PlayStation Pulse wireless headset review

Sony knows their way around hardware. Rarely have I picked up any gear from them I haven't enjoyed, and it's usually quite excellent. Their headsets have been solid for a long time, throughout several line resets. In 2026, another reset is coming, and I've had the pleasure of trying out the PlayStation Pulse wireless headset. How does it stand against its brethren? Let's dig in.

Inside the box is the PlayStation Pulse wireless headset, the PlayStation Link dongle, and… well, that's it. Admittedly, at only $99.99, I'm not too upset at such a lack of content. That said, no USB-C charging cable seems like a weird omission, even if you probably have a bunch of them at this point. Even a super-short inch long cable would be nice.

Buy PlayStation PULSE™ Wireless Headset | PlayStation® (US) | See Price

Enjoy rich, high-fidelity sound with deep bass, increased volume, and voice chat simultaneously across Bluetooth® and PlayStation Link™ connections. Discover the features, price, and more.

Sony

Although the PlayStation Pulse wireless headset may not look like much, the simplicity of the design works well for it. The thin headband threw me for a loop in the initial marketing, and it did in person as well. Thankfully, it’s quite sturdy – bending it around didn’t cause it any damage. It sits lightly on your head and the rubber inside the headband is comfortable. Any fears I had regarding the build itself were quickly squashed.

PlayStation also goes with the round earcups as opposed to the ovals most gear does, but yet again, they prove me wrong in how comfortable they are. They cover your ears completely, create a nice seal to keep outside noise out, and the plush faux leather is cozy. Maybe certain choices have been made to limit costs, or just to be different, but at any rate, they seem like the right ones.

On the right earcup rests the controls. Simplicity is again king, with a PlayStation link button, the Power/Bluetooth pairing button, and volume buttons along with a USB-C port for charging. There are also two holes surrounding said port that function as inline microphones – there is no extendable mic on the Pulse headset. This does keep the headset looking clean; it makes for a good one to take with you on a trip or as a lifestyle headset.

I championed the PlayStation Link capability when PlayStation unveiled it with the last Pulse Elite, and I feel the same here. This connectivity syncs with a USB-C dongle (and can resync with another if you lose one) that plugs right into your PlayStation 5 or PC, but also connects wirelessly to your PlayStation Portal. There’s also simultaneous Bluetooth available, which is a huge selling point to me. Rarely can you pay under $100 and get Bluetooth included, let alone working alongside the other connection. It’s an impressive feature that I love to see.

The PlayStation Pulse wireless headset continues the former model's planar magnetic drivers, with four larger drivers in this build. These drivers deliver stellar sound, with a lot of detail that allows you to focus on what you’re hearing instead of just cranking the volume. In my time playing games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC, or Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation 5 Pro, I felt like I could easily enjoy both styles of game in the way they were meant to be experienced. Whether competitive or immersive, the Pulse works for both. It also is so good, it amplifies bad sound design, as Gotham Knights sounded like it was playing in a can. Headsets featuring this kind of detail can be both a blessing and a curse.

Of course, you know I couldn’t try out a PlayStation headset without talking about the game that all PlayStation headsets should be judged by: Returnal. I wouldn't say this new Pulse makes it sound brand new, but the sound is really good, offering the spatial awareness of the enemies, the explosion of the orbs as the fly towards you, and, my favorite part of the game, the rainfall which transfers into the haptics of the DualSense. PlayStation’s Tempest 3D Audio puts in some work, but the Pulse does a great job with the output.

As great as the audio is overall, the bass is missing some oomph. I’ve noticed this mainly by listening to plenty of music with the headset, specifically metal. The thump of a double bass should be exhilarating, but doesn’t have the same impact on the Pulse headset. I’m not sure what it is with PlayStation headsets, but the bass has been lacking since the old 2012 Pulse Elite Edition. I think it’s time to bring back “BassImpact” technology.

Sadly, the inline microphones are subpar at best. My friends are generally my barometer for whether a mic sounds good on a headset, and they tore the Pulse apart. Recording my voice and listening back, it reminds me a lot of mid-2010s mics – fuzzy and pitchy. Both on PC and PS5, it sounded roughly like a phone microphone. It works, but there are plenty of headsets with better options if you care a lot about your comms. I also can't seem to find a mute function or combination; you're stuck with it on whether you like it or not.

For all the bad of the microphone, the battery on the Pulse is terrific. PlayStation gauges roughly thirty hours worth of battery life, and I’d think they’re right in line with that estimate. I’ve been able to use them for a good while before needing to charge them, using them for a couple of hours over the course of several days. Anytime you don’t have to think about battery life, it's a good sign.

My biggest disappointment has to lie in the lack of audio customization. I don’t expect a headset in this price range to launch with all kinds of EQ profiles built in. That said, the excellence PlayStation generally offers has me stumped in how they have yet to offer an app on mobile or the PlayStation 5 itself to tweak your sound. Sure, there's a small EQ in the Sound section of the game bar, but it isn't much. I brought up in my Pulse Elite review in 2024 how PlayStation offered a Headset Companion App once upon a time. It’s a shame this isn’t a thing anymore – it feels like something that’d be easy to implement and would bring even more value to the PlayStation ecosystem, usable for future headsets.