The best Turtle Beach headsets manage to balance excellent audio with a lower price tag. These traditionally budget-oriented cups have quickly earned their place in both console and PC setups, and with new luxury models hitting the shelves we're seeing more and more unique features appearing across the range as well. Turtle Beach itself has plenty of years under its belt, which has left us with a comprehensive spread of headsets to choose from.
The Stealth, Elite, Recon, and Atlas lines run the gamut of prices and features, with compatibility options for PC, consoles (yes, including Nintendo Switch), and mobile devices to boot. That means they've got entries for all platforms, many of which are considered some of the best gaming headsets on the market.
Of course, the best Turtle Beach headsets are created for games from the ground up. That design mindset manifests in everything from the mic, to the way the speakers are tuned, to the level of comfort you can expect. After all, if you're going to have something on your head for hours on end as you play games and chat with friends about playing games, it had better feel good. Thankfully, Turtle Beach's product line is pretty cozy on your cranium across the board. If you don't mind dropping big bucks you can get a pretty spectacular sound experience, but even the entry-level headsets will feel and sound great.
The quick list
Best overall
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro packs a massive roster of additional features and excellent sound quality, making it the best Turtle Beach option on the market right now.
Best mid-range
With excellent comfort and an impressive battery life, the latest Stealth 600 is the best option for those in a sub-$100 mid-range price category.
Best budget
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 does what you need it to - provide solid audio with a decent microphone. It's a simple but effective affair for those spending less.
Best value
The older Stealth 600 Gen 2 model offers excellent value these days; a wireless connection, fantastic audio, and solid battery life at a fantastic price.
Best wired
If you don't need a wireless connection there's no need to pay for one. The Recon 500 offers a fantastic sound quality for less by sticking to the cable.
Most comfortable
The Turtle Beach Atlas Air is the most comfortable headset we've tested yet, and it's also the best open-back model on the market right now.
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Best earbuds
They've been around for years, but they've stood the test of time. These no-fuss buds are perfect for super portable play whenever you need to plug in.
The best Turtle Beach headset overall
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro marks the brand's return to the high-end space, packing luxurious comfort, excellent sound quality, a wealth of additional features - and the price tag to match. This $329.99 / £279.99 device is at the top end of the price scale, but it's working particularly hard to still offer good value.
Turtle Beach has stormed into this luxury space with a fantastic audio quality that doesn't compromise on features or additional extras.
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro review
There's everything you could ask for here. Besides the luxurious sound and crystal clear microphone, we were impressed by the power of the active noise cancellation in particular. Capable of blocking sounds of up to 25dB out of your gaming experience, without causing too much of an interference with the audio quality, this is some of the best noise cancellation we've experienced in a gaming headset. It's helped by the sound-sealing cups on each side of your noggin, even if that higher clamp force does take a little getting used to.
That's not all, though, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve. Like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (our top pick for the best gaming headset overall), the Stealth Pro packs two hot-swappable batteries. That means you can keep one charge pack juiced up and quickly swap over when running low - no more emergency cables in the middle of a session.
Throw in simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections and long-lasting comfort and you've got everything you would expect from a high-end device in 2023.
Read more: Turtle Beach Stealth Pro review
The best mid-range Turtle Beach headset
We called the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 a jack of all trades in our review, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. The $99.99 headset doesn't claim to do anything particularly fancy, but it's incredible well-priced considering it's a fantastic all-round performer with the versatility to be your audio companion across a wide range of platforms. This is the Turtle Beach headset for those who want some decent kit, but can't break the bank.
Excellent functionality pairs beautifully with a rich soundstage and is topped off with an impressive battery life and a slick design to boot.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 review
Its aesthetic punches well above its price tag, with slimline cups and a particularly crisp white paint job on our review model. While the headband itself could use a little extra cushioning (it started to make itself known a little earlier than usual in my testing), and it's the heaviest model we've tested in this price range, the sturdy metal construction lends a far more premium feel than the cost would suggest. A flip-to-mute microphone is ingeniously hidden inside the cup - this isn't a revolutionary idea by any means, but it's a particularly slick implementation.
The big feature gain compared to the previous generation Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 is Bluetooth 5.2. That means that, provided you pick up the Xbox version, you can run this headset across pretty much anything you can think of. A quick-switch button on the headset itself allows for easy swapping between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth to boot. However, there's no wired option to fall back on. We were seriously impressed with the 80 hour battery life at this price - noting that you'll usually find around 50 - 70 hours of charge in these cheaper sub-$100 wireless headsets.
The Gen 3 carries an upgrade in the all-important audio department as well. Its 50mm drivers pump out a nice, textured sound profile with a robust bassline and an impressive degree of detail further up the range as well. Doom Eternal is energetic and particularly well-served by the punchy lower ranges, while The Last of Us benefitted from a warm dialogue tone. Cranking that volume did reveal some telltale distortion in the bass and a muddier mid-range. Directional audio is passable for casual play, but won't satisfy the most competitive of players with its accuracy.
Read more: Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 review
The best budget Turtle Beach headset
A great budget headset primed for Switch but useful for pretty much everything else.
Turtle Beach Recon 70 review
Those looking for a Turtle Beach headset primed for Nintendo Switch - and that's wallet-friendly - should look no further than the Recon 70. Despite its low price, it's the complete package: good sound with well-balanced bass; a decent microphone; and it's fairly comfortable too. That's a strong start for a headset at the budget end of the spectrum.
Though it does have some drawbacks: it doesn't score as highly with movies or TV, for example. But that's only because it just sticks to its guns and does what its meant to do well: games.
Oh, and don't worry about the many variants that are kicking around out there. Even though there's a Recon 70P, X, and beyond, they're all the same headset with slightly different colors. Whatever one you choose, you'll get excellent value for money.
Read more: Turtle Beach Recon 70 review
The best value Turtle Beach headset
The second generation of Turtle Beach Stealth 600's are a great low-budget wireless headphone that works with Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and PC. With a 15-hour battery life, a comfortable fit for glasses wearers, and finely tuned 50mm speakers, you'll be getting plenty of bang for your buck with these. Set up is a breeze - for the Xbox version it was as simple as turning on the headset straight out of the box and pressing the sync button on it and my Xbox One simultaneously. It immediately synced up and started picking up my voice and in-game volume.
This is certainly a great choice for gaming on a budget, as the sound quality is top-tier and the microphone sensitivity is ideal for those who want to communicate without shouting. However, because of the reasonable price, the headset plastic does feel a bit cheap, especially across the headband and on the ear cups, and unfortunately, the ear cups do get rather uncomfortable after an extended play session (whether that's my funny-shaped ears or not is unclear). Mic monitoring is not a feature I'm a fan of, as it echoes back any noise I make on my end, but luckily it can be turned off via the Turtle Beach audio hub.
In short, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2's are a good sequel to an affordable wireless headset. It looks pretty good, feels pretty good, and sounds great - a no-brainer if you're looking to get a pair of headphones ahead of the next-gen release that won't bankrupt you.
The best wired Turtle Beach headset
You make certain tradeoffs when you impose a budget on yourself. And when you’re shopping for a gaming headset, first to walk the plank are extraneous features and luxurious construction materials. You won’t find these in the Recon 500’s box, then, since Turtle Beach’s latest in the long-running line costs less than $100/£100. What you do find, crucially, is sound so good it takes you aback.
Replete with fancy features this is not, but the sheer sound quality of Turtle Beach’s remixed Recon elevates it above the vast majority of budget headsets.
Turtle Beach Recon 500 review
Wood composite injection technology. 60mm drivers. Dedicated woofers and tweeters per earcup. It doesn’t sound like the recipe for crisp, precise sound, and yet it all comes together in a powerful surge of ultra-responsive bass, detailed high end, and a pleasingly flat EQ curve with just a bit of audible kick further down the spectrum.
So that’s yours. Take it to the bank. But what isn’t coming along for the ride is much in the way of added features - this is a simple wired model with just a mic mute, detachable mic arm, and volume scroll wheel in the way of physical controls. Not one for perennial tweakers then, but those who enjoy simplicity and fundamentally great audio should scout out this new Recon as one of the latest best Turtle Beach headsets to appear.
Read more: Turtle Beach Recon 500 review
The most comfortable Turtle Beach headset
It's easy to forget that you're wearing the Turtle Beach Atlas Air - this is by far the most comfortable headset we've tested so far, from any brand. Its open-back design won't be for everyone, but its rich audio and wireless functionality make it a must-see for those who regularly play for longer sessions.
The elasticated mesh headband is the star of the show here, offering a springy rest for the crown that essentially fades into the background mere seconds after putting it on. There's barely any pressure on the head itself, and with large, plush cushions and a low clamp force your ears are safe from pinching as well. A 'floating' earcup design suspends each cup from the band itself using a set of elastic bands for a less constrictive fit.
With its excellent feature set and incredibly comfortable design, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air is the best open-backed headset I’ve tested yet
Turtle Beach Atlas Air review
The open-back construction means that the driver itself is exposed to the outside, which does mean sound will bleed in both directions. That means the Atlas Air isn't the best option for those who play in busier environments or who want their headset to double up as an everyday set of headphones as well. However, that form factor means that the Air can achieve a particularly wide soundstage, lending itself to immersive, richly textured audio. It's rare to find a wireless open back headset, though - you're usually confined to more audiophile-style wired options (like the Corsair Virtuoso Pro). However, the Atlas Air packs both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth options keeping things versatile, with a 50 hour battery running everything as well.
The microphone is detachable, but can also function as a flip to mute model - a feature we don't see every day but keeps everything flexible for both solo and competitive players.
The actual sound is particularly impressive, with a detailed mid-range, powerful bass, and intricate trebles. While it's not quite as wide as the Virtuoso Pro, it's still a much more spacious soundstage than you'll find in closed-back Turtle Beach headsets.
Read more: Turtle Beach Atlas Air review
The best Turtle Beach earbuds
For anyone who plays on the go, a traditional headset isn't always the answer. That's why the Turtle Beach Battle Buds are such a great solution. They're small, convenient, and eminently portable.
They actually work better than you'd think their 10mm drivers would allow; because the frequency response is limited, you'll get a fair balance of sound regardless of what you're listening to. That's quite an achievement. The Battle Buds won't match other headsets on this list in terms of quality, yet they're still able to impress.
Their size doesn't hurt, of course. These earbuds sit very firmly in place no matter how much you shake your head and the tiny microphone is reliable, too.
Read more: Turtle Beach Battle Buds review
FAQ
Are Turtle Beach headsets good?
Turtle Beach produces some excellent gaming headsets, but they're usually in the lower price ranges. That means, aside from the Stealth Pro, the majority can't compete with more luxury options from brands like Logitech or Razer. However, if you're looking for solid audio with a particular attention to more competitive needs then you'll be happy with these devices (and particularly happy with their price tags).
What Turtle Beach headsets are available?
Turtle Beach splits its range into different lines, with each one offering a slightly different use-case. There are four main lines on the market right now; Stealth, Recon, Battle, and Scout.
Stealth is the top of this range consisting of wireless headsets for console use and paying particular attention to extra features like hot-swappable batteries and multi-platform compatibility.
Recon is your wired go-to - cheap headsets with cables that get the job done and still pull off some fancy features for the cash.
Scout are wireless earbuds designed for Bluetooth use across mobile and Nintendo Switch.
Battle is Turtle Beach's range of cheaper wired earbuds, usually offering a detachable microphone in the process.
What is the latest Turtle Beach headset?
The latest Turtle Beach headset is the Stealth Pro, and you'll find all the latest models in each line just below.
Stealth: Stealth Pro (2023)
Recon: Recon 200 Gen 2 (2021)
Elite: Elite Pro 2 (2022)
Atlas: Atlas One (2018)
How we test Turtle Beach headsets
Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.
We test every Turtle Beach headset that comes across our desk in the same way as we would any other device. We live, work, and play with these cups for a minimum period of two weeks, across every listed compatible platform. Across each platform, we will test across a range of genres, but always test in competitive first person shooter scenarios and wide open world environments in at least two games. For more information on how we test gaming headsets, check out the full 12DOVE Hardware Policy.
If you're looking for rundowns of some other top brands' headsets, then check out our guides to Razer headsets, and Sennheiser gaming headsets.
