Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Headset review. From its Recon 50 headsets through to its Stealth 600/700 Gen 2 MAX range of headsets, Turtle Beach has long catered for a broad spectrum of different users across a veritable spread of different headsets. With the Stealth Pro headset however, Turtle Beach isn’t gunning for compromise in either price or spec, but rather a technically astounding offering that redefines the apex of what one expects from an ultra-premium gaming headset. Oh and it has a price point to match too, but we’ll get to that in a little bit.
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Headset Review
In this Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset review
- Wireless Performance
- Battery Life
- Sound Quality
- Noise Cancellation
- Form Factor, Comfort & Overall Design
- Final Words
Wireless Performance
Right from the get go it’s abundantly clear that in terms of wireless performance the Stealth Pro headset tries to be all things to all people and it pretty much succeeds in its grand endeavour. Boasting full compatibility across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series consoles, Xbox One, PC & Mac, Nintendo Switch and finally Bluetooth-enabled mobile/tablet devices, the Stealth Pro headset can effortlessly be used across a variety of different consoles and devices.
One of the first things that you’ll notice when you free the Stealth Pro from the confines of its cardboard prison is that the thing comes with a circular unit which performs a number of functions that are essential to its superb wireless performance. For a start the transmitter, which not only allows effortless transfer between PC and PlayStation devices at the flick of a switch, also boasts a zero latency 2.4 wireless connection, ensuring that you get no lag whatsoever up to a distance of 15 meters from the transmitter.
Another neat hallmark of the Stealth Pro’s wireless performance is the fashion in which it employs a dual-connectivity solution. In practice, this allows you to take calls, listen to your own music or interact with any other media application all the while you’re gaming and still receiving audio input from your PlayStation console (or whatever other device you happen to be using at the time). By permitting this sort of dual wireless functionality, the Stealth Pro feels much more forward thinking than many other similar headsets and as I would soon find out, this functionality was just the tip of a very impressive offering to say the least.
Battery Life
As one might expect, all of this ultra-premium, extremely sophisticated feature set comes at a price (beyond just a relatively steep financial one) and as you might well guess, the toll is taken in battery life. On the face of it the Stealth Pro headset has 24 hours of battery life – but there’s a trick to this. Rather than just having a standard internal battery which is charged either from a socket plug or directly from the console/device itself, the Stealth Pro actually comes with two swappable, 12 hour batteries.
Remember that neat wireless transmitter we were just looking at, well there just happens to be a charging cradle built into its centre whereupon the battery which isn’t in use can be socketed into a charged. It’s hardly the most elegant solution in the world and the need to swap out batteries after every 10-12 hour session isn’t ideal, but such a sacrifice for the astounding feature set that the Stealth Pro brings to the table, would seem to be a worthwhile one; at least to this humble scribe anyway.
For each of you though, your mileage may well differ. Even in a best case scenario that 24 hour figure is still a long way off the 40 hour figure that the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headset provides, while the 48 hour battery life that the Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX headset remains untouchable. Ultimately, you’re looking at a very clear and direct trade off of battery life versus cutting-edge, premium headset functionality and which side you come down on in that trade off will really depend on where your priorities lie.
Sound Quality
Right off the bat it’s clear that sound quality of the Stealth Pro is absolutely tremendous. Bolstered by Turtle Beach’s 50mm ‘Nanoclear’ technology, the sonic sensations that the Stealth Pro can provide the player are among the very best you’ll ever hear. With pin-sharp, deep audio, the Stealth Pro is an absolute treat for the ears. From the clashing of lightsabres in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, to the gruesome squelch as bats hit skulls in Dead Island 2, the Stealth Pro boasts hands-down some of the clearest sounds you’ll have ever heard from a headset.
More than that, the Stealth Pro headset also brings Turtle Beach’s proprietary Superhuman Hearing technology to the fore in much the same way that the 600 and 700 Gen 2 MAX headsets, providing audible feedback on sound elements within games that might easily be missed, such as footsteps of opposing players, the sound of an enemy mantling nearby and much more. To test out this functionality, I decided to spend a good couple of hours on Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 – a game I admitedly suck quite badly at, so I figured that this would be a good litmus test for Turtle Beach’s fancy new Superhuman Hearing tech.
Turned on or off via a mode button toggle on the Stealth Pro headset itself, it seemed like even the smallest sounds that would have gone unnoticed were elevated in volume and as such, it made me want to stand still (or ‘camp’, if you’re not feeling charitable) far more than I otherwise would have. Of course, because I’m terrible at the game, I didn’t really notice an improvement in my risible K/D ratio – though I ultimately think that’s more down to me, rather than the Superhuman Hearing functionality not doing its thing.
Noise Cancelling
Arguably one of the biggest selling points for the Stealth Pro headset is all of that noise cancelling goodness and happily I can report that Turtle Beach’s implementation of it is absolutely sublime. Rather than having a set of noise cancelling settings, the Stealth Pro allows you to fully tailor the level of active noise cancellation from 25dB reduction at 100Hz all the way to full transparency.
Further Reading – Upcoming PS5 Games – The Most Anticipated PS5 Games Coming Soon In 2023
Supported by two embedded S.M.A.R.T noise cancelling mics within the headset itself, the Stealth Pro also bolsters its noise cancelling capabilities yet further still thanks to a removable noise cancelling boom mic which aids in allowing players to fully tailor the level of noise cancelling based on their own individual tastes and preferences. And of course, this is in addition to the 10-band microphone embedded into the Stealth Pro, along with an impressive range of audio EQ settings that can be tweaked, too. Easily one of the most compelling reasons to own the Stealth Pro headset, Turtle Beach have truly managed to bring top level noise cancelling to the masses and I’m absolutely here for it.
Form Factor, Comfort & Overall Design
In keeping with the design DNA of Turtle Beach’s other headsets, the Stealth Pro is a resoundingly comfortable headset to wear with an ultra-premium design that is unparalleled in its class. With both its headband and frame reinforced by metal, the Stealth Pro headset feels not just appropriately hefty (though never uncomfortably so), but it also feels durable to that point that should it ever slip from your grasp and tumble to the floor, you’ll not fear for its integrity in the aftermath.
Elsewhere, the face buttons and remappable wheel all feel easy to use and ergonomically sensible to reach when you have the Stealth Pro headset on, while the memory foam ear cushions (which also play a physical role in aiding the noise cancelling capabilities of the Stealth Pro) not only ensure that the thing is comfortable to wear over long periods of time, but that you can do so while wearing glasses as well. The Stealth Pro headset is the most comfortable gaming headset in years and it isn’t even close.
As much as it’s worth talking about the form factor and comfort of the headset, so too should a few words be directed at the wireless transmitter unit too – not least because of the additional functionality that it brings to the overall package. Not only does the wireless transmitter support the wireless capabilities and swappable battery charging of the Stealth Pro headset, but so too does it also provide a handy USB-A port for charging other devices.
Finally, bundled with every Stealth Pro headset is also bundled with a fancy travel pouch and a pair of additional charging cables too, adding yet further weight to the impression that this really is an encompassing, ultra-premium product that is separate from the other headset offerings that Turtle Beach has produced in recent times.
Final Words
Essentially redefining what you would expect from an ultra premium gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro boasts a tremendous selection of cutting edge features that when twinned with a level of comfort that in itself makes it the most comfortable headset you can get right now, creates a gaming headset that effortlessly sits at the apex of Turtle Beach’s offerings. Though the lower battery life might be a concern for some, along with the objectively steep price point, the fact remains that you’re still getting the best gaming headset on the market and for those who make the leap, they will be glad that they did.
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset is out now.
Review unit kindly provided by Turtle Beach PR.