We've tested 15 Turtle Beach headsets. They make a variety of gaming headsets available at most price points. They tend to have some unique features, like active noise cancelling, Bluetooth, dedicated amps, or even in-ears with a detachable boom microphone. Overall, their microphones typically have a good recording quality, even with their budget options.
Updates
- 10/28/2021 Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 reviewed
- 07/30/2021 Turtle Beach Recon 500 reviewed
- 03/04/2021 Turtle Beach Recon 200 updated
- 11/30/2020 Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Wireless reviewed
- 11/17/2020 Turtle Beach Recon 70 updated
Best Turtle Beach Headphones
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Best Turtle Beach Headset
Mixed Usage6.7Neutral Sound7.1Commute/Travel6.7Sports/Fitness6.9Office6.4Wireless Gaming6.1Wired Gaming7.8Phone Call7.6Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best Turtle Beach headset we've tested is the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 SuperAmp. These headphones have a wired design, unlike some of the cheaper headphones listed here. They come with a 'SuperAmp' USB dongle that allows you to mix audio and control volume on the fly. You have to buy either the Xbox One or PS4 variant for it to work properly with your console, but the amp for both variants is fully compatible with PCs. They have a slightly bass-rich, well-balanced sound profile suitable for action-packed games. The Turtle Beach Audio Hub companion software, also available as an app on your phone, can be used to access EQ presets for sound customization, plus mic monitoring and surround sound settings.
Their detachable mic makes your voice sound clear and detailed, and it does an excellent job of isolating it from background noise. They also have a very comfortable fit, with roomy, well-padded earcups you can wear through long gaming sessions. However, their audio reproduction is highly sensitive to their fit, seal, and positioning against your ears. They don't filter out much in the way of background noise and leak a lot of sound, which makes them poorly suited for gaming in crowded environments.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Turtle Beach Headset
Neutral Sound7.0Commute/Travel6.4Sports/Fitness7.1Office6.5Wireless Gaming7.1Wired Gaming5.7Phone Calls6.9Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best upper mid-range Turtle Beach headset for gaming we've tested is the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Wireless. These wireless gaming headphones are well-built, offer a fairly long 16-hour continuous battery life, and come in an Xbox and a PS4/PC version. They also support Βluetooth, meaning you can mix chat or music from your phone with game audio. Their default sound profile adds extra rumble, punch, and boom to audio, which is well-suited for action-packed games. If you prefer different sounds, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets, meaning you can customize them. They also have a boom mic with great recording quality, so your voice sounds clear when you're gaming with friends.
Unfortunately, like many gaming headsets, they don't isolate you from ambient sound, so they aren't ideal for use in noisy environments. They also leak a lot of sound, so people around you might hear your game audio if you're listening at high volumes. Also, while they have a decently comfortable fit, they clamp onto your ears tightly, which can be uncomfortable during long gaming sessions. They offer low latency, support Xbox Wireless if you buy the Xbox variant, and offer robust sound customization features.
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Best Mid-Range Turtle Beach Headset
Neutral Sound7.7Commute/Travel5.5Sports/Fitness5.9Office6.5Wireless Gaming5.5Wired Gaming7.2Phone Calls6.4Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best Turtle Βeach Ηeadset in the mid-range we've tested is the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2. This wired headset is usually around half the price of the previous pick, and it's not as well-built but 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, there's a slider on one ear cup that controls a virtual surround sound feature when you're connected to an Xbox or PlayStation console. With that feature on, they have a boomy sound profile that emphasizes sound effects like footsteps, while dialogue is reproduced clearly and accurately.
Their boom mic doesn't perform as well as the previous pick's, so your voice lacks body and is more likely to be drowned out by background noise. However, if you're in a quiet place, you'll be easy to understand during online games. Like most gaming headphones, they don't block out very much background noise. Unfortunately, they feel plasticky compared to pricier options and don't have a detachable cable, so you need to replace the headset if the cable gets damaged.
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Best Budget Turtle Beach Headset
Mixed Usage5.6Neutral Sound6.6Commute/Travel5.0Sports/Fitness5.7Office5.3Wireless Gaming5.2Wired Gaming7.0Phone Call7.0Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best Turtle Beach headset in the budget range we've tested is the Turtle Beach Recon 50X/Recon 50P. These wired headphones have a cheap build quality, but if you're looking for an inexpensive option for gaming, they aren't bad otherwise. Their boom mic makes your voice sound clear, natural, and full-bodied when you're gaming with friends and even does a good job of separating it from background noise.
Their warm sound profile adds a lot of extra boom to your audio, which is well-suited for action-packed games, but at the same time, mixes can sound muddy and cluttered. Voices also lack a bit of detail. Their bass response also varies depending on the headphones' fit and positioning, so people who wear glasses or have thick hair can experience a drop in bass. That said, they offer a fairly comfortable fit for most people and have basic in-line controls so you can adjust the volume or mute the mic easily. Since they have a simple wired design, they come in one variant that works with PCs and most consoles.
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Best Turtle Beach Earbuds For Gaming
Mixed Usage5.6Neutral Sound5.4Commute/Travel5.5Sports/Fitness6.4Office5.5Wireless Gaming4.5Wired Gaming6.5Phone Calls6.5Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe 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 when you want a more casual look. It has a decent overall performance, so if you're gaming with friends, they can hear you clearly, even with some noise in the background. 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 have a very 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 their very bass-heavy sound muddies mixes and overwhelms vocals and lead instruments. Also, they aren't extremely well-built, 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
- Unique active features. Most Turtle Beach headphones have active features that set them apart from other gaming headsets. Their cheapest headsets are more basic, but you don't have to go up in price very much to start seeing unique features like Bluetooth support, bass-boost effects, or even noise cancelling.
- Mobile-friendly gaming designs. Even though Turtle Beach makes headsets with a very gamer-centric design, they're often fairly versatile for mobile use with your phone. Most of their headsets use a standard 1/8" audio jack, and some are compatible with Bluetooth. They also have a few models with detachable mics, so they're a bit less bulky for use with your mobile devices.
- Good microphone quality. Being gaming headsets, most options from Turtle Beach have good microphones for multiplayer gaming. Their often shorter boom mics aren't as good as some other gaming brands like HyperX or SteelSeries, but they still deliver a good recording quality and will be more than suitable for gaming and making calls.
- Lack of customization options. Unfortunately, Turtle Beach doesn't have the best support software for added customization options. Compared to other brands, the Turtle Beach Audio HUB lacks features and customization options. It's also a bit unreliable and tends to crash fairly often.
- Inconsistent build quality. While some of Turtle Beach's more recent, higher-end models feel well-built, most of their headphones feel plasticky and cheaply made, especially when compared to other gaming brands in the same price range, like Corsair or HyperX.
Turtle Beach vs SteelSeries
While SteelSeries headsets are generally more expensive than most Turtle Beach options, they often look and feel much more premium and high-end. 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 some budget options that can compete with headphones from Turtle Beach, as well as some 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 more versatile. Their inclusion of Bluetooth in many of their headsets makes them more convenient for casual use, so you can use your gaming headset as your daily driver headphones when on the go. 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 of their higher-end options, like the Turtle Beach Elite Atlas and the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2, feel decently well-made.
Lineup
- Recon: Wired gaming 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.
Some ROCCAT headsets are also available through Turtle Beach's website, but they are also marketed separately under the ROCCAT brand, which is owned by Turtle Beach.
Recent Updates
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Feb 22, 2023: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations and added information about the brand's lineup.
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Nov 24, 2022: Restructured article to make it easier to find what you're looking for and added the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 as the 'Βest Mid-Range Turtle Βeach Ηeadset'.
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Apr 13, 2022: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.
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Jan 14, 2022: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.
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Nov 17, 2021: Checked our picks for product availability and accuracy. There hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
Conclusion
Turtle Beach makes gaming headphones at several price points that are generally decently affordable. Their headphones often offer unique 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 similarly priced headphones from other brands like SteelSeries and Corsair, and their app is lacking in customization options and can be downright frustrating to use at times. However, if you're looking for a single pair of headphones that you can use while gaming at home as well as on the go connected to your phone, then Turtle Beach may be the right brand for your next headset.