Turtle Beach has returned once again with a refresh of one of its most staple headsets.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 has entered its third generation for 2024, maintaining the $99 price point (on Amazon) while simultaneously expanding the feature set. It's rare in today's economy that we see features being added on top rather than taken away (shrinkflation says hi) but Turtle Beach is here to buck the trend. As someone who fears opening their banking app day to day, it's more than welcome to see.
Turtle Beach's Stealth 600 (Gen-3) goes incredibly hard when it comes to the most important features gamers want in 2024. Multi-platform interoperability, solid audio and mic performance, and absolutely gargantuan battery life at 80 hours. Is it all too good to be true?
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) isn't perfect by any means — a feat that's hard to pull off while also remaining affordable and profitable simultaneously. Still, the imperfections are few, and hardly break the proposition here. The Stealth 600 (Gen-3) is an excellent headset, and is arguably the best Xbox headset for affordable wireless multiplatform use right now.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3): Pricing and Specs
• Price: $99.99 at Amazon.
• Compatibility: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC, Steam Deck, Bluetooth 5.2 mobile devices.
• Audio spec: 50mm neodymium, 20Hz - 20kHz freq. response.
• Features: Flip-to-mute mic, lay flat design, PC config app, 10-band EQ config, adjustable mic monitoring sidetone, Superhuman Hearing tactical sound enhancement modes.
• Battery life: 80 hours playback with fast charge USB-C.
• In the box: Headset, USB wireless dongle, USB-C charge cable, silica pouch (don't eat it).
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) rocks a familiar price point for anyone keeping track. At $99, it enters the entry-level range for wireless headsets, and although there are cheaper options on the market (including from Turtle Beach itself with their Stealth 500), the compromises are numerous once you start hitting the below $99 range. I was surprised to find that the Stealth 600 brings across features that were typically reserved for pricier options, like their former Stealth 700 line of yesteryear, incorporating Bluetooth support, as well as robust configuration options and features like variable mic monitoring.
Of course, a headset is only as good as it sounds, though. Luckily, I would argue that Turtle Beach has done a solid job here too, although we'll get into more detail in the next sections. The headset also sports monster 80-hour battery life as mentioned, coming with a USB-C "fast charging" cable in the box, alongside a small USB dongle for pairing with Xbox or PC. The "PC" mode on the dongle can also pair PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles, owing to their more open hardware security standards. Microsoft still requires headset makers to include a special security chip for accessories made for Xbox, though.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) is generally available at all major retailers, typically for $99.99 across Amazon, Best Buy, and Turtle Beach's own website. The headset launched initially in May 2024, and has already picked up a couple of mandatory firmware updates via Turtle Beach's Swarm II PC app.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3): Design and Comfort
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) doesn't buck design trends that have been prevalent over the last few years, maintaining a subtle, functional style that finds itself applicable to a variety of scenarios. You wouldn't look out of place using this headset for music out and about on your daily commute, as long as you flip the microphone into its muted, hidden position that is. It's also heavily adjustable, stretching to accommodate even the largest noggins like my own.
It sports more generous cushioning too than its slightly cheaper Stealth 500 cousin, with thick memory foam across the headband and "athletic" fabric memory foam across the ear cups. The foam is also channelled to accommodate thick glasses arms if you wear them, which is a nice touch.
On the left earcup is an array of controls and buttons. They sport different shapes and sizes, which might seem tacky at first glance, but the point is that it makes them easier to feel out while you're wearing the headset. They're all raised too, making them easy to action, and they have a tactile feel and audio tones when activated.
On the headset itself, you get chat/game audio mix dial, master volume dial, a mode switching button, a Bluetooth multi-function button, as well as a multi-functional power buttons. You can assign the different buttons and dials to different functions using the Turtle Beach Swarm II app on PC, which is a nice touch, as long as you actually have a PC however. I'd like to see Turtle Beach bring this app to Xbox or mobile to support those who don't have easy access to a laptop, alas, we're not quite there yet. Razer and Astro have Turtle Beach beat on this front, but I hazard that most people do have access to a PC for this type of stuff, hopefully. Still, it's worth being aware of. We'll get more into how the app works for audio in the next section.
The big elephant in the room for me is the Bluetooth implementation. Previous Turtle Beach headsets like the Stealth 700 included Bluetooth, but they also allowed you to combine the audio from a Bluetooth source with the audio from a USB source. So you could be in a Discord call on your PC via Bluetooth while feeding gaming audio in from your Xbox via USB. Here, you can only do one or the other. Although admittedly, mixing signals has given Turtle Beach and other manufacturers headaches in the past, generating interference and the like. My current headset, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, does include the functionality to mix Bluetooth and USB audio completely interference free, but they're also over 3x more expensive than this headset. I would've liked to have seen dual signal integration here, but the ability to switch between a Bluetooth device and a USB device on the fly with a single button press is at least a nice compromise. Although, even that can be a bit finnicky at times.
On construction, the plastics used in the headband are impressively flexible, I was able to twist the headband fairly far before being concerned the tension might make it snap. I feel as though it would probably withstand a fair amount of punishment, even if given to youngsters. The earcups themselves do feel a bit hollow, and lack that dense feeling that more expensive products often sport, but it's not much of a concern when they're on your head. They are light weight, and comfortable, ticking all of the right boxes.
How does the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) perform, though? Let's continue the review.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3): Audio Quality and Features
I generally like the Turtle Beach sound, especially given how much you pay for them. The Stealth 600 (Gen-3) doesn't break the streak here, and that could be considered good or bad depending on your perspective. The audio quality is very good, but it's not exactly mind-blowing, but I do feel like what's being presented does offer good value for money overall.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 uses 50mm Turtle Beach "NanoClear" drivers with a 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response, complete with 10-channel EQ configuration options via the Swarm II app on PC. You can assign pre-set or custom-made EQ configs via the app, which is a nice touch if you do have a PC available to set it up.
In review, I felt like the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) offers great bass without being overwhelming in the standard mode, even without tweaks. But I felt like overly treble-y for my tastes personally. The highs were prominent and crispy, and maybe even a bit too crunchy even in standard mode. I think a lot of people will want to dive in and tweak the EQs on this to get a better overall feel, but I did feel like the mids and highs were a bit treble-y and lacked definition in some ways, even though the bass comes through quite warm and inviting, in contrast. I would say the soundstage overall is solid though, even without tweaks, and you get a decent cinematic experience in games like Elden Ring right out of the box. I will say it also excels at positional sound. I noticed insects buzzing in my ear and shuffling enemy positions that I didn't notice previously with my TV audio while using the Stealth 600 (Gen-3).
Overall, I would say the audio quality is solid, although it won't win any awards on that alone. It punches above its weight in the configuration department, though.
While I'm slightly irked Swarm II isn't available on Android or Xbox, it works well on PC and comes with a ton of options. As soon as I plugged the dongle in and flipped the switch to PC mode, it immediately detected the headset and updated the firmware without issue. It offers a broad array of EQ customizability, as well as mic monitoring sidetone volume which I felt was too quiet out of the box. The quality of the side tone is not the best, however, but it gets the job done. More on the mic shortly.
I know Superhuman Hearing from Turtle Beach is something of a controversial topic, but I have to say that I'm a fan. Superhuman Hearing mode is Turtle Beach's oft-criticized audio profile that emphasizes sound effects like footsteps and enemy reloads, and things like that, that often sit in the high range. You can turn it on and off at will, and I would generally turn it off for music or a cinematic game, since it does sound "unnatural" and overly processed. However, it has helped me pick out enemy movements more accurately than I might've been able to otherwise in games like Battlefield and Call of Duty. It sucks some of the bass and "cinematic" feel out of the soundscape, but the tactical advantage can feel almost dirty. It's nice to see it return, because sometimes Turtle Beach has reserved it for more expensive cans.
Speaking of cost, I find that headsets often look to mic quality as a way to find cost savings when making affordable headsets, but I'm happy to report this isn't the case with the Stealth 600 (Gen-3). And sure, you're not going to be doing content creation on this thing most likely, but for Xbox Live chatter or comms on Discord and the like, it's very, very capable, and comes with a range of tweaks you can set up using the Swarm II PC app. You can control the noise gate which is good for choking sniffles or coughs for the sake of your friends, but sometimes it can be a little too aggressive and cut off the start of your sentences while talking. It has some form of "A.I.-based" noise cancellation tech, apparently, although I'm not sure exactly what that means in practice. What I do know is, I had a very powerful fan on and the window open while I recorded the below mic sample, and they don't come through at all in the sound profile.
For the price, I'm more than satisfied with what the Stealth 600 (Gen-3) puts on offer from a sound perspective here. You might need to adjust the EQ a bit to balance it out a bit for your preferences, but at least you can do that. If you have a PC that is.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3): Competition
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) has a lot of competitors at $99, and arguably even below that price point. The similarly wireless Turtle Beach Stealth 500 (2024 edition) for example is $79 on Amazon, netting you a decent $20 saving. The only real differences include the construction, which takes a step down over the Stealth 600, but also the battery life, which is cut down from 80 hours to around 40 hours. 40 hours is no slouch, and you could put that $20 saving towards some Vbucks or something.
The similarly priced official Xbox Wireless Headset is also $99 on Amazon, and gives you a comparable experience. I would argue that the 80+ hour battery life on the Stealth 600 (Gen-3), better sound, and the configuration app gives it a decent edge over Microsoft's solution. Although, the Xbox Wireless Headset will let you combine a Bluetooth and USB audio signal simultaneously, if you want that functionality.
I personally think that the Stealth 600 (Gen-3) beats the comparable A20 from Astro without a doubt, and probably most other $99 priced wireless headsets in this range. However, if you can find a good deal on a Corsair HS75 XB, that, in my view, does probably beat out the Stealth 600 for raw audio quality alone. The downside there is that it's absolutely zero frills: no configuration, no Bluetooth, and very little stock from what I can tell. Although, I did find a Corsair HS75 XB on Amazon Renewed for $80. I'm not sure whether they're still being stocked. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Stealth 600 (Gen-3) if you do opt for it over all these, though.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3): Should you buy it?
• Best Xbox headsets / PC headsets
• Best Xbox controllers
• Best Xbox accessories
• Best small gaming PCs
• Best gaming laptops
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) was a fun headset to review. I don't think it'll win any Oscars, but it's a very capable headset and a good evolution of the line up that I've become very familiar with over the years. The battery life is incredibly convenient for those who don't fancy doing regular charge cycles, and the multi-platform capabilities are sensible for today's multi-platform gaming lifestyle.
They feel comfortable and hard-wearing, with a solid app experience, a good microphone for the price point, and the type of versatility and configurability that you're often more likely to see at the higher end.
You should buy this if ...
You should not buy this if ...
While I was disappointed that they essentially require a PC to perform configurations, and the out-of-the-box EQ felt a bit unbalanced to me overall, the value is generally undeniable here. With the right set up, the Stealth 600 (Gen-3) is basically an all-day, every day type of headset, able to accompany you on a daily commute for music, and then instantly flip over to your Xbox or PlayStation with the push of a button. The vast degree of control the Swarm II app gives you over your experience is welcomed and generous, and I was surprised how much the microphone quality punches above its weight, too.
If you're looking for a $99 headset and don't mind the areas of compromise, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen-3) will not disappoint.
