Turtle Beach is mostly associated with creating the best gaming headsets for the budget-conscious, but today it has revealed something a little bit different. The brand has just unveiled the new Stealth Pro II, a brand-new premium pair that introduces Hi-Res audio support, and more juicy high-end features.
The $349.99 / £299.99 headset launches on May 17, later this year, and will be compatible with the PS5, PC, and the Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 (I presume, as it doesn't confirm the latter) thanks to its simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless audio. For Xbox players, Turtle Beach is also launching an Xbox version on the same day, which supports not just the Xbox Series X/S, but the older Xbox One. Yet, it's not its wide compatibility that has me foaming at the mouth, but that Turtle Beach has made sure to add swappable batteries into the mix.
Swappable batteries have continued to wow me ever since I first got hold of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. The headset has remained my (and the rest of the GamesRadar+ hardware team's) top headset pick for over a year now, and its batteries are a huge part of that. The Stealth Pro II must've been copying SteelSeries' homework as it includes two up to 40-hour battery packs and a charging station of its own.
This compact device can keep one of your battery packs charged while the other is snug in your Stealth Pro II, but it also acts as a wireless transmitter. You can hook it up to your console of choice to get a low-latency connection, or use the USB-A dongle included with every headset, giving you two options to choose from.
The similarities between SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless and this upcoming pair don't stop there. Turtle Beach has equipped the Stealth Pro II with CrossPlay 2.0, which Turtle Beach CEO Cris Keiren states allows players to "seamlessly switch between up to four platforms and devices at the touch of a button," but you will be limited to two from the get-go. To receive support for those four platforms, you'll need to grab two additional transmitters, which are sold separately.
That's a bit of a bummer when you consider this pair's $350 price tag, but there are more features abound that help explain its high cost. The pair also features 60mm-sized Eclipse Dual audio drivers, advanced active noise canceling, a unidirectional 9mm floating microphone, and Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio support to offer up a more immersive soundstage for your favorite games.
Not to mention, its Hi-Res audio support is something typically reserved for more high-end headsets, like that of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite. Turtle Beach states that its wireless audio is certified by the Japan Audio Society, and that the Stealth Pro II delivers "true 24-bit/96kHz wireless audio" to boot.
If that's what's caught your eye over this new pair, do remember that this doesn't matter much if you're a console player. Both the audio of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles max out at 48k/16bit, so you'll only notice the difference if you're a PC player first and foremost.
If that all still sounds good to you, you can pre-order the new Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II straight from Turtle Beach for $349.99 / £299.99 and participating retailers. Or, you can wait to hear my thoughts on the cups once I get my hands on them to review.
- View all Turtle Beach gaming headsets at Amazon
I've also rounded up the best PC headsets for gaming, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Xbox Series X headsets that are full of more high-quality cups to suit your gaming setup.
