Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max Review
A gaming headset with top-notch audio
Verdict
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is a powerful gaming headset. Its 50mm drivers deliver beefy audio that also features plenty of nuance, making game audio and music playback a joy to listen to. The headset is comfortable as a result of lots of padding, but it’s quite heavy and the headband is tighter than other premium headsets. The software package is also fiddly to work with, which can make configuration a bit of a pain.
Pros
- Immense audio
- Excellent compatibility
- Clear microphone
Cons
- Fiddly software
- Tight-fitting headband
- Heavy
Availability
- UKRRP: £179.99
- USARRP: $199.99
- EuropeRRP: €199.99
Key Features
- 50mm Nanoclear speakersThe Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max’s headset features some amazing 50mm drivers that offer up some beefy audio
- Dual connectivityYou can connect this headset via the bundled 2.4GHz receiver, or through Bluetooth
- Flip-to-mute microphoneThe Stealth 700 Gen 2 has a clever mic that on flipping up mutes automatically
Introduction
Turtle Beach has often been responsible for putting out some excellent premium headsets, and the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is the latest in a long line of feature-packed headsets.
A $199.99/£179.99/€199.99 asking price puts this model in the upper echelons of gaming headsets, rivalling the likes of Asus’ ROG Fusion II 500 for the crown. With its 50mm drivers, dual modes of connectivity, and a quoted 40 hours of battery life, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max may have just what’s required to become one of the best gaming headset options.
Design and Features
- Well made from durable plastics
- Lots of on-board media controls
- Great battery life and connectivity options
There’s no doubt that the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max looks like a great headset. Made of sturdy plastics, it feels well made and up to the task of a day’s gaming. I can’t help but notice a rugged aesthetic at play, especially given the exposed drivers on the inside of the ear cups that give them an especially purposeful look.
You won’t find any RGB lighting here, but what you do get is a voluminous level of padding that offers up some amazing passive noise isolation. The overall fit of Turtle Beach’s latest headset is a little too tight for my liking, however, especially over the headband. It’s a little bit heavy, too, which can make the headset uncomfortable over extended gaming sessions.
When it comes to multimedia controls, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max features a bundle, with two identical dials controlling volume and a mix of game and chat audio, alongside a mode switch, power button and Bluetooth toggle. All sit very close together on the left ear cup, which makes distinguishing between them a bit fiddly. A more even spread across both ear cups would have made things far easier.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is compatible with a wide range of devices, including both the Xbox and PlayStation, as well as PCs, mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch. This versatility is further helped by the fact this headset can connect via either the bundled USB receiver, or Bluetooth. The pairing process for both is easy, and the headset worked straight out of the box.
Being a wireless headset means that battery life is important to consider, and the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max doesn’t disappoint here. In testing, the headset delivered the stated total of 40 hours admirably.
Sound and Mic Quality
- Brilliant quality audio with plenty of nuance
- Crisp microphone
- Fiddly software installation
Of course, a premium gaming headset shouldn’t just look the part; it should sound the part, too. It’s good news for the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max in that department, as this headset sounds fantastic.
Its 50mm drivers allow for some wonderfully rich audio that’s balanced, with nothing in the mix coming across too overpowering. The bass isn’t crunchy, but powerful; the highs are nicely twinkly; plus there’s decent mid-range punch, too. This balanced audio was certainly welcome in any games I played, as well as with my usual suite of test songs – be it Earth Wind & Fire’s September with its crisp percussion, or the gritty guitar and bass of Rush’s Anthem.
Alongside the nuanced and balanced audio, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max also features a clever function known as “Superhuman Hearing”. Available via the mode switch, it emphasises noises such as gunshots and footsteps within FPS titles, for instance, to raise your awareness of what’s going on around you. Think of it as a very clever form of virtual surround sound; it isn’t a gimmick, definitely heightening that sense of placement for audio, making the entire gaming experience far more immersive.
While the actual audio and its associated effects may be fantastic, it’s on the software front that the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max falls down – more specifically, installation. Getting the software to install on my PC was a nightmare, with the bundled .msi file taking several attempts to even initiate the installation process. Things become more confusing when you discover there’s app control available with these cans, too – which I suppose reflects the headset’s versatility.
However, you soon learn that the two pieces of software serve different purposes. The PC app, which you’d perhaps expect to find the main bulk of the headset’s features, merely takes care of firmware updates. The Turtle Beach Audio Hub on your phone is where you can tweak everything from EQ presets to mic sidetone. It’s a clever piece of kit, and actually makes for some of the most functional software for a gaming headset out there – once you get past the fiddly installation process and the act of grappling with two separate pieces of software, that is.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max’s microphone is a return to form. It’s clear and sharp, and doesn’t display the thin sound of the mics included with other headsets, even more premium ones. It isn’t a detachable boom unit, instead taking the form of a thin plastic shaft – it does look a little out of place. The fact it isn’t detachable isn’t too disappointing when you consider it comes with a clever “flip to mute” function, which automatically mutes the mic on pushing the unit up and out of the way.
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Should you buy it?
You want powerful audio
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max features some brilliant audio that’s both punchy and powerful, and nuanced and detailed.
You want a lightweight headset
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max headset is weighty and tight-fitting. For something lighter and looser, look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max’s aim is to be an all-conquering gaming headset. It has a great feature list that’s backed up by excellent audio for gaming and music playback, a premium build, a clear microphone and plenty of padding.
However, it’s quite weighty, and it will take you some time to get your head round the software, which could be a deal-breaker for some. If you’re in the market for a vast feature set, then the 700 Gen 2 Max is an excellent option – as long as you don’t mind the tight fit.
How we test
We use every headset we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by using it in a variety of games, as well as playing music in order to get the full experience.
We also check each headset’s software (if applicable) to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used as primary gaming headset for a week.
Tested with a variety of games.
Tested music playback performance.
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FAQs
Yes, it supports 7.1 surround sound.
Yes, it supports the PS5 via the USB dongle.
Full specs
Jargon buster
ANC
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) uses an array of microphones in a headphone to detect the frequency of the sound coming at the listener, with the ANC chip creating an inverse wave (i.e. opposing sound) to suppress any unwanted external noises.Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a method of wireless transmission that allows for the exchange of data between devices over short distances.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
