We've tested 20 Turtle Beach headsets. Turtle Beach make a variety of gaming headsets available at most price points. These headsets tend to have special features like active noise cancelling (ANC), Bluetooth, and dedicated amps. They even make in-ears with a detachable boom microphone. Their microphones typically have a good recording quality, even with their budget models.
Updates
- 07/22/2026Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II reviewed
- 08/28/2024Turtle Beach Atlas Air reviewed
- 08/16/2024Turtle Beach Stealth 500 reviewed
- 08/06/2024Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3) reviewed
- 02/16/2024Turtle Beach Recon 70 updated
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best Turtle Beach Headset
Wireless Gaming (In Development)Wired Gaming (In Development)Recording QualityNoise HandlingSee all our test resultsFrequency Response ConsistencyThe Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II is the best Turtle Beach headset we've tested. It outperforms the previous iteration in aspects useful for gamers and for convenience. While the newer Stealth Pro II retains the hot-swappable battery system used in the Stealth Pro Wireless, the newer version lasts 47.8 hours in use, nearly triple the 16.6 hours of the original. You also have the option to use a wired connection if you forget to charge your secondary battery. This longer-lasting battery also supports a better-performing ANC system, which cuts out high-bass noise like chairs or furniture being rearranged on the floor above you.
It has a warm tuning that emphasizes the thud and punch of hand-to-hand combat in your favorite fighting games, but you can tune the sound using the graphic EQ available in the companion app. Like the first gen, the headset comes in an Xbox and PlayStation variant; for maximum console support, you'll want to stick with the former, as it supports wired USB and dongle/transmitter connections with both console families and PC. The headset's mic also sees a substantial upgrade, as the use of AI noise reduction built into the app prevents the sound of vacuuming in your living room from leaking into your callouts. Keep in mind the headset only performs this well when using the boom microphone over a dongle connection; it has worse mic noise handling performance using Bluetooth or the integrated backup microphone.
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Best Mid-Range Turtle Beach Headset
Wireless Gaming (In Development)Wired Gaming (In Development)Recording QualityNoise HandlingSee all our test resultsFrequency Response ConsistencyIf you don't need an ANC system and want to save some cash, check out the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3). These headphones provide an impressive 85 hours of continuous battery life, are well-built, and come in Xbox, PC, and PlayStation variants. They support Βluetooth, so you can connect them to your phone, but you can't listen to audio from multiple sources simultaneously. Still, pressing the QuickSwitch button on the headphones to change connections is easy enough. Their default sound is V-shaped, adding boom and presence to audio. That profile is well-suited for action-packed games, though sibilants can get a little piercing at times. Happily, you can customize their sound to your liking using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.
These headphones have a boom mic with excellent recording quality, ensuring your voice sounds clear when gaming with friends. Unfortunately, like many gaming headsets, they don't isolate you from ambient sound, so they aren't as good for gaming in noisy environments as the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II. On the upside, they offer low latency, support Xbox Wireless if you purchase the Xbox variant, and provide robust customization features so you can tailor your preferred gaming experience.
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Best Budget Turtle Beach Headset
Wireless GamingWired GamingRecording QualityNoise HandlingSee all our test resultsFrequency Response ConsistencyIf you're happy to compromise on build quality to keep costs down, the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 is a great choice. This wired headset is usually much cheaper than the previous picks, but the price is reflected in its build quality. It feels plasticky and doesn't have a detachable cable, so you'll need to replace the headset if it gets damaged. However, it has a lighter design and a more comfortable fit for most people. While it doesn't work with a companion app and lacks customization features like an EQ, a slider on one ear cup controls a virtual surround sound feature when connected to an Xbox or PlayStation console. With that feature on, the sound profile is boomy and emphasizes sound effects like footsteps while still reproducing dialogue clearly and accurately.
Unfortunately, the boom mic doesn't separate your voice from noise around you as well as the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3)'s, so these aren't a good choice if you often game near an open window or in a bustling space. However, if you're in a quiet place, people will easily understand your callouts. Like most gaming headphones, they don't block out very much background noise, especially compared to pricier options.
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Best Open-Back Turtle Beach Headset
Wireless Gaming (In Development)Wired Gaming (In Development)Recording QualityNoise HandlingSee all our test resultsFrequency Response ConsistencyThe Turtle Beach Atlas Air is the best open-backed Turtle Beach headset we've tested. Unlike the other Turtle Beach headsets listed above, which are all closed-backs, the open design of the Atlas Air allows sound to escape the ear cups and interact with your environment, which helps your audio feel more immersive. The downside of this design is that they do an even worse job isolating you from environmental noise than picks like the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3). They also leak a lot of audio. Open-back designs are best suited for people who can game in a controlled environment.
If that's you, then the Atlas Air are worth considering. You can connect them to your gaming setup via their TRRS connector cable for a wired connection or a low-latency USB-A dongle for a wireless connection. Either way, you can use their great microphone, which reproduces your voice naturally and accurately. Out of the box, they have a flat sound profile; explosions lack a bit of rumble, which is common for open-back headphones. The good news is you can customize their sound profile to your liking using the Swarm II companion app. You can also connect the Atlas Air to your phone via Bluetooth, but unlike the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II, you can't listen to audio from their Bluetooth and dongle connections simultaneously: you have to press the QuickSwitch button to change sources.
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Best Turtle Beach Earbuds For Gaming
Wireless GamingWired GamingRecording QualityNoise HandlingSee all our test resultsFrequency Response ConsistencyThe best Turtle Beach earbuds for gaming we've tested are the Turtle Beach Battle Buds. These wired earbuds are worth considering if you don't like the fit of over-ear headphones or want something more portable than a typical gaming headset. They have a boom mic that's detachable for more casual use. The mic performs well overall, so if you're gaming with friends, they can hear you clearly, even with some background noise. They're adequately comfortable and fully compatible with devices with an AUX port, meaning you can plug them into an Xbox or PlayStation controller.
Like other Turtle Βeach headphones, these buds have an exaggerated bass response that adds extra thump, rumble, and punch to mixes, which can help bring out sound effects in action-packed games. However, they may not be ideal for games with a lot of dialogue since all the extra bass also muddies mixes and overwhelms mid-range speech. They aren't extremely well-built either, and the cable feels weak, specifically where it connects to the earbuds. However, they offer a solid mic performance and are worth considering if you prefer earbuds for gaming.
Compared To Other Brands
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Unique active features.
Most Turtle Beach headphones have active features. Their cheapest headsets are more basic, but you don't have to go too far up in price to see special features like Bluetooth support, bass-boost effects, or even noise cancelling.
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Mobile-friendly gaming designs.
Even though Turtle Beach makes headsets with a very gamer-centric design, they're often versatile for mobile use with your phone as wireless models support Bluetooth alongside proprietary wireless technologies. They also have a few models with detachable mics, so they can be a bit less bulky for more casual use.
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Good microphone quality.
Most options from Turtle Beach have good microphones for multiplayer gaming and voice chat. Their often shorter boom mics don't always capture your voice as naturally as competing HyperX or SteelSeries entries, but they still deliver a good recording quality and will be more than suitable for gaming or making calls.
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Lack of customization options.
Unfortunately, older Turtle Beach headphones don't have the best support software for customization; it's also a bit unreliable and tends to crash fairly often. However, their newer Swarm II app is much better and provides many ways for you to customize your gaming experience, including EQs and microphone adjustments.
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Inconsistent build quality.
While some of Turtle Beach's more recent, higher-end models feel well-built, most of their low- to mid-range headphones feel plasticky and cheaply made, especially compared to other gaming brands in the same price range, like SteelSeries or HyperX.
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Excited sound profile may not be to everyone's taste.
Turtle Beach headsets tend to have a fairly excited sound profile, with lots of extra boom and sizzle. That's not unusual for gaming headsets, but it's worth bearing in mind if you prefer a flat or more subdued sound.
Turtle Beach vs SteelSeries
While SteelSeries headsets are generally more expensive than most Turtle Beach options, they often look and feel much more premium. Most SteelSeries gaming headphones feel durable and well-built and have good microphones and well-balanced sound profiles.
Turtle Beach vs Astro
Astro gaming headphones generally have well-balanced sound profiles and look and feel well-built and comfortable. They offer a variety of products, including budget options that can compete with headphones from Turtle Beach and higher-end options designed to compete with more premium brands like SteelSeries.
Overall, Turtle Beach gaming headphones are decent and often have unique features that make them versatile pickups. The inclusion of Bluetooth in many of their headsets makes them convenient for casual use, so you can use your gaming headset as your daily drivers. Unfortunately, their build quality is often lacking compared to other brands like SteelSeries or Corsair; while most of their lineup feels plasticky and cheap, some higher-end options, like the Turtle Beach Atlas Air and the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II, feel well-made.
Lineup
- Recon: Value-oriented wired or wireless headsets.
- Stealth: Wireless gaming headphones that usually come in separate Xbox and PlayStation variants.
- Elite: Mostly headphones intended for PC. The Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 SuperAmp are also available for PlayStation or Xbox, but either way, the SuperAmp is compatible with PCs.
- Battle Buds: Wired earbuds for gaming with detachable boom mics.
- Scout: Bluetooth earbuds meant for Nintendo Switch, phones, and PCs.
- Atlas Air: Open-backed gaming headphones.
- Airlite: Licensed companion headsets for Nintendo consoles
Some ROCCAT headsets are also available through Turtle Beach's website, but are marketed separately under the ROCCAT brand, owned by Turtle Beach.
Recent Updates
Jul 27, 2026:
We've replaced our top pick with the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II and removed the Turtle Beach Recon 50X/P as the Turtle Beach Recon 200's price has fallen low enough to be classified as budget. The remaining picks are still valid and in stock.
Mar 30, 2026:
We've edited this text to make comparisons between picks clearer, but we haven't changed the picks themselves.
Dec 08, 2025:
We edited the text to bring it into line with changes made as part of our Test Bench 2.0 update, but haven't changed our picks.
Mar 06, 2025:
We haven't reviewed any new Turtle Beach headphones since our last update, but we've updated the text for clarity and accuracy.
Dec 09, 2024:
Since the last update, we haven't reviewed any new Turtle Beach headphones, but we made sure this article is up-to-date with changes made as part of Test Bench 1.8. None of our picks changed, though.
Conclusion
Turtle Beach makes gaming headphones at several price points that are generally pretty affordable. Their headphones often offer special features like Bluetooth capabilities and ANC. These features make Turtle Beach headphones a good choice to double as your day-to-day headphones. Unfortunately, their build quality is generally lower than that of similar headphones from brands like SteelSeries and Corsair. However, if you're looking for a single pair of headphones that you can use while gaming at home or while on the go connected to your phone, then Turtle Beach may be the right brand for your next headset.