Turtle Beach Headsets: A Buyer’s Guide

Are you a gamer in need of a superb headset to aid you in defeating the enemy? Or perhaps you’re a music lover looking for the perfect bass? Are you aiming for something high-end or maybe you’re on a tight budget? No matter your answers, the correct response just might be “Turtle Beach”. 

With roots dating back to the ’70s and a steady flow of gaming headset releases since 2005, Turtle Beach is among the market’s leaders where audio is concerned. Focusing primarily on catering to gamers, their products are often ranked among the best headsets on the market.

We believe that Turtle Beach has something in store for everyone. Let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer.

Why Buy A Turtle Beach Headset?

Turtle Beach paved the way for gaming headsets to become a common occurrence. They are pioneers, having introduced the first high-quality console gaming headset — the X51. Since then, they have branched out to introduce headsets for all kinds of platforms: Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo, PC, Mac, and even mobile/tablet devices.

While their headset options are tailored to the unique needs of gamers, casual and competitive alike, they don’t fall behind in terms of audio quality. Turtle Beach headphones will satisfy even an audiophile, all the while making sure that you can hear everything that happens in your game.

Their motto is “Hear Everything. Defeat Everyone”, and based on countless reviews, it’s clear that it rings true. Whether you’re upgrading from an older model or getting your first gaming headset ever, you’re sure to notice a drastic difference in how much you hear. The enemies won’t sneak up on you if you can hear the tiniest hint of a whisper as clear as day.

Turtle Beach makes headsets that are suitable both for high-end needs and for those of us that are on a budget. They have an impressive cost-to-performance ratio. No matter which model you go with, we don’t think you’ll regret your investment.

Where Can You Buy A Turtle Beach Headset?

Turtle Beach, being a known brand, has its products in high availability all over the internet. You can find them in brick and mortar stores, too. Keep in mind that buying in person may sometimes result in slightly increased prices, depending on a particular shop’s policy. There’s also the question of whether they will have your desired model in stock.

For the above reasons, we usually recommend heading over to Amazon. A wide variety of gaming headsets is always readily available, and the prices tend to be as competitive as they ever get. 

You can also buy from Turtle Beach directly. They often have good sales around Black Friday, but if you’re looking to buy a headset sooner, Amazon might be your best bet.

Which Turtle Beach Headset Is Best For You?

Turtle Beach offers a wide range of headsets suited to fit every gamer. They have both smaller, more compact models, as well as big options that enclose your entire ear. Both do a great job at making sure that you won’t hear a peep from the world outside of your game.

The headsets come in wireless and wired varieties with a large range of different colors and styles. The one thing that’s characteristic about all of them is the Turtle Beach logo: two, often colored, palm trees, which are usually found on the outer sides of the headphones.

There are headsets that are suited to the needs of every gamer, from PS to PC and even mobile. However, if you’re a multi-platform gamer, no worries — Turtle Beach has options that are adjustable and work with many different devices.

Aside from all manner of headsets, they also have a couple of other things on sale, including standalone microphones that are favored by, as an example, streamers.

It’s important that you pick the headset that is sure to fulfill your unique needs, depending on the platform, wireless vs wired, and other factors. Below are some of our favorite Turtle Beach headset options.

Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2

The Elite Pro 2 is one of Turtle Beach’s flagship models and ranks among the best gaming headsets on the market. This is an all-in-one headset that serves gamers across multiple platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.

It comes in two color options: black and white, both stylish and most of all, very comfortable to wear. The headphones are large and equipped with Aerofit Ear Cushions which are made from a combination of smooth athletic fabric and cooling gel-infused memory foam. This is especially important for those gamers that like to play for hours on end. Your ears won’t get hot (which is an unfortunate side-effect of some gaming headsets) and you’ll remain comfortable for a long time.

The headphones, aside from comfort, also do a superb job at blocking out external noises. You won’t miss the enemy sneaking up on you just because your neighbor is making a ruckus — you can game on regardless of circumstances.

Speaking of blocking out external noises, the microphone in this model is one of our favorites and it ensures that your voice is always clear and void of static or any other interruptions.

The metal headband has a suspended pad that makes it comfy and adaptable to every user’s needs. The memory foam ear cushions are swappable, and Turtle Beach has a bunch of different options if you’re looking to change.

Do you wear glasses? You’re probably familiar with the unpleasant pressure that some of us feel when wearing headphones on top of our glasses. Turtle Beach has taken that into consideration and fixed the issue. No contacts needed — stick to your glasses if you like!

Turtle Beach Stealth 600

As Turtle Beach first started out by making a console gaming headset, it’s no wonder that they dominate the market when it comes to that particular niche. One of their best options is the Stealth 600 PS4 and PS4 Pro wireless headset. It’s also supposed to work with Nintendo Switch, but only in docked mode.

Wireless headsets are nice all around, but they’re made even more important for console gamers. When you’re sitting by the PC, the wire is less of a nuisance than when you’re on your sofa, gaming on your Playstation. This makes this headset particularly awesome — it’s 100% wireless.

It uses smart channel-hopping technology that offers top-notch audio and crystal clear chat audio. Thanks to Turtle Beach’s well-loved surround sound, you can expect some of the most immersive and satisfying wireless audio available on the market.

The headphones are large and completely encompass your ears at no cost to your wearing comfort. With cushions wrapped in breathable mesh fabric and a glasses-friendly design, these are the headphones to wear if you like to keep playing for many hours in a row.

We especially like the audio quality here, which is truly superb — you’ll be able to hear the enemy sneaking up on you without fail. However, when the time comes to put down your controller and watch a movie, you’ll love the thundering bass and overall gorgeous sound quality.

The price-to-performance factor here is very much in Turtle Beach’s favor. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better wireless headset for your PS4 at this price.

Turtle Beach Recon 200

This is yet another multi-platform headset. Initially designed for Xbox One and PS4, it also supports Nintendo Switch, mobile, and PC — and it does a fantastic job with them all.

While it is a wired option, the sound quality alone makes up for the slight limitations to your freedom of movement. This particular model features surround sound for Xbox One, as well as being compatible with Windows 10 PCs. Ranging from whisper-like noises to the loudest explosion, the audio is incredibly engaging and keeps you in the moment.

The microphone has an interesting feature: it’s a flip-up mic. It picks up your voice loud and clear thanks to the high sensitivity, but when you flip it up, it’s muted. This is very handy if, as an example, you’re snacking mid-game and want to spare your teammates the accompanying sounds. No need to go through settings — just move the microphone accordingly.

Variable microphone monitoring means that you can hear yourself and adjust the volume within your headset, making sure you don’t have to shout. Save the shouting for the heat of the moment in those intense games!

Price-wise, this is a budget option and will save you a whole lot of money. However, the sound quality speaks for itself and it’s nowhere near the “budget” range. This is a solid headset that will satisfy even more demanding users.

Turtle Beach Recon 50X

Turtle Beach excels at making its products accessible to gamers of all walks of life, and as such, this is yet another headset that has multi-platform compatibility. It’s designed for PS4 and Xbox One, but it’s suitable for PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile users just as well.

This stylish white/green headset is surprisingly lightweight and, like their other headsets, is a testament to Turtle Beach’s dedication to comfort. The large (40mm) ear cushions are wrapped in synthetic leather and fold flat when you’re not using them, saving space.

As for the microphone, we found it to offer great audio quality. It’s remarkably sensitive and adjustable, but that’s not all: it’s also removable. If you’re done gaming for the night and want to put on a movie or listen to music, you can do so without the mic getting in the way.

Stereo sound promises not just a good standard, but also a feeling of immersion when you use this headset. You’ll be able to tell exactly where the enemy is coming from, which will give you an edge in all of your games.

Tens of thousands of users can’t be wrong — this is a solid option for all gamers, but also casual users that want to find a memorable audio experience without breaking into their savings account.

Wired Or Wireless?

When the time comes for you to get yourself a new headset, we can bet that one of the things you’re weighing in is the wired vs. wireless dilemma. Which one to pick? Which one is most tailored to your particular needs?

While there is no easy one-size-fits-all answer to that question, we still want to help you take your pick. Let’s chat about the different factors that come into play here.

Sound Quality

Wired headsets offer better sound quality: true or false? The short answer is: somewhat true, but nowhere near as much as just a few years ago.

For a long time, the general consensus was that wired headsets offer infinitely better sound quality. Wireless headsets suffered from issues such as interference, latency, or even breaking off mid-use. At the cost of freedom and comfort, we had to put up with a couple of annoyances that sometimes rendered the headsets unusable.

Those days are, fortunately, long gone. Many companies, Turtle Beach included, have spent countless resources on perfecting wireless headsets and bringing them up to speed in terms of performance. However, there are still some ways in which wired headsets may be objectively referred to as better:

  • No interference — wireless headsets have improved a lot over the years, but their wired counterparts guarantee good performance
  • Cheaper — wireless headsets are generally a little more expensive

On the other hand, wireless headsets are:

  • More comfortable — you can use them wherever without the limitations of a wire
  • Easier to use for console gaming — as you’re often sitting on the sofa and away from the TV, you’re going to miss the freedom of wireless if you switch to wired

All in all, more than ever, it now comes down to preference. It’s a question of comfort vs. pure performance. Even then, the most high-end wireless headsets are both comfy and top-quality. The budget comes into play here, too, but it’s mostly all about you and what you like more.

Turtle Beach Vs. Razer

If you’re on the market for a new gaming headset, you’ve certainly considered not just Turtle Beach but also Razer. Razer and Turtle Beach are amongst the earliest headset manufacturers. Together with a few more brands, they make up the list of leaders of the market. But which brand is better?

Like the above question regarding choosing between wired and wireless headsets, there’s no clear-cut answer. Both the brands have their strengths and both dominate a large portion of the gaming headsets industry. In Razer’s case, the so-called domination stretches towards the general gaming market, as they have a bunch of other products, ranging from mice to their gaming laptops.

Turtle Beach headsets have a couple of features that aren’t often found in Razer’s rival products, such as Bluetooth support and microphone monitoring (you can hear yourself inside the headset to adjust it well). Razer headphones, on the other hand, are widely renowned for their comfort.

Ultimately, both brands bring something good to the table. If you want to take a look at Razer’s headsets, you can check out their flagship model: the multi-platform version of Razer Kraken.

Our Verdict

Turtle Beach makes some of the best gaming headsets on the market. Their products are versatile enough to be suited for both competitive players and casual users. Even if you’re not that into gaming and just want to listen to music, you would not be disappointed with your purchase.

Covering all the possible gaming platforms and a wide range of prices, Turtle Beach ensures that its products are as accessible as can be. If you’re looking to combine comfort with top-notch performance, we believe you’d be happy with Turtle Beach.