Turtle Seashore Recon controller overview: much more management

Turtle Seashore is understood primarily for making gaming headsets, however it not too long ago launched its first controller known as the Recon for the Xbox Sequence X / S, Xbox One, and PC. It’s a $59.99 wired mannequin obtainable in black or white that doesn’t really feel all that completely different from Microsoft’s wi-fi controller. What little it does change design-wise is in the end profitable, and I’ll get into all of that shortly. However I need to focus first on the Recon’s killer function: customization.

While you plug headphones into its 3.5mm headphone jack, the panel of buttons on the prime of the Recon can be utilized to make a bunch of modifications to your sport and chat audio in addition to your microphone. You possibly can select between 4 equalizer presets that vary from focusing extra on bass to a treble-dominated sound. Mic monitoring will be adjusted, and you may choose to let extra of your voice come by means of in your headphones if you would like, ought to they’ve a built-in mic, or you may mute the mic altogether.

The Recon additionally permits you to modify the sport audio and the chat quantity independently with two rockers, one at all sides. (Word: the chat combine operate works on Xbox consoles solely, not on PCs.) Turtle Seashore even put in a “Superhuman Listening to” button — a signature function from its headset lineup that emphasizes easy-to-miss seems like footsteps, doorways opening, and different key sounds that may assist clue you in forward of the competitors.

Primarily, the Recon brings must-have headset options to a controller, reducing the barrier to entry for what number of gaming equipment you want. That’s nice and all, however you’ll want persistence and observe to overcome the inelegant button structure that allows these options, and the others talked about beneath. Every thing works as supposed, however you’ll have to hold the instruction guide inside attain.

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Along with tweaking the sound, the aforementioned buttons additionally allow you to make a number of changes to how the controller, nicely, controls. The Recon permits you to map any operate from the controller (other than analog stick motion) to considered one of two macro buttons situated behind the controller grips. The final function is known as Professional-Goal, which helps you to toggle between 4 ranges of slowed-down sensitivity for the right-hand stick. While you activate the setting and toggle by means of the choices to seek out your most well-liked stage of sensitivity, holding down the rear proper macro button will gradual the stick’s motion pace accordingly, making it probably simpler to line up your pictures in contrast. It really works fantastically, although it’s programmed to work solely on the best rear button, so it’ll overwrite a customized operate in the event you’ve assigned one to the identical button.

Rear buttons apart, the Recon feels much like the Microsoft Xbox controller that debuted alongside the Xbox Sequence X / S consoles. This wired model has rubber-coated grips, and I actually like that its shoulder buttons are fully lined in little raised dots that make them much less slippery. (Microsoft’s controller has these, too, however they cowl a smaller floor space on the buttons.) Turtle Seashore features a prolonged 10-foot braided cable, so it ought to be capable to work with most leisure heart preparations.

In contrast once more to Microsoft’s newest controller, the Recon controller’s face buttons and triggers require the same quantity of drive to press. The Recon’s sticks require a bit extra drive to click on in. There’s additionally an eight-way d-pad that can really feel like a giant enchancment in the event you’re nonetheless utilizing the older Xbox wi-fi controller made in the course of the Xbox One days. In any other case, you gained’t discover a lot distinction in the event you’ve used Microsoft’s new controller.

One last notice: this controller helps rumble on Xbox consoles, however PC help for rumble may be very spotty. The Recon labored simply effective on my PC with Loss of life Stranding and Streets of Rage 4, however different titles that I attempted didn’t present rumble suggestions.

If you have already got a wi-fi controller and a wi-fi headset that you simply like, the Recon controller isn’t actually for you. It’s meant extra for individuals who already personal a set of headphones that they like and need to lengthen its capabilities with out spending greater than they should. Regardless of Turtle Seashore’s less-than-perfect execution with how you can entry its many customization options, I’m nonetheless glad that these options exist in a $59.99 controller.

Images by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge