Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Xbox gaming headset review

It feels like not so long ago that paying around $500 for a wireless gaming headset was as expensive as it got. Fast-forward to more recent times and the game has changed with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro priced at an eye-watering $735 RRP. It should come as no surprise, then, that brands like Turtle Beach are seeking to compete at this above-$500 price point. And that’s exactly where the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Xbox steps in for a shot at the Arctis Nova Pro’s costly crown.

It feels weird to type that the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Xbox is comparatively ‘cheap’ at $599 RRP when stacked next to the $735 RRP for the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. What’s less surprising is, at the time of writing, SteelSeries had dropped the price of its high-end cans to the same price as the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro.

Note that you can buy a PlayStation and Xbox version of the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro gaming headset but you really should buy the Xbox ones even if you’re a PlayStation player. Why? Like the aforementioned SteelSeries headset, buying the Xbox version means compatibility for all major platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch as well as Android and iOS mobile devices (plus handheld gaming consoles).

As for other competitors, there’s the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, Astro A30 Wireless and A50 Wireless, Corsair Virtuoso and the Logitech G Pro X 2. All of these headsets are at least $80 cheaper than the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro gaming headset, but none of them seemingly offer active noise cancelling (ANC) or a replaceable battery.

I was sent the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Xbox version to review. Everything from the unboxing to headset design and even the Turtle Beach Audio Hub V2 companion software reinforces a premium experience. Honestly, I’m more used to Turtle Beach headsets competing around the middle of the range, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Even if I’d prefer they came with a hard case for transport, there’s a soft carry bag and the microphone is removable. Basically, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro can be used as a gaming headset or as everyday headphones, particularly thanks to all-day comfort and solid ANC. That comfort’s care of generous leatherette padding on the earcups and headband. Unlike the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, the headband adjusts with internal metal bands, which leads to a firmer fit (that’s still comfortable).

Even after dozens of hours of testing, I’m still thrown by the physical controls being relegated to the right earcup. That’s not the case for the BlackShark V2 Pro, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro nor the Sony XM5s I use for everyday tunes. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro’s made me realise that I instinctively use these controls to determine left and right earcups, so there’s definitely a learning curve here.

On the outside of the right earcup is a mode button which, by default, enables and disables ANC. The volume dial is cleverly worked into the earcup shell, so it’s easy to quieten things down or go loud. On the bottom of the right earcup is a USB-C charging port and the three other main buttons. These buttons control Bluetooth, power and Superhuman Hearing/microphone muting. These buttons are all close together, similarly sized and low-profile, though, which means they feel the same when fumbling for a particular one.

Admittedly, there are etched patterns to help you feel which button you’re touching, but I didn’t find that as intuitive as different sized or shaped buttons with better spacing on other headsets.

Given the price point and the fact these cans are rocking 50mm drivers, it should come as no surprise that the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro boasts great sound. Out of the box, you’ll get well-balanced Signature Sound as the default equaliser preset. I highly recommend downloading the Turtle Beach Audio Hub V2 companion software on PC and choosing either Bass Boost or Base and Treble Boost.

There’s also a Vocal Boost option or you can tweak the percentage meters on treble, bass and vocal metrics. This is all done on the main dashboard page, which tells you the connection status, mode, battery percentage, volume and firmware status. There are also toggles and meters for ANC, Superhuman Hearing and the microphone.

Even without Superhuman Hearing active, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro offered great sound in games, including competitive online shooters like Hell Let Loose where sound cues can offer a big advantage. I mainly toggled between the footsteps and gunshots settings for my online tests and, as those names imply, they respectively boost one or the other. There’s also a legacy setting for something more balanced between the two.

In my gaming and everyday tests, the sound didn’t feel as big as the 50mm drivers of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. That said, I couldn’t find a good preset for the BlackShark V2 Pro that was competitively viable. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro was more of a reliable all-rounder with what felt like more of a balance between mids, highs and lows (with some great bass).

Setup is plug and play. The only proviso there is there’s a switch on the charger/transmitter for Xbox or PC. Flick it to Xbox for Microsoft consoles and PC for everything else that’s compatible with 2.4GHz low-latency connectivity. My main PC had issues with the charger/transmitter that meant I had to disconnect and reconnect it every Windows 11 restart to get it going. Otherwise, it’s fast to connect and an easy way to keep the provided spare battery on charge for a fast and straightforward swap out when you’re running low on juice with the main battery.

The outside of the left earcup pops off and is home to the battery. Turtle Beach says you should get around 12 hours out of a fully charged battery but it felt shorter in multiple tests. It doesn’t help that the headset voiceover describes the leftover battery in vague terms (high, medium or low) rather than percentages whenever you power it on.

If you’re using the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro on PC—which is where I did most of my testing—you’ll want the Audio Hub V2 companion software. The main dashboard page is where you’ll get most of the value, but there are some other tabs worth checking out.

Admittedly, the equaliser tab was bugged for me. Whenever I tried to switch between Bluetooth and mic screens, it prompted me to save the main game equaliser settings, even when I hadn’t changed something. More confusing was a blank list of equaliser dropdown presets under the game screen, especially when the Bluetooth and mic screens both had multiple presets. You can, however, create and save presets across these three screens if that’s your jam.

The customise tab is where you can control automatic shut-off settings, voice and tone levels as well as function-button remapping. Finally, there’s also a hotkeys page for various functions but none of them are assigned by default.

During my dual Bluetooth/2.4GHz connectivity tests, I was able to play audio from Bluetooth and 2.4GHz simultaneously. With other headsets, I’m more used to one sound source automatically pausing audio playback on the other. It’s worth noting that the microphone has a little plastic plug for the left earcup when removed and, once attached, you can fold up to mute. While not as impressive as the microphone on the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro mic still offers clear and reliable comms.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is still my favourite premium wireless gaming headset of recent times. But if you want something with a cheaper RRP that offers great sound and plenty of premium perks, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is well worth considering.