Picking the right headset is a minefield. Prices vary wildly, and while sound output quality can be measured and compared to find a set that suits your needs, identifying the true quality of the mic is a great deal harder and inconsistent. It’s made me cynical of the industry, and wary about the promises manufacturers make about their headset products. The Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset has gone a long way in redeeming the industry for me.
The Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset boasts about it’s clear surround sound, thanks to Windows Sonic, and indeed it truly does deliver on excellent surround sound trickery through it’s 50mm speakers and powered amplifier. Whether gaming, listening to music or watching videos, The Atlas Three headset does a terrific job with directional audio, helping with audible immersion no matter the content you’re enjoying. Additionally, sounds remain crisp and can achieve an impressive volume, again thanks to these drivers being powered as well as the frequency response of between 20Hz – 20kHz. Meanwhile, on Windows PC and Xbox One, thanks to Window Sonic support, the sound received even more of a boost, but even managed comparable results with PS4, Switch, and mobile. Indeed these are high quality and effective drivers in each ear that can successfully fool you into believing there’s multiple speakers at work.
Furthermore, the strong but lightweight frames of the headset make for a snug and comfortable fit. Initially there was a noticeable squeeze as it cradled my massive head, but the memory cushion on the ears, as well as the frame itself, soon adjusted to provide a excellent feel. The ear pieces aren’t the biggest however, meaning it’s possible for parts of the ear to ache after a couple of hours due to the uneven fit, despite the oval shape, but your mileage will vary depending on the authenticity of your Dumbo impression.
However, what most impresses about the headset is the flip microphone. Once flipped down you hear a tone to tell you it’s active and it begins to delivery crisp vocal audio to your team mates. Moreover, you also have to ability to hear yourself, in real time without delay, to help monitor your volume. The microphone is such a crucial aspect of gaming headsets that so often proves underwhelming, for this reasonably priced headset to provide such a great experience was a truly pleasant surprise.
With the Atlas Three headset being powered there’s of course the need to charge it. Turtle Beach claim the Atlas Three headset can achieve 40 hours of use per charge, and my testing absolutely supported that. It’s fantastic not having to worry about cutting your sessions short or plugging in mid-game. Moreover, charging the headset is extremely quick.
Indeed, the Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset provides excellent, crisp directional audio, superb microphone quality, and a fairly comfortable design. The cushioned ears wont cause a sweaty mess thanks to breathable fabric, however, depending on your ear size and shape you might suffer some minor aches after long particularly long sessions. It’s wired, which may be a bugbear for some, but the lightweight and powered amplifier certainly feels like a fair trade for the low profile wire. I have no issue highly recommending this headset.
Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset
