This year has been an interesting one for headsets, with the likes of SteelSeries, Sony and Razer all dropping new flagship models. This time, Turtle Beach has dropped its new flagship headset, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max.
Whilst the headset has opted to stick with the more traditional gaming headset style and features, not opting to incorporate new features such as active noise cancellation, it’s a really solid gaming headset that has great versatility.
Without doubt the best thing about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is that the Xbox version is compatible with both the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC/Mac as well as smart phones and other devices through bluetooth connectivity. This huge range of compatibility is so rare in this day and age, so it’s great to see Turtle Beach accomplishing that.
This is done through a USB dongle that can flick between Xbox mode and a standard USB transmitting mode (for everything else). It’s an extremely pain free setup and connection for any of the consoles listed above. Obviously, Xbox is where you’re going to get the most feature-complete experience with the likes of game/chat balance (something still limited to PlayStation official headsets on the PlayStation side) as well surround sound on Xbox.
To be totally honest, from a design point of view, I wouldn’t say the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max has quite evolved into an everyday headsets as much as some of the other high-end alternatives on the market, but I also don’t think this was the intention with Turtle Beach clearly targeting the hardcore gamers, and that’s probably a smart move. The navy with gold detailing isn’t particularly a combo I’d have put together, but it’s a bold move and I kind of appreciate that.
The frame and ear-cups feel incredibly premium and although I was sceptical of the “glasses friendly” marketing, I was surprised how weightless the headset felt on my head thanks to the fact that the company has cleverly put softer foam in the section of ear cups that sit where your glasses do on your head. The actual headband itself is a little bit stiffer than what I’m used to, but it didn’t feel anywhere near as uncomfortable as I might have thought on first glance.
One of the things I loved most about this particular headset is how much customisation you have over controls. On the left hand size, you can turn the headset on/off, control the volume, you have a secondary volume slider that isn’t wasted solely on game/chat (if you’re off Xbox), but can also be used to control Bluetooth audio, mic monitoring or even Superhuman hearing. My only complaint was that absolutely every button and volume dial is smacked up against each other super closely on one side of the headset, which does make the ease of use a little bit worse when you have to double check which you’re using.
You can make a tonne of these adjustments using the companion smartphone app, which I absolutely adored, and wish that every high-end headset had. Not only can you easily check the likes of battery percentage, you can make many of the previously mentioned customisations and even more adjustments such as mic monitoring levels and the adjustment of EQ and Super Human volume.
Speaking of Super Human, it’s been a trait of Turtle Beach headsets for years, and I’d forgotten how good it is for the likes of Call Of Duty, where hearing the most faintest of noises is the difference between getting the kill or be killed.
Sound in general in the headset was crisp with clear bass. I went back and forth between God of War Ragnarok and listening to music on the headset, and felt really satisfied with the sound coming through them. Even though there’s no active noise cancelling, the cups do a great job of blocking out any outside noise.
Bluetooth in a headset is a necessity for me these days and whilst there’s been some hit and miss integrations this year, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 allows you to hear both your game and Bluetooth device at the same time which is great for listening to a quick voice memo or making a call whilst gaming. The flip microphone also means that you can hide it away neatly or whip it out on the fly.
Battery life was marketed at 40+ hours and I’d say that the headset meets this target. Like most these days, there’s USB-C so the option for fast-charging is there as well, which is most welcomed.
If you’re a fan of Turtle Beach and looking for an upgrade, you won’t be disappointed with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max which pushes things forward nicely, but still feeling firmly in the Turtle Beach family.