Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2
An affordable gaming headset that’s made for Xbox consoles.
While there are more premium gaming headsets currently available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S gamers, Turtle Beach’s Stealth 600 Gen 2 delivers exceptional bang for your buck, thanks to its excellent sound quality and robust features.
Apart from its dedicated PS4 version, Turtle Beach offers a Stealth 600 Gen 2 model that’s designed specifically for Xbox consoles, meaning users can pair the gaming headset directly to their Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S without the need for a USB dongle or optical connection – it’s as simple as pairing a controller. Moreover, the Xbox version works just as well with Windows 10, although you will need to purchase an additional Xbox Wireless Adapter (RRP $29.95) in order to pair the headset to your PC.
From an audio standpoint, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 delivers vibrant spatial sound (the headset worked well with Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos for Headphones) with a decent amount of depth. This is due to their powerful 50mm drivers, which offer exceptional clarity and bass, depending on your audio preference. The surround sound effect proved convincing at all times, allowing us to hear approaching enemies from all angles. We also came away impressed with the headset’s lack of distortion – particularly during loud in-game explosions.
The Stealth 600 Gen 2 headset also does a good job of allowing the player to tailor the audio experience to their liking, with a mode button which lets you cycle through four EQ settings: Signature Sound, Bass Boost, Bass + Treble Boost and Vocal Boost. Additionally, a quick press of the power button will enable Superhuman Hearing mode, which amplifies subtle sounds like footsteps and reloading weapons.
You also get a flip-down mic that mutes when retracted into its upright position, separate volume rockers for chat and game, along with the much appreciated inclusion of mic monitoring, allowing you to hear your own voice while you chat. Voice quality is decent, but we’ve heard clearer, fuller chat audio from higher-end headsets, Such as Razer’s BlackShark V2 Pro and Logitech’s G
Pro X Wireless. In terms of battery life, Turtle Beach’s Stealth 600 Gen 2 offers around 15-hours of game time before needing a recharge, which is fairly standard for wireless headsets at this price range.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing, though – we experienced a spotty connection on a couple of instances during online matches in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, with dotted sound resembling Morse Code coming through. In fact, it was intrusive enough that we were forced to switch the headset off and on again to make it go away. That said, it didn’t occur often enough to be a real cause for concern.
It’s also worth noting that the headset has a somewhat cheap plastic feel, and it sits fairly tight on the head and on the neck below the ears, leading to some discomfort during long gaming sessions. That said, STEPHEN LAMBRECHTS