Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max Review

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max might have a silly name, but it begins to make sense when you consider all of the functionality packed into the headset. Not only is the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max a battery life beast, but it’s also compatible across all consoles, making it both versatile and capable of going the distance. It could well be the only headset a user needs, even if they own many different consoles and mobile devices. Here’s how it fared during my testing.

All-in-one

The box includes everything you need for compatibility across all systems. Thankfully, this does not mean an arsenal of cables ready to get themselves lost, as the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is fully wireless. The box contains the headset itself, a USB Transmitter, USB-C charging cable, and a quick start guide.

Buy the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max at Amazon.com

Setting the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max up is as simple as plugging in the provided USB dongle and flicking the little switch on the side to either “USB” or “XBOX.” This is necessary to allow compatibility across all devices and is why some headsets that work with PS5 and Nintendo Switch won’t work with Xbox. Thankfully, this headset does, and switching modes is easy.

Earcup controls

Headset controls take some getting used to, as there are many different buttons, scroll wheels, and ports located on a single earcup. There’s a master volume scroll wheel, chat volume/mic monitoring scroll wheel, a customizable “Mode” button, a power button, and the Bluetooth button. Then there’s the USB-C port for charging. 

It took me a couple of days before I was fully used to the button placement, but they all feel different enough to distinguish with a touch and the scroll wheels are stiff enough that they aren’t easily bumped by accident.

Sounds good stock

When it comes to booting up games and testing the sound, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max was pleasing in its stock configuration. With no fancy EQ trickery enabled, I found the bass strong but not overbearing and the treble present but not harsh. Mids were a little bit lost, but it’s a sound profile that gaming headsets have leaned towards for years and it’s clear that’s what the majority of gamers find pleasing and competitive. 

Optional enhancements

Happily, for those who like to tinker, Turtle Beach has a bunch of EQ options available. “Superhuman Hearing” is pushed heavily in the marketing materials and claims to give quiet audio cues like enemy footsteps and weapon reloads a boost. While I’m not personally a fan of this mode, as I find it too harsh, I can understand why some gamers swear by it. And it’s always nice to have options that potentially enhance the stock experience.

A dedicated phone app can be paired with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max for further customization. This is totally optional, however, but for those who like to fine-tune their settings in an attempt to optimize sound for any marginal competitive advantage, the option is there.

Comfort is king

For me, when it comes to gaming headsets, comfort is king. So long as the headset conveys positional audio accurately enough for multiplayer games and sounds rich enough for single-player experiences, I’m happy with the sound. It’s over long periods of use that gaming headsets rise or fall. 

Thankfully, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max nails comfort. The game-changing highlight here is the cooling gel-infused earpads, which actually manage to keep my fussy ears cool. Turtle Beach has got the formula down with its earpads and they are the best in the gaming business.  

Glasses wearers will also be pleased to hear that the “ProSpecs” system is once again in use with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max, again showing how Turtle Beach puts comfort at the forefront.

It’s all about the little things

As mentioned in the intro, the battery life on the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is a triumph. It can last over 40 hours per charge, which means I can usually get away with charging it every 10-14 days depending on how heavily I’ve been gaming.

The microphone is the final thing that I’d like to highlight. The boom arm cleverly tucks away when not in use, giving this headset more of a “headphone” look that is much cleaner, especially if you’re thinking about taking this product outside for pairing with a phone or tablet. The mic also sounds better than I expected.

Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max review sample provided by Turtle Beach.