Whether you are chatting with your friends during a gaming session or having an online conference with clients, using a quality gaming headset is very important. The best gaming headphones ensure that you have excellent sound capability, are comfortable to wear, and the microphone works sublimely.
This comparison review will take a look at the SteelSeries Arctis 9X vs Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 gaming headsets. These two brands are trendy in the market today. The Arctis 9X is priced competitively, and that is what we liked in the unit.
They are exceptional units that are ideal designed for playing on gaming consoles. Besides, gamers receive powerful sound quality, and the equalizer comes into play here. It has also got some extra additional features that make it ideal for gameplay.
Though it can be a pain to use on PC and laptops, it is worth a look. Turtle Beach is known for some great gaming headsets that it has produced over the years. Notably, the Stealth 700 was an amazing unit. In fact, it received the most response from the market.
Riding on that success, the maker decided to bring out the Gen 2 of the same model. They claim that the Gen 2 comes with more powers, improvements on the board, and immense support for the latest consoles as well.
If you dig deep, you will see that the maker has outdone itself. Though it is priced slightly higher than the Stealth 600 Gen 2, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 may not be the pinnacle of pristine audio, but it is the best headset to date by a long shot.
It is safe to say that these gaming headsets are rated highly among the products in the market. But it would help if you found out which one is the best. You can know that by reading the review below, we have compared the features of the models.
In this article, we will make a detailed comparison of them to help you decide which one suits your needs better.
 |  |
|---|---|
| STEELSERIES ARCTIS 9X | TURTLE BEACH STEALTH 700 GEN 2 |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| The unit’s compatibility is sublime. It comes with integrated wireless connectivity to the Xbox. The headset can connect to Xbox and Bluetooth at the same time. It has a bidirectional design for extreme audio quality. The battery working life is more than 27 hours. | It comes with a flexible microphone. The audio is phenomenal on the unit with the 50-millimeter speaker. Its battery life works for 20 hours with a mini-USB. The unit has two wireless connectivity options. It also has better durability with a new metal-reinforced headband. |
| CONS | CONS |
| You will find it challenging to use it on your PC or laptop. | The volume levels are inconsistent most of the time. |
| SPECIFICATIONS | STEELSERIES ARCTIS 9X | TURTLE BEACH STEALTH 700 GEN 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Product Name | SteelSeries – Arctis 9X Wireless Gaming Headset | Stealth™ 700 Gen 2 Premium Wireless Gaming Headset |
| Brand | SteelSeries | Turtle Beach |
| Sound Mode | Stereo | Stereo, Simulated Surround, Dolby Atmos |
| Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth | Radio Frequency (RF), Bluetooth |
| True Wireless | No | No |
| Maximum Wireless Range | 19.7 feet | 30 feet |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Fit | Over-the-Ear | Over-the-Ear |
| Adjustable Headband | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours | 20 hours |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year limited |
DESIGN & COMFORT
SteelSeries is known for one thing, its ability to design stupendous gaming headsets. We were highly impressed with the knightly design of the SteelSeries Arctis 9X headset. Though gamers may not appreciate the green tones on the headband that did not blend with the unit, the headphone has impressive design quality.
The headband is made from steel that you can adjust according to your fit. Its earcups are also very comfortable. We felt that we are handling a premium device in our hands. Having the unit on your head for several hours is a dream come true.
Our tester did not experience any discomfort anytime. If you have placed a Turtle Beach gaming headset on your head before, you would already know how it feels. The design and make are a lot similar to that of the Stealth 600 Gen 2.
We cannot say that the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 felt any different from the 600 Gen 2. As we know, Turtle tends to take the Recon product lineup framework in most of their models.
Since the headset is made from plastic, it is quite lightweight. You only have a metal strip on the headband that is slightly on the heavier side. That is good because it gives a sturdy feel to the unit. We loved the dual-hinge system letting you with ample tilt range.
This helps you place them flat on a table or tilt when you are not using them. These small but important features tend to catch the eye at times. The padding on the earpads is adequate for long sessions of gaming.
We felt that the earcups wouldn’t be a hindrance to any size head. It should fit comfortably. However, some amount of stiffness can be experienced by those of you with long hair and glasses.
BUILD QUALITY
As we read above, the design of the SteelSeries is one of the best in the market. The same can be said about the SteelSeries Arctis 9X build quality. Though the design used is classic, the build quality remains the same.
You can find the buttons placed nicely on the right side of the earcup for simple access. You can also find the USB charging port. The left side of the earcup offers you 3.5mm audio. You can find a single control for the retractable microphone and balance.
At the end of the day, the ARctis 9X is a fantastic gaming headset coming with solid quality that the maker is so popular about. The build quality of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is robust.
You do not feel that it is heavy as the earcups are light and comfortable to hold and wear on your head. We liked the sublime balance that it offered. Our tester noticed that it comes with a tight fit.
Now, this depends on the user. Some of you may prefer a tight-fitting while others may not. It presses down uncomfortably on all sides, and there is no escape from that. But it was not painful or annoying.
The usage is also simple, thanks to the accessible buttons placed on the earcups. It also comes with onboard controls for power, Bluetooth pairing, audio preset, and headphone volume setting.
On the whole, we felt that the build quality of the Stealth 700 Gen 2 was much better than the 600 Gen 2 by several notches. We feel that it is slightly better than the Arctis 9X, which comes with a solid design too.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE
The audio quality was never the grit of the SteelSeries products. However, the 600 Gen 2 managed to resonate with the gamers globally. The same can be said about the SteelSeries ARctis 9X, at least on the Xbox One.
We played Halo 2, and the sound quality was convincing, and you could feel the details come to life. The bass was also deep, and the explosions felt quite stunning. SteelSeries have worked on the sound quality and has come up with an astounding unit.
The music quality was sublime. No complaints in the unit, and you can also adjust the band lines similar to on the 600 Gen 2. If you place them likewise, it is as if you are wearing them in the back for the first time.
Since you tend to feel your ears getting slightly hot after few hours only, you can wear them for prolonged hours effortlessly. The Turtle Beach Stealth Gen 2 comes with a sublime V-shape audio quality.
During the mid-range, the bass does not sound distorted. The lead instruments and the vocals are reproduced well. Users can turn on a companion app with five audio presets and a graphic EQ for fine-tuning the listening experience.
They provide you with a decent frequent response. However, you can find slight variations in the treble range according to your position. If you wear spectacles or have long hair, then that can result in how they seal.
MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X comes with a boom microphone with breathtaking sound quality. Besides, the unit has exceptional recording quality. The voice sounds clear and very detailed. However, the microphone is incredibly sublime that does not feel neutral.
It can do its job effectively. You will also want to make use of the noise cancellation feature. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 has a slim design of the maker’s built-in microphone.
The microphone is designed using plastic, giving it an elegant feel and appearance. It enables the microphone to remain so when it is muted. Though the flip microphone is simple to use, it cannot be repositioned.
COMPATIBILITY
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X is compatible with most gaming consoles along with your laptop or PC. You can connect to them seamlessly, thanks to Bluetooth technology. You have Xbox wireless connectivity that enables you to connect directly to your Xbox consoles.
You do not require cables or a dongle. Gamers have commended this feature, enabling them to connect and begin gaming instantly. It does not involve anything at all. There is no wiring required and cables hanging anywhere.
We tried using it on our PC to play a popular game, Division 2. This was when things went awry. Please note that the Bluetooth technology may not be that robust on PC or laptop as it is with consoles.
Sadly, even on maximum, we were not able to hear most of the sounds very clearly. It is acceptable if you are not a hardcore gamer or particular about the sound quality on your PC. The only remedy would be to use it on your Xbox and PS4.
The compatibility of the Arctis 9X is good but could have been improved by many counts. The Stealth Gen 2 is mainly designed for use on the Play Station gaming console. If you love to use the PS4 or PS5, then you are in for a ride. We were also stunned with the performance on the PC and laptops; it really excelled.
A notable feature of the Stealth 700 Gen 2 is Bluetooth connectivity. You can play games on your console or PC and attend calls too. Doesn’t that sound unique to you? You will need to connect on the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app and adjust the chat setting.
Unfortunately, you will need to purchase the Xbox version of the Stealth 700 Gen 2 when you are keen on using it on the Xbox Series X. We were highly disappointed with that. Otherwise, there are no issues to talk about as far as compatibility is concerned.
PRICE
These two are mid-range gaming headsets. They are priced aggressively to blend into the market that is already overcrowded with exceptional gaming headsets under $200. The SteelSeries Arctis 9X is priced under $150.
You can get it cheaper for $20 less during the discount period. It is an exceptional unit when you plan on using it on the Xbox One or PS4. The build quality is classic and sturdy. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is priced less than $150.
You can get it lesser during the sales period on reputed online sites. We felt that it is truly a phenomenal unit in terms of additional features infused in it. We liked the Bluetooth technology that is found on the unit.
VERDICT
We have ended our comparison review on SteelSeries Arctis 9X vs Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2. We hope you enjoyed reading it and have made your decision on the gaming headset you intend on purchasing.
The SteelSeries 9X gaming headset comes with a solid sound, outdated, exceptional design, and noise-cancellation microphone. You will appreciate the fact that it also comes with 28 hours battery working life.
There are also dual audio channels in the unit. The SteelSeries software is acceptable and gets the job done for you. But the Stealth 700 Gen 2 provides you with a much better package. We were quite impressed and taken back by it.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 is also a good headset. We basically loved the compatibility of the unit. You can play games on the Xbox Series as well as the PS5. Besides, it worked flawlessly on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and laptop. The gaming headset is a brand for value.
However, when you are keen on playing with the Xbox One, then the Arctis 9X might be a better choice. The design of the headset was sublime, and so was the sound quality. The pricing of both the units is similar so that we could make a judgment call there.
The unit comes with exceptional qualities, sublime features, and audio enhancement of a unit that is priced twice. If you are not bothered by the poor design, then this has got you covered. Our decision in this review was unanimous.
It goes to the Stealth 700 Gen 2. Of course, our decision does not have to be in line with our readers.
So, what are you waiting for?
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.