Turtle Beach Stealth 600 has been a driving force in the gaming headset industry for more than a decade and has become synonymous with premium quality and functionality. While not as well-known as Razer or Steelseries, Turtle Beach has been a driving force in the gaming headset industry for more than a decade and has become synonymous with premium quality and functionality.
Table of Contents
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Review
Summary: If you already own the original, you’ll probably want to avoid the updated younger sibling. After all, they’re nearly identical, but for some tighter button and microphone positioning.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Stealth 600, it’s a stylish-looking gaming headset that not only sounds great in video games and music, but also properly supports console connectivity, whether it’s a PS4, Switch, or even an Xbox One. The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 is certainly one of the best wireless gaming headphones at its price range, despite its lackluster Audio HUB software.
Pros
-
- Eye-catching design
- Terrific sound quality
- “Superhuman Hearing” is a cool feature
- Solid microphone
- Reasonable price
- Works great with consoles, even next-gen ones
- Lengthy battery life
Cons
- The plastic build may not be as sturdy as the metal ones
- Disappointing software support
- Subpar noise isolation on both the earcups and the mic
- Wireless latency is a little high
With the second iteration of the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 wireless gaming headset, the company aims to improve on its predecessor while keeping the snappy appearance and high-quality audio that fans enjoyed about the first. Is it worthwhile to upgrade if you already own the prior model? And, without any big modifications, can it compete with today’s top mid-range headsets? In this Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 review, we’ll try to answer a few of these questions.
What is the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2?
Turtle Beach began making headlines in the video game business when it turned its attention to crafting gaming headsets in 2005, even though it had previously been a tech company focused on audio equipment. In recent years, the company has grown more involved in the eSports scene, sponsoring professional teams and incorporating their feedback into their peripherals.
The Stealth 600 made its debut in 2017 as the first gaming headset to connect wirelessly to the Xbox One while simultaneously offering exceptional audio quality, a “Superhuman Hearing” option, and above-average battery life. These same characteristics make it ideal for both gaming and work. It’s also appealing to the eye, with a stylish design that doesn’t overstate its gaming credentials and would be at home on the street or in the workplace.
Its second iteration, introduced earlier this year, is nearly identical to the original, except for button placement and a microphone design change. Its $99.99 price tag isn’t terrible for a mid-level gaming headset, putting it in the same price range as the amazing Razer BlackShark V2 Pro but with the big bonus of being wireless.
Features
Connectivity
If you purchase the Xbox Wireless model, the Stealth 600 connects wirelessly to your PC and PS4 via a small USB adapter, or directly to your Xbox One via Xbox Wireless. However, be aware that it does have a significant amount of latency, which hovers around the low 100s, which is not ideal for a gaming headset.
Battery life
While its manufacturers promised battery life of up to 15 hours, it comes close to the Steelseries Arctis 7 and Razer BlackShark V2 Pros near 24 hours of continuous use.
Noise Cancellation
This headset lacks active noise canceling, and its isolation is weak at best, failing to drown out moderately loud voices and utterly failing to block out lower frequencies like car sounds.
Accessories
Aside from the headset and its connections, Turtle Beach included only an attractive brand label that you may paste on your CPU case or laptop.
Software
The Turtle Beach Audio App supports the Stealth 600, although it does little more than give updates for the peripheral and allows you to control the volume of prompts.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Stealth 600 is one of its strongest features. Its bass profile is fantastic, with lower frequencies sounding strong and clear. However, because it lacks the extra kick that you’d expect from a gaming headset, deeper noises like engine revving and shotgun blasts can come off as a little lackluster.
Mids sound amazing as well, with singers and emphasized instruments sounding full and precise, however, bassier instruments may sound flat due to the headset’s low bass profile.
The Stealth 600’s excellent audio quality is rounded out by stellar trebles, with no muddy playback and singers sounding satisfyingly distinct. Sibilants are also correctly leveled, so no shrill noises should interrupt your listening pleasure.
The headset’s “Superhuman Hearing” mode isn’t groundbreaking, but it does an excellent job of displaying all of the sounds you’re hearing separately, which could come in handy during competitive games like PUBG, CS: GO, and Warzone.
The Stealth 600 has excellent microphone recording quality, which properly reproduces your voice, albeit with some restraint. Its noise isolation, on the other hand, might use some improvement, as even mild ambient noise is difficult to shut out. If you’re planning to use this headset for voice chat, you’ll probably want to be in a quieter location.
What’s it like to use?
It’s as simple as putting the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 USB dongle into your PC or PS4 and pairing the headset. It’s simpler with the Xbox One (if you purchased that edition) and smartphones because all you have to do is turn on the accessory and connect directly to the device. It’s even ready to connect to the PS5’s next-generation console!
The Audio Hub program is simple to use, although that is primarily owing to its restricted capability. It only updates your headset and allows you to modify the prompt loudness. There are no equalizers, presets, or anything like that. Turtle Beach’s app is a tremendous failure for such a seasoned company.
The Stealth 600 is very easy to operate. The power button, EQ presets button, volume wheel, and mic wheel are the only controls. The power button also controls the headset’s “Superhuman Hearing” mode, while the EQ button allows you to switch between regular tuning and bass, treble, or vocal amplifiers. The microphone extends from the side of the earcup and features a handy flip-to-mute feature that turns it off when you fold it back up.
The earcups and headband are each lined with plenty of padding, making the headset fairly comfy. Its grip on the head is a tad strong, but it’s solid enough to move around in without swaying too much. Just don’t expect it to perform well while exercising.
Aesthetics
The Stealth 600 is a striking headset that can be dressed up or down depending on which of the many color options you choose. Fans of the PS4 and Xbox One will be glad to learn that various colorways match the PS4 and Xbox One’s style, several of which are modest enough to be used outside.
The oval-shaped and slightly inclined earcups are attached to adjustable arms on the sides and a thick headband on top by a thick headband. Turtle Beach’s emblems are slapped on either side of the earcups, and the brand name is carved on the top of the headband.
The Stealth 600 is built entirely of reinforced plastic, which feels a touch less durable than some of its metal-infused competitors, but it is lighter and more comfortable as a result. All of the buttons are located on the left earcup and are closer together than on the previous model.
This is one of two differences between the first and second generations, the other being the way the microphone folds back into the side of the earcup. In the original design, it used to stand out quite a bit. Aside from those two small changes, the second-generation Stealth 600 appears to be nearly identical to the first.
Final Thoughts
Even though it hasn’t had any significant updates since its previous generation, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 remains a wonderful gaming headset with excellent sound quality that’s also ideal for listening to music and watching TV shows.
It’s also really attractive, and it has a fantastic “Superhuman Hearing” feature that provides you with an advantage in online games. Because it’s essentially the same headset as the previous generation, there’s little need to upgrade.
If you haven’t tried it before and are searching for a low-cost wireless gaming headset that works with both PC and consoles, the second-generation Turtle Beach Stealth 600 is a great option. Now if they could just give their dreary software a major facelift.