Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 review: "Surpasses the original model in nearly every way"

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is here, and it's pretty damn good. The sequel to the flagship Turtle Beach headset takes the formula from the original and improves upon it in several key areas, from design to audio fidelity to battery life. At a mid-range price point, these headphones are worth every penny.

Design

You'll notice right away that this second generation of Stealth 700 has got a bit of a facelift. The low-profile design is less aggressively "gamer" and more simple and sleek, with the bright Xbox green swapped out for platinum silver, and the buttons all moving to the left ear cup. 

The ear cups are thicker than the previous version and oh-so-comfy. Seriously, these are some nice cups, with leatherette cushions filled with cooling gel-infused memory foam that form well to your ears. The Stealth 700 Gen 2 is also designed with the ProSpecs glasses friendly layout, so they don't pinch us near-sighted folk in any spots. The headset boasts a brand-new metal-reinforced headband, which promises durability even with the soft leatherette headband cushion that runs across its entire length. 

The Stealth 700 Gen 2 remained comfortable for me for multiple hours of gaming. However, it must be pointed out that I have a rather small head, so it may be the case that others could run into problems with the headband adjustment options. If it fits for you, though; then rejoice, because this sucker is comfy!

Features

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 headset has 50mm Nanoclear speakers driving some serious sound to your ears, and it also features Windows Sonic audio, which gives immersive virtual surround sound. The headset offers a wide and immersive soundstage, and the cushy cups easily block out exterior noise and limits your need to crank the volume too high. 

You can easily cycle between the EQ modes on the headset itself, which offers you more time for gaming and less time for fiddling in menus on your console, but if you want more control over the audio output, you can use the Turtle Beach app to adjust everything as needed. You can even remap the headset's buttons and dials. Connect your headset to your phone via the Bluetooth feature to make tweaks, and to listen to music or make phone calls while you game. It's the best of both worlds. 

The flip-to-mute mic is slightly shorter than in the original generation of the Stealth 700, but the head of the microphone is larger and has a higher sensitivity than the Gen 1, which will enhance your vocal clarity. It's an incredibly accurate mic, and I've so far received no complaints from my Call of Duty: Warzone teammates.

But what's perhaps most important is the increased battery life - doubled from 10 hours to 20 hours. Considering the first edition of the Stealth 600 had 15 hours of battery life, it was hard to justify spending the $50 extra for the Stealth 700 - but not in this second generation. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 has five more hours of battery life than the Stealth 600 Gen 2.

Performance

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is an excellently performing wireless headset. The audio is crisp and clear with a deep bass you can feel, and audio tuning options that can make this headset work for anyone. If you want to hear nearby footsteps and hone in on where they're coming from, turn on the Superhuman Hearing and you'll be like a super-soldier.

The microphone is incredibly accurate and, upon recording my voice on my headset, accurately captures voices - some headsets can take my higher tones and make them incredibly tinny or whiny; not this one. The flip-to-mute feature is absolutely ace, especially for someone who frequently has to yell at her dueling cats while dropping into Apex Legends. 

I have only charged the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 once, and, at the time of writing, I've reached about 16 hours of continuous gameplay without the need for another charge, so it's safe to say the 20-hour battery life stands up to the test of playtime.

Overall - should you buy it?

If you're in the market for an upper-mid-range headset, this one is worth it. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 absolutely exceeds expectations set by its predecessor, making it one of the best PS4 headsets and best Xbox One headsets you can currently get - and not a bad call for next-gen console gaming too.

It's sleek, bold, and comfortable as all hell, with a great sound that holds up even when I cheekily listen to Lady Gaga during a matchmaking queue. For only $50 / £40 more than the Stealth 600, this is the headset to get if you want superior sound at a reasonable price and are able to stretch that budget a little. That it will be compatible with next-gen consoles is the cherry on top, and nudges toward being one of the best gaming headsets of the moment.

Reviewed on Xbox One.