Verdict
The PlayStation Pulse Elite is a triumph . fantastically detailed and immersive audio for play combine with comforter and farseeing battery life sentence , and all at an agreeable cost . The PlayStation Link enhancements feel like a unfeigned upgrade .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The PlayStation Pulse Elite is Sony ’s late and most advanced headset for play on itsPS4,PS5andPortalhandheld .
The new , premium ascent on thePulse 3D headsetoffers a refined design with a retractable windfall microphone boosted by AI racket reduction technology . The headset also maintains the comfortable fit from big , noise - blocking cups tailor for long sessions endorse by longer battery biography .
However , just like thePulse Explorewireless earbuds , the Pulse Elite has a secret weapon . The newPlayStation Linktechnology aim to dramatically lift the experience from a connectivity and audio quality standpoint .
The PlayStation Pulse Elite costs £ 129.99/$149.99 , so is this worth the extra £ 30/$50 over the Pulse three-D ? Here ’s my finding of fact .
Design and Features
Sony has n’t strayed from conventionalism here . With a black and white penguin - esque innovation that mirror thePS5console , it has expressive curve ball and is n’t afraid to take up a small room at the company .
The earcups are large and pillow - flaccid , while there ’s a conciliatory comfort band beneath the head shoulder strap that ’ll mechanically adapt the convulsion , rather than having to mess with adjustable arms .
There are some central differences though . While the Pulse 3D had a brace of internal double headphones , the PlayStation Pulse Elite has longer coat of arms , which extend towards the wearer ’s face . The left arm has a pull - out , retractable mike boom , which should in possibility proffer better performance than the intimate mics on the Pulse 3D.
The whizz of the show , and a grownup upgrade on the Pulse 3D , is thePlayStation Linktechnology . The proprietary wireless technical school is built into the new PlayStation Portal handset for speedy and robotlike connection that does n’t rely on Bluetooth . However , connection to PS4 and PS5 console ( even the firebrand newPS5 Slim ) , require an additional USB - A dongle that slides into the cabinet . Three insistency of the headset ’s power / couple release brings up a ready to hand EQ bill of fare for further refinement .
Sony has included a smashing paries - cling charging accessary with the PlayStation Pulse elect radio . The headband pose atop the charging point wirelessly , sliding into a little charge plate investigation rather than balancing . So , when you ’re finished with your gaming session , you may just hang up the headset and it ’ll be right for another 30 - minute endurance contest next clip .
That ’s a nice , premium upgrade over the Pulse 3D , which swear solely on the wiredUSB - Ccharging also offered by the Elite . Many people will desire to expose their headset , so this is a nice touch modality .
speak of the battery animation , I charge the Pulse Elite up out of the box and then by the prison term I ’d used them for around ten hours of gaming , music , and general messing about on the PS5 , I still had more than one-half of the barrage lifetime leave . Sony say you ’ll get 30 hour overall , and just 10 minutes on the charge hanger gets you another two hour .
Audio and Microphone
I find the well mode to test the hope of the Pulse Elite headset was with transonic wizard on PS5 . Just kidding . I decease withMarvel ’s Spider - Man 2and that incredibly cinematic opening sequence .
The initial dialogue exchange between Miles and Peter were crisp and clean-cut , even maintaining perfect clarity amid the disorderly cacophony of the battle with Sandman that wrench Brooklyn into a warzone . Seriously , how are thereanybuildings in that place ?
It ’s a breath - pickings opening to a game . Wearing the PlayStation Pulse Elite was consanguine to an IMAX experience with the across-the-board , spatially aware soundscape and palmy bass . Never overpowering , but acute .
Compatibility with the PS5’s3D Audio(available within most of the big first - party game ) was a key component too , with the pandemonium accentuated by the sense of direction of incoming barrage . The Pulse 3D offer this compatibility too .
The PlayStation Link connectivity really came to the fore here . As well as speedy connectivity , it enabled extremely scummy response time , lossless audio to be transmitted over a wireless connexion , which is a prominent uptick in calibre over a Bluetooth connection .
The speaker unit drivers themselves have also meliorate thanks to the presence of two-dimensional magnetized drivers ( Pulse 3D has 40 millimetre number one wood ) , which are unremarkably the reserve of higher end headphones . Sony says this tech can regurgitate in - secret plan auditory sensation with “ near complete accuracy across the entire hearable spectrum . ”
Sony put the tech in the Pulse Explore and has done so on the Pulse Elite too , to excellent effect .
There ’s noactive disturbance cancellingtechnology on either twist , but this was a world of difference from the Pulse Explore wireless buds . By nature of their design , the bud allowed in a lot of ambient racket . The engulfing , pillowy - soft earcups on the Pulse Elite ensures you ’re fully immersed in the action . ANC does n’t find necessary here and would be a drain on the stamp battery anyway .
While there is n’t a 3.5 millimeter diddly-shit , which does exist on the Pulse 3-D , there is a dual - connectivity option . This allows a smartphone connective that enables you to take a call , for case , while connected to the console via PlayStation Link . Some will be alarm by this , but others will notice it useful .
I was disappointed with the music performance on a smartphone over Bluetooth . While listening on iPhone via Spotify , data track felt tinny , distorted , and miss detail . So if you ’re reflect over a do - it - all solvent for music and gaming , this probably is n’t it . Besides , the design intentionally screams “ GAMER ! ” so it ’s not necessarily the headset for a standard commutation podcast , and it does n’t come in with a case anyway .
As I maneuver out in thePulse Explore followup , music operation was exponentially better over PlayStation Link , so if you fuck to have your tunes on in the background while you play games you wo n’t be disappointed here . Thanks to PlayStation Link , sound is really refined and interesting for a £ 129.99/$149.99 headset , provide you do n’t push the volume too far .
During multiplayer games and phone calls , I was assured I came through with great clarity with limited background interruptions , aid by the extendible roar microphone ( that is flexible enough to align with your Proto-Indo European hole ) .
The AI reducing technical school Sony speaks about does the whoremaster , because my normally loud spot ( trains going by , melody - confidence trick coming on randomly , neighbour kids running about the place ) that often knackers my podcast recordings , did n’t pretend call calibre for once .
The microphone itself has the PlayStation controller push button icons along the top offering an abrasive control surface to pull from the holster , while the LED indicator light is a great way to see if you ’re damp out of the box of your eye .
The headset is well-situated enough to make on during Zoom call if you ’re looking for something that ’ll double up as a productiveness dick . For this design , andRemote Play , the PlayStation Link dongle make with PC and Mac too .
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Should you buy it?
PlayStation Link applied science part this headset from the pack , while the planet magnetised drivers sense like a dependable rise over predecessor at a fair terms . It ’s a tempting upgrade , even if you already own a Pulse 3D
If you need the same tech in a more portable solution for use with PlayStation Portal , appear at thePulse Explore . Also , music performance suffers over Bluetooth if that ’s relevant to your potential usage .
Final Thoughts
gambling ’s big minute feel immense in the Sony PlayStation Pulse elect gaming headset . Sound is wonderfully immersive and encompassing , especially on game that support Sony ’s 3D Audio .
The major technological enhancements deliver , with speedy connectivity to consoles over the PlayStation Link for a miserable response time audio experience with rapid , dependable connectivity and wireless lossless audio . The addition of Planar Magnetic Drivers also delivers a significant uptick in audio refinement and it ’s commendable that Sony has squeezed the tech into a sub-£130 headset .
Designed with comforter and academic term longevity in mind , the Pulse Elite is a notable melioration on thePulse 3Dat a damage that may just entice you to upgrade . Check out ourBest Gaming HeadsetandBest PS5 Headsetguides for more options .
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How we test
We test every set of headphones we review exhaustively over an protracted period of time . We use diligence - received tests to compare feature properly . We ’ll always distinguish you what we discover . We never , ever , accept money to retrospect a product .
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FAQs
No , the technology is built into the PlayStation Portal , but the dongle is postulate for PS4 , PS5 , Mac and PC . Mobile joining is over Bluetooth .
There is no stochasticity cancel ( alive , or otherwise ) on the headset , but the large earcups do a great job of keep out out background noise
