Wednesday, October 07, 2020
Next-gen headsets are finally hitting the stage.
Turtle Beach is a mainstay of the gaming headset world, releasing some of the most widely-used and widely-known headsets out there. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 is the second generation of this line of wireless headsets from the firm, combining Xbox connectivity with Bluetooth for a more versatile user experience.
With the next-gen Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S now up for preorder and just around the corner, will the all-new Turtle Beach Stealth 700 make the cut in our best Xbox One headset article? Here's why that answer is yes.
Bluetooth meets big bass
Turtle Beach Stealth 700
Bottom line: There's practically nothing negative to say about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700. The Xbox wireless and Bluetooth combo work well, the audio experience is impressive, and the design is top-shelf. This is simply a great headset.
Pros:
- Great sound with lots of configurability
- Sleek design with metallic accents
- Solid construction with metal-reinforced headband
- Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless combo works well
- Comfortable for long-term use
Cons:
- PC app is missing some configurability features of the mobile app
What I loved about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700, first and foremost, impresses with its soundscape. You're not going to get the sort of separation you get with a headset oriented around music, but the soundscape is immersive and punchy. The Stealth 700 has surprisingly clean bass that drives a great sense of impact across explosions and high collision scenes.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 22kHz |
| Battery life | 20 hours |
| In the box | Headset, USB-C charger |
| Connectivity | Xbox One/S/X, Xbox Series X/S, PC via Xbox Wireless dongle (sold separately), USB-C (charging only) |
| Price | $150 |
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 also rocks the company's Superhuman Hearing preset, which emphasizes footsteps, enemy reloads, and other tactical cues in competitive games. I can quite definitively confirm that I have gotten kills using this feature with previous Turtle Beach headsets that share it, and am glad to see it return.
You can configure the sound profile even further using the Turtle Beach app on a Bluetooth connected smartphone or tablet, reducing the tactical sound for something more immersive. If you're playing a single-player game, for example.
Many might be wondering why you might want Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless in a single headset. Still, it's useful for content creators and video game streamers who want a headset that can feed audio from a connected Xbox and pick up voice communication on Discord on a connected PC or phone, for example, without having to sacrifice one for the other. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 has on-ear controls to help you manage the headset's volume mix between chat and gameplay, with two separate pairing buttons for Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless. Pairing with Bluetooth or Xbox Wireless is as simple as holding a button, and thankfully, the signals don't interfere with each other, with is an annoyance I often run into with these types of headsets.
On the cups, each button and dial feels different to the touch, making it very easy to learn where everything is without looking. The headset also has built-in voice feedback for each function press and a convenient flip-to-mute microphone that neatly tucks itself away when it's not in use.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 has decent construction overall, but it does feel like some compromises were made in this area regarding material quality. The headset sports a metal headband on the interior, though, which should help it remain sturdy even if the plastics on the outside aren't of the highest-grade. Turtle Beach prioritized quality where it matters most, though, with thick, airy cup cushions, and a comfortable inner cushion across the headband.
What I disliked about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700
There's little bad to say about the Stealth 700, but I did experience a few hiccups with them here and there. The mobile app can be a little quirky when it comes to connecting, at least on my Samsung Galaxy Note 20. If you pair it via your mobile phone's Bluetooth wizard, you may find that the app doesn't connect, unless you pair via the app first.
It's also maddeningly irritating that the headset's on/off states are bound to the paired Xbox's on/off states. What if I wanted to use the headset on my phone or PC, without the Xbox being turned on? Turning on the headset will automatically turn on your Xbox and turn off if you turn off your Xbox. And, there's nothing you can do about it. At least, not right now. Hopefully, Turtle Beach will give users more control over this "feature," because as it stands, it makes no sense whatsoever and creates a confusing user experience, especially given the fact that this headset wants to be used with Bluetooth devices as well as Xbox devices.
Finally, it's worth noting that the mic audio quality isn't great, but they rarely ever are on "gamer" headsets, as manufacturers continue to see this as an area of cost-saving. The out-of-the-box sidetone (mic monitoring) is also a bit quiet, but you can adjust it with the mobile app. Either way, It's not like your teammates will struggle to hear and understand you, though. But don't expect to be doing any podcasting or content creation with this bad boy.
Should you buy the Turtle Beach Stealth 700?
Overall, this is a really great headset with a gorgeous design, solid wireless signals, great sound, and decent construction. The price point is fair at $150, given the fact it combines both Bluetooth and Xbox audio signals and lets you mix the two seamlessly.
The main downside pertains to the Xbox Wireless signal Turtle Beach uses in the Stealth 700. It's just odd how it's designed to be directly bound to the power states of your Xbox console. If you're using the headset to chat on PC via Bluetooth, then turn off your Xbox, then great, you also just turned off your headset. "Deal with it." Hopefully, this ends up being fixable in a firmware update, since it's my only real criticism right now.
If you grab this headset, you won't be disappointed. As long as you're aware of those pesky limitations with the Xbox Wireless signal, that is.
Life's a beach
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (2020)
A solid wireless option for multi-signal gaming.
If you wanted a headset that can combine both Bluetooth and Xbox sound into a single device, this is a really great option.
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