Our Verdict
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 offers great sound quality and value for money. I have absolutely no complaints about its microphone or the sound quality... but did find it slightly uncomfortable after less than an hour's use.
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 is a fantastic gaming headset in many ways. It looks cool and stylish, it’s got strong sound quality for music, sound effects, and vocals, and it has a crisp microphone, too. The main issue (for me at least), is that it starts to feel a bit uncomfortable after about 45 minutes to an hour.
This discomfort sets it back slightly when compared to the best Xbox headsets and the best PlayStation headsets at the top of our buying guides. Overall though, it works well across the best gaming consoles and is a great choice for those wanting a wired headset at a bargain price.
Pros
- Incredible value for money
- Good sound and mic quality
- Broad compatibility
Cons
- Uncomfortable after a while
- Requires an audio jack
Specs
Turtle Beach Recon 70 specs:
Design
Despite being a cheaper headset, the Turtle Beach Recon 70 doesn’t feel cheap. It’s a mostly plastic construct, but that also allows it to remain lightweight. You don’t get a carry case, and the earcups don’t fold away as with more premium models, but this is hardly a major issue if you’re planning to game at home. A swiveling hinge does allow the headset to lie flat, which should minimize stress on the joints when not in use.
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 uses synthetic leather-wrapped ear cushions to keep them plush. In fact, the majority of online reviews are glowing, with users pointing out just how comfortable the headset is thanks to its angled earcups.
When I first put the headset on, I thought “Okay, cool, this is a comfortable thing to wear.” It’s easy to adjust the size, it’s easy to wear with my glasses on, and it’s not particularly heavy or cumbersome. It has a padded headband too, so you’ve not got plastic pressing against your skull. As time went by, it slowly became more uncomfortable for me to wear, and after about 45 minutes to an hour of use, the headset pressed down hard on the top of my head.
Is this a huge problem? Not for me. If I want to play a game, that’s about the length of time that I tend to play, and it’s also worth pointing out that I have a large head, so this won’t be a problem for everyone.
Compatibility
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 headset is designed for use with all the best gaming consoles, including Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, and PS5. Mostly, I have used it when playing on my Xbox One (I don’t have an Xbox Series X yet – I’m waiting for an exclusive Banjo-Kazooie game). As most of the best Xbox controllers come with an earphone jack, I suspect that you, like me, won’t have any trouble just plugging it in and using it.
I also used it on my Nintendo Switch and on my laptop, and with both of these, it was also a simple case of just sticking them into the audio jack. I haven’t used it with a PS4 or PS5, but the addition of the audio jack on their controllers should make it a very smooth experience, too.
It’s a plug-and-play option that works straight out of the box, which is refreshing in a world where so much gaming hardware needs hours of setup and extra apps to make work.
Sound
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 headset provides better-than-average sound quality and far better quality than its price suggests. It uses 60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers which achieve a frequency range of 20Hz – 20kHz. That’s not going to mean much to the average gamer, but I found the audio crisp, clear, and with a decent level of bass.
It sounds superior to many other headphones I’ve used in the past, but as a stereo headset, you don’t get advanced spatial audio (where elements of the game actually sound like they’re coming from different directions). The headset supports Windows Sonic spatial audio, so you do actually get a surround sound option if you have a compatible Windows PC. Otherwise, it’s stereo surround.
I used the Recon 70 while playing Forza Horizon 5. The pop music in the game sounded fantastic, much nicer than the TV’s native speakers. Meanwhile, it gave me an easy way to watch Disney Plus silently on the TV without risking waking up my housemate while they were in bed.
On my Nintendo Switch, I used it while playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I had never heard the game sound so good before and could pick out Link’s steps on the ground, the sound of the wind, and the subtle musical score. Lovely.
Playing on PC was absolutely fine too. I played a bit of Demon Turf (specifically the Demon Turf Tower expansion) and loved how its wacky soundtrack came through.
Microphone
Though I have personally never heard how the Turtle Beach Recon 70 sounds when somebody speaks to you with its microphone, pals have told me that my voice carried perfectly clearly.
The boom mic is easy to flip up to mute (side note: its position makes it easy for you to tell which earcup is left, and which is right). I’ll admit that I don’t often play the kind of games that require communication with other players, like the best Xbox co-op games, so I don’t need the microphone all that much. When I did use it, it didn’t disappoint.
Verdict
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 looks good, sounds good, and has a good microphone… It’s just a shame that the pressure started to build up on the top of my head. If you’ve got a smaller head, this likely won’t be an issue for you at all.
Should you buy
- Yes, if you want an affordable wired headset
- No, if you have a big head and want to play for long periods of time
Alternatives
If the Turtle Beach Recon 70 isn’t for you, try the following options:
Read our guide on the best Xbox accessories for more ways to enhance your Xbox experience.