Heavy is the head that wears the crown — at least the Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) Pulse Elite Gaming headset.
Gaming without great audio feels like watching a blockbuster movie on mute — you miss half the experience. And for PlayStation owners, no headset has quite matched the first-party ones made by Sony. For me, it was the Gold Wireless headset for the PS4, and the Pulse 3D headset that launched alongside the PS5 in 2020.
However, Sony's latest PlayStation Pulse Elite headset absolutely changes that experience, and curiously enough, it's the small changes, the under-hood tweaks, that truly elevate the experience.
The sound is richer, the battery life is unbelievably good, and the design isalmostperfect.
Why almost? I'll get to that in a bit.
Sony was kind enough to lend me a review unit for a few weeks and let me tell you, my own Pulse 3D is not very happy with me right now — it's sitting on a shelf, gathering dust.
This long timeframe gave me plenty of time to test every feature of the Pulse Elite for the purpose for which it was intended — gaming. I did not watch movies or shows on it, or play music. This is a gaming headset, and gaming is what I did.
Price
The Pulse Elite headset is nearly 45% more expensive than the Pulse 3D, but the actual jump in price is not as high as that might imply. The Elite is priced at ₹12,990, while the 3D is selling for ₹8,590.
How much of an upgrade is it?
This is the question that matters most: Does the Pulse Elite give enough value for its premium price?
Design and build quality
The PlayStation Pulse Elite's striking design catches your eye and matches the PS5's aesthetic perfectly. The headset looks bulky at first glance, but its sleek black and white design with swooping curves creates a premium look that makes its ₹12,990 price tag worth it.
At 347 grams, the Pulse Elite is, on paper, slightly heavier than the Pulse 3D, which weighs 292 grams. But you can really feel the weight when you first put them on. The thick silicone/rubber strip that sits below the top frame of the headset nicely balances out the weight, so after the first hour or so, you barely notice the increase in the weight.
The leatherette cups sit comfortably over your ears and create nice noise isolation, mimicking the effect of active noise cancellation.
Where this headset stands out is with its clever charging solution. Sony's wall-mountable charging hanger looks stylish and serves a practical purpose. You can stick the hanger on the wall and plug a charging cable in it. That's it. Every time you hang your headset after a session of gaming, it charges so that it is at 100% the next time you power up your PS5.
The Pulse Elite also shines with its connectivity options:
- PlayStation link for PS5 and Portal.
- Bluetooth for mobile devices.
- 5mm jack for wired connections.
- USB-C connectivity for PC gaming.
The build quality feels solid despite being mostly plastic.
The retractive microphone nicely slots back in, giving it a retro vibe and features PlayStation button shapes for grip — a detail that PlayStation fans will love.
Real-world performance
I spent countless hours testing the PlayStation Pulse Elite in games of all types, and the headset surprised me with with just how good it sounded. It is equipped with planar magnetic drivers that create a sound experience that feels completely different from what I got even with my Pulse 3D headline.
How much difference a generation can make if you nail the fundamentals.
The sound quality really comes alive — showcased perfectly by Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldur's Gate 3 and the newly-released Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Characters' voices come through with amazing clarity, and the environmental sounds blend together beautifully. Spatial audio has undergone a remarkable transformation — the sound is rich and comes at your from 360 degrees, really immersing you in the games.
These features make the audio stand out:
- Great passive noise isolation that keeps outside noise away, thanks to the comfortable earcups.
- Clean sound separation that helps you track everything around you.
- Better 3D audio that works great with PS5 games.
Also read: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 Review: A powerful, portable and light gaming laptop
The battery life too blew me away. Sony claims 30 hours, but I got almost 50 hours from one charge. Quick charging is a great feature too — just 10 minutes gives you two hours of gaming time.
The headset does have some quirks. It sometimes drops connection when it goes to sleep after 90 seconds without sound. I have also noticed that the Bluetooth connection with the included link adapter is weaker than on my Pulse 3D. It would get disconnected far more frequently when say, I get up to get a glass of water. These problems are minor and did not detract from my experience.
Value proposition
The Pulse Elite might not be twice as good as its cheaper sibling, the Pulse 3D), but it comes with important upgrades that make the extra cost worth it. The AI-enhanced noise rejection gives you crystal-clear communication and the PlayStation Link technology lets you switch smoothly between PS5 and Portal. These features make it a solid choice for PlayStation fans.
The headset's value really shines if you're deep into PlayStation's ecosystem, especially when you have a Portal. But if you play on multiple platforms or mostly use other gaming systems, you might get better value from other options.
In conclusion
I'm convinced Sony has created something special. These headphones blend premium features with practical functionality.The sound quality is the crown jewel. I strongly recommend the Pulse Elite, especially when you have a PS5 and want premium audio. Cheaper options exist, but none match this headset's features and PlayStation-specific optimisation. The price premium brings real benefits that boost daily gaming, making it worth the investment for PS5 enthusiasts.
Also read: ASUS ROG Ally X Review: My favourite portable gaming PC
