As a technology reviewer for Tom’s Guide and a passionate gamer, I’ve encountered my fair share of difficulties with headsets over the years. Whether contending with headsets that fail to meet performance expectations like the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, or the exorbitant costs of audiophile alternatives such as the Beyerdynamic MMX300.
Although not entirely new, I was captivated by the Final VR500 earbuds during my testing this month — demonstrating that it is possible to enjoy a high-quality pair of gaming earbuds without making any trade-offs. When I initially picked them up, I certainly did not anticipate that they would easily become one of the finest gaming headsets I have ever experienced.
Indeed, I awarded them my inaugural five-star rating in my Final VR500 review. How, you might wonder, can wired earbuds deserve such acclaim? Allow me to clarify why you should consider purchasing your own pair of Final VR500 earbuds.
Sound all around
The most remarkable aspect of the VR500 earbuds is their 3D binaural audio. I emphasized this considerably in my review, but I am still astounded by how fully engaged I was by the sound while playing. I’m a fan of military-themed games and have logged many hours on Ace Combat over recent months. I will always remember the thrill of launching my two heat-seeking missiles at an enemy bomber, hearing the impact as my sleek F-15 soared on, with the sound alone conveying everything I needed to know about hitting my target.
Enough reminiscing about battle tales, though. I believe the most advantageous use of the 3D technology lies in competitive gaming contexts. I’ve never had such an immediate edge over my opponents in Counter Strike 2 and Valorant as when I utilized these earbuds, creating a sense of complete 360-degree awareness in terms of precise sound. You may have heard that these tactical shooters prioritize strategy and control over raw aiming skills, particularly at higher skill ranks, and the VR500 earbuds genuinely served as the missing element in my competitive gaming arsenal.
Musings on music
The VR500 has also made no compromises in terms of quality. The earbuds can produce exceptionally detailed sound levels, allowing me to detect far more audio layers than even my previous Sennheiser HD560s headphones could. For perspective, these are highly precise studio headphones — I have no doubt that for technical listening, the VR500 exceeds them significantly.
However, when you encounter diegetic, in-game music, such as a bard performing in a tavern in Skyrim or an orchestral score intermingling with the ambient sounds of the countryside in games like Baldur’s Gate 3, the VR500’s ability to harmonize and balance multiple audio sources is unrivaled.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say these earbuds are exclusively useful for gaming. The superb sound quality remains evident even when enjoying music.
I spent the previous year exploring various lo-fi and noise rock, often with production values that do not always translate well to studio-quality headphones — the tracks are typically not designed with this technology in mind. Nevertheless, the binaural audio of the VR500 excelled in isolating the distinct instruments even in louder tracks, proving to be extraordinarily impressive — though it might lack raw impact, especially in bass-heavy songs, it compensates with exceptional detail, making me feel as though I were at a live performance.
I am not merely asserting that the earbuds are exceptional for the price. The sound quality is honestly superior to any other headphones I have tested, even extending up to the $120 range, and it pains me to say that I have transitioned to using them as my primary headphones, despite having access to some formidable alternatives. The best approach to persuade you is to urge you to acquire a pair yourself, assuming that the wired nature does not deter you…
Down to the wire
The primary concern you may face with the VR500 earbuds, or a factor that might deter you from purchasing them in the first place, is the wire. I firmly believe that wired earbuds still hold a significant role in the technology realm, and I keep a pair readily available in my backpack should my wireless ones ever run out of battery.
As the name implies, these are constructed with VR headsets in mind — although with headsets (like the Meta Quest 3S) eliminating the 3.5mm jack, wired options like the VR500 become somewhat less enticing. Compounding this issue is the 3ft wire, which can lead to unnecessary snags and distractions from an otherwise immersive VR experience, where the 3D audio fails to compensate for the diminished immersion.
I went ahead and purchased a new 3.5mm to USB-C adapter immediately after listening to a few tracks with these earbuds so I could take them with me while out and about, but you may feel that depending on the increasingly rare headphone jack for portable listening seems outdated for 2025.
For gaming, the wire is entirely sufficient for gaming on my phone or Nintendo Switch, yet it struggled to reach the rear aux port of my desktop PC, hidden behind my desk. While the cable is considerably shorter than a standard headset wire, the auditory advantages I have detailed compensate for any minor setup inconveniences, in my opinion.
Other coveted features found in wireless earbuds, such as ANC, are notably absent. However, in this regard, the VR500 compensates tremendously — these earbuds offer some of the finest noise isolation I have ever experienced. Whether enjoying music or playing a game at even moderate volumes, they will almost completely block out distracting sounds, to the point that I couldn’t hear someone talking just a couple of feet away while testing them.
Even with a wire, these earbuds are considerably more comfortable than any wireless earbuds I have tried. The adjustable ear tips maintained their position without fail, creating a perfect seal. I could easily wear them all day without feeling any discomfort, which is exceptionally impressive given the price.
I will firmly support the earbuds for what they represent. If the wire ensures this level of sound quality while also lowering the price to such an affordable range, I genuinely cannot criticize the VR500 for it — I plan to continue proudly using these earbuds for the foreseeable future.