Turtle Beach are known for producing decent quality headsets at affordable prices, and the Recon 70 is no different. While it doesn’t particularly excel in any areas, it’s certainly worth checking out if you’re on a budget and want a gaming headset for your multiplayer forays that’s comfortable and up to the task audio-wise.
The unit I was supplied with is catered specifically to PS4 players, though it would technically still work on the other consoles; PC too with some extra finagling. The branding is really there just to fit the colour scheme of a particular platform. Black and blue for PlayStation, green and white for Xbox, and so on.
Design-wise, it’s very reminiscent of the Stealth 300, them not being too inseparable when compared side-by-side. A black headset with blue hues, The quality takes an overall and unavoidable knock as it’s half the price of the 300, but the Recon 70 not needing a charge makes it somewhat more convenient. You just plug and play, and the overall simplicity of it made it a headset I kept coming back to.
I’ve always found it difficult to quantify audio quality through text, but the Recon 70 can be easily summed up in one word: decent. It lacks bass and may be too quiet for some even on max volume (handled by a dial on one of the ear cups), but it’s never peaky. It doesn’t exclude other noises in the room too well, however, something that came into focus whenever my partner would be watching something on YouTube or wasting her youth on Coin Master.
While it’s a competent option for most games, I found it lacking in audio “fullness” for competitive shooters, it often not doing the best of jobs in highlighting other players’ movements. I tested it with Fortnite fairly extensively and discovered that enemies had a wild habit of just appearing next to me. It’s more than serviceable, but if you’re a very competitive player, you may want to look at the Stealth 300 or other options instead.
As for the mic, it’s not the clearest, but again: it gets the job done — a running theme with the Recon 70. My squadmates reported that I sounded “alright” (a great help, they were), which, again, is representative of the price point. The flip-up/down mic is a great touch: flipping it up puts you on mute, while down makes you audible. It’s not the dedicated controller push to talk option that should really be an option next generation, but it’s the best and most convenient alternative for this one.
Headset fit is almost as important as audio quality for some, and the Recon 70 has you covered on that front. While it’s quite light and slightly plasticky to hold, the Recon 70 boasts a snug fit that can be easily adjusted. As someone with a bit of a head zeppelin, I had to crank the headband almost all the way up, but there’s lot of wiggle room for different head sizes.
Ultimately, what you get with the Recon 70 is what you pay for: a low-range headset that won’t blow your mind but will do its job well enough to last you for quite a while. Bear the price in mind and you might be pleasantly surprised by it.
Review unit provided by PR
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