Before the Nintendo Switch and its unique servicing of both the home console and portable markets, products marketed specifically for mobile gaming were somewhat uncommon. Now, though, there’s a whole slew of gaming earbuds with “try it with the Switch” plastered on the box. Unlike other Switch accessories, these earbuds tend to be affordable. Turtle Beach has thrown its hat into the Switch audio ring with its $29.95 Battle Buds (See them on Amazon). Are the Battle Buds any good, or is this another case of a peripheral manufacturing prioritizing a profitable trend before solid product quality?
Turtle Beach Battle Buds – Design and Features
Battle Buds come in a white and teal version for those who would prefer more vibrant colors, as well as the version I received, which sports the classic black and silver color scheme seen in a lot of gaming products.
Like other earbuds with boom mics, Battle Buds feature a shield-like housing design, with the Battle Buds’ “shield” emblazoned with a silver Turtle Beach logo. (This logo is the only silver on the black/silver version of the earbuds. Interestingly, the cables on the white/teal version are teal to match the teal logo.)
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The left earbud has a jack on the side of the “shield” where the detachable boom mic can be inserted. The earbuds also come with three sizes of interchangeable tips and earhooks. The earbuds house 10mm drivers, which is about what I’d expect for $30 earbuds.
The cable is not braided, but it does feature an inline controller. On the controller’s front is a volume slider and an on/off switch for the mic. The back offers the inline mic and a multifunction button that can be used to perform tasks such as answering phone calls. Unfortunately, the Battle Buds don’t come with a splitter cable to use the boom mic with PC. But at least you get a carrying pouch.
Turtle Beach Battle Buds – Gaming
Turtle Beach’s website describes the boom mic as “high-sensitivity,” which is like calling ghost chilis “a bit warm.” The Battle Buds’ boom mic is sensitive enough to pick up sounds from the earbuds’ own drivers, resulting in whoever’s on a call with you hearing an echo of their own voice. Of course, this won’t affect you if you use Skype, Discord, or any other voice platform that uses post-processing for echo cancelation. Basically, this means only Xbox users are afflicted. For everyone else, the boom mic sounds respectable — definitely higher quality than I was expecting from $30 earbuds. However, the inline mic sounds predictably average and peaks annoyingly easily.
With earbuds in this price range, audio quality can be hit or miss, and the Battle Buds are no exception. The bass frequencies and lower mids are incredibly weak, while high frequencies are quite strong, though the highest frequencies tend to have a kind of crunchy sound.
In general, the Battle Buds are pretty terrible for music listening. However, the sharp highs make them excellent for gaming. Sounds like footsteps, bullets, and metallic clangs stand out. While this seems like it would only be useful in first-person shooters, battle royales, or other competitive games, the Battle Buds actually saved my hide in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The electric noises made by shock arrows fall into that strong, high-pitched range in which Battle Buds excel, making these sounds stand out sharply against the in-game and alerting me of the Lizfalos behind me that was taking aim with a shock arrow nocked in its bow.
I love Turtle Beach’s inclusion of a volume slider as opposed to volume buttons. If I’m gaming and want to adjust the volume, I don’t want to fumble with buttons. Beyond that, finding the right volume is just easier when you can feel where the sound is based on the physical position of the slider.
Earhooks are a rare sight on earbuds, so seeing a $30 headset rocking them was a pleasant surprise. I usually have trouble keeping earbuds in my ears, so earhooks — especially with different sizes — are always appreciated.
Purchasing Guide
The Turtle Beach Battle Buds have an MSRP of $29.99 and are the same price online.
- UK readers: See it on Amazon (UK)
