The Turtle Beach Atlas 200 headset is proof that you can still find high-quality tech at cheap prices

I hope this is a safe space to admit that I'm always a bit wary when it comes to testing out cheaper wired gaming headsets, even though I'm well aware that a low price doesn't always equate to low quality.

Before I had the opportunity (and privilege) to try the huge range of headsets I do now, I was used to using many a wired pair of cups from brand names that sound like something I'd put together in a fever dream, as it was all I could afford. They always sounded awful and felt awful to have on my head, but the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 for PS5 is a fine example that not every wired headset is built the same.

Everything the PS5 headset does, it does well. In fact, the sounds from its 50mm Nanoclear Drivers and the comfort of its dual-foam ear cushions are so high in quality that it more than justifies its $59.99 / £49.99 MSRP. If you don't have the budget to splash on one of the best wireless headsets or want just a low-cost alternative for the little Sony fan in your life, the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 is the best officially licensed budget PS5 headset I've tested so far.

It's a relief to know that, at a time when we're bombarded with gaming price hikes practically every day, quality can still be found in budget-friendly tech.

Design

The Atlas 200 is the first officially licensed PS5 headset Turtle Beach has ever produced. The cups are going to constantly remind you that it's intended for the console, via its branding and color combo, but I can't help but be a fan.

The PS5 is my favorite current-gen console so I don't mind seeing the PlayStation logos that adorn either side of its headband. They are printed on top of two blue velcro straps, which are also functional pieces that can be adjusted to tighten and loosen the elasticated headband.

The headband itself is a bit unusual. Turtle Beach opted for a plastic cut-out band with that aforementioned piece of elastic hanging underneath. These two pieces are wrapped in a piece of mesh fabric, which in turn creates a tight pull to make the headband rest lightly on your head. I wasn't too sure about it when I first took the wired cups out of their box, but through my weeks of testing, the band was never once uncomfortable. I also have a sneaking suspicion that it's a major contributor to why the headset is ultra lightweight at just 280g - so I'm not going to knock it.

Otherwise, the Atlas 200 is a run-of-the-mill-looking wired headset that sports an over-ear closed-back design, with two dark gray dual-foam ear cushions on either cup. The cushions are extremely soft to the touch, glasses-friendly, and feature another dash of blue in the fabric coating on the driver speakers. They also attach to the cups via a sliver of leather-like, matching gray fabric, which gives the headset a more premium appearance.

Features

As a low-cost budget headset, the features of the Atlas 200 are pretty minimal. The cups are equipped with 50mm Nanoclear audio drivers, and a flip-to-mute microphone, which is located on the left side.

You'll also find the volume dial there, the only onboard control found on the entire headset. The 3.5mm port, used to hook up the Atlas 200 to your PS5, PS4, or any mobile device that still has a headphone jack, is also located on the left between the dial and the microphone.

The PS5 headset comes equipped with Tempest 3D AudioTech support. This was a treat to discover, and to put in practice with games like Silent Hill f, as I'm used to finding surround sound 7.1 in budget-friendly headsets instead. It made a huge difference in making the sound of this headset sound more premium than its price point suggests.

Performance

The indie horror game Still Wakes the Deep, has been on my radar for a while as a game set in my home country of Scotland, but I'm glad I waited to test it using this wired pair of cups.

At full volume, I was able to really immerse myself in the game, and the creaks of the disheveled oil rig and the creepy mutterings of the monsters sounded fantastic. The drivers were able to reverberate any bass-heavy frequencies with ease and without distortion, which produced a sound that felt almost on par with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5, one of my go-to PS5 mid-range headsets.

I say almost, as the Atlas 200 doesn't get as loud as I'd prefer, even with the dial up to max. Dialogue, like the filthy Scottish swearing at the start of Still Wakes the Deep, also didn't have the clarity that I've experienced with the mid-range SteelSeries headset. This was also the case with the dialogue-heavy Master Detective Archives: Rain Code on the PS5, as any high-pitched chatting had a slight hollow-ness to its tonality. There is a $89 price disparity between these pairs of cups, so it's impressive that the Atlas 200's sound reminded me of a pricier pair, regardless, even if dialogue doesn't always sound its best.

The Turtle Beach Atlas 200 really excelled at making horror games sound their best, however, and this was evident while roaming the foggy streets of Ebisugaoka in Silent Hill f. The new Konami game supports Sony's Tempest 3D AudioTech, so I was able to hear the music and sounds of one of my favorite game composers, Akira Yamaoka, as if they were sounding off all around me.

The Atlas 200 impressed when it came to hero shooters, too. I took out Marvel Rivals on the PS5 to see how the low-cost cups dealt with a louder, and busier soundstage, one where the screams and cries of friends are also going to be involved, just from IRL ones this time. The hero-shooter sounded great, and I was even able to pinpoint the approaching footsteps of this one Magick player who made a game of trying to flank me down during a healer main match.

This was where I noticed that I wasn't a huge fan of the microphone. Budget PS5-compatible headsets like the Razer Barracuda X have a bulb of foam to act as a sound dampener and de-harshen the sounds of 'p' and 's', but the Atlas 200 instead opts for a tiny piece of thin white foam. At first, I thought it was part of the packaging.

Unfortunately for me, the mic sounded a bit cheap, too. In my first bit of coverage for this headset, I noted that the mic sounded terrible and made me sound like a " muffled pilot making a plane announcement," and I mostly still stand by that. Turtle Beach kindly sent a replacement after my initial thoughts in case there was a fault going on, but I still disappointed the second time around.

It sounds far better if I point the mic boom arm far away from my mouth and lower the mic sound level via the system sound settings. Yet, whether it was chatting to my friends via the built-in Discord chat on the PS5 or hearing my voice back during recorded clips (which I assured were being picked up by the mic and not the DualSense built-in mic), there was still a muffled air to the tone that didn't sound too pleasant.

Is it the worst microphone in the world? Definitely not, and I've tested headsets worth far worse. I was just disappointed that the premium quality of the sound, design, and comfortable fit of the headset wasn't represented in the mic, too. Regardless, that hasn't stopped the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 from being my new favorite low-cost wired PS5 headset on the market today.

Should you buy the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 for PS5?

If you're after a comfortable and premium-sounding headset for your PS5 gaming needs, but want to keep your costs as low as possible, the $59.99 / £49.99 Atlas 200 for PS5 is a must-buy in my eyes.

The headset might be cheap, but it doesn't sound as much. Its 50mm Nanoclear drivers bring a balanced and nuanced sound to any game I threw its way, from the loud and sometimes overbearing soundstage of the online hero-shooter Marvel RIvals, to the creepy and eerie score found lurking within the horrors of Silent Hill f.

It's also extremely lightweight and comfortable at just 280g, making it ideal if you happen to wear glasses every day like me. The only issue I had was with the microphone.

If you just want a mic for chatting to friends online for 30 minutes at a time every other week, it's not a huge deal. The mic's somewhat muffled quality will likely manage to blend in with the loud antics of online games like it did with Marvel Rivals for my friends and myself.

Through my years of experience testing headsets, you're going to need to get closer to the $100 price point to get access to a higher-quality mic, and even then, I personally prefer to have one of the best streaming microphones in my online gaming arsenal instead.

How I tested the Atlas 200 for PS5 wired gaming headset

I tested the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 for PS5 gaming headset by incorporating it into my Sony gaming setup and using it day in and day out for a minimum of two weeks. During that time, I played everything from Marvel Rivals to single-player horror games like Still Wakes the Deep and Silent Hill f. Additionally, I also tested the mic via games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2, and Slay the Princess on the Steam Deck.

To put the wired headset truly through its paces, I made sure to hook it up via the headphone jack on my PC tower and listen to a wide range of music via Spotify, from the soothing sounds of the Deltarune Piano Collections by Toby Fox and Trevor Alan Gomes, to the loud punk-rock tunes of Scottish band Slime City. Additionally, I also used it while catching up with episodes of Only Murders in the Building and High Potential on Disney Plus via my PS5 DualSense controller. For more information on how we test gaming headsets, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

Not a PS5 player? Check out our guides on the best Xbox Series X headsets, best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best PC headsets for gaming for high-quality cups for your preferred platform of choice.