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Gaming headsets pose an interesting dilemma. Further muddying matters is the sheer number of viable headsets on the market today. Turtle Beach has been a mainstay of gaming accessories for quite a number of years.
They make affordable peripherals at a variety of price points. The Turtle Beach Stealth 300 isn’t one of their flagship products. It is a mid-range headset at a more affordable price point.
It does have performance above its price point, but there are certain drawbacks that come with the device. Let’s take a look at the tech specs and performance of the Stealth 300.
Turtle Beach Stealth 300: Best Deals Today
- Turtle Beach Stealth 300 Amplified Gaming Headset (Amazon) – $79.95
- Turtle Beach Stealth 300 Amplified Gaming Headset (Newegg) – $99.66
Turtle Beach Stealth 300 Overview
Release Date and Introduction Price
The Stealth 300 launched on July 10, 2018, at an introductory price of $79.95. A delayed release for Europe and Australia saw the headset released on July 23rd of the same year.
Different Models
There are a few different models in the Stealth headset lineup. More recent revisions include the Stealth 600, Stealth 600 MAX, and the Stealth 700 MAX. These aren’t revisions but more outright upgrades, with the Stealth 600 operating at the original price point of the Stealth 300.
Within the Stealth 300 line of headsets, there are two separate variants, however, with specific consoles in mind. These leverage the onboard audio controls to more effectively work with the PS4 and Xbox One consoles. The newer Stealth headsets have compatibility with the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Specifications
| Drivers | 50mm |
| Audio Connections | 3.5mm stereo |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz to 20kHz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours on a full charge |
| Earcup Materials | Mesh fabric covering with foam pads |
| Audio Presets | Bass boost, signature sound, bass and treble boost, vocal boost |
| Audio Controls | Volume control, mic volume, power, and EQ settings |
| Microphone | Removable noise-canceling boom mic |
Turtle Beach Stealth 300: Review
The Turtle Beach Stealth 300 brings the expected fit and finish one would expect of the company. The headset itself is well-designed and the controls are clearly laid out.
Despite the aforementioned battery life, this is a wired headset that does require a constant connection to your device. The battery life is for the rechargeable battery which powers the amplified portion of the headphones, boosting clarity and volume in the playback of audio.
Design
- Powerful amplified audio: Immerse yourself in your games with rechargeable battery powered amplified sound from your Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PS4
- Surround sound ready for Xbox One: Optimized to deliver immersive Windows Sonic Surround sound, provided by Microsoft for Xbox One (and compatible Windows 10 PCs)
- Flip up Mic: Turtle Beach's renowned high sensitivity mic picks up your voice loud and clear, and flips up to mute
- Memory foam ear cushions: Breathable fabric wrapped memory foam ear cushions provide unmatched comfort
- Variable mic Monitoring: Hear and adjust the volume of your voice inside the headset so you never have to shout
The exterior of the headset is rather unassuming, with the colored accents being a more subtle flash of color on the black finish. Earphone size is on the larger side, and the headset very easily accommodates glasses frames. The overall size of the earcups does present a leaking of sound, but it isn’t quite as noticeable as you would think.
Turtle Beach has made a rather well-designed layout of the controls present on the headset itself. This further compliments wonderfully convenient choices like the disabling of the microphone when folded out of the way.
The cable measures two feet in length, so not a lot of wiggle room but it is ample if you’re plugged into a controller or nearby PC. Where the design does fall short is in its implementation of powered speakers. Users only have the option of using the powered drivers in the earphones, there isn’t a passive listening mode.
That means that in the event of no charge left on the battery, the headphones are inoperable. It seems unnecessary given that other mid-range wired headsets in the same price range don’t require charging to operate.
Sound Quality
Sound quality is passable with the Stealth 300 headset. The amplified earcup drivers don’t seem to make a huge difference in terms of overall clarity and detail of sound. Further, user impressions give the notion that the individual EQ profiles don’t have much of an effect on the way the audio is presented.
The Stealth 300 isn’t a top-of-the-line headset, but it is disappointing to have the headset tied to a charging mechanism to operate and still produce so-so audio quality.
The frequency response of the headset is decent, with it ranging from the sub-frequencies of 20Hz all the way up to 20kHz. The 50 mm drivers do well to present the sound provided you’re choosing the correct in-game settings for headphone mixes.
When listening to music, the Stealth 300 does a fair job. There is a lack of detail in the upper frequencies and the bass could be more defined and deeper. Despite the amplification present, there seems to be an overall lack of punch to make the audio really shine.
The microphone is perfunctory, meaning that it functions just fine. It won’t turn in professional audio recordings, but it does the job just fine for communicating in-game.
As a Zoom or teleconferencing headset, it’ll do the job admirably as well. It has the handy quality of folding out of the way and disabling the microphone circuit entirely when out of the way.
Connections
- Powerful amplified audio: Immerse yourself in your games with rechargeable battery powered amplified sound from your Xbox One and PS4
- Flip up Mic: Turtle Beach's renowned high sensitivity mic picks up your voice loud and clear, and flips up to mute
- Memory foam ear cushions: Breathable fabric wrapped memory foam ear cushions provide unmatched comfort
- Variable mic Monitoring: Hear and adjust the volume of your voice inside the headset so you never have to shout
- All day battery life always be ready to play with upto 30 hours of gaming per charge
There are two main connections for the Stealth 300. The primary means of conveying audio to the headset and from the microphone is a standard 3.5 mm stereo connection. This provides the connection for the headset as well as the microphone.
An additional USB connection is required for charging the headset itself. As previously mentioned, it does have a non-replaceable rechargeable battery which powers the earcup drivers. Independent sound controls are directly on the headset, but it would’ve been nicer to have a remote with a cable connection.
Turtle Beach Stealth 300: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Affordable
- Well constructed
- Well-designed detachable boom mic
- Foldable design
Cons
- Outdated compared to the newer Stealth 600
- No passive play mode
- Has to be charged to play
- EQ settings don’t seem to do much
Turtle Beach Stealth 300: Is it a Buy?
With so many headsets on the market, is it worth seeking out the Stealth 300? If you’re after a mid-range headset with a bevy of useful features and design choices, it serves the role admirably. There are some utterly frustrating ideas implemented in the design, but they are a comfortable and easy-to-wear set of earphones.
Buy it if…
The Stealth 300 is well worth a purchase if you’re looking for a comfortable wired headset. In this role, it functions quite well, and the playback of in-game audio, music, and voice communications was passable. It won’t win any awards for sound quality, though.
The Stealth 300 is a perfectly passable headset for the price and does just fine with most games. You’ll have to rely on in-game implementation of positional audio and the like but, that aside, it is a comfortable and affordable headset.
Don’t Buy it if…
The Stealth 300 is an outmoded headset laden with some rather frustrating design choices. Needing a constant charge to operate is a net negative for a headset relying on a wired connection. The Stealth 600 is available for the same general price range, it’s wireless, and features most of the same other comparable features.
The overall design of the Stealth 300 seems to be a venture to revitalize a perfectly adequate mid-range headset into something it isn’t. Powered speakers seem like a general waste, given how they are implemented.
The sound quality doesn’t necessarily benefit from the amplified drivers. Audiophiles and studios alike will often use headphones with external power driving them, and those have an unparalleled level of quality. Instead, the audio lacks depth and punch, and users aren’t given the option to bypass the powered component entirely.
