Customer Ratings & Reviews

PRODUCT TURTLE BEACH - ATLAS AIR WIRELESS OPEN BACK GAMING HEADSET Model:TBS-5101-05SKU:6579298 QUICK REVIEW FLOATING STYLE HEADSET – GOOD FOR GROUP GAMING Targeting the upper mid-range of headsets, the ATLAS AIR, is an average performer for audio quality. The sound envelop overall is OK/Average in Games, Music and Movies. The mic is pretty good. The headset is comfortable to wear with a floating style headband and soft cushioned over the ear “Floating” earcups. I appreciate that it can be connected via a Dongle (USB-A), BlueTooth (version not listed in specs), or a 3.5mm cable (all included). The PC software is a little finicky (SWARM II 1.0.0.3) especially on the update process, but stick with it and you will be fine. I like that the mic can be completely detached. There is sound leakages both incoming and outgoing which can be distracting to some users. You will have to decide if the tradeoff of a lightweight headset is worth some background noise distraction. Again, some people like to hear what is going on around them. I think the coolest feature is that you can rotate the outer ring on the left earcup for master volume. This is super easy to use. Overall, while it is very comfortable, the sound quality and loose fit leave some room for improvement. I have less expensive headsets that sound better, but are much heavier. I have more expensive headsets that leak a lot more sound. The Atlas air sits about in the middle. UNBOXING / QUALITY / PARTS The headset is nicely packaged, with everything you need, including dongle, charging cable, 3.5mm wired cable, detachable mic with windscreen all in a carrying back with an internal side pocket so your accessories don’t get lost in the bottom of the bag. The headset is impressively large, and modern looking. Even though it is all plastic, it does not feel cheap. The is a ton of flex on the headband which seems like it will resist breaking (ie bend but don’t break). The cups do not fold flat, in case that is relevant to you. SETUP (PC) It was easy to download and install the latest SWARM II software. The software immediately requires updating, as does the firmware for the dongle and the headset. This is pretty normal and nothing to worry about. In my case, I found that I had to reboot after the first round of updates and the last round of updates. Eventually it all got sorted out and worked well. When connecting the microphone, make sure it is plugged in, in the correct orientation. It will snap into place when the it is correct. AUDIO / USAGE I like that the cups are completely surround the ear, instead of pressing on the ears. However, I have a large hear and these things are very loose. If you turn your head quickly, they feel like they will fall off (but they don’t). There is a Velcro adjustment strap, but it can’t be made any tighter than it is already out of the box. I found the sound not as full as I prefer, no matter how much I played with the equalizer. Maybe it is related to the “floating cup” design. I found if I pressed in the headset cups with both hands the sound quality improved immensely. Putting the volume at nearly 100% helps in game mode and watching movies. Music Quality (Jazz Blues Rock) – 6/10 Voices (Games, Movies) – 8/10 Movies (Overall) – 6/10 Gaming (Action / Adventure) – 7/10 The sound was clear, but not very directional (spatial awareness) SUMMARY The Atlas headset has a lot going for it. (3 connectivity modes, low weight, floating cups, quality build). If the audio was stronger, then I would give it a full recommendation. All I can say is that I am very picky when it comes to audio, for me that is more important than any other feature. I think it is best suited for a group gaming console setup where you want to hear those around you. My main use is PC based Solo gaming where I want a completely immersive experience. If you need a comfortable floating headset, this is worth a closer look / test drive.

I have a pretty deep collection of wireless headsets from over the years, and the Atlas Air’s are now my 5th Turtle Beach headset. I am a big fan of suspension band headsets, and prior to getting the Atlas I started using this years Stealth 500X headset. That headset is honestly one of the best, most comfortable headsets I have used. Trying out the Atlas Air made me hopeful that the design magic of the more entry level 500X had wormed its way into the Atlas Air. Design The Atlas Air is an open back design with a floating earcup/driver design. The headset features a hinged, detachable mic on the left earcup along with the volume/EQ controls. The volume control is not a little wheel dial along the rim like most headsets, but rather the entire back plate of the driver is a volume wheel. The design is super clean looking with no visible wires running along the headband, and only the smallest of wires coming out of the earcup (which I had to really look for. The headset connects to PC, Playstation, or Switch with a USB transmitter. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 to these devices plus any other Bluetooth compatible device. The headset can also convert to a wired with the included 3.5mm cord, which allowed me to use it on my Xbox. The headset uses the companion Swarm II app for additional EQ settings through your PC or phone. I already had the Swarm app on my phone, but installed it on my PC for the Atlas. The headset uses an all plastic headband construction which gives it plenty of flexibility. The suspension band is adjustable with Velcro ends to wrap around the headband and adjust tension. The all-plastic design keeps the headset pretty light in spite of its oversized earcup look. The earcups themselves use a breathable cloth covering that is very soft to the touch. The earcup padding is also quite soft so you don’t feel any discomfort when it conforms to your head. The left earcup holds microphone and all the controls/ports – EQ mode, connection switcher, power, volume wheel, and USB C charging port. The volume wheel on the side of the driver casing doesn’t have any stopping points, so the volume will eventually hit the max/min on whatever device you are connected to. On PC the volume wheel controls the system volume. On Bluetooth, with my phone, the volume wheel again controls the media volume of my phone. The mic boom is about 5” long and is bendable, which allows you to position it as needed. It also comes with a wind screen, which I was glad to see. Flipping the boom up or down passes it through a couple of detents which holds the mic in place. Mute/unmute is controlled by flipping the mic up or down. The mic is also removable at the base if you don’t want it attached. The 50 hr battery life is quite good – that’s over a month worth of gaming for me or at least 2 weeks of typical headset use for me. I haven’t come close to running them down yet – I’m still at 75% battery life still. I typically get 30-40 feet of range with other Bluetooth 5.2 devices, which is roughly what I’m getting with the Atlas. The 2.4GHz mode gives me considerably more range – I’ve gone upwards of 80 feet away from my PC at my office without any loss of sound or cutting out. The earcups come loaded with 40mm drivers. I was surprised at the 40mm size at this price point, but if done right they can keep up with 50mm drivers. I would assume the 40mm size helps keep the weight down, which I can appreciate. Comfort I love a suspension band headset – they are just consistently the most comfortable design for me. Even the worst suspension band headset I have tried was still middle of the road for comfort. Thankfully the Atlas Air is a lot better than middle of the road. The suspension band itself is an inch wide – wider is better in my experience and an inch wide is pretty good. There is a mesh net that wraps around suspension band and the top of the headband. I’m not sure if this has any impact on the comfort, but it appears to give a little padding and add some support to the band. Otherwise, the mesh looks to be a mostly aesthetic choice. The earcup material feels great on the side of my head/face. They aren’t too stiff with the padding, which is necessary for me to comfortably wear my glasses. The earcup material is breathable so I don’t feel my ears getting hot while wearing the headset. The headset is also lighter than I expected based on the size of the earcups. They are a little heavier than the 500X’s, but the weight is distributed well. Overall, this is a very comfortable headset – I have had zero issues wearing them for hours. Compatibility The Atlas Airs are wirelessly compatible via 2.4GHz USB dongle with PC, Playstation, and Switch. It can use Bluetooth to connect to all these devices plus any other Bluetooth compatible device like your phone or Steam Deck. The last way to connect is through the wired 3.5mm cable that is included with the headset. This allows further compatibility systems that support this connection like Xbox. When using the wired connection, the headset will not power on and will function as a regular wired headset. This in turn eliminates the ability to connect to 2.4/Bluetooth and toggle between sources. It also means the companion app won’t connect to the headset, so you are left to the whims of the system EQ and sidetone settings. While connected to 2.4 or Bluetooth the companion app lets you adjust settings as needed. Sound The Air’s have 4 different EQ profiles to choose from: Signature, Bass Boost, Bass+Treble Boost, Vocal Boost. These EQ modes are only accessible through the Swarm II software or app. There is not an “EQ Mode” button on the headset. You can also create up to 5 different custom EQ’s to fit the sound profile you want to hear. The Signature EQ is a flat profile for an “all-around” sound mode. Base Boost picks up the lows, while Bass+Treble picks up the lows and highs for a V shape profile. Vocals picks up the mids and highs, and works well for calls, audiobooks, or other speaking heavy activities. Turtle Beach still includes Superhuman Hearing mode, which you have to turn on in the app. I am not a fan of this sound modification – it does function well for hearing footsteps or gunshots better, but it makes the soundstage feel empty/dead. The Air’s, like the 500X’s, use 40mm drivers. The 40mm size does keep weight down on headset, but it usually has the tradeoff of shallower lows. Compared to the 500X though, the Air’s do have a fuller sound. The lows feel a bit deeper, but the overall sound profile is improved. Quiet/subtle sounds are more recognizable, which may come from better sound processing in the headset or more sensitive drivers. I made a custom EQ profile based on the Bass+Treble profile where I pushed the bass up a few ticks more. For games I’ve mostly been playing Halo Infinite on Xbox and Forza Horizon on my PC. I’ve also used them quite a bit to listen to music and do some Team’s calls. The Air’s handled all these tasks with ease. Forza sounded superb on PC with my custom EQ. The sounds of ripping through the terrain, the engine noise, and the music came through so well. The open air design doesn’t diminish the sound quality produced by the drivers, but you may need to turn it up a bit if your room is noisy. Between kids and the blower fan on my HVAC the headphones do have some competition to overcome. However, in a quite space these were great. For Halo on my Xbox I used the wired setup, which is something that isn’t new to me. The headphones sounded super crisp in this mode. The gunfire and grenade explosions are well represented. My team chat came through very clear as well. I had to adjust the sidetone slider on the Xbox menu to get my volume up a bit, but otherwise it sounded great. Playing music was also a treat – the sound stage is rich enough to enjoy a good range of genres. The only time I felt the headset was limited by the smaller drivers came during some music sessions with really bass heavy tracks. I have headsets with 50mm drivers that handle those things better, but these at least handled the bass as good or better than most of the 40mm headsets I have used. Mic The mic is a longer flexible boom compared to the stubby one on the 500X. The mic still flips up for mute, but it doesn’t neatly tuck away into the earcup body. The mic is detachable if it gets in your way. That being said I do like the flexible boom mic over the stubby one. It picks up my voice better, the wind screen eliminates any rustling/breathing noises. The mic also does a much better job at filtering out background noise. On my work calls and in my game chats the mic worked great. It didn’t pick up the sounds of my kids playing in the background or my HVAC blower running. It’s better than most of the mics I have used on headsets. There are plenty of adjustments you can make in the app to really dial in your mic preferences. You can mess with the sensitivity, noise gate, and sidetone. The side tone is enabled by default - I set it around 50%. The noise gate and sensitivity settings work together to kind of set a range of sound that it will pick up. I really didn’t need to mess with these settings like I did with the 500X – the mic performed well without me tinkering with the settings. Conclusion Overall, the new Atlas Air’s are solid headset entry. They come with big, cushiony earcups that utilize an open back design. The suspension band setup is very comfortable and easy to live with. Sound quality out of the drivers is excellent. Though I’m not a huge fan of needing an app to tinker with things, I do like that the Swarm II app connects and works seamlessly with the headset. I have not encountered any issues at all with the Air’s, and I can’t see a downside to them. These come in at a premium price level, but they are well put together and fully featured. As much as I like and praise the 500X’s, I think the Air’s are really a good step above and are worth looking at.

I struggle to find headsets that offer high fidelity audio and all day comfort, so I was excited to pick up the Turtle Beach Atlas Air headset.   In the box is the headset, wireless dongle, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable, and carry bag.  Setup is easy, I recommend installing the Swarm II app for eq, firmware update, and setting adjustment, however not required, the rest of the setup is plug and play.  Upon setup, the first thing you will notice is the build. The headset is big but extremely light weight at 302g compared to headsets of this size. The outer band is formed from two flexible supports and wrapped in a mesh fabric, this provides the utmost comfort for pressure against the side of the head.  Under the outer band is the fabric floating band, which is adjustable via velcro tighteners on both sites. This setup allows for fit customization versus having preset floating band attachment points. Next is the ear cuffs which are made of a light weight foam covered in fabric. Sitting on my desk they feel cooler than the ambient air temperature, and zero heat build up even after hours of wearing. On the left cuff is the removable mic which disconnects such that the hinge will fully tuck inside the cuff for a smooth profile, see photo. From front to back on the left cuff is flip to mute mic, Bluetooth pairing, USB-C charging port, audio in port, quick switch to swap between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, and the power button.  The volume control is the outermost ring on the side of the ear cuff, which is nice, no accidental bumps or fumbling around trying to get the right control. There are no controls on the right cuff.  I've used this headset with a work laptop, gaming desktop and a few different Android devices.  The comfort of fit means that this can go with me from the office (great for long conference calls) and easily transition straight into post work game mode.  The Swarm II app is standard, it has all the basics such as default presets (signature sound, bass boost, bass and treble boost, and vocal boost), eq adjustments, as well as battery status, connection type, mic sensitivity, noise gate and mic monitoring volume.  As far as audio quality, with wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz wireless connection, there is no lag for low bandwidth items such as video conferencing or streaming.  I did see a barely noticeable lag on Bluetooth with my work laptop, but that is likely impacted by external factors and interference. With the 10 point EQ and the ability to save custom presets, I found that the headset could perform well in all arenas from music to gaming.  The audio fidelity is at the level I expect of a high end headset.  Nuances and game immersion are there, sounds don't seem flat or over driven, and the mic boasts a 16-bit, 32 kHz sampling rate, so no one will miss your strategy plan or pleas for help.  Overall, I think this headset is a win. Make sure you update your firmware, and leverage either the Swarm II or something like WAVE 3D audio software to adjust eq and settings to your preference.  With the complete comfort of this headset, you can wear them all day as you experiment with the settings to find your perfect profile. 

This is my 3rd pair. Yes 3rd. Why? I bought initial release because I love the open back headset as I listen to game sound in my stereo. And only chat in my headset. This is the ONLY wireless open back headset. The first two I had was a catastrophe. The software was buggy it would freeze my PC. It hardly worked. Then turtle beach sent another. Same thing. I kept saying, it’s the software not the headset it self. So I returned both. 3 months later I check reviews online and supposedly it was fixed. So I had a 12hr sim race and wanted a comfortable headset. So I picked it up. Boy I’m so glad I did. I wore this for 13 hrs. With glasses and not one pain pressure. They sound amazing. And one of the lightest headsets I’ve ever felt. The cost for these are half of the high ends and the everyone says. Wow what kind of mic are you using. And when I said turtle beach they all go. Really? And for that much? Glad they fixed them and I’m back in the wireless game.

This thing is a great intro into open back headsets. It's light and easy to wear all day while delivering good sound and yet having a decent sound stage due to the open back nature. I love being able to hear someone call my name if they need me while also getting decent sound that's only in my ears.

I have a had a few Turtle Beach as well as Astro headsets over the years and so far have been very impressed with these. They are very lightweight so wearing them for multiple hours at a time is not an issue. They came with a 3.5mm cable with volume control to if into an XBOX controller, the Wi-Fi dongle if you want to use with a PS4, and also have Bluetooth for connecting to PCs or phones. Connecting to my PC was easy once I found it in the quickstart guide and the audio was clear while watching movies or gaming on my desktop PC. I have spent most of the last week using them with my XBOX Series X and playing Modern Warfare 3. With this headset I was hearing voices and sounds I have not heard before even with my Dolby Atmos surround sound sounbar setup in my mancave. Pros - Lightweight and very comfortable - Long cord for connecting to an XBOX controller - Wi-Fi dongle when plugged into my PS4 was immediately connected for gaming - Came with a nice pouch to put the cables on headset on when I am not using it Cons - Not a lot of bass or at least by default wasn't very noticeable compared to my other headsets - Some lag when connected to my Desktop PC via Bluetooth but might be able to fix in the settings but just haven't taken time to figure it out Overall this headset not only looks cool but is also great for long gaming sessions because they are lightweight. The audio is crisp and clear and it has allowed me to hear voices and sounds I hadn't ever noticed before.

Started reading reviews of this before I came to purchase and to my pleasant surprise it’s lighter than I expected and much more comfortable. The range of the Bluetooth is fantastic and the battery life is pretty outstanding. Sound and sound options within the app with the EQ custom settings are really nice too. Would buy again for sure

Only headset that's open back with a built-in microphone. Super light and my friends on discord say the microphone quality is good. It's true that this doesn't get as loud as other headsets but it's more than enough for me. If you're someone that maxes out prior headsets then maybe it's not for you.

This is the 1st open-back headset available on the market. The frame is a combo of plastic & cloth mesh; no metal. Very light. Easy to put on because of free-floating speakers. Long wireless range. Great speaker & mic quality for its price bracket. There are some minor issues though. Despite being comfortable, it's not designed for larger heads. There's a .5sec delay before audio can be heard if silence is being broken. Turtle Beach's Swarm II software altered the audio channel intended for chat output to have a far lower volume range than the channel for gaming.

These Turtle Beach - Atlas Air headphones truly are open back. You can hear pretty much everything as if you weren’t wearing headphones yet once the sound is going you can barely notice unless it is a loud background noise. These easily connect to a device that can use the USB dongle or to any device that uses Bluetooth. However, you can only switch between them and not use both at the same time like some higher end headsets. The build is all plastic with round earcups and an elastic band inside some fishnet material. The only real adjustment is by adjusting the velcro straps for the elastic band. The volume is controlled by the outside of the left earcup and the detachable microphone is flip-up to mute. You get an audible sound when muted as well as voice prompts when switching between wireless and bluetooth. Everything about them seems pretty basic but effective by default. Noise gate on the microphone was noticeable from the other side, but not too bad. Until I installed the Swarm 2 software which installed its own audio driver and from there it seemed like everything went downhill. The “default” settings in the Swarm 2 software are not the default of what the headset came with. The noise gate became really noticeable, cutting off some voice chat and the audio functions were hit or miss. Sometimes you could get the sound you thought you were looking for, other times it just wouldn’t change anything. I used the software to update the firmware then removed it and the driver it installed and everything is back to normal. Overall, they are not bad, but they are not great, they just feel basic. The details on the box are spot on with the lightweight build and long battery life, but don’t even really mention the Swarm software. But, if you want to make sure the headphones are updated, you need it, but I would avoid it.

Solid headset. Good sound. Good software with good features. Simple, intuitive controls with solid battery life. Comfortable for long-term use and the flip-to-mute mic is always a feature I look for in a gaming headset. A little on the pricey side, but I think its worth it.

I purchased this pair of headphones for one main reason: Open Back Wireless Gaming. There were really not any mainstream options on the market in this category when I first purchased these. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD6XX's that are connected to a DAC/Amp that I love - but these Turtle Beach headphones are both wireless and include a microphone. I would say that these headphones hit a sweet spot for audiophiles that want a convenient headset for gaming. One con with these headphones is that in wireless mode they are a bit quiet. They're not going to blow you away even at 100% volume. These are no substitute for a proper set of cans w/ a DAC/Amp. I would say that they are a 10/10 when it comes to comfort. The open back design keeps my ears cool. The padding and size make them very comfortable to wear, even with glasses. I would say that if you're looking for a pair of wireless open back headphones for gaming - these are the ones to buy!

The Atlas Air wireless headset is a good headset overall. The good points they are lightweight, the battery life will outlast most gaming sessions. They sound really good! Now for the bad points there is a noticeable difference between th bluetooth and 2.4g wireless. The wireless sounds better and louder. The ear shape can be uncomfortable until you figure out how to adjust them. The microphone is ok and has to be right next to my mouth for it to sound good without raising my voice. No real issues getting connected once i figured out it won't pair with my Xbox Series X, which is weird because it connected to a windows 11 computer easily. Turtle Beach includes a wireless 2.4 usb adapter that doesnt work with my Xbox. This headset has to be plugged into my controller for sound on Xbox. Overall I really like the sound, the price seems high for these but the name brand is why I payed a little more.

Before you do anything especially if you’re using these on a PS5, is to UPDATE! If you just plug them in and try to use them on a PS5 you’ll want to return them as they’ll continue to disconnect. With that said, even updating them can be somewhat of a pain. I downloaded the app, connected the headphones and tried to update and every time it would error out. Initially I had the transmitter plugged into the PS5 and after about the 8th time of it failing to update, I plugged the transmitter into my iPad Pro via a hub and was able to update. As long as Turtle Beach has been in the headphone game this is disappointing that this wasn’t done before they shipped these out. Now that I got that out of the way, the headset itself is not that bad. The ear muffs are comfortable, though if you have an XL head these probably won’t be for you as there’s no up and down adjustment. The headband is one solid piece with a mess band that’s adjustable but you can’t move the ear pieces up and down. I like the flip up mic that is also detachable. Adjusting the volume is done thru the left ear piece with the circle part, it’s like a scroll wheel. The only problem with this is there’s nothing that indicates this is the volume control (maybe in the directions that most don’t read) at least on the headset. The app functions well and is easy to adjust settings on the fly when using the headset, but there’s not a lot of sound settings. I’ve got another pair of Turtle Beach headphones and this uses a completely different app than that one, not sure why they did that! The headset also has a dedicated button that allows you to switch from WiFi mode when gaming to Bluetooth to take a call on your phone. In some aspects these feel kinda half baked, but once you update them it’s a different story. I just feel for as long as Turtle Beach has been doing this, this shouldn’t be the case. If you have an XL head I’d steer clear of these, but if you don’t they’re a solid headset with good sound.

They have bad connectivity issues. I play on pc and computer is right next to me. My fix was buying a 3.0 usb extension and puting the dongle directly infront of me. Havnt had a problem since. They are extremely comfortable. Sound is great and the design of open back is also great. This is my first pair of open back headphones and I love them.

It's comfortable and the sound is great. The noise isolation is great for excluding ambient sounds and even somebody else talking in the same room. However, it also removes the wearer's own voice if they're talking fast or excitedly. I've had to repeat myself too many times to give it a full 5 starts.

This headset is the most comfortable I have ever worn and. The sound is amazing. It even sounds as amazing using it wired on Xbox. I do wish you could make it a little louder at times wired or wireless. I haven't tried the mic out. The software on the phone has worked every single time. I haven't tried the PC software yet. You don't have to do much when you first unbox it. You have to update it and I did that with my phone. You can only do small tweaks with phone software. But that's not a bad thing cause this headset is great right out of the box .

These are open back so they won't block it the noise around you if that's what's you need. They let your ears breath and are extremely light so i can wear them for hours. They have a long battery and are also Bluetooth but the biggest reason i got them is that they still have a headphone jack so even if the battery dies. You can still use them. The mic on them is also removable so you can use them in public without worrying about that gamer look on you. The open design means you can also hear what's going on around you. These are literally the only headphones with all these features and i think it's a very fair price because of that.

The physical headset itself is great with it being very lightweight and comfortable. The sound is also fantastic and easily beats most other headsets at this price and above due to it's open back design. But the issues comes down to the terrible software and app. The Swam II software would more often than it should not detect the headset, which would require a restart of the software or re-plugging in the dongle. Sometimes there would be no audio all of a sudden as well and that would also require a restart. I noticed at times the microphone would become very quiet or it wouldn't pick up audio correctly and miss parts of my sentences which once again this also required more restarts. And finally I noticed occasional weird distortions in the sound. I mainly noticed that when using EQ in Swarm. When I turned the EQ off, it wouldn't seem to occur. It's just not a good user experience to have to constantly restart the software/app as issues occur, as issues due to occur with almost every use. When it was stable it was great but that would only last so long before another issue occurs. If they every figure out the software this would be a great buy but until then I can't recommend the headset.

I really enjoyed this headset, it’s comfortable, light and durable! Sound quality’s clear and microphone seems to be clear without cutting out. However the software tanks the review it’s bad, broke my headset awful! Updated recently and now my pc will not function with the wireless connector plugged in. Audio doesn’t play on the headset at all.