Will Its Retro Look Fare Well on Today’s Gaming Headset Market?
Turtle Beach is well known for its signature headsets; they combine comfort, aesthetics, and sound quality. With competitors racing to land the number one title, Turtle Beach needs to boost its game to stay in the chase.
Now with the arrival of the Stealth 600, a wireless headset with versions for the PS4 and Xbox One (both versions are compatible with PC), the company seeks to determine whether it still got what it takes.
- Xbox wireless: Enjoy a direct connection from your headset to your Xbox One or Xbox Series X console, or compatible Windows 10 PCs (may require Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows (not included)
- Windows sonic surround sound: Windows Sonic for headphones (and compatible Windows 10 PCs) by Microsoft delivers immersive virtual surround sound to bring your games, movies and music to life
- High quality audio: A bigger speaker delivers better quality audio, and the stealth 600 features large, powerful 50 millimeter speakers to deliver crisp highs and deep, thundering lows
- Glasses friendly comfort ear: Cushions are wrapped in a breathable mesh fabric for comfort, and feature Turtle Beach's ProSpecs glasses friendly design which removes pressure on your glasses
- All day battery life: Always be ready to play with up to 15 hours of gaming per charge
Build and Design
The Stealth 600’s design is minimalistic. It’s good looks with no excessive flair. The plastic frame might cause concern to some. It does feel sturdy enough to withstand a fair amount of abuse, but the material used gives out some cheap vibes.
Size-wise, it doesn’t stand out awkwardly on my relatively small head. At 1.28lbs it doesn’t make me uncomfortable even if worn for extended periods.
I can’t help but get some pangs of nostalgia from the Stealth 600’s design. It sure looks like a device coming from an older gaming era where oval-shaped ear cups and bright monochrome streaked designs were prevalent.
This headset comes in versions compatible with PS4 and Xbox One (both versions are compatible with PC), unlike the earlier Turtle Beach Stealth 520 which was a PS4 exclusive.
Headband and Earcups
The headband is adjustable so that you won’t have any trouble regardless of your head size. The Stealth 600’s headband has the iconic Turtle Beach wordmark stamped across the top part. On the underside, it is covered in a thick fabric-wrapped foam cushion that is super soft and comfy.
The outside of the ear cups is a matte black with the Turtle Beach logo. On the left ear cup, you can see the attached flip-up microphone. It is also nicely padded for your convenience. I also like that the foam has two firmness levels to accommodate gamers who wear glasses. There is a softer foam where eyeglass arms rest and the other parts have the same softness as the rest of the cushioned parts.
Controls
The controls of the Stealth 600 are fuss-free and fairly easy to use. I like how the flip-down mic gets conveniently muted when flipped up. The control buttons also have power and mode buttons.
The mode button is for the virtual surround sound mode; it also toggles between a few different EQ presets (signature sound, bass boost, bass and treble boost, and vocal boost).
There is also one more power button function – the switch for the ‘Superhuman hearing’. We will discuss it in the sound quality section. Additional controls for volume and mic monitor volume dials are also available.
Sound Quality
The Stealth 600’s gaming audio performance is impressive and definitely adds to the immersion experience. I tested this headset on ‘Bloodborne’. With its ‘Lovecraftian’ inspiration, the soundtrack will get you in the zone. Thankfully I was not disappointed because the virtual surround sound of the Stealth 600 has helped me hear the world through the ears of ‘The Hunter’. Though it cannot stand up to the audio performance of the ASTRO A40 TR, it still delivers, especially considering the reasonable price.
I also tested the Stealth 600’s 50mm audio drivers playing FPS games with more gunshots and explosions. During my Overwatch sessions, the Turtle Beach’s exclusive ‘Superhuman Hearing’ has lived to its name. You can literally hear everything, from footsteps to doors opening, it is amazing. This feature essentially amplifies minuscule sounds to certain levels, so that footsteps and weapon reload sounds are more intense.
Connectivity
The maximum range of the Stealth 600 as advertised by Turtle Beach is 30 feet. When I first connected the headset, the wireless signal proved flawless. Connectivity with consoles was super easy.
Sadly, this was not the case when I connected the headset to a PC. If this is the first time connecting with the USB cord, it will require a firmware upgrade. It will not be usable during that upgrade.
The Xbox headset version also requires an Xbox One Wireless Adapter to be usable on PC. This is super-hassle and adds additional costs if you game on both Xbox and PC.
Battery Life
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 can run for up to 15 hours on a single charge. I know how the prospect of your headset dropping dead all of a sudden is dreadful. It, however, did not fail me playing ‘Hitman: Absolution’ for a good week, a couple of hours every day.
Microphone Quality
The Stealth 600’s microphone is functional, and that is all. I find the distance from the mouth annoyingly big. As a result, the voice pickup is not that good. During my ‘Discord’ session with the squad, they said my speech was understandable, but the audio sounded unrefined. Sure, it is enough for multiplayer voice chat, but aside from that, it is not that good.
Stealth 600 Alternatives
Final Verdict
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 is a gaming headset that is quite good at its job. The audio quality is on point, crisp and immersive. Wireless connectivity is lag free, and battery life is decent.
There are some drawbacks to consider. The plastic build, to be honest, feels cheap. The material choice could be better. Also, the lack of cross-platform compatibility raises some concerns. There are versions for the major consoles, but those who game on multiple platforms would not be the target audience. Single platform gamers who just want a gaming headset to boost immersion should be happy with this headset, and for the price, it sure is worth it.
- Xbox wireless: Enjoy a direct connection from your headset to your Xbox One or Xbox Series X console, or compatible Windows 10 PCs (may require Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows (not included)
- Windows sonic surround sound: Windows Sonic for headphones (and compatible Windows 10 PCs) by Microsoft delivers immersive virtual surround sound to bring your games, movies and music to life
- High quality audio: A bigger speaker delivers better quality audio, and the stealth 600 features large, powerful 50 millimeter speakers to deliver crisp highs and deep, thundering lows
- Glasses friendly comfort ear: Cushions are wrapped in a breathable mesh fabric for comfort, and feature Turtle Beach's ProSpecs glasses friendly design which removes pressure on your glasses
- All day battery life: Always be ready to play with up to 15 hours of gaming per charge
