In the past I’ve always associated Turtle Beach with budget gaming peripherals. You’d hear its name countless times in secondary school as the cool kids were on the hunt for headsets that were perfect for playing Call of Duty or FIFA, but which wouldn’t burn through their allowance.
Stealth Pro Wireless stands in defiance of that long held reputation with its lofty asking price and a number of excellent features that rival more expensive brands. It proudly stands with the likes of SteelSeries and Astro with impressive build quality, myriad capabilities, and ease of use and comfort which have made it a main driver in my gaming life. It’s a surefire winner, but is it worth £279.99, or is your average gamer better off going somewhere else?
I’m fortunate enough to avoid the economic avarice of more expensive products like this, but would have a hard time recommending the Stealth Pro Wireless to anyone who isn’t a totally serious gamer, or is otherwise in need of a headset they can use at their workstation that is more than capable of jumping between different platforms at the flick of a switch. Fitted with an internal battery which lasts several intensive hours without needing an additional charge, the Stealth Pro Wireless works on PS5, Xbox, PC, and other mobile devices with little to no trouble, thanks to its malleable Bluetooth technology. To my surprise, it rarely kicks up a fuss.
There’s an internal microphone built into the headset itself, albeit of weaker quality, or an attachable one that comes in the box that is much better for professional calls or jumping onto Discord with your friends for a session. Audio quality is impressive with recognisable clarity and a microphone which does a commendable job of ensuring background noise isn’t constantly annoying you. I will admit the internal mic felt rather jarring until I figured out how to have it muted, given it picks up the smallest of sounds all around you to the point it felt like I was trapped in some sort of futuristic gamer bubble. Let’s call it spooky. Yeah, kinda spooky.
One of my favourite features is how the Bluetooth dongle also doubles as a wired charger for an additional battery. When your juice is running low - which is signified by vocal cues or an obnoxious beep - it takes only a matter of seconds to swap batteries out and put the fading one back on charge. It’s a fantastic addition and removes the frustration of having to cease using the Stealth Wireless altogether or rely on a wired solution until charging has finished. Now that I’ve grown used to this style of use over a couple of months with the product, it’d be difficult to go back.
The 50mm Nanoclear audio drivers are incredibly robust with support for both PS5 3D audio and Dolby Atmos, meaning it’s easy to conjure up the illusion of surround sound for a decent fraction of the price. I’d often use the Stealth Pro Wireless for music while working, or while playing games like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Stray Gods, which both make use of music and sound in different but equally important ways. I could appreciate the bass and tempo in songs while detecting the siren song of nearby harpies lingering at a nearby river. It’s a gaming headset for every occasion whose prowess is bolstered further by incredible noise cancelation. You can switch between a couple of different modes at the touch of a button on the device, while the right ear-cup features a scroll wheel for volume alongside the usual range of needed inputs.
Stealth Wireless Pro is also pretty comfortable for such a large headset, resting elegantly on my head even while wearing glasses, and seldom does it squeeze down too hard or need to be removed in order to relieve pressure. The body is a mixture of plastic and metal with two ear cups that are lovingly soft to the touch that they almost feel like a warm embrace. In the past I’ve often had trouble with headsets like this causing tension headaches over time or not being suited for prolonged use, but that hasn’t been a problem here in the slightest. While it does rely a little too much on harsh, black plastic for the cost, it still manages to be premium where it matters. However, part of me is still umming and ahhing on the eye-watering price tag.
I’ve few complaints about the Turtle Beach Stealth Wireless Pro, and have adored having a single headset I can use between the majority of platforms without so much as a hiccup. It sounds great, looks nice, and i\ comfortable to wear - although users looking for something with a little more flair might be underwhelmed. This headset is more functional than stylish, which certainly works against it, but if you’re looking to invest in a headset that can justify its asking price for a number of years with myriad future-proofing features, you could do a lot worse.