Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 gaming headset - A sound start

Juicy Game Reviews - about to play Destiny on the Playstation 4

Yes a sound start indeed as I had never used a Turtle Beach product until I spent two days at Eurogamer this year. There was no way that I was going to leave that expo without a pair. I got hooked on how much of a difference a game felt to me once I started to play. I felt more immersed in a game and less concerned with what lay around me. I purposely chose the Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 as my first personal pair (for the Playstation 4, mobile devices and PS Vita only). The P12 is a fantastic starter piece of kit if you're in the market for your first headset, like I was. Expect to pay within the region of £35-£45 ($45-$60) which was an affordable price range for a product that I was not familiar with.

The Turtle Beach P12 has some great specs. Once strapped to your head, the P12 feels surprisingly comfortable. I had lower hopes as I had chosen one of the lower priced products but my perception was wrong. The P12 are "supported by breathable, around-the-ear breathable mesh cushions for hours of comfort and noise isolation" as listed in the Turtle Beach official specification. I can honestly report that I support this statement. I can play for 8 hours at a time with no discomfort. Result! 

The Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 exceeded my expectations on how the hardware projected the sound. Recently, I was playing The Evil Within and as I my character did a 360 spin, the sound followed by transferring from the left to the right ear. More importantly for me was the transition of that transfer. Imagine the volume slowly decreasing in your left ear as it smoothly picks up in the right. Pretty neat for a product that is in the lower end of the range. This is a crucial point. If I'm as impressed with this product as I am, I can't imagine how, say, the Turtle Beach Call of Duty Ear Force Spectre performs, a device that costs over £100 more ($150). 

The Turtle Beach P12 packs a real punch in performance but lacks in aesthetics. I feel that the device looks cheaper than it should. Nevertheless, a gaming headset is not about aesthetics. Let's face it, I won't be going out shopping in a set will I? Or carrying them about in my handbag? No! This is my only gripe about the P12. The mic is attached to the left ear piece but I have not used it. I do not use chat settings in games as it's not a feature that excites me.

Overall, I am confident in saying that the P12 is a solid headset on the market within its price range. Remember, the Turtle Beach P12 is a gaming headset for the PS4 and cannot be used on the PS3. Amplified stereo sound, comfort and smooth transitions make for a sound first experience of using a Turtle Beach product. My next headset will be the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P.....Oh I can hear the surround sound now!

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Read my review of the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P here.

Photo credit: JP Professional Photography

Juicy Game Reviews - my defining moment with a Turtle Beach headset at Eurogamer 2014