Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max review: Do-it-all

Value When Reviewed

199.95

Finest Costs Right now: Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX

$159.95

$159.99

The Turtle Seashore 700 Gen 2 Max replaces the 700 Gen 2, which made its mark in no refined means as one of the crucial common licensed Xbox gaming headsets with PC compatibility.

Like its predecessor, the 700 Gen 2 Max sounds implausible, constantly proving its value with good low-latency wi-fi audio and spatial encompass sound that immerses you deeper into your sport every time you play. Primarily based on these factors alone, the 700 Gen 2 Max must be a straightforward machine to suggest, however finnicky connectivity and fundamental software program assist casts a shadow over what’s in any other case a formidable wi-fi gaming headset.

Notice: This assessment is a part of our ongoing roundup of the perfect wi-fi gaming headsets. Go there to study extra about competing merchandise, what to search for in a wi-fi gaming headset, and shopping for suggestions.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max: Construct and portability

Being a refresh, the Gen 2 Max brings again recognizable options, some a pleasure to see return as a result of they merely work effectively, others that we might have preferred to see modified to marginally enhance the expertise.

On the plus aspect, you as soon as once more get swiveling earcups that made the 700 Gen 2 oh-so-easy to pack and carry with you on the highway—so, like its predecessor, the Gen 2 Max is sort of transportable. However, the controls are nonetheless bunched up on the underside of the left earcup, making utilizing them an train in fumbling in the dead of night, at occasions.

One welcome change is a brand-new shade—Cobalt Blue—which I used to be fortunate sufficient to check out for this assessment. Regardless of the title, it’s really tri-colored, that includes blue, black, and copper in an elaborate interaction that appears extremely placing. The copper contrasts properly towards the darkish navy exterior. Matching Turtle Seashore logos on every cup—additionally coloured copper—full the high-end look, suggesting you’ve actually received one thing particular in your fingers.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The headset’s form, although, is a unique story. The Gen 2 Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max, just like the Gen 2 earlier than it, sports activities a chunky fashionable design that some avid gamers, myself included, might discover a bit too boxy—maybe it might have executed with a design aesthetic that extra carefully resembles the fighter pilot-ish Turtle Seashore X12s, to really look good.

Nonetheless, the great supplies used within the Gen 2 are again, which at all times felt very premium. The earcups for example are lined in an all-season elastic materials that’s comfortable and funky, they usually maintain a beneficiant layer of reminiscence foam for cushioning—as does the higher headrest. The cans are additionally tremendous sturdy—they’re edged across the exterior by a powerful PU leather-based that drops again onto a agency steel band to stop breakage.

The Gen 2 Max’s earcups match over your ears effectively, however there’s a caveat: They’re tremendous squeezy in your head. At first, I assumed it would simply really feel that means as a result of I’ve been utilizing headsets just like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional and Razer Barracuda Professional so much—two headsets which have hardly any clamp stress in any respect—however the Gen 2 Max did trigger some discomfort after an hour or so of gaming.

If that’s not a deal breaker, the stress does have one profit: It’s a fairly efficient passive noise barrier. It simply dampened the calls of the cacophony of birds within the bushes exterior my window, in addition to the swish of visitors close by, and a bike whirring previous exterior, which made the slight discomfort far more bearable.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

For higher or worse, the 700 Gen 2 Max can also be heavier than the majority of headsets launched this yr. At 454 grams, it’s significantly weightier than the 340 gram Razer Barracuda Professional, and makes our final assessment unit, the Asus ROG Strix Go Core Moonlight White, appear to be a veritable featherweight at 252 grams. Making an attempt it on, you’ll positively really feel that additional weight, however if you happen to’re anxious by that, don’t be, as a result of it doesn’t really feel such as you’re sporting dumbbells in your ears.

In case you are registering just a few too many “cons” to date, there’s one redeeming function which will change your thoughts: The Gen 2 Max is glasses pleasant, so you’ll be able to put on your specs whilst you’re gaming. Turtle Seashore name it the ProSpecs Consolation design, that includes helpful grooves to relaxation the ends of your spectacles on in every earcup.

To set the headset up to your specs, you’ll want to tug off the earcup covers and tweak a setting on the underside, which is simple sufficient to do, however does take some time. Though, contemplating the additional consolation and efficiency you’ll get from sporting your blinkers, it appears effectively well worth the effort.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max: Connectivity and compatibility

“Max” is at all times a time period we tech reviewers wish to see in a tool’s title, because it normally denotes upgrades. Right here, it implies extra connectivity choices, since you’ll be able to hook up the Gen 2 Max to PlayStation gadgets, a Nintendo Swap, Mac, and cell gadgets, in addition to the Xbox consoles and PC that you may with the Gen 2 headset. The headset can also be rated for 40 hours battery life, which is twice the lifetime of the Gen 2—that’s the excellent news. The unhealthy information is connecting can typically be finicky.

Firstly, the Gen 2 Max is solely a wi-fi headset, which nowadays, in high-end units, we virtually by no means have any points establishing immediately, however in establishing my wi-fi connection I discovered the Gen 2 Max’s low-latency USB-A dongle wanted a bit additional time to attach after plugging it in.

I’ve by no means been one to hurry an excellent gaming session, however the connection lag meant I needed to spend additional time ready round for my audio to hit my cups earlier than the enjoyable might begin, which was sufficient to search out myself fragged a minimum of as soon as in Battlefield I.

As soon as correctly arrange, although, you do get good, lag-free audio and your connection received’t drop out, which is considerably reassuring. After the preliminary delays, the headset additionally appeared to attach faster in successive play classes.

Switching connectivity modes between Xbox One, Xbox X/S, and all the opposite choices is fortunately tremendous straightforward, since you’ll be able to merely flick a swap constructed into the aspect of the dongle. The headset additionally has Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, which might have been my go-to when hooking as much as my smartphone and my undocked Nintendo Swap, however sadly it proved the finnickiest of all of the headset’s options.

How temperamental? I couldn’t get the Bluetooth to play audio in any respect by way of my smartphone, regardless of loading the Turtle Seashore Audio app and updating the machine’s firmware. I might, nonetheless, get it to pair with the Turtle Seashore Audio Hub, which is the downloadable software program app for Android or iOS gadgets that you should utilize to optionally tweak settings just like the Chat Quantity.

That meant I might make adjustments to the Gen 2 Max’s settings however couldn’t take heed to music or take cell calls whereas gaming on my PC—a perform that’s definitely value a giant portion of the $199.95 price ticket. It’s disappointing to say the least, and one thing I’ve reached out to Turtle Seashore for recommendation about, so watch this house for any updates.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max: Audio efficiency

The Gen 2 Max is supplied with the identical 50mm Nanoclear neodymium drivers because the Gen 2. Unsurprisingly, the audio high quality you get is equally nearly as good, constantly sounding pure and clear whilst you’re gaming or enjoying music. Admittedly, that sound isn’t best-in-class, with stiff competitors this yr from the likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional, however it’s nonetheless adequate to get a commendation.

In Elden Ring, sounds of monsters gnashing their tooth at me, and the heavy thwacking of swords on my defend, have been all sounds that the Gen 2 Max delivered so clearly that it had me believing my life—a minimum of my digital one—was actually in lethal peril.

Switching over to Sniper Elite 5, a sport whose soundtrack is as necessary to the motion because the sound results themselves, the Gen 2 Max had no bother whipping up an orchestral frenzy that had me chomping on the bit to sneak up on extra foes and ship ridiculously acrobatic take downs. Different standouts from my play session have been the sounds of bone-rattling explosions, and resounding cracks of rifle hearth that made me wish to soar for canopy.

The Gen 2 Max additionally does atmospheric sounds extraordinarily effectively. On a rooftop in Uncharted: The Misplaced Legacy, it was onerous to not stand again for a minute to admire the buzzing of the electrical avenue indicators, rain pattering round me, and the deep rumble of thunder within the distance—all introduced dwelling with a vivid realism.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

In case you have a spatial audio-capable headset, it’s at all times value using that particular perform as a lot as you’ll be able to in video games like Battlefield I or Overwatch for that strategic benefit you get from positional sound cues, like listening to the course of your enemies’ gunfire and their approaching footsteps.

Fortunately, if you wish to goal foes faster, or in any other case outflank or outsmart them with related maneuvers, the Gen 2 Max has you effectively lined, supporting Home windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos in addition to DTS Headphone: X and 3D Audio on the PS5.

Testing out the spatial audio on my PC in video games that assist Dolby Atmos proved it really works very effectively, offering you with a 360-degree soundscape that may totally change your perspective in your sport.

The Gen 2 Max’s spatial audio dovetails properly with a setting you’ll be able to swap on within the Turtle Seashore Audio Hub referred to as Superhuman Listening to, which modifies the EQ settings to reinforce how effectively you’ll be able to hear sounds, like enemy footsteps, weapons reloading, and the motion of automobiles within the distance.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max: Software program

The Turtle Seashore Audio Hub is finest accessed by way of your smartphone, in an effort to change up your headset’s settings with out having to depart your sport. Nevertheless, because you’ll have to pair with Bluetooth simply to see these settings, you received’t have the ability to casually examine your choices with out your headset, which received’t go well with tinkerers that wish to pre-plan their audio technique.

Moreover, you get extra of a generic management of your machine’s settings moderately than pinpoint detailed management—for instance, you’ll be able to create your personal audio presets, however can solely modify the treble and bass ranges on proportion sliders, moderately than selecting actual frequencies, which once more might not go well with some severe audiophiles.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The app does have some helpful options, although, together with sliders that allow you to select your required settings for Superhuman Listening to, and the amount of the headset’s voice prompts and notification tones, in addition to to your microphone’s sensitivity ranges.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max: Microphone efficiency

The Gen 2 Max’s flip-to-mute microphone deserves some reward for being a giant timesaver, stopping you from having to fumble round for mute buttons, and even worse, an in-game mute setting, mid sport. As soon as it’s up it’s just about invisible too, aside from the very finish half that’s nonetheless stealthy sufficient to not give the sport away.

From a sound high quality standpoint, the microphone does an excellent job, choosing up your voice in a refined and pure means and muting shortly when required. You do sound a bit additional away and smidgen larger in tone than you’ll with a good desktop mic, however that’s to be anticipated from the mic in a gaming headset.

Must you purchase the Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max?

The Turtle Seashore Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is spectacular in some ways, producing a refined sound, and sporting gamer-friendly options like multi-device connectivity and a protracted battery life. Sadly, our expertise with the headset’s Bluetooth exhibits it additionally has just a few flaws that want ironing out for the machine to succeed in its full potential. Right here’s hoping a speedy firmware replace can just do that.