Turtle Beach Stealth 500 review: “a fantastic headset in isolation”

GamesRadar+ VerdictThe Turtle Beach Stealth 500 is a fantastic headset in isolation, with dual wireless connectivity, a solid soundstage, and a lightweight design. Next to headsets just a little further up the price scale, though, its build quality, battery life, and audio detailing doesn’t quite hold up, though.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at TargetPros+Impressive connection options for the price+Solid, powerful audio+Comfortable ski-band style design+Lightweight form factorCons-Clustered controls-Muddied lower mid-range-Lacks adjustability

GamesRadar+ Verdict

GamesRadar+ Verdict

The Turtle Beach Stealth 500 is a fantastic headset in isolation, with dual wireless connectivity, a solid soundstage, and a lightweight design. Next to headsets just a little further up the price scale, though, its build quality, battery life, and audio detailing doesn’t quite hold up, though.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at Target

The Turtle Beach Stealth 500 is a fantastic headset in isolation, with dual wireless connectivity, a solid soundstage, and a lightweight design. Next to headsets just a little further up the price scale, though, its build quality, battery life, and audio detailing doesn’t quite hold up, though.

TODAY’S BEST DEALS$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at Target

TODAY’S BEST DEALS$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at Target

TODAY’S BEST DEALS$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at Target

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

$70.99at Best Buy$71.99at Amazon$71.99at Target

$70.99at Best Buy

$70.99at Best Buy

$71.99at Amazon

$71.99at Amazon

$71.99at Target

$71.99at Target

Pros+Impressive connection options for the price+Solid, powerful audio+Comfortable ski-band style design+Lightweight form factor

Impressive connection options for the price

Solid, powerful audio

Comfortable ski-band style design

Lightweight form factor

Cons-Clustered controls-Muddied lower mid-range-Lacks adjustability

Clustered controls

Muddied lower mid-range

Lacks adjustability

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

Turtle Beachhas lived in the mid-range and entry level price brackets for years now, with the Stealth line leading the flagships. May brought about two new Stealth models, the mid-range Stealth 600 and the lower mid-range Stealth 500. What’s the difference? About $20. The Stealth 500s are really a plug for those who can’t quite meet that $99.99 price tag of the third generation 600s but still want a solid headset for their cash.

The $79.99 / £79.99 cups still have plenty of competition, but moving further away from that $100 position means they’re able to drop more features and prioritize audio quality while keeping that price relatively low. They’re not going to give some of thebest gaming headsetsin the premium range a run for their money, but they still offer a solid experience all-round.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyKey SpecsPrice$79.99 / £79.99Connection2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.2Drivers40mmFrequency range20Hz - 20kHzMicrophoneOmni-directionalANCNoControlsPower, volume, chat mix, quick switch, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionBatteryUp to 40 hoursWeight233gCompatibilityPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Key SpecsPrice$79.99 / £79.99Connection2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.2Drivers40mmFrequency range20Hz - 20kHzMicrophoneOmni-directionalANCNoControlsPower, volume, chat mix, quick switch, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionBatteryUp to 40 hoursWeight233gCompatibilityPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile

Design

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Stealth 500 on a wooden desk

The actual build of this cushioning is also questionable - my test unit has a section with particularly stretched fabric. The actual cup warps slightly around the left edge, with heavy wrinkling and a less plump cushioning. This leatherette material is already prone to flaking over time, and I’m not too optimistic about the durability of that already-loose corner.

(Image credit: Future)

close up on leatherette earcups of Turtle Beach Stealth 500. The left is puckered around the join with the main plastic chassis and appears wrinkled.

The most noticeable difference between the two headsets, though, is the headband. This is where the Stealth 500 wins out the most. The Stealth 600 is shipped with a pretty standard solid band, but there’s just not enough padding in there to remain comfortable for longer sessions. The cheaper version, however, throws a floating piece of elastic into the mix, similar toSteelSeries’ range of Nova devices. That alleviates any sense of pressure on the top of the head, with the crown only ever hitting the elastic and never the simple plastic frame on top. I much prefer this design during everyday use, especially when I’m playing for hours at a time.

TheSteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wirelessachieves this effect with a slightly higher $129.99 / £129.99 price tag, with a similarly flexible headband that provides just a touch more adjustability. There are no sliders to adjust the actual slide on the headband itself on the Turtle Beach, whereas the SteelSeries is fully adjustable. However, you’re still getting three size options for the elastic itself, swapped using a set of notches on each side.

(Image credit: Future)

Close up on three-pronged headband adjustment on the inside of Turtle Beach Stealth 500

I’m lucky, though. Placing the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 straight on my noggin from the box, I didn’t notice any pain points for mis-alignment in the earcups. If you have a particularly large or small head, though, I’d recommend steering clear. The cups themselves don’t swivel and there’s not enough adjustment in the headband to be truly customizable in shape and size.

For all their leatherette sins, the earcups remain comfortable over longer periods of time, temperature concerns aside. There’s a plush cushioning under each side, with a low clamp force trying desperately to keep things feeling loose - at least for the first few hours.

The plastic housing of the Stealth 500 feels cheaper and more tinny compared to the Stealth 600, but looks like it could hold up against longer term use. It’s also a lightweight design that works towards its comfort as well. The Stealth 500 weighs in at 233g, a considerable improvement over the 301g Stealth 600 - especially with that lower clamp force in tow.

Features

There was a time when cheapwireless gaming headsetsabandoned pretty much every fancy feature in the book to keep their prices low. That time has passed. Now the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 features not only 2.4GHz low-latency connectivity but also Bluetooth 5.2, and the ability to quickly swap between the two. That means you can run this on pretty much anything - though the option to default to a wired mode when the battery runs out is absent. That’s the same connectivity suite as the Stealth 600, though theRazer Barracuda Xadds a wired connection for its $99.99 / £99.99 RRP. That makes it a better buy for Nintendo Switch players who don’t want to worry about running out of juice while out and about.

You’re also getting chat-mix controls right on the headset itself, right next to the volume wheel. That’s not an idea placement, especially considering my natural reach consistently hit the chat wheel instead of volume during testing. In fact, everything is pretty clustered on this left cup, with very little tactile difference between various controls. While I’m impressed with the comprehensive selection of buttons and scrollers, it takes a bit of work to discern the difference between each option on-the-fly.

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 and Turtle Beach Stealth 500 headsets on a wooden desk

This is still a lower mid-range (very almost entry-level) wireless headset, though, so you won’t find any of the fancier features you can grab further up the price scale. However, the Swarm II software still provides access to EQ tweaks, microphone adjustments, and customization options for the multifunction button. There’s also a mobile version of the full PC suite which will come in particularly handy for console players (a rare addition, I usually see cheaper headsets relegating all of their customization features to PC-only use).

The mobile app does do away with the full 10-band EQ feature, but can otherwise be used to check battery, swap presets, and adjust your microphone. Overall, Swarm is a solid piece of software that provides excellent functionality while still remaining intuitive in its menus, all without demanding too much from your PC.

This is also where you’ll be toggling Superhuman Hearing, an audio preset that’s been shipping with Turtle Beach headsets for years now. This setting emphasizes ranges that hold things like footsteps and gunshots, with the aim being to make certain sounds clearer for competitive play. The result is an overly-processed soundstage, though, that never feels comfortable to listen to for too long.

The battery is another indicator of a slightly lower price tag, though the 40 hour rating is more than workable for everyday play. I used the Stealth 500 for around five days averaging around five hours of use per day and still had 35% remaining, so Turtle Beach’s suggestion certainly rings true from my own testing. If you’re a heavier user, it’s worth noting that the Stealth 600 bumps your battery up to 80 hours for just a little extra cash.

Performance

The Turtle Beach Stealth 500s aren’t going to give high-end headsets any concerns in their audio quality. However, they do offer a nicely energetic soundstage with plenty of range and a nice balance. The lower ranges are naturally a little more powerful than the mids, as is expected from this cheaper bracket. That means the mids can feel a little clustered at times. Octopath Traveler’s soundtrack feels a little restricted through these cups, compared to theRazerBarracuda X where there’s more space for detailing in the lower-mids. Nevertheless, there’s a warmth to the Turtle Beach Stealth 500’s sound quality that shines through particularly well in dialogue and cut scenes, and everyday play still sounds natural and well-balanced.

Unlike cheaper headsets that over-emphasize the bass at the expense of clarity, the Stealth 500s still sound impressively clean in the low ranges. I didn’t notice any distortion during everyday use, though it’s also worth noting that I couldn’t seem to crank the volume to the levels where I would usually hear this degradation in quality either. If you like your games at ear-splitting volumes you might struggle to feel the full power of this device.

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Stealth 500 headset with ski-style headband

Overall quality is impressive for $79.99 / £79.99, though, especially considering directional audio is still worth a shot. Apex Legends and CS:2 both benefited from additional positional cues, with footsteps and gunshots easily heard amongst the heat of battle. That spatial sound wasn’t quite as precise as more competitive-minded headsets like theRazer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed, but I could easily discern the general direction of certain effects. If you’re a truly competitive player you’ll need to move further up the price scale to notice a difference in your play, but the Stealth 500 nails the basics particularly well for the price.

The microphone does its job in the same way, offering a nicely clear pickup for the price but without the extra tonal or volume qualities of more expensive models - it’s certainly not a patch on the BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed.

Should you buy the Turtle Beach Stealth 500?

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Stealth 500 headset set up against packaging on a wooden desk

I’d recommend the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 to anyone who doesn’t want to go near the $100 / £100 price bracket, but wants more than a $50 / £50 headset can provide (namely a wireless connection and light form factor). In isolation, the Stealth 500 offers a solid price proposition - it’s one of the first cheaper headsets to offer both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections at an affordable rate. However, the Stealth 600’s build quality, battery life, and materials make it the better buy overall. For just $20 / £20 more you’re doubling your juice and picking up a more comfortable set of cup cushions. While the headband itself is a little less comfortable than the floating style of the 500s, the adjustability makes it a more viable option for many as well.

The Razer Barracuda X also offers a similar proposition, with better sound quality in the lower ranges and a more adjustable form factor. You’re still getting both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections, though with only 10 hours more battery life. The microphone is also detachable on Razer’s model rather than the handier flip to mute version on the Stealth 500.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyKey SpecsSpecsTurtle Beach Stealth 500Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3Razer Barracuda X (2022)Price$79.99 / £79.99$99.99 / £99.99$99.99 / £99.99Connection2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.22.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.22.4GHz / Bluetooth / WiredDrivers40mm50mm40mmFrequency range20Hz - 20kHz20Hz - 20kHz20Hz - 20kHzMicrophoneOmni-directionalUni-directionalUni-directionalANCNoNoNoControlsPower, volume, chat mix, quick switch, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionPower, volume, chat mix, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionVolume, power, smart switchBatteryUp to 40 hoursUp to 80 hoursUp to 50 hoursWeight233g301g250gCompatibilityPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobilePC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, mobilePC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, mobile

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Key SpecsSpecsTurtle Beach Stealth 500Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3Razer Barracuda X (2022)Price$79.99 / £79.99$99.99 / £99.99$99.99 / £99.99Connection2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.22.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.22.4GHz / Bluetooth / WiredDrivers40mm50mm40mmFrequency range20Hz - 20kHz20Hz - 20kHz20Hz - 20kHzMicrophoneOmni-directionalUni-directionalUni-directionalANCNoNoNoControlsPower, volume, chat mix, quick switch, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionPower, volume, chat mix, Bluetooth pairing, multi-functionVolume, power, smart switchBatteryUp to 40 hoursUp to 80 hoursUp to 50 hoursWeight233g301g250gCompatibilityPC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobilePC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, mobilePC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, mobile

Today’s best dealsTurtle Beach Stealth 500$71.99ViewSee all pricesTurtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3$97.99ViewSee all pricesRazer Barracuda X 2022$99.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesRazer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed$129.99$99.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Today’s best dealsTurtle Beach Stealth 500$71.99ViewSee all pricesTurtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3$97.99ViewSee all pricesRazer Barracuda X 2022$99.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesRazer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed$129.99$99.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Today’s best dealsTurtle Beach Stealth 500$71.99ViewSee all pricesTurtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3$97.99ViewSee all pricesRazer Barracuda X 2022$99.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesRazer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed$129.99$99.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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Turtle Beach Stealth 500$71.99ViewSee all pricesTurtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3$97.99ViewSee all pricesRazer Barracuda X 2022$99.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesRazer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed$129.99$99.99ViewSee all prices

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How I tested the Turtle Beach Stealth 500

I used the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 headset as my only gaming headset for a period of two weeks, while also testing alongside the Stealth 600, Razer Barracuda X,CorsairHS35 V2, and Razer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed for a period of one week. During my full testing period I tested for competitive accuracy in CS:2 and Apex Legends, while also running Octopath Traveler and Fallout 4 on PC as well.

I tested environmental audio and definition in Horizon Forbidden West, with further PS5 directional testing accomplished in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Doom Eternal was used to test the power of the lower ranges and lower mids in a more clustered soundstage, with The Last of Us Part 2 being used for dialogue and soundstage recreation. For more information onhow we test gaming headsets, check out the fullGamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We’re also rounding up all thebest PS5 headsetsand thebest Xbox Series X headsetson the market, as well as thebest Nintendo Switch headsetsfor on-the-go play as well.

Turtle Beach Stealth 500 : Price Comparison

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Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

1

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

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Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

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Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

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Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

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Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

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Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

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Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

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