Headsets are such an important part of a gaming setup. Being a tool for immersion and a way to get the upper hand on your opponents, it can be hard to overstate just how great a good headset truly is. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max had a lot to live up to but manages to add onto its predecessor in meaningful ways.
With this headset, Turtle Beach combine a great-feeling headset with high-quality sound and excellent pairing capabilities. If you don't mind the bulk, it could well fit into your life outside of gaming. Just as a headset to go walking with, it does its job admirably.
This is before mentioning the high price point of £179.99. There are better choices for a small budget but, if you can find the spare cash to make an investment, you likely won't need to upgrade for some time.
How do they look?
The aesthetic is a valuable part of any headset. Where some go flashy and laden with RGB lights, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX strips that back and, with my black model, looks good on pretty much any desk.
Other than the Turtle Beach logo on the side and silver strip on both earcups, it looks like any other headset you may find. All black, with a sturdy base and a metal black top, you can use it in a fairly inconspicuous manner. The microphone, a simple flip mic, can be extended out from the headset or fit into the cup when you aren't using it.
These all come together to make a fairly compact headset. If you decided to extend the size of them, a small metal strip pokes out but it fits the aesthetic well. You can also get the headset in a cobalt blue, combining black, blue, and bronze together. This looks great and is quite a unique colour scheme.
The first try
Putting them on, the first thing you may notice is the faux leather earcups. They are comfortable and give way to your ears, accommodating them in the frame. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max definitely goes for a bit of a tighter fit than standard headsets but this is something I love. Set up to my TV, it really enables me to get lost in the game.
The headset is very comfortable, with cushions on the top of the head and beside the ears. To work it on your Xbox or PlayStation, simply plug in the wireless USB transmitter and turn them on. This all being said, it does work through a Bluetooth connection and can be paired to multiple devices at once. If you like to listen to music while playing Call of Duty or a podcast while exploring the world of Skyrim, it works surprisingly well.
When connected to the console, it gives high-quality sound with both great speakers and Dolby Atmos capabilities. Fundamentally, it has the tech to handle more involved audio but is easy enough to just plug in and play. This is a combination that gives you some real depth if you want it.
Making a connection
One of the things I love most about this headset is how easy it is to connect to all your devices. With its added Bluetooth capabilities, you can get it to a Nintendo Switch or your smartphone in minutes. Though you can use the connector on your PC, there is mostly no need as most PCs have built-in Bluetooth support.
Unfortunately, the Turtle Beach app isn't very great. It is often fairly convoluted to use and doesn't quite connect as well as your phone does natively. This often leaves the app as a middleman needlessly complicating the connection process.
Both in-match and on the go, the mic sounds good and you can simply flip it up to mute yourself. There are only a handful of buttons on the headset and this relative simplicity works in its favour. You can turn up the volume, adjust the levels, change between speaker modes, activate Bluetooth and turn it off. This is all you really need.
All these great factors do come with a pretty hefty price point. Though I loved my time with the headset, I don't know if this is something I'd invest in if I just had a passing or casual interest in gaming. It does so many things right but you should be an enthusiast to really justify it. Luckily, in my eyes, that price is more than justified
A review unit of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX was provided by Turtle Beach.