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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 — biggest strength: a full over-ear headset built around large 57mm dynamic drivers, with a twist-lock boom mic you can remove and a 3.5mm splitter cable in the box for PC use.
• IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 — biggest trade-off: it is wired only, and the plastic-and-ABS build is chosen for toughness rather than premium materials.
• AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic — biggest strength: a bendable 360-degree unidirectional boom mic with a foam cover, made specifically as a replacement part for HyperX Cloud Flight and Flight S headsets.
• AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic — biggest trade-off: it is a microphone only — no ear cups, no drivers, no audio playback — so it is useless unless you already own a compatible headset.
• Buy the IO CREST if you want one box that gives you headphone audio plus chat on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mac and mobile.
• Buy the AKKE if your HyperX Cloud Flight mic died, went missing or crackles, and you just want your voice back.
The GamesterGear PC200-I is a stereo over-ear wired headset, and its headline spec is the driver size: 57mm dynamic drivers at 32 ohms, with a 20Hz to 20KHz frequency range. That is a large driver for a gaming headset, and large drivers generally move more air and give you a fuller low end — the kind of thump that makes footsteps, engines and explosions feel physical rather than thin. It is a stereo headset, not a surround-sound one, so positional audio comes from the stereo mix and the game's own audio engine rather than from multiple virtual channels.
The detachable microphone is the feature that ties this headset to the comparison angle. The boom mic attaches with a twist lock, which means removal and reconnection are a deliberate twist rather than a fiddly push-fit — handy if you use the headset for single-player games, music or video calls where you do not want a boom in front of your face. In the box you also get a 3.5mm four-pole headset plug plus a 3.5mm audio splitter cable, which is what lets a single headset plug work with a PC that has separate headphone and mic jacks. Connectivity is wired 3.5mm, and there is an inline-style volume control plus sound isolation to cut down on outside noise.
Who should buy it: PC gamers who want one wired headset that also works on PS4, Xbox One, Mac, iPad and mobile, and who like the idea of pulling the mic off when they are not chatting. Who should skip it: anyone who wants wireless freedom, anyone who needs a headset with a boom mic that stays permanently attached, and anyone shopping for a replacement microphone part rather than a headset.
AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic: Who It's For
The AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic is not a headset in the listening sense. It is a replacement boom microphone — a single 3.5mm jack mic designed to slot into compatible Kingston HyperX Cloud Flight and Cloud Flight S gaming headsets. If that is your problem, this is one of the few straightforward fixes available, because a proprietary-feeling detachable mic is exactly the part people lose, sit on, or wear out first.
The specs that matter here are practical ones. It is a unidirectional (cardioid-style) microphone, which means it mostly picks up sound from directly in front of it and rejects more of what is happening behind and around it — the reason a unidirectional boom sounds cleaner in a noisy room than an omnidirectional one. It measures 19cm, long enough to actually reach your mouth, and it is bendable through 360 degrees and holds the position you bend it into. There is a foam cover over the capsule, which is there to soften plosives — the "p" and "b" pops that blast a mic when you talk close to it. The listing describes reduced background noise and clearer voice as the goal.
Compatibility is broad at the connector level: 3.5mm, and the listing names Xbox One controllers, PC, Mac, mobile devices and PlayStation 4 via the 3.5mm jack. It is a four-channel part, auxiliary connection, and it is finished in gold with a foam-and-sponge build. It weighs almost nothing — 0.01kg — which is normal for a boom arm with a capsule. One detail worth flagging honestly: the power source field lists "Battery Powered." A passive 3.5mm boom mic normally draws its bias voltage from the headset or controller it plugs into, so treat the battery note as a listing quirk rather than a battery you need to charge.
Who should buy it: owners of a HyperX Cloud Flight or Flight S whose original mic is lost, damaged or failing, and who want a bendable, foam-covered unidirectional replacement. Who should skip it: anyone who needs actual headphones, and anyone whose headset is not a compatible HyperX Cloud Flight model.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for replacing a broken HyperX mic → AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic. It exists for exactly that job and nothing else.
• Best for big-driver bass and immersion → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. Its 57mm dynamic drivers are the standout number in either data sheet.
• Best for a mic you can pull off the headset → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. The twist-lock boom is designed for easy removal and reattachment.
• Best for voice clarity in a noisy room → AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic. The unidirectional capsule plus foam cover is aimed at cutting background noise and plosives.
• Best for multi-device chat → AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic on the connector side, since the listing names Xbox One, PC, Mac, mobile and PS4 — but remember it only works if you already have a compatible headset to plug it into. The IO CREST, by contrast, covers PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mac, iPad and mobile as a headset.
• Best for travel and rough handling → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. ABS thermoplastic and a backpack-and-desk-drop design brief.
• Best for long sessions → a tie on intent. The IO CREST uses floating ear cups for extended wear; the AKKE uses a bendable 360-degree arm that stays where you put it.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison should buy the IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. It is a finished product: you plug it in, you get sound, you get a mic, and you can remove that mic when you do not need it. The 57mm drivers, the 3.5mm splitter, the multi-platform wired connection and the twist-lock detachable boom make it the safer purchase for anyone building or upgrading a setup. I would only recommend the AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic to one specific person: someone who already owns a compatible HyperX Cloud Flight or Flight S, whose mic has failed, and who wants a cheap, simple, bendable replacement rather than a whole new headset. If that is you, it does its one job. If it is not, it will sit in a drawer. Before buying either, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page, because value changes and I do not quote figures here.
are studio headphones better than gaming headsets
Not automatically — they are built for different jobs. Studio headphones typically prioritize flat, neutral sound for mixing, while a gaming headset like the IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 is tuned with large 57mm dynamic drivers and adds a detachable boom mic plus inline volume control. If you need to talk to teammates, a gaming headset is the more complete tool out of the box.
what headphones do pro gamers use
That varies too much to answer with one model, and sponsorships drive a lot of it. What the data sheets here show is the trade-off: the IO CREST is a stereo wired headset with a detachable twist-lock mic and a 3.5mm splitter, while the AKKE is only a replacement boom mic for HyperX Cloud Flight headsets. Pick based on whether you need a whole headset or one spare part.
do all headphones have mics
No. Plenty of headphones have no microphone at all, and even headsets vary — the AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic is a mic with no ear cups or drivers, while the IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 is a headset whose mic can be removed entirely. So "headphones with a mic" and "a mic" are two different purchases.
can studio headphones be used for gaming
Yes, you can game on almost any wired headphone, including a 3.5mm set. The catch is chat: without a mic you need a separate one. That is exactly the gap the AKKE Hyperx Headset Mic fills for compatible HyperX Cloud Flight owners, and the reason the IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 bundles a detachable boom mic, a 3.5mm four-pole plug and a splitter cable in the first place.
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