How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a headset built around amplified stereo audio, multi-speaker R:drive tuning and a folding boom mic that stays out of your way, choose Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100; if you need a lightweight 50mm-driver headset with a memory-foam fit, an inline mute switch and the widest plug-and-play device list, choose BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset.
• Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100 — biggest strength: the R:drive multi-speaker configuration paired with three EQ modes, so you can reshape the sound instead of living with one fixed tuning.
• Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100 — biggest trade-off: it is the heavier, bulkier design, its noise control is listed as none, and it leans hard into the PlayStation/Xbox/Switch and VR crowd rather than covering every device you own.
• BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset — biggest strength: a 50mm neodymium driver in a light, memory-earmuff over-ear frame with an analog volume wheel and mic mute switch right on the cable.
• BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset — biggest trade-off: the surround and "noise cancelling" claims come down to simulated positional audio and passive sound isolation rather than real active noise cancellation.
• Buy the Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100 if you want a plug-and-play console headset with customizable EQ, RGB lighting and a boom mic that folds up.
• Buy the BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset if you want one inexpensive-looking wired headset that works across PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, Switch, laptop, tablet and phone with a 3.5mm jack.
The ARK 100 is the more engineered-feeling of the two. Mad Catz builds it around what the brand calls Audionomics — a single monocurve shape that ties the acoustic chamber and the headband together instead of treating them as two separate problems. The practical payoff of that design is the R:drive multi-speaker configuration, which is meant to give you more precise, more powerful positional audio than a single generic driver. On top of that, three EQ modes let you switch the tuning to suit what you're playing, and the Kameleon motion-dynamic RGB lighting is there for anyone who actually enjoys a headset that glows.
The boom mic is the detail I like most. It folds up and out of the way when you're not talking, and it's uni-directional, which is the right choice for voice chat — it focuses on your mouth rather than the room. If you play a lot of squad games and your teammates complain about background noise, that's the kind of mic design that quietly fixes it.
Who should buy it? Console players on PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch who want a wired, plug-and-play headset with EQ control, plus VR users. The tuned headband and over-ear fit are explicitly called out as suitable for PlayStation VR and Gear VR, which matters because most gaming headsets fight with a VR strap. At 1.8 pounds, though, this is not a featherweight.
Who should skip it? If you need active noise cancellation, look elsewhere — noise control is listed as none, so this is a passive over-ear design. If you want one headset to cover your phone and tablet too, the ARK 100 is aimed at consoles first. And if you hate fiddling, note that the touch-based volume control takes some getting used to compared with a plain wheel.
The BUTFULAKE GH1 takes the opposite approach: keep it simple, keep it light, and work with everything. The headline spec is a 50mm magnetic neodymium dynamic driver pushing a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz range at 33 ohm impedance — a low-impedance load that's easy for a controller, laptop or phone jack to drive without a separate amp. The positional audio is simulated 360-degree surround rather than discrete channels, but that's exactly the trick that lets you hear a distant sniper shot or a landmine going off behind you.
Comfort is where it earns its keep. The headband is adjustable, the ear cushions are soft memory foam wrapped in breathable leatherette, and the design is deliberately light so heat and clamping pressure don't build up over a long session. The enclosure is plastic and the earpiece shape is rounded, so it reads as a classic over-ear gaming headset rather than anything exotic.
Then there's compatibility, and this is the real argument for the GH1. It supports PS4, PS5, new Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, laptop, tablet, iPad, computer, mobile phone and PSP — anything with a 3.5mm jack. One caveat worth repeating: on an older Xbox One controller you need a separate Microsoft adapter, which isn't included. Also note the USB plug on the cable is only for the LED lighting effect — it does not carry audio, so don't expect it to work as a USB headset.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants a single wired headset for a mixed household of devices, or a second headset for a laptop and phone. The inline analog volume wheel and mic mute switch are genuinely useful in the middle of a match — no software, no menus, just a thumb. Who should skip it? If you want real active noise cancellation, this isn't it; the "noise cancelling" in the name is passive sound isolation from the ear cushions. And if you're on an old Xbox One controller, budget for that adapter.
• Best for customizable sound → Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100. Three EQ modes plus the R:drive multi-speaker setup let you tune the audio; the GH1 gives you one fixed tuning.
• Best for positional awareness out of the box → BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. The 50mm neodymium driver and simulated 360-degree surround are built specifically for locating footsteps and gunfire.
• Best for long sessions → BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. Memory foam, breathable leatherette and a light adjustable headband versus the ARK 100's 1.8-pound frame.
• Best for voice chat clarity → Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100. A uni-directional folding boom mic is the better tool for talking to teammates than a fixed inline mic setup.
• Best for device coverage → BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Series X/S, PC, Switch, laptop, tablet, iPad, phone and PSP, all over 3.5mm.
• Best for VR → Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100. The tuned headband is designed to sit with PlayStation VR and Gear VR.
• Best for quick mute and volume changes mid-game → BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. The analog wheel and mute switch are on the cable, no touch controls involved.
• Best for looks → Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100. Kameleon motion-dynamic RGB lighting, if that's your thing.
• Best for a mixed-device household → BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. One cable, one jack, works almost everywhere.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the BUTFULAKE Gaming Headset. In my opinion, the combination of a 50mm driver, a genuinely light memory-foam over-ear fit and a device list that covers basically every 3.5mm jack in the house makes it the more useful headset day to day, and the inline mute and volume controls are the kind of small thing you appreciate every single match. The ARK 100 is the better pick if you're console-and-VR focused and you actually want EQ modes, RGB lighting and a boom mic that folds away — that's a real, specific win. Just know that the ARK 100 is heavier and has no noise control, while the GH1's "surround" is simulated and its isolation is passive. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that's the one thing that can still flip this decision.
FAQ
It connects over a 3.5mm wired jack, so it will work with anything that has that port, but it's designed and marketed for PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. VR is its other clear home. If PC and phone gaming are your priority, the GH1 lists those devices explicitly.
On paper, the BUTFULAKE. It's built around a light adjustable headband and breathable leatherette memory cushions, and it has no listed weight penalty. The ARK 100 comes in at 1.8 pounds, which you'll feel on a marathon session.
Only on an older Xbox One controller, where a separate Microsoft adapter is required and not included. PS4, PS5, newer Xbox One, Series X/S, PC, Switch, laptop, tablet and phone all connect straight through the 3.5mm jack.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: TRITTON Kunai Pro 7.1 vs UnisonPet Gaming Headset, Cleer Enduro 100 vs Vakedy Gaming Headset, Nanddi Gaming Headset vs Toeasor Replacement HyperX Cloud