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  1. Home
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SteelSeries Arctis 1 vs Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2

Which Headphones Are Better?

    Top
    Main Differences
    Design
      StyleComfortControlsBreathabilityPortabilityCaseBuild QualityStabilityHeadshots 1Headshots 2TopIn The Box
    Sound
      Sound ProfileFrequency Response ConsistencyRaw Frequency ResponseBass AccuracyMid AccuracyTreble AccuracyPeaks/DipsImagingPassive SoundstageVirtual SoundstageWeighted Harmonic DistortionTest Settings
    Isolation
      Noise IsolationLeakage
    Microphone
      Microphone StyleRecording QualityNoise Handling
    Active Features
      BatteryApp Support
    Connectivity
      BluetoothNon-Bluetooth WirelessWiredPC CompatibilityPlayStation CompatibilityXbox CompatibilityBase/Dock
    Comments

Products

SteelSeries Arctis 1
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2

Tested using Methodology v1.5

Updated Dec 23, 2022 06:03 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.5

Updated Feb 14, 2024 06:58 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Picture
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Picture
TypeOver-ear
EnclosureClosed-Back
WirelessNo
TransducerDynamic
Noise CancellingNo
MicYes
TypeOver-ear
EnclosureClosed-Back
WirelessNo
TransducerDynamic
Noise CancellingNo
MicYes
  1. Recommended in 1 article:
  2. Turtle Beach

Our Verdict

SteelSeries Arctis 1

Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2

The Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 are slightly better wired gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis 1. While they're both decently comfortable, the Turtle Beach are better built, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have a virtual soundstage feature that's powered by a battery with over 16 hours of continuous playback time. However, the SteelSeries have a detachable boom mic that offers better overall performance.

0 

Variants

  • Arctis 1 (Black)
  • Arctis 1 (Destiny Edition)
  • Recon 200 Gen 2 (Black)
  • Recon 200 Gen 2 (Midnight Blue)

Review

See SteelSeries Arctis 1 Review
See Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Review
2 
0 

Check Price

Black
Arctis 1
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Destiny Edition
Arctis 1
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Midnight Blue
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Main Differences for
Neutral Sound

Threshold 

0.10

Neutral Sound 
 

7.3
7.7

Mid Accuracy 
 

7.1
9.1

Bass Accuracy 
 

8.4
7.0

Passive Soundstage 
 

5.9
6.6

Treble Accuracy 
 

6.9
7.6

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Design Picture 2 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Design Picture 2
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Design Picture 2

Type  

Over-ear
Over-ear

Enclosure  

Closed-Back
Closed-Back

Wireless  

No
No

Transducer  

Dynamic
Dynamic
Show Text 

Comfort 
 

7.0
7.0

Comfort Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Comfort Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Comfort Picture

Weight  

0.6 lbs
0.6 lbs

Clamping Force 
 

0.8 lbs
0.9 lbs
Show Text 

Controls 
 

5.7
5.7

Controls Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Controls Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Controls Picture

OS Compatibility 
 

Not OS specific
Not OS specific

Ease Of Use  

Good
Good

Feedback  

Good
Good

Call/Music Control  

No
No

Volume Control  

Yes
Yes

Microphone Control  

Mute/Unmute
Mute/Unmute

Channel Mixing 
 

No
No

Noise Cancelling Control  

No
No

Talk-Through 
 

No
No

Additional Controls  

No
Presets
Show Text 

Breathability 
 

6.5

Breathability After Picture  

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Breathability After Picture

Avg.Temp.Difference  

5.7 °C
Show Text 

Portability 
 

5.3
5.7

Portability Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Portability Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Portability Picture

L  

8.1" (20.6 cm)
7.5" (19.1 cm)

W  

8.0" (20.3 cm)
7.4" (18.9 cm)

H  

3.6" (9.1 cm)
2.6" (6.7 cm)

Volume  

233.00 in³ (3,818.17 cm³)
147.62 in³ (2,419.00 cm³)

Transmitter Required  

No
No
Show Text 

Case 
 

0.0
0.0

Case Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Case Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Case Picture

Type  

No case
No case

L  

N/A
N/A

W  

N/A
N/A

H  

N/A
N/A

Volume  

N/A
N/A
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

6.0
6.5

Build Quality Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Build Quality Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Build Quality Picture
Show Text 

Stability 
 

5.5
6.5

Stability Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Stability Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Stability Picture
Show Text 

Headshots 1  

Angled Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Angled Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Angled Picture

Side Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Side Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Side Picture

Headshots 2  

Front Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Front Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Front Picture

Rear Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Rear Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Rear Picture

Top  

Top Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Top Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Top Picture

In The Box  

In The Box Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 In The Box Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 In The Box Picture
Show Text 
Sound

Sound Profile 
 

Frequency Response  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Frequency Response
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Frequency Response
 Compare in Graph Tool

Bass Amount 
 

1.09 dB
0.1 dB

Treble Amount 
 

-2.32 dB
-0.66 dB
Show Text 

Frequency Response Consistency 
 

5.3
5.6

Consistency L  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Consistency L
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Consistency L
 Compare in Graph Tool

Consistency R  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Consistency R
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Consistency R
 Compare in Graph Tool

Avg. Std. Deviation 
 

1.44 dB
1.11 dB
Show Text 

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw FR L  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Raw FR L
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Raw FR L
 Compare in Graph Tool

Raw FR R  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Raw FR R
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Raw FR R
 Compare in Graph Tool

Bass Accuracy 
 

8.4
7.0

Bass  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Bass
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Bass
 Compare in Graph Tool

Std. Err. 
 

2.25 dB
4.74 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

10 Hz
20.59 Hz

Low-Bass 
 

-3.4 dB
-0.07 dB

Mid-Bass 
 

-0.05 dB
5.12 dB

High-Bass 
 

2.53 dB
6.86 dB
Show Text 

Mid Accuracy 
 

7.1
9.1

Mid  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Mid
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Mid
 Compare in Graph Tool

Std. Err. 
 

3.88 dB
1.22 dB

Low-Mid 
 

0.58 dB
0.57 dB

Mid-Mid 
 

-1.88 dB
0.02 dB

High-Mid 
 

-5.94 dB
1.09 dB
Show Text 

Treble Accuracy 
 

6.9
7.6

Treble  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Treble
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Treble
 Compare in Graph Tool

Std. Err. 
 

4.61 dB
3.61 dB

Low-Treble 
 

-5.11 dB
2.6 dB

Mid-Treble 
 

-1.11 dB
3.78 dB

High-Treble 
 

-8.17 dB
-5.39 dB
Show Text 

Peaks/Dips 
 

7.5
7.1

Peaks/Dips Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Peaks/Dips Graph
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Peaks/Dips Graph
 Compare in Graph Tool

Peaks 
 

1.58 dB
2.08 dB

Dips 
 

1.35 dB
1.13 dB
Show Text 

Imaging 
 

8.3
8.4

Group Delay  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Group Delay
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Group Delay
 Compare in Graph Tool

Phase Response Mismatch  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Phase Response Mismatch
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Phase Response Mismatch
 Compare in Graph Tool

Weighted Group Delay 
 

0.33
0.4

Weighted Phase Mismatch 
 

4.04
6.82

Weighted Amplitude Mismatch 
 

1.11
0.54

Weighted Frequency Mismatch 
 

1.96
1.76
Show Text 

Passive Soundstage 
 

5.9
6.6

PRTF  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 PRTF
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 PRTF
 Compare in Graph Tool

PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.) 
 

4.97 dB
1.63 dB

PRTF Size (Avg.) 
 

6.71 dB
4.65 dB

PRTF Distance 
 

16.71 dB
12.39 dB

Openness 
 

5.3
5.5

Acoustic Space Excitation 
 

3.3
4.6
Show Text 

Virtual Soundstage 
 

0.0
2.0

Virtual Soundstage 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Virtual Soundstage
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Virtual Soundstage

Head Modeling 
 

No
No

Speaker Modeling 
 

No
On/Off

Room Ambience 
 

No
No

Head Tracking 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

No App
Yes
Show Text 

Weighted Harmonic Distortion 
 

7.8
7.8

Weighted Harmonic Distortion  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Weighted Harmonic Distortion
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Weighted Harmonic Distortion
 Compare in Graph Tool

WHD @ 90 
 

0.240
0.258

WHD @ 100 
 

0.131
0.115
Show Text 

Test Settings 
 

Firmware 
 

No Firmware
Unknown

Power 
 

Passive
On

Connection 
 

Wired
Wired

Codec 
 

PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz

EQ 
 

No EQ
Preset Xbox, Bass Boost On

ANC 
 

No ANC
No ANC

Tip/Pad 
 

Default
Default

Microphone 
 

Boom
Boom
Show Text 
Isolation

Noise Isolation 
 

4.6
4.4

Noise Isolation  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Noise Isolation
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Noise Isolation
 Compare in Graph Tool

Isolation Audio 
 

Overall Attenuation 
 

-13.71 dB
-11.9 dB

Noise Cancelling  

No
No

Bass 
 

-0.14 dB
-0.89 dB

Mid 
 

-8.82 dB
-9.06 dB

Treble 
 

-32.78 dB
-26.4 dB
Show Text 

Leakage 
 

7.1
6.0

Leakage  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Leakage
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Leakage
 Compare in Graph Tool

Leakage Audio 
 

Overall Leakage @ 1ft 
 

38.89 dB
45.15 dB
Show Text 
Microphone

Microphone Style 
 

Integrated 
 

No
No

In-Line 
 

No
No

Boom 
 

Yes
Yes

Detachable Boom 
 

Yes
No

Mic  

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Recording Quality 
 

8.6
7.8

Microphone Frequency Response  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Microphone Frequency Response
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Microphone Frequency Response
 Compare in Graph Tool

Recorded Speech 
 

LFE 
 

20 Hz
204.52 Hz

FR Std. Dev. 
 

2.88 dB
2.73 dB

HFE 
 

8,863.09 Hz
7,240.77 Hz

Weighted THD 
 

0.15
0.445

Gain 
 

29.97 dB
22.62 dB
Show Text 

Noise Handling 
 

7.7
6.0

SpNR  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Arctis 1 SpNR
 Preview Graph
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 SpNR
 Compare in Graph Tool

SpNR 
 

39.46 dB
14.07 dB

Noise Gate 
 

Always On
Always On

Speech + Pink Noise Handling 
 

7.5
6.0

Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample  

Speech + Subway Noise Handling 
 

8.0
6.0

Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample  

Show Text 
Active Features

Battery 
 

0.0
7.6

Battery Type 
 

No Battery
Rechargable

Continuous Battery Life 
 

N/A
16.8 hrs

Additional Charges 
 

N/A
0.0

Total Battery Life 
 

N/A
16.8 hrs

Charge Time 
 

N/A
2.8 hrs

Power-Saving Feature 
 

No
No

Audio While Charging 
 

No
Yes

Passive Playback 
 

Passive Headphone
Yes

Charging Port  

None
USB-C
Show Text 

App Support 
 

0.0
0.0

App Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 App Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 App Picture

App Name  

No App
No App

iOS  

No
No

Android  

No
No

macOS  

No
No

Windows  

No
No

Equalizer 
 

No
No

ANC Control 
 

No
No

Mic Control  

No
No

Room Effects 
 

No
No

Playback Control 
 

No
No

Button Mapping  

No
No

Surround Support 
 

No
No
Show Text 
Connectivity

Bluetooth 
 

0.0
0.0

Bluetooth Version 
 

No Bluetooth
No Bluetooth

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

No
No

NFC Pairing 
 

No
No

Line Of Sight Range 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (SBC) 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (aptX) 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (aptX HD) 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (aptX-LL) 
 

N/A
N/A

iOS Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Android Latency 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 

Non-Bluetooth Wireless 
 

0.0
0.0

Non-BT Line Of Sight Range 
 

N/A
N/A

Non-BT Latency 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 

Wired 
 

9.0
9.0

Cable Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Cable Picture
Compare High-Res
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Cable Picture

Analog Audio 
 

Yes
Yes

USB Audio 
 

No
No

Detachable  

No
No

Length  

4.20 ft (1.28 m)
4.27 ft (1.30 m)

Connection 
 

1/8" TRRS
1/8" TRRS

Analog/USB Audio Latency 
 

0 ms
0 ms
Show Text 

PC Compatibility 
 

Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

Wired USB 
 

No
No

Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

PlayStation Compatibility 
 

PS4 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

PS4 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS4 Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

PS5 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

PS5 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS5 Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Xbox Compatibility 
 

Xbox One Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

Xbox One Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox One Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

Xbox Series X|S Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Base/Dock 
 

0.0
0.0

Type 
 

No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock

USB Input 
 

No
No

Line In 
 

No
No

Line Out 
 

No
No

Optical Input 
 

No
No

RCA Input 
 

No
No

Dock Charging 
 

No
No

Power Supply 
 

No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock
Show Text 

Check Price

Black
Arctis 1
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Destiny Edition
Arctis 1
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Midnight Blue
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
Recon 200 Gen 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Back to Top

SteelSeries Arctis 1

Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2

Comments

  1. Comparison
 • Posted 2 years ago

SteelSeries Arctis 1 vs Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2: Main Discussion

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