As a long-time gamer and audio enthusiast who’s spent countless hours wearing various headsets, I must say that the Atlas Air by Turtle Beach has truly caught my attention. If you’re someone like me, who often experiences discomfort after prolonged gaming sessions due to pressure on the ears or head, this open-backed gaming headset could be a game-changer for you.
One of the biggest challenges as a gamer is staying comfortable as the hours go by. The gaming chair gets hard on your back, your eyes start to burn after hours of staring at a screen, and enough smashing away at a keyboard and mouse earns you soreness in the wrists and hands, too. It’s even worse with headsets; the pain brought on by having something clamped onto your skull is slow, but inevitable.
Occasionally, you might encounter a unique find: a comfortable gaming headset that’s hard to come by. It needs to fit your ears perfectly, preventing discomfort and sweat build-up during extended gaming hours, and it should ward off headaches as the gameplay continues. The Atlas Air gaming headset from Turtle Beach is one such exceptional headset, offering a comfortable gaming experience, match after match.
What’s in the box?
The Atlas Air ships with everything you need to get started. There’s the detachable microphone and windscreen, plus a 5.9-foot-long audio cable (USB-A to 3.5 mm). The charging cable is the same length, and uses a USB-C connection on the headphone side.
We also get the USB-A wireless dongle, the quick start guide, and a soft carrying pouch.
Specifications
Design and comfort
The design of this headset is both robust and adaptable, without any flashy RGB lights or color changes. It’s an all-black model with minimalist aesthetics, and even the Turtle Beach logos on the sides lack their signature purple shade. However, for those who prefer a more vibrant look, there are modular replacement packs available to add colors like pink, blue, or Turtle Beach purple to the Atlas Air. The plastic frame doesn’t give off a luxury vibe, but it doesn’t feel flimsy either, suggesting a balanced build quality for the Atlas Air.
One striking aspect of the Turtle Beach Atlas Air headset is its unique design features: firstly, its open-backed ear cups that allow for a more natural approach to sound, and secondly, a breathable mesh material built into the headband. This mesh element gives the headset a floating sensation when worn, rather than applying pressure heavily on the top of your head. The adjustability of this mesh section is conveniently managed by Velcro tabs located on both sides, allowing for a personalized fit. Initially doubtful, I found the comfort provided by the mesh suspension to be swift and significant.
The Atlas Air’s open-backed nature is evident through the visible grilles on each earpiece. These open grilles allow more air passage through the headset, which changes the overall sound — but more on that later.
Let’s examine the construction of these earphones in detail. They feature dense, comfortable memory foam padding enclosed within a typical athletic mesh material. Most users found these cushions quite pleasant to wear, and they don’t trap heat like many headset cushions do. The earpieces are circular, which works well for some gamers, but if you’ve preferred oval-shaped ear cups in the past, be aware that they might not form a perfect seal or provide the same level of comfort.
The microphone attaches to the left earpiece, and flips up to mute. Also on the left earpiece is the control suite, where you’ll find the Bluetooth button, the USB-C power port, the 3.5mm wired audio connection, a QuickSwitch button to change between the wireless transmitter and Bluetooth, and the power button. The outer piece of the left ear can spins to control volume. This is an especially appreciated feature; it’s always nice to have easy-to-find volume controls, rather than fumbling with a crowded control panel.
Performance
As a gamer, I can vouch for the Turtle Beach Atlas Air’s solid performance across my diverse game collection. I put it through its paces in team-based and solo gaming sessions, diving into titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and Call of Duty: Warzone, just to name a few.
Microphone
The Turtle Beach Atlas Air boasts unique hardware advantages, particularly in its microphone design. Unlike the mic on Turtle Beach’s latest headset, the Stealth 600 Gen 3, the arm of the Atlas Air’s mic is adjustable, enabling users to bring it closer to their mouths for better sound quality and clarity.
This mic boasts exceptional clarity without needing an extra windscreen, setting it apart from other gaming headsets whose mics have struggled in the past. The Atlas Air truly shines in this aspect. Upon initial use, its sensitivity was more than adequate, but Swarm II offers users even more control over microphone sensitivity if desired.
Battery
Among the notable features of the Atlas Air is its long-lasting battery. Turtle Beach advertises that this battery can last up to 50 hours, a claim that was consistently validated throughout the headset’s testing phase and even exceeded expectations, as the battery often persisted beyond the 55-hour mark before completely dying.
Charging times meet expectations. The headset reaches a full charge in less than three hours.
Sound
Regarding sound quality, one major factor that might catch your attention about the Atlas Air is its open-back design. Compared to closed-back headsets, open-back models like those from Turtle Beach offer a more expansive, harmonious audio experience.
Using the Atlas Air in a game significantly enhances the authenticity of audio, making echoes, reverberations, and perceived distances more closely resemble real-life situations. For instance, footsteps in an empty warehouse, distant gunfire, or thunder are all sounds that the Atlas Air brings a greater balance and realism to. The spatial audio in its headset effectively contributes to this realism; features like these, whether called spatial audio or 3D sound, can often be distracting on gaming headsets, but they work well on the Atlas Air.
Every device has its pros and cons. The Atlas Air headphones were ideal for quiet gaming environments due to their minimal background noise. However, when unexpected sounds like a barking dog, ringing doorbell, or a child asking for snacks occurred, these sounds would infiltrate the Atlas Air more quickly compared to noise-cancelling headsets from brands like Bose, Sony, Beyerdynamic, or Razer. It’s important to note that this is inherent in open-backed headphones as they allow some sound to pass through. This could potentially deter some buyers who game in shared spaces or noisy environments.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the open-back design of the Atlas Air headset may not deliver bass tones as powerfully as closed-back headsets. Consequently, if you’re a music enthusiast seeking a headset primarily for high-quality audio playback, we might suggest looking elsewhere. The lower frequencies in music can appear somewhat soft and weak, although this might not be an issue during gaming sessions. However, when it comes to regular music listening, the lack of bass clarity could be noticeable.
Should you buy it?
For extended gaming sessions without discomfort, Turtle Beach’s initial open-backed gaming headset is an excellent option as it minimizes strain and pressure on the head and ears after prolonged use. The innovative ‘floating’ design and adjustable headband ensure a comfortable fit for all players, making it suitable even for those who often experience headaches due to wearing headsets.
Moreover, the Atlas Air, priced at $180, is remarkably affordable. This price point underscores Turtle Beach’s enduring reputation as a trusted, high-quality gaming brand that doesn’t overcharge for its accessories but still offers superior value.
However, if ultra-isolation and best-in-class sound cancellation is a priority, then the Atlas Air isn’t the best option for you. Further, open-backed headsets aren’t the best option for you. These cans don’t produce the same tight-sealed, ultra-close feeling as, for example, a Sony or Bose headset. The Atlas Air doesn’t cater to the same music lovers that Sony and Bose headphones do. If you’re looking to try something different from the traditional gaming headset, whether to try out a new audio style or to get a more comfortable fit, the Atlas Air is certainly worth consideration.
Similar products
Open-backed gaming headsets haven’t become widely popular just yet, but if you’re looking for alternatives, there are several models available for exploration.
| Feature | Headset | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Pick | Sennheiser HD 800 S | $1,370 |
| Game Rant recommends | Corsair Virtuoso Pro | $200 |
| Budget Friendly | Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro | $169 |
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2024-08-31 13:35