The PS5 doesn't support Bluetooth audio, so you need earbuds with a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle for lag-free gaming. The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are the top pick with near-zero latency. Here are the best wireless and wired options for PlayStation 5.
The PS5 has a dirty little secret: it doesn't support standard Bluetooth audio. Sony locked the console to its own wireless protocol for controllers, leaving regular Bluetooth earbuds with a painful 200–300ms delay3. That's the difference between landing a headshot and watching your crosshair drift a beat too late.
The fix is simple — you need earbuds with a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle. That's the only way to get sub-30ms latency on PlayStation 5 without a bulky over-ear headset.
Here are the best wireless earbuds for PS5 right now.
If you want wireless earbuds that just work with your PS5, this is the pair. The Arctis GameBuds include a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle that delivers near-zero latency — roughly 15ms, which is imperceptible1. Plug the dongle into your PS5's front USB-C port, and the buds connect instantly. No pairing menus, no Bluetooth handshake, no lag.
RTINGS rated them as "the only earbuds that include a 2.4GHz dongle for low-latency gaming with PS consoles"1. Esquire called them "the perfect gaming earbuds" and noted they're "a sleek, immediate solution for low-latency audio on PlayStation"2.
They also work with PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile via Bluetooth — so they're genuinely multipurpose. The ANC is decent (not class-leading, but good enough to block a fridge hum or keyboard clatter), and the battery lasts about 10 hours per charge with another 30 in the case.
The trade-off: The sound profile is tuned for gaming (emphasized footsteps and spatial cues), not critical music listening. If you want audiophile-grade music playback, look elsewhere.
The Jabra Elite 10 are some of the best-sounding earbuds you can buy, with rich, detailed audio and excellent ANC. But — and this is a big but — they don't include a 2.4GHz dongle. They're standard Bluetooth earbuds.
To use them with a PS5, you'll need a third-party Bluetooth audio adapter that plugs into the console's USB port. Even then, you're stuck with Bluetooth latency (~250ms), which is fine for story-driven games but noticeable in competitive shooters or rhythm games.
Who this is for: Players who want one pair of earbuds for music, podcasts, and casual gaming, and don't mind the latency trade-off.
Sometimes the smartest solution is the simplest. The HyperX Cloud Earbuds are wired — they plug directly into your PS5 controller's 3.5mm jack. That means zero latency, zero pairing, zero batteries to charge.
They're lightweight, comfortable for long sessions, and the in-line mic works well for party chat. The sound is clear and balanced, with a slight bass emphasis that makes explosions feel punchy.
The trade-off: You're tethered to your controller. If you like to lean back on the couch or play from across the room, the wire will annoy you. But if you want reliability and don't want to think about audio, this is the pick.
| 2.4GHz Dongle | Bluetooth | |
|---|---|---|
| Latency | ~15–30ms (imperceptible) | ~200–300ms (noticeable) |
| Setup | Plug and play | Requires adapter, pairing |
| Stability | Rock solid | Interference-prone |
| PS5 Native | Yes (with dongle) | No |
The PS5 simply doesn't have the Bluetooth stack for low-latency audio. Even with an adapter, Bluetooth earbuds will lag. If you play anything competitive — Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex, Overwatch — go 2.4GHz or go wired.
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are the clear winner for PS5 wireless audio. They're the only earbuds that include the right dongle, deliver true low-latency performance, and work across all your devices. The Jabra Elite 10 are a great general earbud that can work with PS5 via adapter, and the HyperX Cloud Earbuds are the no-nonsense wired backup.
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