Turtle Beach 50
By Turtle Beach · Gaming Headsets · Audio & Electronics
- 40mm drivers
- 20Hz-20kHz frequency response
- 3.5mm connection
- removable microphone
- synthetic leather ear cushions
Lowest price seen
~$39.95 (approx.)
from $39.95 at Amazon
- Amazon ~$39.95 (approx.)View at Amazon
- Turtle BeachView at Turtle Beach
- eBay (used) eBay: used, open-box, refurbishedView at eBay (used)
- eBayView at eBay
Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.
Summary
A wired entry-level gaming headset that runs from a single 3.5mm jack across Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Mac and mobile with no battery, drivers or software. The detachable mic and light frame are the reasons to look at it, but the all-plastic build and small ear cups are the trade-offs.
Strengths
- One 3.5mm jack covers consoles, PC, Mac and mobile, with no adapters, drivers or charging.
- The boom mic detaches and is a genuine feature at this price.
- Voice chat is clear enough for Discord and party chat.
- In-line volume and mic mute sit within reach during play.
- Light on the head for moderate sessions.
- Folds flat for storage.
Weaknesses
- The all-plastic frame creaks, and there is no metal in the headband or adjusters.
- Ear cups are small and shallow and angle toward the face, which hurts after long use.
- Sound is V-shaped with a treble dip at 5kHz and distortion when loud.
- The cable is fixed, so the common failure at the plug ends the headset’s life.
- Ear pads compress after a few weeks and the faux leather gets clammy.
- The mic mount can loosen and cause dropouts or static.
Verified specifications
| Model | Recon 50, sold as Recon 50X for Xbox (SKU TBS-2303-01), Recon 50P for PlayStation (SKU TBS-3303-01) and Recon 50 for PC/Mac (SKU TBS-6003-02). |
|---|---|
| Connection | 3.5mm analog, 4-pole TRRS. |
| Drivers | 40mm neodymium. |
| Frequency response | 20Hz–20kHz. |
| Impedance | 32 ohms. |
| Microphone | removable, omni-directional, high-sensitivity boom. |
| Controls | in-line master volume wheel and mic mute. |
| Cable | 1.2m (about 4 ft), fixed and non-detachable. |
| Ear coupling | closed-back, over-ear (circumaural). |
| Materials | synthetic leather ear cushions over foam. |
| Foldable | yes. |
| Weight | reviews put it at about 219–230g; the spec sheet lists 530.7g, which may include packaging. |
| Dimensions | 220 × 77 × 240 mm (width × depth × height). |
| Power | passive, no battery. |
| In the box | headset, removable mic boom, PC splitter cable and quick-start guide. |
| Compatibility | Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PS5 and PS4, PC, Mac and mobile. |
Full research notes and sources
Comfort and build
Reviewers describe the frame as all plastic and creaky, with no metal in the headband or adjustment mechanism. The ear pads are synthetic leather over thin foam; they compress after a few weeks, and the faux leather can feel clammy over long sessions. Clamping force sits on the high side of average, and the small, shallow cups make larger ears uncomfortable. Comfort tends to fall off after about 90 minutes.
Sound and microphone
The spec sheet claims a 20Hz–20kHz response, but measurement work shows the Recon 50 falling below the target in bass, overdoing the lower mids, and dipping sharply at 5kHz, which gives it a cheap, tiny character. Pushed loud, it distorts to the point of being unpleasant. RTINGS scored the Recon 50X and 50P at 5.6/10. The microphone is the surprise: a high-sensitivity omni-directional boom that detaches and, in testing, delivered voice quality competitive with headsets costing more than four times as much. It picks up ambient noise because it is omni-directional, and loose mount tolerances leave some units suffering dropouts and static.
Value and who it’s for
IGN tested it at $39.95 in December 2017 as the cheapest headset in its roundup, and Windows Central reviewed it at around $40 in November 2015. SpecPicks puts the sweet spot at $25 to $30 and says to pass at $40, while a Best Buy listing shows $124.99. SpecPicks and Computer Station Nation place the 2026 street price at $27 to $40. Below $30 it is a fair budget pick for casual gaming and party chat; from $31 to $40 the case gets thin against the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core, Corsair HS35 and HyperX Cloud Stinger 2; above $40, better comfort and build are easy to find.
Which model this is
This page covers the Recon 50 family, the wired 3.5mm headset sold since 2015. The Xbox version is the Recon 50X, the PlayStation version the Recon 50P, and the PC/Mac version the Recon 50; aside from colour and licensing they share the same drivers, mic and cushions. The Amazon listing for the family is ASIN B00YXO5U40. Don’t confuse it with Turtle Beach’s wireless models, which use a different connection and need charging.
Sources
Manufacturer:
Independent reviews:
- IGN Recon 50 review
- RTINGS Recon 50X / Recon 50P review
- Wirecutter best gaming headsets
- Windows Central triple headset review
- SpecPicks: is the Recon 50 still worth it in 2026
- MyMyPC Recon 50 review
- Linus Tech Tips: why everyone buys this headset
- Computer Station Nation Recon 50 review
Owner reports:
- No owner threads specific to the Recon 50 were found in the research.
Parts and stores: