Having a headset is the one thing that all serious gamers need. You can’t always have a quiet, dedicated gaming space, so especially if you game in a high traffic area, getting a solid headset is essential. However, most headsets require custom settings or wire configurations that may not always be complicated but being tethered to your console may not be the best solution. Thankfully, Turtle Beach has just released the Stealth 500P which is a completely wireless application with only one USB dongle between having great sound and going back to the TV speakers. It is the one thing we liked about the PlayStation Gold headset and that is why we like the Stealth 500P.

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Sound: 8

From a sound perspective, the Stealth 500P does a decent job. The Stealth 500P features 50mm cups right out of the box which provide plenty of sound in a small package. The Stealth 500P also supports Dolby Digital DTS X and X 7.1 channel surround sound. This feature will give you directional sound in the headset which is great for most applications. If you are looking for something that will give you directional sound or just something that will sound better than just a regular stereo headset, this is a great headset. In addition to being a Dolby Digital X headset, the unit features independent game and chat volume controls on the earcups which allow you to raise and lower the volume to make sure the unit sounds good. The unit also has a pre-loaded sound profile button which allows you to change how the unit sounds on the fly. This feature is good in theory, but it only gives you a few, very basic options to choose from. It would have been great to see more options for those that are picky about their sound.

Features: 8

The Turtle Beach Stealth 500P has a number of mid-range features to round out the offering. As mentioned above, the Stealth 500P has independent volume control for game and chat, as well as several pre-loaded sound profiles accessible with the touch of a buttons. However, there are several other features that make this an attractive offering.

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The biggest draw to this headset is easily its wireless functionality. Many headsets today involve connecting the headset directly to the console. While this ensures hours of hassle free gaming, many gamers prefer a wireless solution. Luckily, this unit features wireless capabilities and a very simple installation which makes this a great option for those on the move.

Finally, the 500P features a faux leather finish on both the ear cups and the head band which was comfortable and adjustable. The 500P also featured a gooseneck mic which sounded great over chat. The gooseneck has 360 degrees of mobility which is a vast improvement over fixed mix booms. Overall, while there aren’t a ton of features on the 500P, there are enough to make this an interesting and attractive headset.

Value: 8

At an MSRP of $129.99, the Turtle Beach Stealth 500P is priced between a high-end value headset and a low-end mid-range headset. We feel the price may be a little higher than it should be considering the build quality of the headset. The 500P is made mostly of plastic which gives is a looser feel than something that would be a little more expensive. Seeing as there are some headsets that are just a little more expensive and you get that solid build, it is at least worth noting. However, given the feature set and the price, it isn’t a bad deal by any means.

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Ease of Use / Comfort: 8

We found the 500P to be extremely easy to install. Simply plug in the USB dongle into your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 console. Connect the optical cable from your optical port to the dongle and you are ready to play. Most of the time, the PlayStation 4 will detect and auto configure the headset. In case it doesn’t, or you are using the headset on a PlayStation 3 console, you can simply open up the Sound Configuration screen, choose a few options and be ready to play. The easier it is to install a headset, the more likely you’ll be to use the headset in different configurations and we found this to be one of the easiest installations around.

As far as comfort is concerned, we found the 500P to be fairly comfortable on the head. Since it is a mostly plastic headset, it will be extremely light on the head. Combine that with a reasonable perforated faux leather finish and you shouldn’t have any problems with the headset. We wore ours for several hours in a row without any fatigue or unnecessary pressure. While this isn’t the most padded headset around, it certainly does the job. Comfort should not scare anyone away from this model.

Overall: 8

Overall, the Turtle Beach Stealth 500P is a solid headset. We do have some concerns for the all-plastic build of the headset, but performance-wise the headset did just fine. We were able to get a solid surround sound experience from this headset and when you consider the price, it is a good value to the gamer. While there are other options out there that will certainly compete with this model, you can’t go wrong with the 500P. If you are looking for a name brand headset with a good set of features, this is a great headset to look at. Since the higher Stealth 800 is coming out soon, you may want to look at that, but if you need to get something now, we recommend the Turtle Beach Stealth 500p.

About The Author

Joe Marchese is the founder / Editor in Chief of New Gamer Nation. He has been a gamer for his whole life but has been focusing on his passion to deliver the industry's new to New Gamer Nation. He is an expert of video game culture and has been featured on Fox News Online. Don't be shy to reach out and let him know what you think!