Affordable Excellence
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 is a work of art. They sound like a pair of Astro A30s on steroids with enhanced low-end capabilities. Right out of the box, they offer an impressive range, surpassing even most supposedly certified high-resolution headphones.

These headphones are comfortable, sleek, stylish, and very well made. They don’t look like typical gaming headsets; instead, they resemble a pair of Sony or Bose headphones that you can wear in public without fear of looking out of place. Just compare their visual appeal with Sony’s Inzone series or the latest from Bose if you don’t believe me.

The cushions are superior to the breathable ones found on SteelSeries and even Razer’s latest Kaira Pros. While the packaging might be a step down from their usual, you’re getting way more headset for your buck this time around.

I tested the headset’s Bluetooth range up to 30 feet with no drops or connection issues, even with walls, doors, and furniture in the way. The wireless dongle had a similar range, maintaining a stable connection throughout. I didn’t test if any advanced Bluetooth formats worked with them, but that’s not what they were purchased for. They were bought to replace a broken set of SteelSeries Nova 7s for my niece. I was shocked by how good they sound because you are getting $230+ level sound for around a hundred bucks.

The battery life of the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 is nothing short of impressive. I ran them continuously for 25 hours to test for any degradation, and they are still going strong as I write this review. This is particularly notable given the manufacturer’s claimed battery life of 80 hours. When we first got them, they were nearly dead, but they fully charged in just a couple of hours. While your experience may vary, my testing suggests that these headsets are built to last through extended gaming sessions without needing frequent recharges.

The top leatherette cushion is far superior to what the Astro A30s or new 50s have. It’s actually on par with or better than the Kaira Pro in terms of overall comfort (and no one can deny Razer Kairas are comfortable), but not quite as comfortable as SteelSeries. However, it’s worth pointing out that these are very adjustable and have little clicks when extending either rail, making it easy to ensure both sides are the same length. The headband’s cushion is plush and well-padded, providing excellent support during long gaming sessions. Finally, the Stealth 600 Gen 3 offers a snug (but not too snug) fit and, unlike nearly all my other headsets (Audeze Maxwell, Astro A30, SteelSeries Nova Pro wired, which are the three I use regularly), they don’t fall off my head when looking down.

The only con I can think of is that they don’t allow simultaneous communication or mixing between sources. You have to choose either wireless (dongle) or Bluetooth. I don’t really knock it for that because that feature alone usually drives up the cost, and you likely won’t find it on a headset that costs under $130-150. You can keep two sources connected simultaneously though for quick switching, just not mixing so the advertised features might be a bit misleading. On the flip side, unlike most wireless gaming headsets, you don’t have to purchase an additional accessory for them to work with your PS5, PC, or Switch. This headset works with virtually all devices.

The EQ customization can be done via PC or Mobile App. While only five or so bands are available to customize, it’s enough for enthusiasts to get the most out of the headset. Many headsets, like those from SteelSeries, don’t even have a mobile app, so Turtle Beach is competing well with the Astro A30/50. The microphone is superior to what’s offered with any sub-$200 headset, and the AI noise canceling makes them on par with the A50s, though still not quite at Nova Pro level.

Note: The low latency is the only reason I would ever suggest or consider the updated Astro A50s. I want to point this out because a lot of folks are sold on that headset and it really just isn’t all that impressive. It allows for lower latency because it uses HDMI pass-through (which also requires an additional ultra high speed HDMI included if you want to use it for more than one device), but it creates quite the cable mess and costs 3.5 times more than this headset! While the A50s sound great (superior to the A30 and Stealth 600 Gen3), they do not compare to the Audeze Maxwell. Therefore, I cannot recommend them. In fact, the new Turtle Beach Gen 3 headsets (500, 600, and Pro) make it difficult to recommend anything else if you’re looking for the best value for your money. I’m very curious to see what the new 700 Gen3s will be like because all they can really add at this point is source mixing, which might be worth the extra cost.

**Takeaway:** For $100, this is quite literally one of the best gaming headsets you can buy. The only headsets that might be a little better are the Astro A30s or Nova 7s, both of which either break $200 or are very close to it. Plus, the Novas are notorious for having swivels that don’t appear to be lasting, and the A30s’ only advantages are the mixing (the Nova 7s have mixing too if I’m not mistaken) and the hard case they come with. You might get similar audio from Sony’s Inzone lineup, but it would have to be something above their H5 (H7 or H9), and you’d need to know that wireless functionality wouldn’t be possible with all devices. The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 occupies a unique space and is truly one of the best bang-for-buck gaming headsets under $200.