can be fine for gaming, but they are not required, and neither headset here uses it. For gaming, passive isolation plus clear positional audio usually matters more, which is why the hp leans on virtual 7.1 surround and both models use sealed over-ear cups. If your room is noisy, a well-sealed over-ear headset does most of the work.
what are the best noise cancelling gaming headphones
I would not name a single "best" headset, because it depends on your platform. For PC-only play with virtual surround and a detachable mic, I recommend the hp USB PC Gaming. For multi-device play across console and PC, I recommend the ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset. Both isolate sound passively; neither has active cancellation.
are there noise cancelling gaming headphones
Yes, active noise cancelling gaming headsets exist, but these two are not among them. Both the hp USB PC Gaming and the ZIYOU LANG Gaming Headset rely on sound isolation from their over-ear memory foam pads. If active cancellation is a hard requirement, you would need to look at a different category of headset entirely.
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