Greatest Costs As we speak: Turtle Seashore Stealth 500

$79.99

The Turtle Seashore Stealth 500 is an fascinating proposition. Being an entry-level gaming headset in Turtle Seashore’s new lineup, its fundamental level of distinction to the extra premium Turtle Seashore Stealth 600 Gen 3 is its extra modest design that slims down on a number of the former’s fancy options and supplies. That being the case, solely $20 separates the pair on the checkout.

Whereas that just about negligible value distinction could entice many players to make the leap on the extra premium system, my playtesting revealed a bunch of excellent causes to pocket the $20 and go for the Stealth 500 as an alternative. One is that it’s by far the lighter headset. One other is it has an virtually non-existent clamp strain for superior consolation.

It additionally has extra premium-feeling leatherette earcups and its 40mm audio drivers ship an unpretentious sound that’s not too overzealous. Learn on to search out out extra…

Turtle Seashore Stealth 500: Design and construct

Being a step down in value from the Turtle Seashore Stealth 600 Gen 3, the Turtle Seashore Stealth 500 does slim down on a number of the distinctive worth I noticed within the former.

That’s not a lot a mirrored image of any failings within the Stealth 500 because it is a sign of the superb worth within the sub-$100 Turtle Seashore Stealth 600 Gen 3, which has a beneficiant set of options for its value — and nice audio in addition.

The excellent news is that the majority of these compromises are restricted to the design and the supplies used within the Stealth 500’s band and cups relatively than the controls, which by the way are the identical as its pricier sibling.

You continue to get a mic-monitoring wheel, quantity wheel and connectivity button, in addition to a flip-to-mute microphone, so that you’ve a excessive degree of management out of your left earcup.

What sort of compromises am I speaking about? The largest is the apparent stretchy interior headband and the one-piece band that connects instantly to every of the earcups. That configuration means the cups don’t swivel and there’s no drop-down adjustability, so discovering an optimum degree of consolation takes a little bit of negotiating.

One other qualm is that the principle headband is fabricated from plastic, which naturally brings up questions on sturdiness. Placing it by means of its paces, nonetheless, instilled extra confidence in me — the band continues to be extremely versatile and may simply do the splits with out snapping. It will not be impervious to dropping, although.

That stated, the Stealth 500 has the next base consolation degree than a number of entry-level headsets available on the market and I might say it’s appropriate to put on for lengthy marathon gaming classes.

It has an opulent and impeccably gentle materials masking its earcups — it’s leatherette, however the form that’s breathable as an alternative of the shiny, greasy kind.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The cushioning deserves reward too, being a deep, luxuriating reminiscence foam. It’s so gentle, you’d wish to curl up and sleep on it for those who might discover a cushion constituted of the identical stuff.

The headset is extremely light-weight. Certainly, for those who’re the form of gamer who actually has an aversion to strain in your head, you then’re going to find it irresistible. It weighs simply 8.28 ounces (235 grams), which is lighter than the Stealth 600 Gen 3 and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X.

That exceptionally gentle weight is accentuated by a really gentle clamp strain that I might solely marvel at. The nice paradox is that it types an efficient passive noise barrier, which I put right down to the leatherette and the best way the cups hug relatively than squeeze your ears.

The Stealth 500 additionally options traditional Turtle Seashore styling: It is available in solely black, however with iconic D-shaped cups with “Turtle Seashore” splashed throughout the center of every. It seems to be enticing and fashionable at any time of the day.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 500: Connectivity and compatibility

Gone are the times when solely the priciest headsets might connect with most of your units — the Turtle Seashore Stealth 500 is proof of that.

It comes with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity by way of the packaged USB-C dongle, which supplies a low-latency connection to your PC or PlayStation console. The headset additionally options Bluetooth, which connects to a Nintendo Change console and/or your cellular system.

My evaluate unit was the PC model, however you may as well purchase an Xbox model that connects to simply Xbox consoles and cellular units. Moreover, there’s a PlayStation model that has the identical compatibility because the PC model.

Switching between connectivity modes was easy sufficient, involving simply alternate presses of the QuickSwitch button on the headset’s left earcup.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Whereas I discovered Bluetooth didn’t work concurrently to permit a number of audio sources to be performed directly, I might connect with a Bluetooth system whereas additionally utilizing the two.4GHz wi-fi connectivity and swap to take incoming calls with a easy contact of the Bluetooth multi-function button. As soon as the decision ended, one other press returned me again to my recreation’s audio.

The Stealth 500 additionally comes with a 6-foot USB-A to USB-C cable, which fees the system by way of the USB-C port positioned within the left earcup. You’ll be able to count on a two-day battery life primarily based on the roughly 39 hours my evaluate unit lasted after I used it for heavy gameplay and music at various volumes.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 500: Gaming efficiency

The Stealth 500’s 40mm audio drivers are a sensible driver selection for a headset like this since they’ve allowed for such a light-weight design with out compromising on audio constancy.

To gage the Stealth 500’s audio high quality, I ran just a little headset-versus-headset playtest since I nonetheless had the beforehand reviewed Stealth 600 Gen 3 readily available. This consisted of testing the 2 side-by-side in video games like Fortnite, Helldivers 2, and in RPGs just like the traditional The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

To sum up the numerous hours of research and switching between the 2 units in a single breath, I used to be impressed by the Stealth 500’s audio which sounded clear and balanced and with good constancy on the ends of the audio spectrum.

In Fortnite, appears like doorways and chests opening and shutting, and radio beeps sounded energetic and convincing.

The Stealth 500 didn’t mash frequencies collectively like some entry degree units. Quite tones sounded distinct and refined, which was actually apparent within the vary I bought enjoying Skyrim — the headset even performed the theme music with sufficient gusto to make me just a little nostalgic.

Making an attempt out the headset’s 4 default audio presets within the Turtle Seashore Swarm II app was a good way to check the tonal vary. I discovered that in swapping from the default Signature Sound preset to the Bass Enhance preset I might clearly hear the bass grow to be stronger.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

It signifies that for those who go forward and arrange audio profiles within the Swarm II app to emphasise bass for gunfire and the like, you’ll actually discover the distinction once you swap to these profiles in your video games.

In comparison with the Stealth 600 headset, nonetheless, the Stealth 500 did have a barely narrower soundstage. However that was to be anticipated, being the headset with the smaller 40mm audio drivers.

A bit extra on that time: I get a number of overzealous gaming headsets with punchy mid tones which are extra tuned for FPS video games than the rest. They’re nice for emphasizing explosions and gunfire. However the Stealth 500 was extra of a relaxed-sounding headset. It didn’t a lot overemphasize any frequency as present a reasonably constant vary which made the mids and treble tones quite a bit simpler to listen to.

That it had such an audio signature meant the Stealth 500 was fairly nicely suited to video games aside from FPS video games, so enjoying RGPs and journey titles with these cans on was an expertise to savor.

One other profit from that narrower soundstage was the truth that I didn’t should preserve decreasing my quantity wheel when beginning new video games. The amplitude was largely acceptable from the get-go.

The omni-directional flip-to-mute microphone additionally sounded clear for my voice chats. I didn’t get a Blue-Yeti-microphone form of audio readability, but it surely was nonetheless fairly first rate. I did want the microphone’s size was barely longer, although, if simply to make my voice sound barely extra audible when talking softly.

Turtle Seashore Stealth 500: Software program

The Turtle Seashore Swarm II app is the place you’ll do all of your settings tweaks. Right here you are able to do issues like test your battery standing, assign hotkeys to your keyboard to your controls, and alter settings like your microphone’s sensitivity, quantity, and noise gating.

It’s additionally the place you may swap on and tweak the settings for SuperHuman Listening to — a characteristic particular to Turtle Seashore headsets that emphasizes sure recreation appears like footfalls and explosions.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

SuperHuman Listening to is a kind of options that may actually assist your efficiency in the correct context. I discovered its “Gunshots” preset helpful for emphasizing gunshots in FPS video games that had been densely filled with gamers and buildings, serving to me higher approximate the placement of opponents.

If the app’s presets aren’t particular sufficient for you, Swarm II additionally allows you to flex your gamer muscle by creating and saving your personal audio profiles. It’s simple sufficient to set these up utilizing a 10-band equalizer chart. When you’re executed, you may merely swap by means of your profiles utilizing the headset’s Mode button too.

Do you have to purchase the Turtle Seashore Stealth 500?

Deciding between the Stealth 600 and Stealth 500 could look like a no brainer primarily based on the minuscule value distinction between them. You would possibly assume it is advisable beg or borrow the additional $20 to bag the dearer Stealth 600 for its barely higher options. However having examined the 2 alongside one another I’m not so satisfied of that.

Certainly, the Turtle Seashore Stealth 500 could lack the sturdiness issue of a metallic headband and the comfort of adjustable earcups, but it surely does carve out a distinct segment because the extra light-weight headset and with just about no clamp strain.

It additionally received’t overwhelm you with overzealous audio. If you happen to actually charge these issues extremely in a gaming headset, then the Stealth 500 is the no-brainer possibility for you.