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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a headset that works across the widest spread of platforms — including Xbox — with AI-assisted voice isolation and active noise cancellation, choose Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Over-Ear; if you need marathon battery life, a featherweight floating headband, and a dedicated low-latency wireless connection for PC and PlayStation, choose Turtle Beach Stealth 500.
• Skullcandy PLYR — biggest strength: True multi-platform flexibility. Bluetooth 5.2 plus an included 2.4GHz transmitter covers PC, Switch and PlayStation, and Xbox works via a direct controller plug-in — so one headset follows you across nearly every setup you own.
• Skullcandy PLYR — biggest trade-off: Battery life tops out at 24 hours, and the 50mm driver tuning leans on software features like Enhanced Sound Perception and a custom EQ to get the most out of it, which means the out-of-box sound isn't the whole story.
• Turtle Beach Stealth 500 — biggest strength: Up to 40 hours of battery with quick charge, a 2-hour charge time, and an ultra-light floating headband with memory foam cushions — this is built for people who game for hours and hate recharging mid-session.
• Turtle Beach Stealth 500 — biggest trade-off: No Xbox support at all, no 3.5mm jack, and no active noise cancellation. The low-latency wireless path is aimed squarely at PC and PlayStation.
• Who each pick is for: Skullcandy PLYR for the multi-console household that needs one headset to jump between Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and PC. Turtle Beach Stealth 500 for the PC/PlayStation player who wants maximum comfort and the longest possible sessions.
The PLYR's headline feature is range — not just audio range, but platform range. On the wireless side you get Bluetooth 5.2 with roughly 10 meters of range, and the package includes a USB-A to USB-C cable plus a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter for the lowest-latency connection on PC, Switch and PlayStation. For Xbox, you plug the included 3.5mm cable straight into your controller. That means the same headset you use on your PlayStation can follow you to your Xbox without buying anything else. In my opinion, that flexibility is the single strongest reason to pick this one.
Who should buy it: gamers juggling multiple consoles, anyone who wants ANC in a gaming headset, and people who like tweaking EQ and game/chat balance in software. Who should skip it: If you game in marathon 8-hour blocks and hate charging, the 24-hour battery will feel short next to the Stealth 500. And if you want a pure plug-and-play wired experience with no app involvement, the software-dependent tuning may annoy you. The 315g weight is also on the heavier side, which matters over long sessions.
Turtle Beach Stealth 500: Who It's For
The Stealth 500 is a comfort-and-endurance play. Turtle Beach built it around an ultra-lightweight floating headband and plush memory foam, leatherette ear cushions — the kind of fit designed so you forget you're wearing it. The battery is the standout number: up to 40 hours of average life with quick charge, and a full charge takes about 2 hours. For anyone who games nightly and resents hunting for a cable, that's a meaningful upgrade over a 24-hour headset.
Connectivity is split between low-latency 2.4GHz wireless (via the USB-A transmitter) and Bluetooth 5.2, with a QuickSwitch button that moves your audio and chat between the wireless dongle and a Bluetooth device with a single press — handy if you want game audio from your PS5 but chat or music from your phone. The 40mm drivers are tuned for spatial audio, and the Swarm II app for PC and mobile gives you a 10-band EQ plus microphone EQ adjustments and firmware updates. The mic is omni-directional and flip-to-mute, which is the simplest mute gesture there is.
Two things to be clear about. First, the Stealth 500 is not compatible with Xbox — it's PC, PS5, PS4 and mobile only. Second, there's no 3.5mm jack and no active noise cancellation, and the earcup control method is touch-based like the PLYR. The 16-ounce (roughly 454g) listed weight reads heavy on paper, though Turtle Beach's floating-headband design is specifically meant to distribute that load comfortably.
Who should buy it: PC and PlayStation players who want the longest battery, the lightest-feeling fit, and a simple wireless-to-Bluetooth switch. Who should skip it: Xbox owners, anyone who wants a wired fallback option, and anyone who needs noise cancellation.
• Best for Xbox owners → Skullcandy PLYR. It's the only one of the two that works on Xbox (via controller plug-in). The Stealth 500 explicitly doesn't support Xbox.
• Best for battery life → Turtle Beach Stealth 500. Up to 40 hours versus 24 hours, with a 2-hour charge and quick charge.
• Best for noise cancellation → Skullcandy PLYR. It has Active Noise Cancellation; the Stealth 500 has none.
• Best for wired fallback → Skullcandy PLYR. It includes a 3.5mm jack and cable; the Stealth 500 has no headphone jack at all.
• Best for lightweight comfort → Turtle Beach Stealth 500. Floating headband plus memory foam, designed for long wear.
• Best for larger drivers → Skullcandy PLYR. 50mm dynamic drivers versus 40mm on the Stealth 500.
• Best for simple wireless-to-Bluetooth switching → Turtle Beach Stealth 500. The dedicated QuickSwitch button does it in one press.
• Best for app-based fine-tuning → Either, but different flavors. PLYR uses Skullcandy software (game/chat mix, EQ, sidetone, Enhanced Sound Perception); Stealth 500 uses Swarm II with a 10-band EQ and mic EQ.
If I had to pick one for a typical household, I'd buy the Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Over-Ear. The reason is simple: it's the only one of the two that covers Xbox alongside PlayStation, Switch, PC and Bluetooth, it adds active noise cancellation, and it keeps a 3.5mm wired option in the box. Those are the features that save you from buying a second headset. The Stealth 500 is the better pick only if you're locked into PC and PlayStation and value 40-hour battery and floating-headband comfort above everything else. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding — the value math shifts if one is discounted.
FAQ
The Turtle Beach Stealth 500, clearly. It's rated up to 40 hours with quick charge and a 2-hour charge time, while the Skullcandy PLYR is rated at 24 hours. For long sessions without charging, the Stealth 500 wins.
Yes. The PLYR includes Active Noise Cancellation, which the Stealth 500 does not offer. If cutting out room noise matters to you, that's a real differentiator in favor of the Skullcandy.
Both work well there — that's the Stealth 500's home turf, with low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, QuickSwitch and the Swarm II app. The PLYR also supports PC and PlayStation via its included transmitter, but adds Xbox and a wired option on top.
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