Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 Review: Nearly Half a Kilo of Stellar Sound

Experience top-tier wireless gaming audio with Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3—bold design, robust features, and versatile connectivity make it a standout headset.

If you’re anything like me, hunting for a gaming headset that blends comfort, sound quality, and versatility can feel like a quest worthy of its own game. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 steps into this arena with a hefty presence—literally weighing in at nearly half a kilo—and a promise to deliver excellent audio across multiple platforms. It’s not your typical flashy gamer headset with RGB lights screaming for attention; instead, it opts for a more understated look with true performance at its core.

Broad Compatibility and Wireless Convenience

The Stealth 700 Gen 3 is a wireless powerhouse, compatible with PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS devices. How does it manage this? Through Bluetooth and not one, but two USB wireless adapters, allowing quick switching between devices. Imagine gaming on your PC while keeping an ear on your phone’s music or calls simultaneously—this headset makes that a breeze.

Size and Comfort: A Mixed Bag

At first glance, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 might intimidate with its oversized ear cups and wide dynamic drivers, arguably some of the broadest I’ve seen in gaming headsets. While many ultra-light headsets boast portability, this one doesn’t shy away from bulk.

Despite its substantial frame, the weight isn’t as punishing as expected. I personally had no trouble wearing it for extended sessions, though some gamers might find it on the heavier side. The real comfort hiccup lies in the headband—it lacks sufficient padding, which led to some discomfort and headaches after relatively short gaming bursts. On the flip side, the ear cushions are plush and soft, perfect for glasses wearers like myself who often dread the pinching effect.

One thing to note: the ear cups are large and offer a relatively loose fit, which means they might shift during sudden head movements. But for everyday gaming motions? They stay put nicely.

Build Quality and Functional Design Details

Stealth 700 Gen 3’s build quality is solid, even if not premium-grade. The materials feel durable, and the headset displays a well-thought-out assembly. A nifty feature is the foldable boom microphone, which snaps into place firmly when folded, preventing accidental pops or catches during gameplay.

Physical controls cover all vital functions: four buttons and three scroll wheels. Two of these wheels independently control volume for Bluetooth and wireless transmitter sources—meaning you can finely tune game audio and chat or phone audio separately without fumbling through software menus. It’s a bit of a juggling act to remember each wheel's function at first, but their size and tactile feel make adjustment easy once you get the hang of it.

Software Customization with Swarm 2

To dial in your perfect sound, Turtle Beach’s Swarm 2 software on PC offers useful customization options. It lets you remap the Mode button and one of the scroll wheels, adjust microphone monitoring levels, chat audio, bass, treble, and noise cancellation settings.

You get presets like Bass Boost, Bass and Treble Boost, and Vocal Boost, each tweakable across ten frequency points between 32 Hz and 16 kHz by up to ±9 dB. There’s also a “Superhuman Hearing” mode designed to amplify in-game sounds like footsteps and gunshots, although I found it a bit too aggressive for my taste.

Sound Quality: Punchy and Balanced

The audio output impressed me with its clarity and balance across frequencies. The Bass Boost mode enriches low-end depth without muddying the overall sound, making it great for gaming and music alike. At very high volumes, some distortion can creep in, but dialing back just a notch fixes that instantly.

Vocal Boost, however, felt less natural and detracted from overall fidelity. For me, the best sound came from combining bass and treble enhancements without overdoing it.

Microphone Performance: Functional but Not Flawless

The built-in mic does its job with acceptable clarity. While not studio-grade, it’s clear enough for gaming chats and voice communication. Its AI-powered noise cancellation effectively mutes background noise, which is a big plus during intense online sessions.

Connectivity Experience: Mostly Smooth, With Minor Hiccups

Connecting to consoles or PC via USB dongle is straightforward, and pairing through Bluetooth on smartphones is seamless. I enjoyed switching effortlessly between my PC and phone while gaming.

That said, I experienced occasional disconnections and delays reconnecting to my PC after sleep mode. This might be an isolated quirk tied to my setup, but it’s something to watch out for. Hopefully, firmware updates will iron out these glitches soon.

Battery Life: Marathon-Ready

Turtle Beach claims up to 80 hours of battery life, and my experience aligns with that estimate. After several days of mixed Bluetooth and dongle use, battery drain was minimal—only about 5-10%. This endurance makes the Stealth 700 Gen 3 a reliable companion for marathon gaming sessions without frequent recharging.

Price, Colors, and Alternatives

Priced around $200, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 sits comfortably in the mid-range wireless headset market, available in black, white, and cobalt blue.

If you’re hunting for a close competitor, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro offers a similar price point with arguably superior build quality, sound, and extra features like THX Spatial Audio. For budget-conscious gamers, the Epos H3 wired headset delivers excellent audio and comfort at a much lower price, though it lacks wireless capabilities.

My Testing Methodology

To put the Stealth 700 Gen 3 through its paces, I used it over several days across multiple platforms: PC (Windows 10), PS5, and Nintendo Switch. I played detailed, sound-critical titles like Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, while also testing music playback and voice recording for microphone clarity.

With over two decades of gaming headset experience under my belt, I’ve tried a wide variety of brands across price ranges, so I feel confident comparing this headset to its peers.

“The Stealth 700 Gen 3 offers impressive sound and versatility, though it stumbles a bit on comfort and some connectivity quirks.”

Final Thoughts: Is the Stealth 700 Gen 3 Worth It?

While the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 might not be the lightest or most premium-feeling headset in its class, it packs a punch with solid sound quality, versatile multi-platform support, and an exceptional battery life that’s tough to beat. If you can overlook the slightly bulky fit and occasional PC connection hiccups, it’s a compelling choice for gamers wanting a wireless headset that can juggle multiple audio sources without breaking a sweat.

FAQ

• How heavy is the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3? It weighs 405 grams, which is on the heavier side compared to some other gaming headsets.
• Can I use this headset with multiple devices simultaneously? Yes, thanks to Bluetooth and dual USB adapters, you can connect to several devices and control their volumes independently.
• Does the headset support noise cancellation? The microphone features AI-based noise cancellation to reduce unwanted background sounds.
• What is the battery life like on the Stealth 700 Gen 3? It boasts up to 80 hours of wireless use on a single charge.
• Is the headset comfortable for glasses wearers? Yes, the thick ear cushions are designed to accommodate glasses comfortably without causing pressure or pain.

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