Turtle Beach is preparing for the holidays by rolling out new products up and down its roster, and it has something in store for you console gamers. The company’s premium Xbox One and PlayStation 4 wireless gaming headsets are getting a refresh with new features. Turtle Beach is also introducing its.
Turtle Beach's new Recon 200 headset's subtle carbon-fiber stylings and feature set are an enticing proposition for just $60, and that includes mic monitoring feedback so you don't yell at your teammates, amplified volume and bass boost.
But realistically, how much bang can you really get for your $60? Let's take a look (and listen).
Feature rich
Turtle Beach Recon 200
Packed with great features for a wonderfully affordable price.
Bottom line: For $60 you could do far worse in the audio department, and the addition of mic monitoring is a nice touch.
Pros
- Robust construction with metal interior
- Comfortable cushioning
- Flip-to-mute mic
- Attractive matte design
- Great price
Cons
- Leatherette earcups are a bit clammy
- A little tight across the top
What you'll love about Turtle Beach Recon 200
Category | Spec |
---|---|
Frequency response | 20Hz to 20kHz |
Speaker size | 40mm |
Connection | 3.5 mm (120 cm), USB for battery charging |
Cup space | 6 cm x 4.5 cm, oval |
Cup style | Faux-leather |
Compatibility | Xbox One, PC, PS4, Mobile, and Nintendo Switch |
Price | $60 |
Turtle Beach is enjoying a bit of a renaissance at the moment with its headset lineup as it courts esports professionals. Its latest budget option is the Recon 200, which feels deceptively high-quality. The headset is listed with compatibility for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (PS4), Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, but in testing w,e found that it works perfectly well with PC as well, when set in Xbox mode.
What stood out to me immediately was the really nice design. It uses a lot of the same techniques found in Turtle Beach's previous lineup, including the flip-to-mute fixed microphone, and diagonal pivots on the cups, but the company has included this subtle, sexy carbon fiber-style two-tone finish, which looks great. The headband is also supported on the interior with a strip of brushed metal, which compliments the matte black tones and gunmetal accents found throughout. I really like this more serious Turtle Beach design and hope the company continues with it in the future.
The Recon 200 also doesn't disappoint in the sound department, delivering rich bass notes and crisp sound effects, elevated with surround software like Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic. While the soundscape doesn't offer the same clarity and distinct tuning found in some of Turtle Beach's more expensive headsets, like the Elite Atlas, it still defies its $60 price point to deliver high-quality sound, with amplified volume and bass, owing to that internal battery. The mic quality is good enough for comms chatter but don't expect any miracles for podcasting or content creation.
For the Recon 200, Turtle Beach also baked in some features powered by an internal battery, charged via an included USB cable. When powered on, the Recon 200 provides mic monitoring, which is adjustable via a dial on the headset. It's a huge step above the software mic monitoring on the Xbox One, allowing you to hear yourself while speaking. Since the headset is quite isolating with leatherette cups, being able to hear yourself speak is a nice bonus to prevent unintentional yelling.
While the Recon 200 delivers big in the value-for-money department, there are some downsides.
What you won't love about Turtle Beach Recon 200
I'm not a fan of the faux leather-style earcups, particularly on lower-end headsets. The lack of cool-feeling materials and foam in the earcups can make them quite clammy over time, even in a cold climate.
Also, I found them to be a tad tight across the top of my head. The cushion at the top isn't very thick at all, making them feel a little harsh to wear, particularly if you're sensitive to that sort of thing. Overall, they are comfortable, but they could certainly be better.
Should you buy Turtle Beach's Recon 200 gaming headset?
If you're looking specifically for a $60 headset, I'd say this is a great purchase, particularly if you value the mic monitoring aspect. The Recon 200 is cheap and it punches above its weight in the audio department, delivering great sound across both PC and Xbox One. The two-tone carbon fiber design looks great, and robust materials, complimented with metal interiors, should see this headset survive a lot of punishment.
While I would have preferred fabric earcups and thicker cushioning across the top of the headset, it's by no means what I'd call bad, especially for younger gamers who won't need to use the Recon 200 on its largest adjustment setting.
Overall, this is a headset that won't disappoint. You could spend a little bit more to get better audio and comfort, but the addition of mic monitoring makes this headset a cut above many others in the price range.
Monitor that mic
Turtle Beach Recon 200
Packed with great features for a wonderfully affordable price.
Bottom line: Turtle Beach has upped its game yet again with the $60 Recon 200, delivering solid headset at an affordable price.
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Turtle Beach is a household name in gaming headsets, with years of experience that have produced a modern, comprehensive range of products. Its Elite, Recon, and Atlas lines run the gamut of prices and features, with compatibility options for PC, consoles (yes, including Nintendo Switch), and mobile devices to boot. What's the difference between picking up a pair of Turtle Beach cans versus any other headset? The biggest difference is simple: they're built from the ground up for playing games.
That design mindset manifests in everything from mic design to the way the speakers are tuned to the level of comfort you can expect. After all, if you're going to have something on your head for hours on end as you play games and chat with friends about playing games, it had better feel good. Thankfully, Turtle Beach's product line is pretty cozy on your cranium across the board. If you don't mind dropping big bucks you can get a pretty spectacular sound experience, but even the entry-level headsets will feel and sound great. They're easily some of the best PC headsets for gaming.
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Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 50mm | Weight: 1.12kg | Compatibility: PC, PS4, Xbox One, mobile
Easily swappable magnetic deco plates and ear cushions
SuperAmp connects to app for full control over audio
The Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 was developed in collaboration with top esports teams and delivers great clarity for competitive gaming. The generously-sized cooling gel-infused memory foam ear cups keep out external noise, while the TruSpeak mic has optional mic monitoring and is remarkably clear. The SuperAmp packed in with the headset is where the fun is at. It hooks up via Bluetooth to the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app on your mobile device, letting you switch between sound profiles, tweak your game/ chat mix, and you can even take phone calls via the Bluetooth connection to your phone. It's an expensive gaming headset, but it'll give you the edge in any online scenario, and that is something you can't put a price on.
Check out our review for more information on the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2.
Turtle Beach Elite Atlas
High-end in everything but price
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 50mm | Weight: 0.98kg | Compatibility: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, mobile
Great comfort
Balanced well for games
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas is priced like a mid-range headset at £90/ $100, but it punches above its price point in almost every way that matters. The overall build quality of the product is surprisingly sturdy, and the reserved black-and-chrome look won't attract nearly as many incredulous looks as some of the more vibrant plastic and LED-infused options you can find. The Elite Atlas' removable mic even means that you could probably take it out into public without getting singled out as a power player.
All that said, this is still very much a gamer's headset; its levels are tuned for luxuriating in explosions and picking up nearby footsteps rather than enjoying the subtleties of a philharmonic orchestra or what have you. With its lack of built-in surround sound and no amp or tuning support, the Turtle Beach Elite Atlas has no pretensions: it's simply a great gaming headset at an excellent price.
Turtle Beach Recon 200
A budget headset for battle royale
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 40mm | Weight: 499g | Compatibility: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile
Well under $100/ £100
Mic monitoring
The Recon 200 will barely make a dent in your bank balance, at £50/ $60, but offers surprisingly good sound quality at that price. Announced alongside the Stealth 300, the pair of headsets have been optimised for Fortnite on Nintendo Switch, as well as other battle royale games.
Both headsets feature amps, which means they need to be charged. The Recon 200's battery life is only 12 hours, supports Windows Sonic, and has always-on Bass Boost. It's a decent headset for those on a budget who don't want to compromise on sound.
Turtle Beach Stealth 300
Robust sound at a great price
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 50mm | Weight: 544g | Compatibility: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile
40 hours battery life
Four audio presets
Needs to be charged
The Stealth 300 isn't quite at the cheapest tier in Turtle Beach's headset range, but for £80/ $80 you can get a comfortable pair of headphones with four audio presets that cycle through default, Bass Boost, Bass and Treble Boost, and Treble/ Vocal Boost options.
The headset's amps need to be charged in order for the headset to work, which can be a pain if you've forgotten to juice them up, but on the plus side, the battery life is quite extensive, giving you around 40 hours from a single charge. They're super comfy and you'll have no problem wearing them for hours, and the ProSpecs tech means that even glasses wearers won't suffer from their eyewear being slowly fused to their skull. If you want balanced sound on a budget, the Stealth 300 is our go-to.
Check out our review for more information on the Turtle Beach Stealth 300.
Turtle Beach Elite 800/800X
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 50mm | Compatibility: PS4, PS3, Nintendo Switch, mobile/ Xbox One, mobile
DTS 7.1 Surround Sound
Bluetooth 4.0
The Turtle Beach Elite 800 and 800X both feature active noise cancellation and 7.1 DTS surround sound and you'd hope so for $250, and its Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity lets you pair it with two devices simultaneously. There's no boom arm to be seen, but the built-in twin mics makes for great voice clarity.
The headset comes with a magnetic charging stand which acts as a base station for the wireless headset, and the matte black of the headset is offset nicely with the glossy black finish of the base. When it comes to sound, the Elite 800 has a range of modes tuned to different genres, as well as a Superhuman Hearing setting to give you an edge competitively. It's a pricey piece of kit, but if you have the money, it's worth every penny.
Turtle Beach Stealth 700
Affordable wireless headset
Acoustic design: Closed Back | Drivers: 50mm | Compatibility: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile
Budget wireless headset
Short battery life
The Stealth 700 comes in at $150, or around £100 on Amazon, and is touted as a premium wireless headset, and a more affordable option than the Elite 800. With Bluetooth, surround sound, and active noise-cancellation, it's certainly a more feasible option if your purse strings are a little tight.
From a performance perspective, the Stealth 700 can get a little too bass heavy when you take the volume up to the max, but unless you're hard of hearing or enjoy the risk of blowing your eardrums out, this won't be an issue for most people. The 10 hour battery life isn't ideal, but as long as you remember to charge it between sessions, you should be just fine. The headset also benefits from Turtle Beach's Superhuman Hearing sound mode. If you really can't stretch for the Elite 800, the Stealth 700 is an attractive alternative.
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