The world of gaming headsets is notoriously crowded, often forcing players to choose between spectacular sound, seamless connectivity, or a budget that doesn’t require selling a kidney. Enter the PlayStation Pulse Elite, Sony’s entry into the audio arena, and I might be late to the party but these “cans” prove why it’s sometimes a good idea to shop within the dedicated ecosystem of a brand.
At a price point of around $239 Aussie Dollarbucks, the Pulse Elite isn’t just a slight upgrade from the previous models, it’s a completely different beast, one that incorporates high-end audio technology rarely seen in this price category. The result is a headset that might just redefine what players expect from console audio,
The Retro-Futuristic Design is Out of This World
The PlayStation Pulse Elite headset is a striking design exercise meant to visually and philosophically align with the PS5 console’s bold shape and tones. Its unusual swooping ear cup bands and domed profile give it a distinct, almost “retro-futuristic” look, like something a pilot from “Star Wars” would wear.
Functionally, this unique design attempts to serve two key purposes: comfort and convenience. It incorporates a lightweight, automatically adjusting suspension headband that distributes weight evenly across the top of the head, ensuring long-session comfort despite the weight of the planar magnetic drivers inside (I’ll get to why that is important soon).
The extended, curved arms are used to house and conceal the retractable boom microphone and the integrated controls, maintaining the smooth, minimalist look when the mic is not in use.
Because they don’t feel like any headphones you’ve worn before, they can take some getting used to. Particularly around the movement of the suspension and cups. But fear not, you’ll climatise quickly and then wonder what you were even worried about in the first place. If anything, the design can make your head look a tad “pointy” but the device more than makes up with it when it comes to the reason you need headphones in the first place.
Planar Magnetic Power
The single biggest drawcard for the Pulse Elite is the inclusion of genuine planar magnetic drivers. To put it simply planar magnetic drivers use a thin, flat diaphragm driven by magnetic fields, resulting in sound that is dramatically more detailed, accurate, and responsive than the conventional dynamic drivers found in most gaming headsets.
In practice, this means the gaming audio is nothing short of spectacular. Sound cues are crystal clear, spatial audio is exceptionally precise, and the bass is tight and controlled, offering texture and detail rather than just the generic “rumble” that often muddies the mix in cheaper cans. Whether you are pinpointing footsteps in a competitive shooter or soaking up the epic score of a story-driven RPG (Clair Obscur I’m looking at you.. what a soundtrack!), the audio quality on the Pulse Elite is top-tier and punches well above its fairly modest price tag. It provides a near-neutral sound profile that even dedicated music listeners can appreciate.
Seamless Switching with PlayStation Link
Connectivity is where Sony truly earns the “Elite” title. The headset utilises PlayStation Link technology, an internal wireless protocol that offers low latency, lossless, and uncompressed audio over Wi-Fi. This is arguably the best connection available for gaming, ensuring you hear every critical cue the instant it happens without the minor delays common with standard Bluetooth.
It also offers simultaneous dual-device connectivity. You can be fully immersed in your PS5 via Link and, at the same time, be connected to your mobile phone via Bluetooth. If your phone rings, the headset automatically mixes the call audio with your game sound, allowing you to take a conversation without ever pausing the action or taking off your cans. For PlayStation Portal users, this feature provides a rock-solid connection and the best possible experience across the entire PlayStation ecosystem.
This has alway’s been a complaint of mine as connecting other brand bluetooth headphones to a PlayStation device has been problematic without the use of a dongle. After using the PULSE Elite’s you can really see how much better an experience you will have by keeping it in the same ecosystem and why that has been a preference for the company beyond just selling more hardware.
The Infinite Power of 3D Audio
This is the ideal headset for maximizing the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech allowing the headset to render the console’s spherical, positional audio with exceptional detail and accuracy, transforming directional cues (up, down, and around) into a true competitive advantage. While all PS5 titles support 3D audio, the Pulse Elite elevates the immersion and spatial awareness in titles like Returnal, Demon’s Souls, and the Spider-Man series, turning subtle sound design elements into critical tactical information.
There’s One Tiny Issue: The Mic
It’s a genuine pity that something delivering such exceptional audio performance has to be dragged down by a less-than-stellar microphone. The retractable boom mic, while functional, offers a voice quality that is “narrow” and “muddled,” falling a bit short. If “podcast quality” is your goal, you’ll need an external option.
However, there is a saving grace, and it’s a big one: Sony’s AI-based noise rejection technology. This software is very impressive. It does an outstanding job of filtering out background noise, and I mean all background noise. Keyboard clatter, a barking dog, background music, or even munching on some Chicken Twisties (we all have a vice) are completely silenced, allowing only your voice to pass through. So, while your voice might sound like you’re on a standard phone call, at least the listener won’t hear the chaos of your gaming area.
Powered For Long Play Sessions
For a device so thin and unique in shape it has genuinely impressive stamina, While Sony officially rates the headset for up to 30 hours of continuous play, real-world testing shows this figure is easily achievable, and in some cases, conservative. For long-haul gamers putting in epic 12-hour sessions, this means multiple days of usage without worrying about a tether. Adding to the convenience is the quick charging feature, which provides up to two hours of play from a brief ten-minute top-up. Best of all, Sony has included a smart charging hanger in the box that attaches neatly to a desk or wall, ensuring the headset is always displayed, powered, and ready to go without having to fumble with a USB-C cable after every use.
The Verdict: Is Elite Worth It?
With its unique, slightly polarising aesthetic and average but not terrible mic sound, the Pulse Elite isn’t perfect. But none of those drawbacks change the fact that the PlayStation Pulse Elite delivers utterly fantastic gaming audio at a competitive price.
For any PS5 gamer who prioritises detailed, accurate sound quality and seamless, low-latency connectivity, this headset is almost impossible to beat. It’s a masterful convergence of Sony’s gaming and audio expertise, making it the most elite first-party audio experience any console generation has offered.
