Review: Turtle Beach Recon 200 – One headset for any console.

For years Turtle Beach has been synonymous with affordable quality headsets.  I have purchased many different gaming headsets over the years and have found myself going back to Turtle Beach again and again.  It was not until recently that I have made the jump into more powerful and pricier headsets but I can’t deny my past experiences with, and love for, Turtle Beach products.

Appearance

Straight out of the box the headset itself is very slick.  Compared to other headsets it is medium sized.  It isn’t very flashy with random colors or LEDs and the monotone look works very well.  There are several buttons as well as a volume and chat tuner behind the left headphone, it seems like a bit much a first but it is quick to adjust on the fly.  The Mic is pretty short, it is retractable but never got in the way of my mouth, it barely covered half of my cheek.  The materials used for the headphones themselves is extremely comfortable.  I have always preferred cloth to the modern obsession with leather for both aesthetics and comfort.  However the size of the cushioning is relatively small.  I don’t have abnormally big ears but they do feel a little cramped inside the cushioning, it isn’t make or break but it is noticeable. 

All in all, the white on grey look is very pleasing (and surprising that it lacks the common Turtle Beach Green) and despite the length of the mic being so short and the strange size of the cushioning it’s a very good-looking headset.

Performance

 It might look slick but looks only go so far when it comes to which headset you should buy.  Unless you’re on stream or trying to mimic a streamer (while saving money) looks are a distant second, or third, factor while purchasing a headset.  

How well does it work?  

What’s the quality like?  

How durable is this thing?  

Don’t worry I’ve got you covered. For the basics, this headset preforms pretty great.  It isn’t the loudest or most powerful I have encountered. But when it comes to overall sound quality it does its job. The 360 audio comes through well. While playing both Halo Infinite and Forza 5 the headset does well separating the audio from ear to ear, and even from above and below. The up and down factor is huge for me as it seems most headsets don’t focus on the full 360 audio experience. Turtle Beach nailed this though. It makes a big difference while moving through a vertical map and being able to tell if that enemy is right around the corner or on a completely different floor. Even while crouching!

The audio in Forza was crisp. Sure, a majority of that is due to the developers doing their homework, but man did they sound pretty. Chat also came across clear. Being able to adjust chat and game volume on the fly with the two tuners behind the left ear came in clutch. The bass leaves something to be desired, even with the bass boost. It definitely isn’t a deal breaker. However, I would expect more than a low rumble when standing inside an exploding building or crashing a car.

Microphone

 I did have a few issues with this headset. Both issues came from the microphone. I was constantly adjusting my mixer or yelling because the mic was so far away from my mouth. This was necessary so that my teammates, or chat, could hear me properly.  While streaming I had to mess with the settings more than once, depending on the game and situation, to make sure I was louder than the game. I was also getting constant feedback on the mic that sounded like radio static from time to time.  

The other main issue was that the microphone seemed to pick up everything around me at basically the same volume.  My friends could hear my fiancé watching videos on her phone about 20 feet away.  I tried wiring the headset to a controller as well as directly to my PC. This didn’t solve either issue though. These are the only complaints I have with the Turtle Beach Recon Gen 2. And these wouldn’t stop me from recommending the Recon 200 Gen 2 to a friend.

Versatility

One thing that has to be mentioned is how versatile the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 is. This headset is made to be used on multiple platforms.  It can be used for both current and last generation consoles on the PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. This makes it hard to expect a perfect experience on all of them without setbacks. I used this primarily on my PC, but still checked its compatibility on each console. It preformed basically the same on each although I’ll always find it awkward playing an undocked Switch with a headset.

Turtle Beach products are pretty durable.  No I didn’t try to run this thing over or drop it off my roof but it holds together nicely.  It adjusts to head sizes fine, plenty of flex on the top, the mic (although short) folds up nicely and the cushions breathe easily so you won’t have to worry about cleaning them often either.  If you do need to clean the cushions good luck, they come off easily but it is a struggle to get them back on properly.  Keeping that in mind, if this is for a child or if you have pets, or are just clumsy, wired headsets are only as durable as their cord and headphone jack – so keep that in mind!

The Verdict

 This headset is far from expensive when it comes to modern gaming.  Sure, there are cheap models for under $20 but when it comes to middle of the road pricing Turtle Beach is the way to go.  Plus, it’s a one stop shop for every kind of gaming experience you are looking for, from mobile to PC to console you don’t have to worry about running out and getting several different headsets to clutter your gaming space.
The Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 Wired Headset has its setbacks, however, what the headset does it does well.  It’s for gaming, it’s for chatting with friends, and for having one headset you can easily move from experience to experience.  Overall, I would recommend this headset to people looking for a great middle of the road choice.  It exceeded my expectations for the price point but if gaming is more than a hobby for you, I’d suggest looking for a headset that is more specifically catered to your needs/wants.