The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max has a rather cumbersome name, but much of it comes from the pedigree of this headset, an upgrade to a second-generation wireless headset that is one of the best in its class. It’s more expensive, but also downright better – and it’s one of my favorite gaming headsets on the market right now.
In terms of core features, this new Max model is largely similar to the original Stealth 700 Gen 2. It builds on several years and other models of Turtle Beach headset, and as a result is pretty damn sharp in all the stats that matter. to do .
It is comfortable and can be worn for hours, for example. It feels about as sturdy as a lightweight wireless headset can be, and seems to withstand the standard wear and tear that comes from putting it on, hastily pulling it off, and tossing it to one side of the couch – although I’d don’t really want to sit.
In particular, I’m a big fan of the materials used for the headset and the design, which I think is a pretty good way to bridge the ‘gamer’ aesthetic, but without over-the-top RGB lighting and a screaming, edgy aesthetic that would make this something you wouldn’t want to wear in public. That’s important too – this headset has both console and bluetooth capabilities, meaning you can use it for gaming, as well as a headset while on the go, for music, phone calls or portable gaming on a phone or other device. .
The biggest change in this new ‘Max’ variant is actually the battery life of the headset, with Turtle Beach claiming the set will last over 40 hours. A number of tests in the VG247’s highly unscientific lab show that this figure is correct – it’s a bit far below some other general wireless headsets, but towards the top of gaming-specific sets. Even if the battery runs out, it can be charged quickly, meaning that if you plug it in via USB-C for ten or fifteen minutes, you can get up to seven or eight hours of action.
Convenience is the name of the game, really. The battery life is handy. So is the connectivity. There’s wide compatibility here, with the headset’s full suite of features being compatible with all Xbox One and Xbox series consoles, PS4, PS5, Switch, phones, PCs, including the Steam Deck. There are two ways to connect: Bluetooth or a USB dongle that connects the headset via a 2.4 GHz wireless signal.
Let’s discuss the dongle first. I tested this on both Xbox (for which the headset I tested is primarily sold), PS5 and PC, each time connecting it to the device quickly and painlessly. This should theoretically work on a docked switch as well, or even on Steam Deck with a USB adapter. The dongle has a specific ‘Xbox’ mode, which unlocks additional benefits on that platform, but it works elsewhere too – just flip the switch on the dongle to ‘USB’.
However, the other method is just as viable: Bluetooth. This is also compatible with all of the above, although you may get more features with the dongle on certain devices. One nifty little feature is the ability to have both Bluetooth and Dongle connections at once – allowing you to pair your phone and take calls without interrupting your game audio, with the volume carefully balanced between the two audio sources. It also allows you to get up, leave your gaming session and walk out the door while your headset is still listening to music or a podcast on your phone. This is a niche position, but one that I really appreciate.
All this combined with that hefty battery life and other clever design changes, such as a better padded headband, to create a much better headset overall. My biggest flaw actually remains the software available on PC and mobile – which is good on paper, but a bit nonsense in practice. For Turtle Beach to offer additional software to power its headsets, it must be good, reliable and widely compatible. At the moment that is not the case. Fortunately, the headset works fine without it.
I found the headset good at blocking out the sounds of the world, but when I turned it on loud, I got a complaint of sound leakage from my partner – so maybe don’t put it too loud on the train, so as not to disturb others if it’s loud is a priority, keep that in mind.
Sound quality is of course king. If you come from Turtle Beach, you know what to expect: it’s good. One of the strengths of this company is that it is above its price range in terms of sound quality – but this headset is on the expensive side so has less of that. At $200/£180, though, it’s feature-rich and really has a premium quality feel that’s hard to find in the gaming space. That price puts it about $50 more than its no-max predecessor — but a slew of minor tweaks and upgrades, including the extended battery, are worth that point.
All this isn’t to say the sound quality is bad though – it’s worth the money. It has 7.1 surround sound, is Dolby Atmos compatible and also works with the PS5’s 3D audio feature. The built-in mic is good enough for online play, although you’re unlikely to want to podcast with it – you’d need a dedicated mic for that. I love that the microphone mutes itself when you push it up, out of sight – this is a smart alternative to a physical mute button.
The price feels a little steep, but I actually think this is my favorite of all the Turtle Beach headsets I’ve reviewed over the years. It’s a real quality piece of equipment – as long as you have the budget. It’s an easy recommendation and addition to our list of the best gaming headsets.
Tested on Xbox Series X, Series S, PC (Windows 10), mobile (Google Pixel 6), Nintendo Switch and PS5. The manufacturer has provided a headset for testing.
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