If you want balanced, detailed wired audio in a lightweight, collapsible design for mobile gaming, choose Shure SRH440A; if you need swiveling earcups for one-ear monitoring and a coiled-cable option, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M40x.
Shure SRH440A vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x at a Glance
• Shure SRH440A — biggest strength: A lightweight, collapsible design and balanced, detailed sound; trade-off: it is wired and its earcups do not swivel for one-ear monitoring.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M40x — biggest strength: 90-degree swiveling earcups, closed-back isolation, and detachable cable options; trade-off: its listed weight is higher than the Shure’s.
• Choose Shure if you want a portable wired pair for gaming, music, and spoken content, and you value a collapsible frame.
• Choose Audio-Technica if one-ear monitoring and a coiled-cable option suit your setup better.
• Both are wired over-ear headphones. Neither is a Bluetooth replacement for wireless earbuds or a wireless gaming headset.
The SRH440A is built around balanced, detailed sound for monitoring, mixing, recording, and critical listening. Its closed-back, over-ear design helps reduce ambient noise and keep sound contained. Shure lists a frequency range of 10 Hz to 22,000 Hz, a 40-ohm impedance, and 102 dB sensitivity. Those figures describe its audio specifications; they do not, by themselves, guarantee how any particular game will sound on a phone.
For mobile gaming, the appeal is practical: it is wired, works with portable devices, weighs 8.96 ounces, and has a collapsible design for storage or carrying. An adjustable headband and cushioned earcups are intended to support longer sessions. It also includes a 6.35 mm threaded adapter, so its supplied connection details are worth checking against the device or accessory you plan to use.
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-09 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
I’d choose Shure if you want one pair for gaming, music, and spoken audio and prefer a lighter design on paper. Skip it if you specifically need Bluetooth, or if swiveling earcups for one-ear monitoring matter more than foldability. Despite searches for a lightweight kids headset for mobile gaming, this is described as an adult headphone, not as a child-specific headset.
The ATH-M40x is a wired, closed-back over-ear headphone with 40 mm drivers and a circumaural design that contours around the ears. Audio-Technica highlights its sound isolation for loud environments, along with 90-degree swiveling earcups for one-ear monitoring. It is intended for tracking, mixing, and monitoring, so it makes sense for someone who wants a headphone that can move between focused listening and studio-style tasks.
The package details list detachable cables, including a coiled cable, as well as a protective case and a screw-on adapter. Its stated frequency range is 15 Hz to 24,000 Hz, impedance is 35 ohms, and sensitivity is 98 dB. The listed weight is 0.24 kg, compared with 8.96 ounces for the Shure; the units differ, so I would not treat that as a precise head-to-head comfort test.
For mobile gaming, the ATH-M40x suits someone who values a choice of cable and likes the option of swiveling one earcup aside. Its wired connection still means you should confirm that your phone setup supports the headphone connection you plan to use. If you came looking for Bluetooth headphones for mobile gaming, this is not that product; the same goes for shoppers seeking Bluetooth earbuds for mobile gaming.
• Best fit for a lighter listed weight → Shure SRH440A. Shure specifies 8.96 ounces, while Audio-Technica lists 0.24 kg. The figures use different units, but the Shure’s stated weight supports its portability case.
• Best for a collapsible design → Shure SRH440A. Its foldable form is useful when you want to pack headphones away after gaming or listening.
• Best for one-ear monitoring → Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. Its 90-degree swiveling earcups make that use explicit.
• Best for a coiled-cable option → Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. Its package details include both a cable and a coiled cable.
• Best for balanced, detailed monitoring as described by the manufacturer → Shure SRH440A. Its stated focus spans monitoring, recording, mixing, and critical listening.
• Best if loud surroundings are a concern → either, with a slight feature distinction. Both are closed-back designs intended to help with isolation; Audio-Technica specifically describes its circumaural fit for use in loud environments, while Shure describes passive noise reduction.
• Best if you need Bluetooth → neither. Both models are wired. Choose another category if a cable-free connection is essential.
• Best for mobile gaming with a carry-friendly design → Shure SRH440A. Its listed weight and collapsible construction make it the more straightforward choice for moving between home, travel, and a portable-device setup.
The main gaming question is less about a claimed gaming mode and more about fit with your setup. These are studio-oriented headphones, not wireless gaming products. Their closed-back designs may help keep you focused, but the available specifications do not establish microphone, chat, or platform-specific gaming features. I would not buy either expecting a built-in gaming microphone or Bluetooth connection.
For listening beyond games, both have a sensible case. Shure describes its tuning as balanced and detailed, with use across music and spoken content. Audio-Technica emphasizes flat tuning for monitoring and a driver size of 40 mm. Those descriptions point toward focused, revealing listening rather than a promise of a particular gaming sound profile. If you care most about foldability and a lower listed weight, Shure is the cleaner fit. If cable flexibility and rotating earcups are more useful in your daily routine, Audio-Technica earns the nod.
My Verdict
For mobile gaming, I’d choose the Shure SRH440A. Its listed 8.96-ounce weight, collapsible design, and stated compatibility with portable devices make it the more compelling everyday carry for a wired setup. Audio-Technica is the better fit if I needed swiveling earcups or a coiled cable, but those features matter less to my main use. I would still check the phone connection before buying either one.
No. Both are wired over-ear headphones. If wireless playback is essential, neither matches a search for Bluetooth headphones or Bluetooth earbuds for mobile gaming.
I’d lean toward the Shure SRH440A for its collapsible design, stated 8.96-ounce weight, and compatibility with portable devices. The ATH-M40x may suit you better if swiveling earcups or its coiled-cable option is more useful.
Both use closed-back, over-ear designs intended to help reduce outside sound. Audio-Technica specifically describes its circumaural design for isolation in loud environments; the supplied specifications do not provide a direct measured comparison between them.
I can’t determine value without current price information, and neither headphone is automatically the better deal based on its feature list alone. Check the current price on Amazon, then weigh Shure’s collapsible, lighter-listed design against Audio-Technica’s swiveling earcups and cable options.
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