Our Verdict
The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra is an great controller with rapid response times across both wired and wireless connections. The focus on creating a unique selling point in the command center is appreciated, but it can sometimes feel like wasted effort outside of the abiliy to switch certain settings on the fly. At its core, the Stealth Ultra is just a briliant Xbox style controller that, if you're comfortable with the cost, is well worth the investment.
- Command Center is a cool feature for controller settings
- Tactile microswitches are great on controllers
- Responsive across console and PC
- Charging dock is useful and well designed
- Hard to get on with the social aspects of the Command Center
- Priced a little high, even if on par with competitors
Every so often, a controller comes along that tries its hardest to revolutionize how we play games. The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra is no different in its goals, with it taking the best parts from other products and packing them all into one convenient unit. Most prominently, it includes a display that can be used to check on the status of the controller, customize its settings, and even have it read out your Whatsapp messages. It’s an interesting addition but elsewhere this controller focuses on rapid response time across PC and Xbox and these are the real crowning features.
There is so much to like about the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, and it’s easy to call it one of the best PC controllers on the market right now. A few recurring software and connectivity issues that are now fixed should provide hope that the initially rough launch is behind us, and I’m confident that no further issues should arise to knock the Stealth Ultra off its perch.
Why you can trust our advice ✔ At PCGamesN, our experts spend hours testing hardware and reviewing games and VPNs. We share honest, unbiased opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra features
The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra is a wireless Xbox and PC controller built around its command center display that allows you to play around with audio and RGB settings on the fly, while also connecting to your phone in order to allow social notifications to come through to your controller.
A charging dock is included to provide the controller a natural resting place when not being used, and it should help ensure you never reach for the controller to find it low on battery. RGB strips feature on both controller grips and are fully customizable to suit your personal taste.
Four additional inputs are placed on the rear of the controller and they’re easily the most natural-feeling buttons of this type, compared to many other premium peripherals. All face buttons, bumpers, rear inputs, and the d-pad are tactile microswitches, resulting in a satisfying mouse-click sound when pressed.
These are great for knowing when a button press has been initiated and you can sniff out any lag issues far easier without needing to be hooked up to additional software. The triggers also feature sliding locks so you can alter their responsiveness at a moment’s notice.
A charcoal carry case with purple trim is included to keep the Stealth Ultra safe if you’re taking it with you on the go. There is a soft lining inside as well as a small compartment to keep additional thumbstick covers and a USB-C charging cable.
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra design
Just like with the features of the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, the most unique aspect of its design is the command center display. The only comparable product that comes to mind is the Asus ROG Raikiri Pro, but even then, the functionality of both displays is quite different.
The small screen is quite handy if you want to change your audio settings on the fly (wired headsets only), or if you want to connect your phone to receive social notifications. It also allows you to alter the RGB color and pattern as well as the vibration settings and much more.
To access it, you press a + button situated just below the Xbox social button. From there, the controller is then used to navigate the command center and you have to back out to regain control of your game.
Beyond this, the Stealth Ultra takes on the shape of a traditional Xbox controller, with asymmetrical joysticks, an ABXY face button layout, lightly textured triggers and grips, and a 3.5mm jack at the bottom of the controller.
The rear buttons are also textured, with two on either side of the controller. The layout is done so that one button is on the rear, and one is on the curve of the grip, this allows anyone to activate both buttons using just one finger, a much better alternative to having to claw your hand around four buttons or paddles.
It has a mechanical/industrial pattern sprayed across the front, while the back remains plain black save for an info label and the golden charging contacts. Speaking of the charging dock, you can plug the wireless adaptor into this to save taking up two separate USB-A ports, which was a clever move that deserves kudos.
The Stealth Ultra and charging dock have quite a strong magnetized connection, meaning the dock will snap to the controller, and removing it requires a fair bit of force. As a result, the dock can struggle to stay in the same position, so perhaps consider sticking it to a surface to prevent it from looking untidy every time you need to grab or dock your controller.
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra performance
The first and second phases of testing the Stealth Ultra were drastically different. Initially, there were lag spikes and losses of connection that seemed very strange. I actually put it down to my Xbox Series S due to the way that it would appear to freeze while the controller was still active and the interactive command center menu was still usable.
Steadily, I realized that the controller was losing connection with the wireless adaptor, but not reporting it in any way, such as flashing the white LED connection indicator. Thankfully, right as I was about to reach out to Turtle Beach about this issue, they rolled out a new firmware update for both the controller and adaptor, fixing everything.
Since this update, responsiveness and general performance have become flawless. It’s a joy to sit and use the Stealth Ultra on PC or Xbox, and key design decisions such as the charging dock have enabled a seemingly never-ending battery life to help performance thrive.
Hall Effect joysticks drastically reduce the risk of stick drift, and in general, maneuvering the joysticks is buttery smooth, which is reflected in every game you play. Trigger locks are great for FPS games like Warzone and The Finals if you need that added sensitivity.
Every button is satisfying to press, and the debounce in place means you can button mash away to your heart’s content without fear of missing inputs. Again, the tactile microswitches come into play here as you hear and feel each activation.
Even the placement of the rear buttons is done in a way that is slightly different from traditional methods, but I found it to be an improvement in how it doesn’t interfere with my ability to grip the controller naturally.
It’s hard to find any flaws with the Stealth Ultra, and it’s got all the quality it needs to be your number-one controller for the next few years.
Conclusion
Unless it completely transforms how you play games, it’s genuinely hard to suggest that a $200 controller is worth buying. Does the Stealth Ultra do this? I would argue it does, certainly vs a standard Xbox controller, but it would struggle to stand out from the crowd if not for the command center.
The Stealth Ultra has plenty of cool features, and the more I use it, the more natural it feels. I love being able to adjust settings on the fly, and its mouse-click switches are a dream for lovers of the tactile feel like myself.
Alternatives
Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2
If you’re looking for a proven winner when it comes to performance, and you plan to make use of the four customizable back paddles, then the Elite Series 2 should be your go-to controller and it’s a bit cheaper at $169 / £159.99.
Read our full Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 review for more.
Nacon Revolution 5 Pro
Nacon brings Hall Effect joysticks and triggers in its latest premium controller, as well as PS5 compatibility but it’s much better suited to PC play. A high level of customization is also possible meaning you can design your configuration around the type of games you play most. It holds the same MSRP as the Stealth Ultra at $199.99 / £199.99.
Read our full Nacon Revolution 5 Pro review for more.