What do you value in a gaming headset? Usually it’s a battle between your budget and performance; comfort and compatibility; battery life; and presentability. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max doesn’t win on all of these fronts, but it comes as close as you could reasonably expect at $199 / £179.
Turtle Beach builds on the success of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 – long regarded as one of the best gaming headsets and best Xbox Series X headsets on the market – for this Max repack, which adds extra spice where it really matters. The battery life is huge, the headband is arguably more comfortable, and Turtle Beach has been able to figure out compatibility with all platforms, making the utility one of the most exciting components of the pack.
Compatibility
But how much does that compatibility really matter? It’s an interesting question, and the answer will probably prompt you to pick up the new Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max or its predecessor, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2, which is $50 cheaper.
Turtle Beach has made sure that the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max can connect to any major video game platform. The wireless gaming headset pairs via Bluetooth with your mobile device and Nintendo Switch in handheld mode, so you can listen to music, movies or games on the go without drama. Plus, with an included USB transmitter, the Max can be linked to any platform that needs it: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and a docked Nintendo Switch.
This type of compatibility is truly phenomenal and sadly lacking in all too many of the top sets. And thanks to the 2.4GHz wireless connection, you should experience near-instantaneous pairing, as well as uninterrupted audio connection. Keeping track of another dongle might frustrate some of you, but for those who want to use one great headset across all your devices, with no hassle or setup hassles, it’s a game changer – reflecting the flexibility of the Razer Barracuda Pro we recently got. also reviewed (minus Xbox compatibility, admittedly).
Form and functionality
What’s the point of switching the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max to every imaginable device in your house if the juice runs out after just a few hours of good use? There would be little. Fortunately, Turtle Beach has nearly doubled its battery life over its predecessor. During my testing, I was able to charge for about 40 hours from the Max, which is pretty damn awesome.
The same praise can be placed on the Max headband, which comes equipped with a bit of extra padding compared to the regular Stealth 700 Gen 2. It’s comfortable during long play sections, doesn’t get too hot, and the closed cans aren’t all that tight around. the ears. Some of you may wish for a little more flexibility in your headband, especially if you plan on taking it with you, but that’s a matter of personal preference.
Speaking of preference, there are elements of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max that I’m not a big fan of. If I had to find a complaint with this headset, it really comes down to control. On the underside of the left earcup you’ll find a series of wheels that let you toggle the volume for audio and voice – the flip-down mic is solid, but unspectacular in terms of clarity – and buttons that let you switch between preset sound modes. While it feels a bit unreasonable to expect the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max to offer onboard EQ control within this price range, it’s a shame to see it missing even from the dedicated Audio Hub phone app.
This link provides minimal ability to change the balance of in-game audio and change the behavior of the ‘Mode’ button, although the offerings are largely insignificant. Just like Turtle Beach’s ‘Superhuman Hearing’ functionality, which you’ll want to disable permanently. The mode supposedly picks up nuances of individual moves in online shooters, but I found the mix muddy. If clarity is more important to you than cacophony in large-scale firefights, you’ll want to avoid it.
Should you buy the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX?
Overall, there really is very little that works against the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max. The battery life, compatibility and functionality are all fantastic, and as an added bonus, the sound quality is also damn fantastic. Whether you pair this thing with Dolby Atmos on Xbox Series X for virtual 7.1 surround sound, 3D Audio on PS5, or just use it au naturel, there’s a depth and clarity here that’s really impressive for the price. I was particularly impressed with how layered and balanced the sound felt in both single player and multiplayer games, although that only speaks for the quality of those returning 50mm neodymium drivers.
Here’s the thing: If you already own a pair of Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2s, it’s hard to say whether it’s worth upgrading to the Max – it really depends on how much you value cross-platform compatibility. But if you’re looking for a really good mid-range gaming headset, or want to upgrade as more manufacturers roll out devices for the next generation of consoles, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is easy. highly recommended and probably the best Turtle Beach headset on the market today.
How we tested the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2
I spent several weeks testing the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max at home and using it as my primary way of interacting with video games, music, and entertainment.
I tested the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max with games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Call of Duty: Warzone, as well as modern action movies like John Wick and Mad Max, and older TV shows like NCIS. I also used the Turtle Beach headset attached to my phone and laptop to test its capabilities with apps like Spotify and Zoom.
You can read more about how we test gaming headsets here, and more about our general approach to hardware in our full GameMe+ Hardware Policy.
If you’re looking for the big hitters from some of the other top brands, check out our roundups of the best Razer headsetsand the best Sennheiser gaming headsets to keep your options open.
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