REVIEW: Turtle Beach Stealth 700, 600 MAX headsets

BY M4D SKI11Z

THE HOUSTON GAMER

Company: Turtle Beach

Product type: wireless gaming headsets

Price: $149 for Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX multiplatform model, $99 for Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX

Connectivity: USB type A dongle for both versions; Stealth 700 adds Bluetooth

THERE ARE THREE KEY REQUIREMENTS, IMHO, that make video gaming headphones awesome: great sound (multiple listening modes, please), great construction and comfortable fit, and lastly, offers Bluetooth connectivity. Turtle Beach’s offerings have two of my three requirements, but their Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX checks all the boxes.

Produced by vet gaming audio titan, Turtle Beach, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX and the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX gaming headsets are mid-tier headsets in an ever-expanding field of gaming audio companies.

Turtle Beach sent both for review (the 600s arrived as I was leaving for a kidney transplant!mShoutouts to my UPS drivers) and used the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headset in Tulane Hospital in New Orleans, on my PS4 Pro, my 4K smart LED TV and my iPhone 12 Pro MAX. It’s definitely a very versatile headset.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For the sake of this review, I will drop the official names of each headset, I’ll just refer to the headsets by their numbers (600, 700)

Turtle Beach sent the Stealth 700 first. The great news? It was an amazing gaming headset. The drawback? It’s the older version that’s not multiplatform, only flavored for PlayStation consoles. I tried to connect it to my Series X, to no avail.

The Stealth 700 headset did connect with my PlayStation 4 Pto, with some configuration settings via YouTube videos. The Stealth 600 connected out of the box on my Series X, as well as my Xbox One S.

The 700 worked after going into the PS4’s audio settings. The 700 and 600 offer multiple sound modes to enhance your gaming sessions. The headsets also have hideaway microphone that fold flush into the headset ear cups.

The headsets differ different trims and finishes. The 600 headset has cloth material on the ear cups, as well as the headband. The 700 have replaceable ear cups, which have a leather-like finish. The headband feels like memory foam and conforms to your head.

The finishes aren’t the only differences between the 600 and 700. The 600 has one way to connect to consoles (The older 600s come configured for Xbox or PlayStation. If you get one for the PS consoles, you can’t use it on an Xbox, or vice-versa. The 600 and 700 headsets both can connect to the Nintendo Switch and PC by switching a small button on the USB dongle. However, neither Stealth headset has a 3.5 mm input, so you can only use the headsets wirelessly.

The 600 can only connect to consoles, PC via the USB dongle. It lacks Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, if you lose the dongle (I lost my 700 dongle), you have to buy a replacement USB dongle or buy a new headset.

However, the 700 uses a USB dongle and use Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, you can download Turtle Beach’s app and configure the 700 via Bluetooth. After losing the dongle the first time, I was able to connect the 700 to my 4K TV. By using this method, I was able to use it with my Series X, sans the microphone.

Construction on the 600 is decent. Without Bluetooth, the headset is much lighter than the 700. The 600 is made with lightweight plastic and feels a touch cheap and flimsy. Both Stealth headsets have nonremovable rechargeable batteries, that are charged via a USB Type A to USB Type C cable (included), and a small startup guide.

The 700 features premium plastic finishes. It’s much more sturdy and durable than the 600 headset. It’s heavier than the 600, due to Bluetooth.

Another cool party trick? Using the USB dongle, you sync the headset to the dongle AND your smart device, too. If you are playing a game and receive a phone call, you can pull out the microphone, take your call and still hear your game, at a lowered volume.

SOUNDS: The Stealth headsets both have multiple sound modes. The 600 cloth ear cups keeps sound at bay. However, the 700 dials it up a few notches. The Turtle Beach app gives users the ability to tweak the 700 via smart device Bluetooth, just the way you want it. Want deep, richer highs? Yes. Prefer deep bass? Check.

VERDICT: The Stealth headsets both offer very good gaming audio wirelessly. However, the 600, while cheaper in price, has fewer features and limited use with consoles only. If you lose your USB dongle, good luck. The 700 offers multifunctional capabilities, and can be used with or without the dongle. The 700 has a premium finish and can be synced with the console via dongle, smart devices via Bluetooth.

Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX: 7 (out of 10)

Stealth 709 Gen 2 MAX: 9 (out of 10)