Pulse Elite Review: PlayStation's New Gaming Headset
Video Games
Speaker 1: This is the Pulse Elite Wireless headset, the latest gaming headset from PlayStation. They include comfortable ear cups, dual device connectivity and planner magnetic drivers for enhanced audio and at a really affordable $150 price. Let me tell you all about them.
Speaker 1: The PlayStation five launched with a number of accessories including the Pulse 3D wireless headset. The Pulse Elite is an evolution of that with a number of exciting new features. [00:00:30] These headphones sound great and a major reason for that is the addition of Planner magnetic drivers, just like the Pulse Explorer earbuds that PlayStation launched in December of last year. These over the ear headphones include the same low distortion drivers, and if you're interested in what I thought about the Explorer earbuds, I'll link to that video somewhere on the screen. Right now. What makes plantar magnetic drivers such a big deal is their sonic accuracy while being less prone to distortion. These drivers are often found on much more expensive headphones, so seeing Sony once again, incorporating [00:01:00] them into a much more budget friendly option is great. At $150, these headphones sit right in the middle price range of your standard good quality gaming headsets, and if we compare them to PlayStation's previous Pulse 3D headset, which are priced at a hundred dollars, this $50 upgrade is a no-brainer.
Speaker 1: On the headset itself, you'll find volume controls A-U-S-B-C port for charging a 3.5 millimeter jack and the power slash pairing button. The left side houses the microphone, which can also extend out if you'd prefer. There is a mute button on [00:01:30] the end here, like a lot of modern earbuds and headphones. There's an equalizer that you can adjust depending on your preferences. In the PS five's audio settings menu, you can select from a number of different presets, including base boost shooter and what I stuck with standard. You also have three custom options if you'd like to set up your own presets to use. When it comes to comfort, I'm a little disappointed. The ear cups themselves are quite soft and comfortable on the head, but the headset is just a bit too heavy. At 12.2 ounces, this becomes an issue since [00:02:00] that weight overpowers the adjustable strap that sits on top of your head.
Speaker 1: As a result, I feel that ear cups falling down just a bit too much because the strap isn't holding them up high enough. I wish that strap was a little more rigid along the frame so the cups would sit a bit higher on my head. Similarly, and this might just be specific to my head shape, the Pulse Elite tends to slide off. If I lean my head back, like when taking a drink like the Explorer Earbuds, the Pulse Elite can be used with the PlayStation portal remote player that was released a few months ago by swiping [00:02:30] down from the top right corner of the handheld. You can access some quick settings such as pairing and volume control for the device. Weirdly enough, the portal will still play audio out of its speakers when the headset is connected, so you'll have to lower the volume on the device separately so that only the Pulse Elite are making noise.
Speaker 1: What makes this extra confusing is that the PS five has a setting to avoid this issue of double audio. Again, like the Pulse Explorer, the Pulse Elite also feature dual device connectivity. Packaged with the headset is a PlayStation link USB. This needs [00:03:00] to be plugged into the PS five in order for the headset to connect. PlayStation Link creates a lossless low latency connection for you to listen to. The headset also has Bluetooth functionality, so you compare it to your phone at the same time. I'm a big fan of this feature since I often listen to podcasts or chat on a Discord call while gaming the microphone quality is also quite good, whether you're connected over Bluetooth or PlayStation Link. I did a couple of recordings in both scenarios that I'll play for you. Now, here is a voice recording I'm doing on my phone, which the Pulse Elite is paired to over Bluetooth [00:03:30] so you can hear the microphone quality.
Speaker 1: And here is a recording on my pc, which is connected to the Pulse Elite using the PlayStation link USB dongle. And if you have any experience in audio recording, this screenshot I'm showing you will prove how little background noise is getting picked up while I was recording. Since these headphones do a great job of isolating my voice, the headset comes bumbled with a fun little docking mount accessory. This comes in two pieces and the idea is that you would screw this little black plate into a stand or a desk. From there, you slide the mound onto [00:04:00] the plate and then plug in A-U-S-B-C cable to the bottom side. The Pulse Elite Headset has a second charging port located at the top of it, and with this mound, you can rest your headset down here and charge the battery at the same time. Speaking of battery life, while I didn't get to fully test out PlayStations claims, the Pulse Elite advertises 30 hours of use.
Speaker 1: They can also quick charge two hours of use from just 10 minutes of charging. What I really like about the Pulse Elite is that it offers a great sounding experience for my games. I also like [00:04:30] that you're getting this audio quality at a great price, $150, and the inclusion of a docking mount is a fun addition that makes storing these more ideal. What I don't love is that the adjustable top strap isn't strong enough to hold the headphones as high as I'd like, and I wish they didn't slide off my head so easily. With that said, I feel like PlayStation put out a really great gaming headset at a great value with the Pulse Elite. What kind of audio setup do you use when gaming? Let me know in the comments and thanks for watching.
