Verdict
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is without doubt one of the firm’s greatest gaming headsets but, reaching a brand new stage of construct and audio high quality that may make it a straightforward alternative for brand spanking new and seasoned gamers alike.
Pros
One of Turtle Beach’s greatest gaming headsets but
Durable, fashionable and comfy
Excellent audio high quality throughout video games, movies and reveals
Microphone is strong and intuitively designed
Cons
The design depends far an excessive amount of on plastic
Sound profile can develop into muddy in sure situations
Key Specifications
Review Price: £129.99
50mm nanoclear neodymium drivers
15-20 hours of battery life
PlayStation and Xbox variants
Omni-directional microphone
Cooling gel-infused ear cushions
Turtle Beach is celebrating the brand new technology of consoles with the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2, a headset that is available in two flavours: one for the PS5 and the opposite for Xbox Series X.
Coming in at a mid-range worth, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 presents an abundance of audio capabilities and different options that may doubtless show overkill in your common console participant.
While it doesn’t attain the excessive requirements set by a few of its rivals, these after a competitively priced and extremely succesful gaming headset shall be greater than glad with the Stealth 700 Gen 2.
Price and availability
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 at present retails at £129.99/$149.99/€151.68 for each its PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S variants. At the time of writing, the official web site is bought out of each, however anticipate this example to vary as inventory ranges return to regular.
You’ll doubtless have a neater time monitoring one down from third-party retailers equivalent to Amazon or Game, though the scenario there stays equally as turbulent.
Design – A cumbersome but snug beast of plastic
A cumbersome headset with a plastic aesthetic some may not get pleasure from
Feels snug to put on and extremely sturdy
Buttons and inputs all really feel intuitively positioned throughout the physique
The plastic that has lengthy dominated Turtle Beach merchandise returns with the Stealth 700 Gen 2, so these hoping for a extra premium end will doubtless be left feeling underwhelmed. This is a hefty beast of plastic, with solely a small quantity of metallic thrown in for good measure.
However, as a consequence the Stealth 700 Gen 2 feels extremely sturdy, and can doubtless stand tall within the face of some unintended drops to the ground or tough dealing with by youthful gamers. In phrases of high quality, they really feel a step up on Turtle Beach’s cheaper merchandise.
That being stated, a extra thought of aesthetic would have been appreciated since they’re designed for particular platforms. Instead, we merely have a black and silver physique. As somebody who usually makes use of the PS5 Pulse 3D headset, maybe I’ve grown too used to matching peripherals.
In phrases of inputs, all the things is on the left earcup. Buttons for Bluetooth connectivity, energy, and audio are all nestled carefully collectively. Volume and stability wheels are discovered simply above them, with apparent indentations making it comparatively straightforward to regulate issues with out pulling the headset off utterly.
The headband is plastic, very similar to all the things else right here, however sharp metallic innards will be seen clearly. Be cautious to not entice your fingers whereas extending or closing the system after use; I’ve made that mistake with Turtle Beach merchandise previously. As for the earcups, they’re extremely cosy and comfy – though glasses-wearers could discover them a tad irritating, given how tightly the Stealth 700 Gen 2 hug the pinnacle.
You cost the headset by way of USB-C, and it connects seamlessly to my Xbox Series X utilizing Xbox Wireless, the identical technique as a wi-fi controller. The PlayStation model requires you to plug within the bundled dongle, however is equally as seamless as soon as all the things is up and operating and arguably extra versatile because the adapter an be used for PC and Switch in docked mode.
Voice chat is intuitive for each variants, with the mic switching on dynamically as you pull it down from its holding place.
Audio and mic – Punchy sound and a crystal-clear microphone impress
50mm nanoclear drivers lead to clear, impactful sound
Doesn’t match dearer headsets for audio high quality
Microphone is crystal-clear, and will be switched on with ease
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 comes fitted with 50mm nanoclear neodymium drivers that emit a clean, satisfying soundscape that additionally isn’t afraid to make an explosive affect when it issues. Smooth sounds such because the flowing of rivers and informal banter of Yakuza: Like a Dragon pop simply as a lot because the unpredictable firefights of Modern Warfare.
This headset strikes an exquisite stability no matter what you’re taking part in, which is particularly spectacular given the conservative asking worth. Cooling gel-infused ear cushions guarantee all the sound is trapped inside your ears, stopping any leakage from the sport itself, voice chat and all different functions by which you’re engaged.
You received’t be capable of intricately differentiate every layer of audio as you’ll be able to by means of the MetalSeries Arctis 9X, with some sounds showing muddy and inconsistent when chaos befalls extra hectic, action-based titles. Orchestral preparations in Final Fantasy XIV sound improbable, but music fanatics hoping to choose aside every instrument shall be disenchanted. Nevertheless, the general tone is left utterly untouched because of the headset’s improbable audio system.
The microphone isn’t probably the most engaging piece of design. It’s a lump of plastic housed throughout the left earcup, which will be flipped down and switched on everytime you want it. I like the intuitive nature of this design, which means you’ll by no means must undergo the fuss of muting your self or truly spending a whole match of Overwatch not realising that your rambles on the ineffective Widowmaker have been heard by the complete foyer. Yes, that occurred to me.
Beyond such accidents, the microphone is greater than enough for normal gameplay and partying up with associates. I wouldn’t rely on it for correct voice recording, however this doubtless isn’t one thing the typical gamer will even think about. The Stealth 700 Gen 2 will be related to a cellular system to take calls and hearken to music, though it’s doubtless just a little too cumbersome to put on in public, and it’s unimaginable to fold it up for simpler storage.
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 conclusion
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is a bought gaming headset for console avid gamers. Launching two separate fashions optimised for the 2 next-gen consoles – PS5 and Xbox Series X – is a pleasant contact, though you’ll be able to arguably discover higher worth when you’re a PC gamer.
That all stated, the plastic construct might nicely be a significant flip off for many avid gamers, whereas the equally priced first-party gaming headsets, Sony Pulse 3D Headset and Xbox Wireless Headset, arguably pack higher options for his or her respective consoles.
You can purchase the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 if…
You desire a devoted console headsetWith variants accessible for each Xbox and PlayStation, this can be a headset that works nice, sounds nice and can doubtless solely develop into extra helpful as exclusives are launched for next-gen consoles.
You desire a high quality headset with out breaking the financial institutionComing in at £129.99, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is a gaming headset with a excessive asking worth, nevertheless it definitely doesn’t break the financial institution. Despite this, it presents plenty of distinct options and glorious audio high quality.
You wish to use it throughout console, PC and mobileSo lengthy as you’ve obtained a Bluetooth dongle, this can be a headset that can be utilized throughout a number of platforms with relative ease. It isn’t confined to the console it was made for, which is superb for many who leap between completely different machines regularly.
You shouldn’t purchase the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 if…
You’re not a fan of plastic designLike a lot of its merchandise, this headset is awash with plastic throughout the complete physique, complimented by a bolstered metallic headband to shake issues up. If you desire a extra engaging peripheral, maybe go for Sony and Microsoft’s official choices.