Turtle Beach Recon 70 review

Turtle Beach announced the Recon 70 on 18 March 2019. It is a wired, passive headset with no battery to charge and no wireless radio. It connects over a 3.5mm analogue cable that is 1.2m long on the Blue Camo variant. Reviewers describe it as good value for a budget headset, and that is the main reason to consider it.

The manufacturer lists support for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PS4 Pro, plus mobile devices, all through the 3.5mm connection. That makes it a simple choice if you move between a console and a phone.

The manufacturer lists Sony 3D Audio, Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X spatial audio support. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X may need extra purchases or hardware, so check what your setup already includes before counting on them.

The recurring owner and reviewer complaint is weak bass, or a lack of low end. If you play action games or listen to music with a lot of low-frequency content, expect a lighter sound than you may want. The bass reports keep this a modest performer on sound.

The mic is a fixed omni-directional design with flip-to-mute. Because it doesn't detach, you can't remove it when you only want to listen. Reviewers describe it as clear for its price, which is the most positive microphone point in the feedback.

Turtle Beach doesn't publish any noise reduction figures for it. A fixed omni-directional mic picks up sound from all directions, so a quiet room will suit it better than a noisy one. That follows from the stated mic type rather than from any measured result. Flip-to-mute is a practical feature for party chat, because you can silence yourself without reaching for a menu.

The headband is padded and the ear cushions are synthetic leather, according to the manufacturer. On paper that is a reasonable setup. In practice, reviewers report headband pressure and limited padding, which points to discomfort over long sessions. Anyone who plays for hours at a time should weigh that complaint carefully.

Build is another recurring complaint. Reviewers describe the construction as plastic.

The ear cushions give passive noise isolation only. There is no active noise cancelling.

The 3.5mm connection is the headset's main strength and its main limit. It plugs into controllers and phones without pairing, charging or firmware. There is no Bluetooth, no multipoint, no low-latency dongle and no USB-C charging. RTINGS lists the wired-only connection as a limitation.

PC use is possible on the Multiplatform configuration, but it needs a splitter cable. Reviewers flag that as a complaint. If your main machine is a PC, factor in that extra cable. Console players who connect straight to a controller avoid the issue.

The Recon 70 suits a player who wants a low-cost wired headset for a console, with a mic that reviewers rate as clear for the price. The listed spatial audio support adds some flexibility, though some formats may need extra purchases or hardware.

It is a weaker fit for anyone who cares about bass, wants a well-padded feel for long sessions, or needs wireless connections. Those are the points where owner and reviewer feedback is least positive, and the specifications offer no workaround for them.