With the new Pulse Elite headphones, Sony broadens the PlayStation 5’s deluxe appeal

2024 may be a pivotal year for video game consoles. Nintendo’s almost certain to update their aging (and incredibly popular) Switch, while underwhelming sales last quarter led to a recent stock slump for manufacturer Sony.

But even though the PlayStation 5 isn’t selling as well as the preceding PS4 did at this point in its life cycle, it continues to eclipse Microsoft’s latest Xbox line. So much so that Xbox chief Phil Spencer announced that previously-exclusive games would come to PlayStation (and maybe Switch) soon. While fewer consumers may feel like dishing out $500 for premium graphics, the PS5 remains the dominant next-generation console, accompanied by an ever-widening hoard of official accessories like VR goggles, a handheld streaming device, and a fancy customizable controller.

The latest deluxe add-on, the Pulse Elite wireless headset, arrives next week. Sony sent me a review unit to evaluate before the launch. I’ve burned through many gamer headphones, but these have impressed me so far.

Sony’s selling the headset on the strength of its 3D audio, arguing that its “planar magnetic drivers” allow for more immersion than what a stereo set-up could provide. I spend most of my working day in headphones as an audio producer, so I could quickly mark this definite, if slight, improvement. It was enough to make me adjust my in-game mix since the richer sound effects and music drowned out dialogue.

While you can use the Pulse Elite’s built-in Bluetooth, you’re supposed to plug a USB stick into the PS5 to enable its “PlayStation Link” technology. This feature purports to deliver latency-free audio to the hardest core of gamers — the sort who’d blame “Call of Duty” defeats on milliseconds lost between when a game codes an audio cue and when your system delivers the sound to you. I can safely say the audio speed proved to be entirely adequate.

I was far more excited by the headset's ability to connect to Bluetooth and the PS5 simultaneously, allowing me to listen to my phone and the console at the same time. Its extendable mic also performed extremely well — I don’t know how its “AI-enhanced noise rejection” works, but it managed to filter out blaring music and background hubbub when I tested it, leaving only a crisp, clear voice.

It’s also comfortable, if not exactly stylish. The one-size-fits-all headband accommodated my head or my wife’s without any adjustment needed. While its design resembles my old favorite, the SteelSeries Arctis, the softer silicon material felt better over hours of wear, which is further enabled by its long-lasting battery.

To that end, the Pulse Elite is perfectly serviceable for regular use. At $150, it’s not quite as comfy as the Sennheisers I bought for around the same price, but it’s certainly superior to the Razer BlackShark I use with my PC. I also prefer it to the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, which offer the same features with a much slimmer profile.

Who, then, is the Pulse Elite for? Well, Sony’s obviously catering to obsessives like me who could put the headphones on in the morning and never take them off until bed, sliding seamlessly from regular Bluetooth connections to PlayStation Link audio as the situation demands. But if you already have a decent Bluetooth headset the Elite isn’t quite revelatory enough to make me recommend it as a replacement. If you’re in the market for a pair, however, and want maximal convenience when gaming on a PS5, it’s certainly worth the investment.