Turtle Beach: The much-needed Kone II and Kone II Air Gaming Mice are my Thursday happiness

Keeping it 100? I haven’t completely switched to taking PC gaming over console gaming but as things like a ridiculously expensive PlayStation 5 Pro prepares to drop at $700 and the competition struggling to determine whether all-digital is the move or not - I’m convinced my love for Turtle Beach and its newly released gadgets like the Kone II and Kone II Air will keep increasing and serve as my great escape - well, technically these officially come out Friday, September 13.

Just to be clear - it’s a full-fledged Turtle Beach takeover going down today - you feel the vibes around the site notably here and of course VIDEO OF THE DAY - it’s all about paying homage to both game-changing mice - the Kone II and Kone II Air. Let’s save the wireless Kone II Air for VIDEO OF THE DAY and geek out over the Kone II.

I am a firm believer in wireless being the best experience for logical reasons but having tried out the wired version of the Kone II? Holy smokes. I’m in love with never losing a connection and being fully engaged and connected to the computer at any given second - especially during intense scrolling and clicking.

The Turtle Beach Kone II gaming mouse ultimately is the continuation of the Kone AIMO Remastered - we’re talking about insanely upgraded ergonomic feels giving you an overall push for perfection along with the enhanced optical switches to give you easily the smoothest experience you’ve had on a gaming mouse - ever.

There are too many things to love about this. Of course you’re going to be mesmerized by the overall size and flashing colors on your mouse but how about the Easy-Shift button expanding the Kone II’s 12-buttons - even including a 4D scroll wheel and 23 customizable functions. Meaning no matter the type of game or activity you’re engaged in - Kone II has you covered - always.

The stats don’t lie and of course, looking at these key points of emphasis? Game-changing.

It’s a celebration of the Kone II officially dropping Friday, September 13! Secure yours over at the Turtle Beach site right now!

Turtle Beach: The Stealth 600 has become my newest and must-use Monday headset

Let’s keep it 100 - aside from next week this time being a holiday - can we all agree Mondays are the toughest days to get going for most? No matter how you slice it, you know the countdown to your next weekend goals immediately strikes once the clock hits midnight and with the undeniable fact out of the way - no other headset has ignited my Mondays more than Turtle Beach’s newly launched Stealth 600.

Now granted, you’re feeling a little - or a lot - overwhelmed by the amount of Turtle Beach takeover vibes happening today but it’s honestly a massive celebration - the iconic and historic technology giant continues to push The Culture forward with game-changing and life-enhancing headsets to make the line between gaming goals and lifestyle flexing even more blurry - and I mean it in the best freaking way. The Stealth 600? Holy smokes.

Literally 48 hours away from getting a start to the Memorial Day Weekend goals from Venice - I’ll let you imagine which one because there are plenty - there’s no other option for at-airport TSA waiting, United Club lounge chilling, boarding line hanging, in-flight cruising all the way to the hotel and hotel at night gaming goals headset fun than the Stealth 600. I mean, it’s really all in the details:

Available now is the newly redesigned version of Turtle Beach's best-selling Stealth 600 wireless multiplatform headset series, now entering its third generation. This newest Stealth 600 offers low-latency 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity and now features the brand’s powerful signature 50mm Nanoclear™ drivers. It also has an astounding 80-hour battery life, AI-driven microphone noise reduction and much more for the same $99.99/£99.99/€109.99 MSRP that’s made it the industry’s leading wireless gaming headset. The Designed for Xbox version is available in Black or White, as is the PlayStation® version. The PC version is available in Black.

All that and let’s not overlook the 60, 70, 80 freaking hours of battery life - all depending on how hard you’re going with the power and gaming goals, of course - but from using the Bluetooth in all of those above settings prior to getting the Xbox Series S set up in the hotel, the Stealth 600 literally can cover an entire vacation outing on a single freaking charge. Heck. Yes.

Not to mention the overall comfort, the powerful microphone and Turtle Beach app-enhancing experience to fine-tune those audio levels as needed? One of my favorite features? How about the quick switch button allowing you to seamlessly switch from your Bluetooth device (hi, iPad Pro) back to your game literally at the press of a button. And while you might not immediately think it’s a big deal, there’s nothing worse than having to take the time to mute annoying comrades in a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III session when you can simply push the button and get into your gaming shoot ‘em goals with Apple Music playlists until the next game mode/session loads up.

Turtle Beach has turned any potential frowns upside down notably on a Monday, thank-you for the green light to check out the Stealth 600 in celebration of its global release today! Happy post-weekend goals!

Turtle Beach’s Stealth 600 headset (generation 3) is currently available for purchase at www.turtlebecach.com priced at $99.99 for Xbox, PlayStation and PC.

Turtle Beach: The best Halloween treat for '23? My Xbox Stealth Pro wireless headset

Shameless plug? The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro wireless headset is life-changing - honestly. After spending the past few months going non-stop gaming crazy with the PlayStation 5 go-to, the opportunity to check out the Xbox version? Holy. Freaking. Tuesday. Smokes.

It’s a Tuesday and even better, it’s Halloween but I can’t stop putting my stationary bike workout goals to the test and if there’s one thing I need more than my SmartWater Alkaline bottle and Mentos Mint Gum during the workout, it’s the best headset in the game and the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro wireless headset is worth its weight in gold.

Noise-cancellation.

Huge. Having neighbors with kids and just living around New York City, you’re going to always have horns blazing, floors rumbling and of course your local dogs being let out - get it, throwback reference and all - and this headset has me beyond secured.

To be more specific? Forget S.H.I.E.L.D and Nick Fury. I’m all about S.M.A.R.T. Noise-Cancelling Boom and concealed microphones - giving you the best sound and making sure your voice is more crystal clear than Siri and Alexa on a double date.

Even better? How about the fact it’s compatible with freaking everything? While the purpose is for my Xbox Series X system, the ability for it to pair up with Nintendo Switch, any Bluetooth-ready devices (hi, iPhone 15 Pro Max) along with the PlayStation 5 too? Holy smokes.

But even more than just the pairing ability, it’s honestly the comfort and never-ending battery. Getting the additional swap-out-ready battery and charger has you never worrying about losing out on battery power, giving you alerts when the battery is a medium and low levels so those waiting room moments while you’re changing your Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II multiplayer load outs turn out to be the best moment to swap out your headset.

Getting the chance to see if the quality I’ve experienced with the PlayStation-focused Stealth Pro wireless. headset had me reaching my conclusion in seconds. Literally the same headset with even more capability being able to pair with more devices than the PlayStation-targeted one.

I swear, I have always maintained PlayStation as my favorite system but time and time Microsoft proves to have the edge from being able to customize my home screen to the powerhouse’s life-changing Game Pass Ultimate perks (EA Play, online play, a ridiculous amount of day one releases and solid library of current and next generation games).

I realize dropping over $300 on a headset sounds wild but much like the reason why Tesla and even luxury vehicles like BMW and - did I already say BMW? Sorry, Team X3 here - are expensive, it’s the long-running support, experience and overall quality you get.

With Turtle Beach, the brand has never - and I promise you when I say never, I mean, ever, ever, ever, ever - EVER - let me down. Every release has maintained an extreme level of quality and made gaming plus workout experiences amazing enough to get me through the entire session and pushing my own standard higher and higher.

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro wireless headset for the Xbox is a must-own especially if you’re a gamer like myself and want endless pairing options including both next generation systems and your mobile go-to devices like a Nintendo Switch and of course those Remote Play goals, too, on your favorite mobile go-to devices with Bluetooth capabilities.

Want more details? Have the itch to secure the holiday season gift of the year? Head over to Turtle Beach and see what this is all about. Happy Tuesday!

Turtle Beach: The new React-R Nebula controller is comfort on a fire budget

Yes - I realize, this is the Photo of the Day section and not your Previews, Reviews & More but after clocking in ample time with the new Turtle Beach React-R controller - specifically the Nebula model? Holy smokes. I’m geeking and slightly tweaking and what better way to get your Monday started than with hyping up your weekday gaming goals?

I love what Turtle Beach has continued to do over the past few years, notably. Changing with the times is one thing but making sure to continue the push for top quality and superb evolution for a brand I found myself embracing and becoming obsessed with in 2019 and then right when the pandemic struck? You guessed it - my gaming goals were intensified and having the time - like, literally, endless time of staying inside - to discover every last enhancement and feature of the Turtle Beach technology - especially the headsets and controllers? Insane.

Keeping it 100? The most difficult thing you can do is add another controller to your arsenal which doesn’t come from the manufacturer. When you’re used to what Xbox delivers your way, it’s difficult to see yourself going with a third-party but my goodness - what Turtle Beach has done with the React-R line-up?

Insane.

Back in August 2022 - I was introduced to this line-up of controllers. As someone who is all about the Bluetooth life, I was beyond skeptical going the wired route but once you submerge yourself in your favorite title - whether it’s this weekend’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III beta or some Grand Theft Auto Online missions, the wired factor goes away and you’re completely locked in.

Much like I said back then, the price tag is nuts - going the $39.99 back then AND now (big caps, no cap though) with the line-up of colors including my go-to favorite and Monday’s Photo of the Day Nebula and the Pixel - it’s really about standing out from your regular Xbox controllers.

But it’s more than just the overall visual appeal - these controllers are insanely lightweight, take away the need to worry about charging or having to replace batters and are unbelievably comfortable.

My favorite feature of the React-R controllers is even bigger than the Turtle Beach Audio Controls features - it’s really about the mappable quick-action buttons on the back. Oh my God. The only reason I go all-out and drop a ridiculous stack on the Xbox Elite 2 Series controllers is because of those back mappable triggers.

My wallet thanks me and I love the comfort of the controller as I blast away at digital ops courtesy of the mappable buttons.

If you’re looking for other quirky things like a convenient 3.5mm headset connection at the bottom or want to be blown away courtesy of an intense audio feature which gives you superhuman hearing - it’s all in the controller.

If you were on the fence last year about grabbing one of these, allow these comforting words and details to push you to upping your Xbox controllers collection - especially because we all know about those joystick drift issues. For about half the cost of what you would pay for a standard Xbox controller by Microsoft, your gaming goals get enhanced from every angle.

It’s a big celebration and Turtle Beach continues to push the culture forward. Safe gaming, Xboxers.

The new Nebula React-R controller is now available over at Turtle Beach’s website for $39.99 each.

Turtle Beach: The new iPhone-friendly Atom Controller has me unstoppable in mobile gaming

Just to be clear - the newly released Turtle Beach iPhone-friendly Atom Mobile Game Controller is a life-changer. Not just a game-changer, but an absolute life-changer - as the above Photo of the Day image illustrates, it’s literally with me when I wake up in the morning and crash at night - the much-needed and long-awaited mobile companion to my current iPhone and many more to come lives up to the hype it’s generated since being announced way back on August 10.

I’m obsessed with it and just to circle back to my opening statement - it’s not because I am gaming on Call of Duty Mobile before hopping out of bed and after hopping into bed at night - it’s because I was done-done with mobile gaming up until receiving my beautifully, stunning review gadget.

My first thoughts? ‘I love Turtle Beach but will I love this? It ‘should’ be pretty cool but the Backbone.’ Oh, Backbone, you say, Cyrus?

Rewind a few months back and I was convinced Remote Play for my PlayStation 5 and even with my Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from an iOS-dedicated gadget like the officially licensed Backbone would have me never aching for my PS5 especially when hitting the road or traveling to other time zones. A $99 - plus shipping/handling - order later and within days (if not hours) I was as disappointed as a first-round playoffs exit as a No. 1 seed.

The comfort was ehh. My hands felt too big for the super small buttons. I found myself having to do hand stretches in-between Call of Duty Mobile matches. I quickly boxed it up, shipped it to a pal and said I was ‘done-done’ with mobile gaming.

And just to be clear, I love mobile gaming - from Alto’s Odyssey and what Apple Arcade has serving up on a regular basis to of course those quirky titles like Angry Birds, there’s no better form of entertainment in a long line or waiting for an appointment than cracking into and continuing your latest mobile game session - but all in all, the Backbone backed me into a corner and I felt I needed an escape.

Until the Turtle Beach Atom Mobile Game Controller arrived in my hands and dedicated for my iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Holy. Smokes. At first, I thought I would be concerned because you know, if there was one aspect of the Backbone I did enjoy, it was the fact it didn’t require charging and worked seamlessly. But wipe that away and feel the comfort and power of what Turtle Beach’s handheld has to offer? Oh my goodness.

I love to geek out and as you can see, my sentences can go a bit long - so for those on the fence and want to know those ‘oh man, NOW I really want it’ highlights, let’s cut to the chase for why this is insanely cool:

• Compact & Comfortable: Magnetically connects into a compact, convenient shape to fit in its included carrying bag, or into a pocket. Plus, an ergonomic handle shape and console-style controls provide a familiar console experience for mobile gamers.

• Low-Latency Connectivity: Connects lag-free to iPhone devices via low-latency Bluetooth, while the two independent modules connect to each other using Turtle Beach’s proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless link.

• Built for Cloud Gaming: Take the console experience on-the-go and play familiar mobile games on the cloud using Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, Steam Link, and more.

• Console Level Controls: Equipped with full-size thumb sticks, a D-Pad, bumpers, triggers, and ABXY buttons, plus view and menu buttons for precise responsive controls on any cloud streaming title.

• Adjustable to your iPhone: Fits all iPhone 11 models and newer with integrated clamps and included rubber pads. Will fit most iPhones in form-fitting slim cases as well.

• More Gaming, Less Charging: Each controller module is powered by its own battery, providing 20-hours total battery life on a single charge. Recharge in just 2.5 hours using the supplied USB-C cable.

• Ergonomic Design: A comfortable shape with familiar console controls keeps hands comfortable over long gaming sessions.

• Atom Companion App: Download the upcoming Atom Controller companion app from the App Store to configure additional features, discover new games to play, and update firmware.

With that out of the way, I have to pay extra attention to the ergonomic design and how easy it is to travel with. The way it snaps together like a Transformers character and the comfortable shape? I easily can play multiple sessions at a time and my hands don’t need a break or rest until I’m ready to end the mobile gaming goals for the day - er - hour.

Much to the point of leisure and comfort is the console level controls - if you’ve experienced a Backbone controller before or are thinking about considering one, the super tiny - and that’s me being nice - controls make me feel very uncomfortable. It’s hard to go from a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series console controller to being reminded you’re on a mobile game before even hitting the start match button.

This isn’t the case with the Atom Controller. While Android heads have had time to enjoy their sessions well before me, the iOS-friendly experience has arrived and is pure enjoyment.

As I mentioned, I was really done with mobile gaming up until this device reached me. Even going with a linked controller from my PlayStation 5 Dualsense, it was just too detached. Having the luxury of eyes to screen and handheld controller instead of a separate controller keeps everything intact.

Turtle Beach hits the spot again and with the back to school and vacation goals wrapped up, there’s no better way to treat yourself to some much-needed study and work breaks than diving head first into your iPhone’s best mobile gaming line-up than with the newly launched Atom Controller for iOS.

Lock in Monday, September 11 as the official launch date to secure your own from Turtle Beach with pre-orders now available. Safe gaming, iPhone gamers.