If you’re lucky enough to have more than one of the top consoles in your setup, and perhaps a gaming PC, you’re likely familiar with the frustration of accessories not working across multiple platforms.
This lack of compatibility is commonplace in the world of controllers and chargers, but it’s also widespread in gaming headsets.
What may work with the PlayStation 5 may not be an option for those with a PC, Xbox Series X / S or Nintendo Switch – and kitting yourself out can naturally get a bit expensive if you’re required to own individual options for multiple consoles.
Thankfully, Turtle Beach has seen the light, with its Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max joining the relatively small pool of options that can work seamlessly across different platforms.
Is this a flagship headset that’s worthy of your consideration, then, or is cross-compatibility its only real selling point? We’ve been putting it to the test in order to find out.
The Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max may be a headache of a name, but the headset itself is an absolute joy to use.
Cross-compatibility is certainly the headline feature here, and, even in isolation, makes it a strong option for those who game on multiple platforms. However, the battery life is just as impressive as its support.
With these class-leading elements also then paired with solid sound quality and a reasonable asking price, the Gen 2 Max actually starts to become one of the better options to consider for those looking for a new gaming headset.
There are definitely options out there offering similar compatibility with a more premium design or better audio quality, but we’re still very impressed by this headset.
Turtle Beach hasn’t changed up the standard design of its headsets in quite a while now, so the Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max (which we’ll call the Gen 2 Max from here on out for the sake of brevity) doesn’t deviate too much from the headsets we’ve seen released over the last couple of years.
That’s no bad thing, though, and it’s got a fairly nice all-black look that doesn’t draw the eye too much. The headset is almost entirely plastic, which has upsides and downsides. On a positive note, it means it stays fairly lightweight and comfortable.
The build has a few nice flex-points in it to let the headset adjust to your head, and the padding around its ears is nicely shaped to make it gentler on glasses frames, which we’re sure will be appreciated by the bespectacled among us.
Another of Turtle Beach’s signature design elements is here, as you’d expect, in the form of a stowable microphone arm, which you can fold away when you’re not using it or just want to mute yourself. It’s a great bit of design, and you can barely tell the microphone is there when it’s not in use.
Similarly handy are the small numbering details on the headband’s extendable sections, allowing you to easily make a mental note of what settings got you comfortable for future use. We’d love all headsets to include this sort of touch.
There are audio presets for you to swap between if you want to change your sound profile on the go – a feature that some might find useful – although we largely found ourselves sticking to the default arrangement for fear of over-boosting our bass or treble.
Another small drawback is the microphone’s middling sound quality, despite its design being really useful. You won’t get complaints from your party chat members, which is the main thing, but, when we when listened back to in-game clips, we did notice that other microphones deliver audio more clearly.
