Nowadays, it’s all about going wireless. Less clutter, more room to get your game on. Also, there’s less risk of you accidentally karate chopping or kicking your gaming rig off the table thanks to an errant cord that just so happened to be in the way.
Enter the PlayStation PULSE 3D wireless headset. Coming in strong, bringing all the audio goodness one would need, either during an intense gaming session–or some much-needed alone time with Boyz II Men. That sounded better in my head, and through the headset’s sweet cans.
We got the sleek gray camouflage colorway along with all the needed accessories. You have a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a wireless adaptor. The headset is compatible with both Playstation and PC.
The Doctor of Ergonomics
Pardon the playful wordplay, as this is a PlayStation peripheral, after all. Let’s talk comfort and design.
Instead of the usual adjustable and clicky metal, you get a rubber headband that fits rather snugly, even onto my oversized melon. The main body is made of nice, premium plastic with just enough give as you place it on your ears. There’s neither fear of it breaking nor struggling to clamp it on.
Now, I’ve been using this as my daily driver for a couple of weeks, and it’s the thick, plush over-ear cups have yet to make me feel uncomfortable, even after 5 to 6 hour sessions of listening. Your experience may vary if you go beyond that amount of time, but its cushy enough to provide some much-needed comfort.
Push me, Touch me
We got buttons and switches, people. Just a few, but enough to get the job done. One thing worth noting, especially for those who are conscious about voice chat, is the dedicated switch for direct monitoring.
You can opt to hear your own sweet voice (and your electric fan set at number 3) while gaming, or switch it off to avoid any distraction. There’s also a rocker that allows you to switch between more audible game audio or chat audio. it doesn’t necessarily deafen your chat audio, but it does soften things up a bit.
Some Really Good Aural
This is, of course, a headset after all. If you needed something to satisfy your audiophile needs, you’d be looking elsewhere. Then again, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of both.
In terms of its dual, hidden microphones, they perform just fine. You’ll need to set your mic gain in your system settings, though. The noise canceling feature is decent, and performs like most noise gates. You won’t hear the noise suppression in direct monitoring, but your teammates will–which is nice.
Now, I know the subtitle suggests an obscene amount of bass, but I digress. The soundstage of the PULSE 3D is surprisingly balanced. After playing both Steely Dan’s Do it Again and the song of our ancestors, Darude’s Sandstorm, I got decent amounts of both treble and bass unless I cranked up the volume high. I mean, once you max things out, your eardrums will blow out, regardless.
It’s also worth noting that the PULSE 3D also supports PS5 presets for more personalized equalization and uses Tempest 3D AudioTech for a more immersive experience. When it comes to gaming, which is the primary reason behind getting this headset, it delivers quite the punch.
Play all day, every day
Now, we covered comfort and ergonomics, but what about battery life? This is a wireless headset after all. The PULSE 3D boasts a whopping 12 hours of playtime, and based on my experience, it’s an accurate claim. In my two weeks of constant usage, I’ve only had to charge it once. While I don’t use it 24/7, that’s still some decent longevity in terms of battery life.
Charging is easy through the USB-C to USB-A cable, and you can use it while it’s juicing up. But yes, just keep your hands away from the cord while playing. We don’t need any accidents.
If this nifty pair of gaming cans tickles your fancy, best to check ’em out. The PlayStation PULSE 3D Wireless Headset is available on the official website and retails for PHP 5,590.