The Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D wireless headset is a must-have accessory for the PS5.

The Pulse 3D wireless headset becomes a strong contender for the de-facto headset for the PlayStation 5. It offers decent sound, simple settings, and a quality microphone, and you can also get a full taste of Sony Tempest 3D AudioTech. Some users will be put off by the quality of the plastic build, while the 12-hour battery life is short, but otherwise we have here a decent accessory for its money ($99) .

Pros:

• Reliable stereo sound;
• The quality of the microphone and its monitoring;
• Full compatibility with the PS5;

Cons:

• Plastic build;
• Weak surround sound effect;
• Only 12 hours of battery life;

This tradition has long been established, each new Sony console is accompanied by a new PlayStation headset: this was the case with the PS3, which the manufacturer added the first wireless stereo headset, followed by the PS4 with an amazing wireless stereo headset and finally came the PS5 with the amazing PlayStation Pulse 3D.

Like previous releases, the new PS5 Pulse 3D headset becomes a powerful player in the audio market, offering detail-rich stereo sound and surround sound, and the inclusion of new features such as Tempest AudioTech 3D support makes the headset a must-have for the PS5.

For social and competitive gamers, there are advanced options such as microphone monitoring, customization of chasta volume, and gaming sound, which helps set the headset apart from the standard pair of wired headphones. The microphone sounds just as good, all things considered. It does not hurt that the setup is extremely easy, very soon the headset will be available in color: Midnight Black.

Of course, it’s not all without its problems — the 12-hour duty cycle is pretty weak, the build quality isn’t the best, and the 3D effect will require some tuning to get any results at all. Despite all this, the Pulse 3D remains a solid headset for the PS5, and we recommend adding the headset to your shopping list as soon as you find yourself a console.

Price and release date

 

The white version of the new Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D comes out October 30, 2020, which is almost two weeks before the PS5’s release on November 12, and the Midnight Black version is expected in October 2021. They are compatible. Both with PS5 and PS4, meaning you can replace the Sony Platinum Wireless Headset for PS4, which came out back in 2017.

As for the price, the Sony Pulse 3D headset sells for $99 , which may seem expensive considering the price of other third-party headsets, but it’s actually a reasonable decision given all the features of the Pulse 3D.

Still, if you want alternatives, check out the Turtle Beach Recon 200, compatible with the PS5 for $50, but you’ll have to sacrifice sound quality and feature set. For now, the PlayStation Pulse offers the best value for money among other PS5 headsets.

Design

While Sony’s original wireless headphones matched the charcoal-black PS3, the new Pulse 3D Headset perfectly matches the PS5 aesthetic with its 2-color black and white color scheme. It’s a sleek solution, with an adjustable top strap that supports your head perfectly. It’s a balanced approach to design, something between classic and space-age, without being over-the-top.

As for weight, the Pulse 3D weighs 295 grams, which is about the average weight of a pair of headphones. The ears themselves contain 40mm medium-sized drivers, while the clamping force – that is, the pressure that the cups exert on your head (or ears) – is enough to hold the headphones securely on your head.

As before, Sony has chosen to rely on leatherette for the headphones, which is soft and fairly flexible, except that the plastic mounts seem flimsy. Of course, the choice of silk and metal, for example, could have made the headphones somewhat more comfortable and perhaps more durable, but the leather remains quite cool and comfortable even after prolonged use, and plastic, while not a perfect material, reduces the value of the headset.

On the outside of the left “ear” are the controls: game and chat sound adjustment buttons, capable of operating sounds individually; a microphone monitor switch so you can hear yourself; general volume keys; a mute button; and a power switch. There’s also a 3.5mm jack that you can connect to any 3.5mm device with the included cable and USB-C charging port.

With the 3.5mm jack, you can use the headset without adapters, which won’t stop you from hearing the 3D Tempest AudioTech, though this approach will speed up the drain on your controller. Still, of course, we’d recommend dongle installation in the PS5 instead of connecting the headset with a cable to the controller.

 

The only problem with the design comes down to the fact that these aren’t really the kind of headphones you’ll be wearing outside the house. If you’re planning to buy a pair of headphones that you can take with you on the road, the PlayStation Pulse 3D wireless headset is not for you.

Perfomance

 

Setting up the headset is pretty easy, just plug the included dongle into one of the PS5’s USB ports and turn the headset on. The console automatically connects to the headset and directs the sound there instead of to the TV speakers. You can also plug the dongle into the USB port on your computer if you want to use the headphones with it, but you shouldn’t expect surround sound.

Once everything is plugged in, the Pulse 3D Wireless will sound just fine, promising high-quality stereo sound with simulated surround sound. Spotify songs lost some of the detail and clarity that is common with other traditional headphones, and in some games, such as Fall Guys or Genshin Impact, the headphones did not get the proper volume boost, otherwise the stereo and even the imitation surround sound remained decent, if not impressive.

Of course, the first thing you’ll want to buy the Pulse 3D Wireless for is compatibility with Sony’s new Tempest 3D AudioTech technology, which the company is incorporating into all its games, tightening up the realism, adding immersion and exciting sound quality. In practice, Pulse 3D’s work in Spider-Man: Miles Morales means you can hear more realistic city sounds, while in Sackboy: Big Adventure each sound effect gets its own direction.

The list of games supporting 3D Tempest AudioTech technology is pretty short at the moment – in fact, it includes the following titles: Astro’s Playroom, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. But you can count on the following to support the new technology: Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others in the future.

Unfortunately, none of the games tried with the Pulse 3D headphones could offer the same immersive sound as movies in Dolby Atmos, as 3D sound is very limited. However, using 3D AudioTech is far preferable to using it without it.

We’ve been chatting with friends and family over the PS5 headset on Google Meet for weeks, plugging the headset into a laptop. Both report that the sound is okay, though not crystal clear, much better than hands-free, of course. An additional feature of the Pulse 3D headset is that it has integrated microphone monitoring, meaning you can hear yourself when you speak. This is a great feature for first-person shooters where the surroundings can override the sound of the chat, you can be sure you’re playing loud and clear.

As for battery life, Sony promises that the Pulse 3D wireless headset should last at least 12 hours without recharging, the review showed that this statement is pretty accurate, plus or minus an hour depending on how loud we listen to music and whether we remember to turn them off when using the headset during the day. Unfortunately, that 12 hours is about three hours less than comparable headphones from Astro, Razer, Turtle Beach, and other headphone manufacturers, but that shouldn’t discourage potential users unless you’re the kind of person who constantly forgets to plug the headphones in to charge. Usually the case, in fact.

Overall, the headset’s performance was much better than we expected and, despite some shortcomings in soundstage clarity, the performance and availability, as well as support for 3D Tempest AudioTech should make most players happy.

 

Should I buy A SONY PS5 Pulse 3D?

Buy if.

You bought a PS5 and plan to actively communicate online. As an actual PS5 headset, the Pulse 3D Wireless should be one of the first accessories you buy for your new console because it expands your audio capabilities and lets you communicate with your friends.

You want to hear the whole point of the Sony Tempest 3D AudioTech. It’s not the most exciting headset we’ve tested, but the Pulse 3D Wireless does a great job of delivering deep sound, especially after you adjust the volume. It’s not a Dolby Atmos competitor, but it’s a decent alternative.

You want a gaming headset without the noise and clutter. Some wireless headsets are very difficult to set up. Fortunately, the Pulse 3D wireless headset is very easy to set up. The headset worked great from the moment it was connected to the console, we never saw any problems with disconnecting or connecting.

Don’t buy if.

You are expecting a surround