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Connecting a wireless headset to your console typically means dealing with some kind of dongle or transmitter. But what if the process were simpler? That's where the $149 Turtle Beach Stealth 700 comes in.
As one of the first headsets with built-in Xbox Wireless technology, the Stealth 700 can sync directly to your Xbox One without the need for any extra accessories. It doesn't hurt that it's also simply a rock-solid headset, with rich game audio, active noise cancellation, Bluetooth functionality and an impressively clear microphone.
While the Stealth 700 has its quirks, it's one of the best gaming headsets for Xbox One gamers looking for a simpler way to enjoy premium wireless audio.
Design and Wireless Functionality
The Stealth 700 is signature Turtle Beach, sporting a straightforward black design with a handful of neat extra flourishes. The sleek diagonal lines on each ear cup give the headset a nice modern look, and I'm a fan of the subtle green stripes that adorn my Xbox model. (Naturally, the PS4 version has blue highlights.)
The headset's left ear cup is loaded with buttons and ports, including dedicated volume knobs for game and chat audio, an Xbox sync button, a 3.5mm jack for connecting to other audio devices and a microUSB port for charging. The outer ear cup sports three big, rubbery buttons for power, Bluetooth and "Superhuman Hearing," and while I found them easy to reach, I did have some trouble differentiating between them at first.
The Stealth 700 looks slick, but the real brilliance is how it connects to your Xbox. It's one of the first headsets with built-in Xbox Wireless technology, meaning it can sync up to your Xbox One without the need for any dongles or transmitters.
You simply turn the headset on, press the sync button, and you're good to go. It's an incredibly painless process that solves my biggest problem with wireless headsets, and I'm shocked that more headset makers haven't adopted it yet.
Comfort
The Stealth 700's faux-leather ear cups are a bit too stiff for my liking, but that didn't stop me from using the headset for long stretches. While the Stealth isn't as cushy as, say, the HyperX Cloud Alpha, it's also wonderfully lightweight, at just 10 ounces, meaning that those somewhat rigid ear cups never weighed down on my head too much. The ear cups also feature Turtle Beach's ProSpecs technology, meaning they should provide a comfy fit for folks who wear glasses.
Gaming Performance
The Stealth 700 generally delivers great game audio with lots of bass — sometimes too much. But thanks to the headset's optional Superhuman Hearing setting, which kicks up the treble to highlight enemy footsteps, I didn't have much trouble finding the right profile to suit whatever I was playing.
Turtle Beach's headset made an excellent companion to the brutal superhero brawling of Injustice 2. Every punch, kick and explosion had a bassy sense of impact, while noises such as sword slices and batarang tosses sounded deliciously crisp.
I enjoyed a similar level of immersion when I switched to the competitive shooting of Overwatch, though the headset's heavy bass sometimes muddied things up when tons of things were happening on-screen. Fortunately, the headset's Superhuman Hearing feature worked as advertised, making it much easier for me to pinpoint enemy footsteps and gunfire.
When racing around in Forza Horizon 3, I found the game's engine and tire sounds satisfying, and enjoyed a nice sonic thud every time I knocked over a piece of debris. However, the headset's default setting again sounded just a bit too bassy for my liking.
Microphone, Software and Battery
The Stealth 700 features a small flip-to-mute mic, which delivered solid overall performance despite its tiny size. When listening back to my recorded Twitch streams, I was impressed by how clearly my voice came through, though I'd like the mic to be just a bit louder.
Turtle Beach's headset features Bluetooth support, which allowed me to be connected to both my Xbox One and my smartphone at the same time. This feature was a godsend — I could easily listen to a podcast from my phone without losing game audio, or simply jam out to some music wirelessly when I was done gaming.
You can fine-tune the Stealth 700 via the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app, which is available on iOS, Android and PCs. The software lets you toggle features such as Superhuman Hearing, chat boost and active noise cancellation, as well as flip through various audio presets that prioritize things like bass and treble. While I would have liked to be able to activate some of these features right from the headset, I appreciate how many customization options the app offers.
The Stealth 700 promises 10 hours of battery life, which seems to line up with my testing. I've yet to fully drain the headset on a full charge, even after a handful of multihour sessions.
Stealth 600 vs. 700
The $149 Stealth 700 is available alongside the $99 Stealth 600, so what's the difference? Both headsets offer the same Xbox Wireless technology for connecting seamlessly to your console, as well as customizable sound presets and Superhuman Hearing. Despite being the cheaper model, the Stealth 600 offers 15 hours of battery life, compared with the Stealth 700's 10 hours.
MORE: The Best Headsets for Immersive Gaming
Paying up for the Stealth 700 gets you active noise cancellation, Bluetooth functionality and DTS 7.1 Surround Sound capabilities on the PS4 model. On Xbox, both the 600 and the 700 rely on the console's built-in Windows Sonic feature for virtual surround sound.
Bottom Line
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 is a great all-around wireless gaming headset with solid sound quality, a clear microphone and lots of useful extra features. And with built-in Xbox Wireless functionality, both the Stealth 600 and the 700 are compelling options that make connecting to Xbox One easier than ever.
There are, however, other Xbox Wireless headsets worth considering. The $99 LucidSound LS15X features a unique in-ear design that rests comfortably on your neck, while the $179 LS35X sports the same premium design that we loved on the LS30. There's also the Xbox version of Razer's Thresher Ultimate, which is our favorite overall wireless headset thanks to its stellar sound and comfort but is also much pricer, at $249.
While all of these options are compelling, the Stealth 700 is an excellent middle ground that offers Xbox One gamers a ton of useful features at a reasonable price.
Credit: Turtle Beach
