Source: Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max review: Cross-platform beauty
(Pocket-lint) – If you’re lucky enough to have more than one of the top consoles in your setup, and maybe a gaming PC, you’re probably familiar with the frustration of accessories that don’t work on multiple platforms.
This lack of compatibility is commonplace in the world of controllers and chargers, but it’s also prevalent in gaming headsets.
What might work with the PlayStation 5 might not be an option for those with a PC, Xbox Series X/S, or Nintendo Switch – and of course, the equipment can get a bit pricey if you need to own individual options for multiple consoles.
Thankfully, Turtle Beach has seen the light, with its Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max joining the relatively small pool of options that can work seamlessly across platforms.
Is this a flagship headset worth considering, or is cross-compatibility its only real selling point? We put it to the test to find out.
The Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max’s name might be a headache, but the headset itself is an absolute joy to use.
Cross-compatibility is certainly the headline feature here, making it a strong option even in isolation for those playing on multiple platforms. However, the battery life is just as impressive as the support.
With these premium elements, coupled with solid sound quality and a reasonable price, the Gen 2 Max actually becomes one of the better options for those looking for a new gaming headset.
There are definitely options that offer similar compatibility with a more premium design or better audio quality, but we’re still very impressed with this headset.
- Multiplatform dongle
- Solid sound
- Foldable microphone is convenient
- Stellar battery life
- Very plastic design
- The microphone is not class-leading
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A familiar look
- All-plastic construction
- Foldable microphone arm
- Weighs 640g
Turtle Beach hasn’t changed the standard design of its headsets in quite a while, so the Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max (which we’ll call Gen 2 Max for brevity from here on out) doesn’t deviate too much from the headsets we’ve featured over the past few years brought to market.
That’s not a bad thing, though, and it has a pretty nice all-black look that doesn’t catch the eye too much. The headset is almost entirely made of plastic, which has advantages and disadvantages. On a positive note, it remains fairly light and comfortable.
The obvious sour note is that it doesn’t really feel premium compared to sturdier options from Logitech and Steelseries – but at $129.99 / £129.99 / €139.99 it’s not the most expensive headset on, in our opinion there is nothing wrong with the market.
The build has some nice flex points to allow the headset to conform to your head, and the padding around the ears is nicely shaped to make it gentler on eyeglass frames, which the eyeglass wearers among us will appreciate.
Another signature Turtle Beach design element is here, as you’d expect, in the form of a stowable mic boom that you can fold away when not in use or just want to mute yourself. It’s a great piece of design and you can hardly tell the mic is there when it’s not in use.
Similarly handy are the little numbering details on the extendable sections of the headband, making it easy to remember which adjustments you’ve made comfortable for future use. We’d love for all headsets to include this type of touch.
The left earcup houses a number of controls, including a volume knob, microphone recording dial, power button, and EQ mode button, all of which are fairly easy to use and handy during gameplay.
The sound of success
- 50mm audio driver
- Audio Presets
When you put the headset on, the Gen 2 Max is in line with what we’ve had with Turtle Beach’s other high-end headsets over the past few years – it sounds great, but it’s not quite on par with premium competitors .
The 50mm drivers used can put out really punchy sound, and when you crank it up at its loudest the headset can be unbearably loud – if that’s important to you.
We tested it in a range of games across multiple platforms, including sessions in Call of Duty: Warzone and a playthrough of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and were impressed with the wealth of sound on offer.
It also has solid precision, so you can count on hearing enemy footsteps and noise in multiplayer titles, especially if they have a great audio design (something that’s admittedly a bit spotty in Warzone, and therefore a bit more difficult). to test).
However, it lacks some of the finesse you get from headsets that take the next step in audio quality – even if these typically cost a fair bit more than the Gen 2 Max. Something like the Steelseries Arctis 7P+ just has that, in our opinion ahead.
There are audio presets to toggle between if you want to change your sound profile on the go – a feature some might find useful – although we mostly stuck with the default arrangement for fear of overdoing our bass or treble.
Another minor downside is the microphone’s so-so sound quality, although its design is really useful. You won’t get any complaints from your party chat members, which is the main thing, but when we listened to the in-game clips, we found that other microphones deliver the audio more clearly.
Impressive properties
- Replaceable dongle
- 48 hours of battery life with quick charge
Where the Gen 2 Max really resonates is when you turn to its biggest selling point – cross-platform compatibility. It’s really a simple system, centered around a small switch on the headset’s Wi-Fi dongle.
This allows you to switch between Xbox mode and a USB mode that works with PlayStation, Switch and PCs, covering just about everything outside of a mobile connection.
The good news is that it works as advertised and switching between consoles is now as easy as moving the dongle, rather than having to buy a potentially expensive second headset. That’s the standard we want all headset manufacturers to achieve – after all, it’s clearly possible to build multi-purpose headsets.
However, Turtle Beach can be commended for being managed, even if the Gen 2 Max costs a fair smattering more than the non-removable Gen 2 USB, which otherwise feels and sounds the same.
Another big hit for the headset is battery life, where again it does an absolutely brilliant job.
Turtle Beach says you should get 48+ hours of gameplay between charges, and we’ve never ceased to be amazed at how long we can go between power-ups.
This is free time to switch between charges, and it’s further aided by fast charging, which gives you over eight hours of gameplay on a 15-minute charge.
Just like the multiplatform side of things, these are the kinds of numbers we’d like to see from any headset but unfortunately don’t.
This is a great headset for anyone who has more than one console. Being able to switch between PS5, Switch, PC or Xbox Series X/S without changing headset is enormously convenient and cost-saving. It might not outperform the competition in other ways, but its versatility alone – and perhaps its impressive battery life – makes it an excellent choice for many people.
Writing from Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Conor Allison.
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