Turtle Beach Recon 70 Review: The Entry Level All-Rounder

My old trusty headset, the Turtle Beach 50X, has been a good gaming buddy for quite a while. When I heard about the Turtle Beach Recon 70, I just had to check it out.

Immersion Experience Starter Pack

Turtle Beach has made a name for itself in the gaming headsets industry. Are you familiar with their wide array of selections? They seem to have something for every budget and every platform.

My old trusty headset, the Turtle Beach 50X, has been a good gaming buddy for quite a while. When I heard about the Turtle Beach Recon 70, I just had to check it out. Its predecessor has served me well and created a solid base for high expectations. With multi-platform versions available, I was curious to find out if the Recon series had aged well.

9.4
Turtle Beach Recon 70X Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S
  • WORKS WITH XBOX SERIES X|S - This designed for Xbox One headset has ongoing compatibility with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
  • SURROUND SOUND READY FOR XBOX - Optimized to support spatial audio technologies for immersive gaming audio
  • FLIP-UP MIC - Turtle Beach’s renowned high-sensitivity mic picks up your voice loud and clear to ensure your commands are always heard
  • HIGH-QUALITY 40MM SPEAKERS - Superior 40mm over-ear speakers produce crisp highs and thundering lows
  • LIGHTWEIGHT COMFORT - A lightweight headset design ensures complete comfort 
  • PREMIUM EAR CUSHIONS 
  • MULTIPLATFORM COMPATIBILITY - Designed for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and works great with PS5, PS4, and PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch, and PC & Mobile devices with 3.5mm Connection

Build And Design

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 is available in versions for PS4, Nintendo, and PC. It is nice that the Recon 70 has attempted to create a versatile option, while at the same time maintaining a budget status. For every platform, there is a dedicated matte finish color coating. You can have the white version for the Xbox One S, red for Nintendo Switch, and blue for PlayStation 4.

Build-wise it is not too shabby, given that it’s an all-plastic unit. You might want to be careful when handling it due to the materials used. Though it is notably sturdy and will survive a couple of mishaps, you’ll still need to be cautious to avoid trouble. The headset is also very light at 14.4 ounces. I felt no discomfort during and after heavy use.

Headband

To be honest, I’m not happy with the amount of foam used on the headband. Turtle Beach has acted a little stingy on this department; however, it is still comfortable. A little extra fluff would have made things better. The broad shape of the frame is excellent, and it fits well on the contour of my head.

Ear cups

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 has oval ear cups covered in synthetic leather. I noticed that it feels tacky, but not cheap. I like that the ear cups are adjustable to ensure comfort.

Sound Quality

This headset is in the lower budget spectrum, yet I never doubted the audio quality. Why? Well, my previous Recon 50X did not disappoint me. The Recon 70 has also hit the spot. Bass was not super powerful, but still well present. Mids and highs were crisp and clean. During my testing, I encountered no muddiness, especially on bass-heavy songs.

I ran a playlist with EDM and K-pop. The quality and clarity of the audio were excellent. In the tested songs, I could hear all the instruments and vocals quite well. I watched a few Netflix series and movies too. It picked up the sound cues and effects nicely.

I also spent several hours using the Recon 70 for games, such as ‘The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind’, and ‘Mass Effect 2’. The soundtracks of these games are awesome, and this headset did them justice.

Aside from the RPG binge, I also fired up some ‘CS: GO’. The surround sound was superb, as I could hear footsteps, and could very well pinpoint the direction the enemies originated from. The Recon 70 has done a great job in the immersion department.

Microphone Quality

The Recon 70 has employed a flip-down mic. It feels like it can take a lot before breaking down. However, I must say that the microphone quality is not as solid as it is with the competition in the face of the Razer Thresher Ultimate, for example. During a test call over Discord, I could hear a bit of static. I guess it could be ignored because it did not really disrupt the conversation. Should the mic quality be your priority, then you might think twice.

Recon 70 Alternatives [Comparison Table]

Final Verdict

Turtle Beach Recon 70 is an ideal entry-level headset. Almost everything is great, like audio performance and comfort. I still have my two complaints about the thin foam on the headband and the not-so-good mic. Sure, it can never compare against pricier headphones like Astro TR A40 TR in terms of immersion and sound quality, but at this price point it’s a steal.

9.4
Turtle Beach Recon 70X Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S
  • WORKS WITH XBOX SERIES X|S - This designed for Xbox One headset has ongoing compatibility with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
  • SURROUND SOUND READY FOR XBOX - Optimized to support spatial audio technologies for immersive gaming audio
  • FLIP-UP MIC - Turtle Beach’s renowned high-sensitivity mic picks up your voice loud and clear to ensure your commands are always heard
  • HIGH-QUALITY 40MM SPEAKERS - Superior 40mm over-ear speakers produce crisp highs and thundering lows
  • LIGHTWEIGHT COMFORT - A lightweight headset design ensures complete comfort 
  • PREMIUM EAR CUSHIONS 
  • MULTIPLATFORM COMPATIBILITY - Designed for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and works great with PS5, PS4, and PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch, and PC & Mobile devices with 3.5mm Connection
Tracy has been working for RealGear since the first day it went online. She reads every e-sports related newspaper and website. She is a huge Twitch.tv fan and a gamer with a soft spot for Lineage 2, WoW, and Guild Wars 1 and 2. She says she does not suffer from PvP insanity, she enjoys every minute of it. Tracy defines herself as a person who’d spend two hours customizing a character rather than indulging in an activity that would not be as nearly rewarding as playing games and testing hardware.

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