Xboxaddict.com Article
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 Headset Review
by Peggy Doyle
Technical Specifications:
HEADPHONES
Connectivity: Wireless, Bluetooth
60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers
Frequency Response: 20Hz- 20kHz
MICROPHONE
Uni-Directional, Flip-to-Mute with A.I. based noise reduction
EAR-CUSHION MATERIAL
Hybrid Leatherette & Athletic Weave Fabric, Memory Foam
BATTERY
Rechargeable Lithium Polymer, with up to 80 hours of battery life plus quick charge
Compatibility:
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox One
PC - (Windows 10 & up, USB 2.0 or higher)
PS5
PS4
Bluetooth Equipped Mobile Devices including Steam Deck
Price: $269 CDN/ $199 USD
What's in the Box:
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Wireless Gaming Headset
Two CrossPlay USB Wireless Transmitters (dongles)
0.7m / 2.3ft Charging Cable (USB-A to USB-C)
Quick Start Guide
Turtle Beach is probably one of the first brands of gaming peripherals you'll hear mentioned if you are looking for recommendations for yourself. This is for a reason; the variety of products they create span a wide range of needs and price points and they are constantly looking to improve their offerings. Last October, Turtle Beach dropped their newest wireless gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3. I've been using it as my only headset for a while now and it's easily become the favourite headset I've been lucky enough to review.
The Stealth 700 Gen 3 is a beefy headset, and I was a bit worried that it might be too heavy for me to wear for long periods of time when I first unboxed it. The steel reinforced frame (for durability) and 60mm drivers all encompassed in a stunning colour combination of navy and copper.
In the box, along with the headset and standard paperwork, you'll find a short USB charging cable and 2 USB dongles. The two dongles are due to Xbox having its own propriety chip for connection and the headset also having CrossPlay tech. This means you can use the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 on almost any console you may have. Straight away, the USB cable is too short for my use. While it works, you've need to have a place close to your charge source for it to make sense. I would have preferred to see a longer cord and something more ‘premium', perhaps a braided option, that feels more in like with the quality of the headset. Overall, this is a small detail, but something I did note.
Controls on the outside of the earcup are comprised of numerous buttons and scroll wheels beside the USB-C port. I found the location of these controls to be in a better location than previous models and were easily accessible when I put my hand up to my ear. Bluetooth audio had a separate volume wheel from the 2.4Hz audio, a simple, but nice feature to have included.
Despite its large size, it was deceptively lightweight. Despite not having a ‘ski band' found on other models, there was also no discomfort from the headband resting on my head, even after hours of wear. The memory foam cushions are a hybrid of leatherette and an athletic weave fabric that was extremely comfortable and didn't get too warm during extended wear. As someone who wears glasses, I am happy to report I had no issues with the Stealth 700 Gen 3 fitting comfortably as well. No pressure points.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 is easily the most versatile headset I've reviewed. With the inclusion of 2 dongles, you can have them simultaneously paired to your Xbox and PC or PlayStation at the same time. A button on the right earcup allows you to utilize the CrossPlay tech to switch between them seamlessly. Bluetooth 5.2 is also a possibility here allowing even more connection options. I was able to easily swap between Xbox, PC, my phone etc. With the dual functionality I was able to listen to music via Bluetooth on my phone, while still hearing the game volume on my Xbox. While this wasn't a make-or-break feature for me when looking to purchase a new headset, it might be going forward. I really enjoyed this functionality.
While all the features mentioned above add to the complete package you get with the Stealth 700 Gen 3, I've yet to mention the best feature: the 60mm Eclipse dual drivers. These beauties allow the lows, mids and highs to all come together wonderfully. Gaming headsets sometimes have issues bringing a good bass to the party but the Stealth 700 Gen 3s exceeded my expectations here as well. I've mentioned before that I don't particularly consider myself an audiophile, but I could tell these were an improvement about any other headset I own.
I used the Stealth 700 Gen 3's across a wide variety of games, cozy small games with chip tunes, larger RPGs with sweeping soundtracks, the headset handled each and allowed me to be immersed in the worlds. I don't play a lot of shooters but popped into a few matches of Call of Duty to test out the superhuman hearing, and I could hear the footsteps and gunshots clearly from each direction before I met my demise. For better players than me, this could definitely be an advantage to your game play.
Turtle Beach has its Swarm II software, but I can't speak to it too much. I really wasn't able to get it to work through PC or mobile for me. I'm wondering if it was a regional issue as it has been in the past with a lot of peripheral software. If you can get it to work, there are lots of preset EQ options and the ability to add up to 10 custom ones as well. I'm sure this could have benefits when switching between your favourite games.
The in-line, flip-to-mute mic is still one of the best included with headsets and I have no real complaints with it. The noise reduction seemed to work well as my friends didn't have any complaints about hearing fans, music in the background or my ‘aggressive' keyboard typing when I was testing it with them in game chat or discord. Wind wasn't an issue while taking a phone call outside. The flip to mute folded right beside the ear cup meaning I could have it completely out of my sight line when not in use.
The Turtle Beach site claims that the Stealth 700 Gen 3 has an 80-hour battery life, increased from 40 hours in the previous gen. Although I didn't time it, I find this believable. I play for many hours each day and at the end of a week I still had a significant amount of battery life left. The Quick charge works really well to give a little boost should you need it mid game giving you a few hours of juice in about 15 minutes.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 is easily the best headset I've reviewed and there is a lot to love here. Extremely comfortable for long wear sessions (even while wearing glasses), fantastic audio and a sturdy design. The Xbox version in the cobalt/copper combo is gorgeous as well. CrossPlay is a game changer, and I no longer have a need for multiple headsets to cover every device I have. Also, and incredible battery life. All of these things make the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 an easy recommend for gamers, even at the slightly higher price point. It's well worth the money in my opinion.
** Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 (Xbox version) was provided and reviewed alongside an Xbox Series X, PC, Phone, Tablet and other devices**
Overall: 9.5/ 10
