Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset review: Excellent as long as you don't use the headphone jack

I spend hours at my computer each week for work or on various consoles playing video games. As such, it's important for me to have a reliable and fine-quality headset to help me communicate with others or to enjoy these devices better. There are literally thousands of gaming headsets on the market these days so it can be hard to tell which ones are actually worth using, which is why I'm more than happy to test them out.

I recently had the chance to test the Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset. It offers some impressive noise-canceling abilities when using the USB to USB-C connection, but it's more limited if you use the included headphone jack cable.

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset: Price and availability

The Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset has an MSRP of $149 and can be purchased from Amazon or the Beyerdynamic website. It is available in two colors, black or grey, and features noise canceling. I'm not a huge fan of the grey version as it puts me in mind of the huge monitors I used in the 90s, but the black one looks really nice. Considering its functions and how well it works, it's offered at a fair price.

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset: What's good

The Beyerdynamic MMX 150 fits very comfortably. It's easy to forget I'm even wearing it with the soft band and earphone cups pressing gently against my head. It works really well too. Whether I am connected to my computer, Nintendo Switch, or phone, sounds come through crisp and clear.

I was most impressed with the MMX 150's noise-canceling function. To test it out, I connected the headset to my computer while my loud robot vacuum was cleaning my office. This function made a huge difference and really helped block out the constant whirring and other background noises so I could focus on my game, meetings, or music. As with many noise-canceling devices, this one does not block out human voices, though. So when my husband came into the room and started talking to me I could hear him distinctly while the hum of the vacuum was still tuned out. To turn noise canceling on and off, all I have to do is hold down the volume dial for a couple of seconds until I hear the shift. Similarly, to mute the microphone I just tap the volume dial rather than hold it down.

While connected to my computer with the USB cable during work meetings, I was told that my voice came through clearly and at a decent volume. Some folks were even surprised that I wasn't using my superb-quality EPOS B20 streaming microphone, which I usually use.

For some reason, the USB-C side of the headphone jack cable has orange plastic nubs on either side that fit into slots within the MMX 150 USB-C port. Whether this is there to better secure it to the device or for some other reason, I'm not sure. However, it does make it so that the headphone jack cable can only work with this headset.

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset: What's not good

When connected to my computer via the USB-C to USB cable, the MMX 150 provided a great range of sound. The bass tones left a little to be desired, but they weren't bad by any stretch. However, when I plugged this gaming headset into my Nintendo Switch or phone using the jack, I found that I couldn't adjust the volume using the volume dial or change to noise-canceling at all. I had to rely on either the Nintendo Switch or my phone's volume controls instead, which is frustrating and limiting.

Another strange but milder thing to note is that if you press the headphones against your head while wearing them, the earphones whistle sharply as they release air. Now resting my head on my hands is a habit of mine, so this shrill sound happened rather often, but might not happen to you if that's not something you do often.

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset: Competition

As I said before, there are thousands of gaming headsets out there for you to buy if the MMX 150 isn't looking like the one for you. I've tested quite a few over the years and have some suggestions.

Anyone looking for fantastic sound clarity and volume without needing to spend a lot should check out the EKSA E900 Gaming Headset. It has a cool red and black color scheme, a detachable noise-canceling microphone, and is less than $35.

Of course, if you're wanting something a bit more colorful and eye-catching while still offering great sound and controls, the Razer Kraken BT Kitty is a popular choice. This pink headset is wireless and features glowing cat ears on the top. It looks super cute and works very well.

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset: Should you buy it?

• You want a headset to use on multiple devices
• You're looking for something with good sound clarity
• You want a headset with a comfortable fit

• You want something more colorful
• You want better volume control on Nintendo Switch
• You'd like a more economical option

Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Gaming Headset offers a comfy fit with excellent sound clarity and noise-canceling earphones. You can easily remove the microphone if you don't want to use it and the headset comes with both a headphone jack cable and a USB cable to help you connect to a number of different devices. It's a great choice for anyone who regularly plays video games, listens to music on their phones, or works at a computer.

The one thing to be aware of is that the mute and noise-canceling don't work if you're connected to a device using the 2.0mm headphone cable, so if you are looking for a headset to specifically use with that kind of connection you might want to look elsewhere.