Are the Pulse Elite headphones worth it? See PlayStation headset review

Unveiled here in August 2023, Pulse Elite came with the promise of revolutionizing the way we play games on Playstation 5. Four months after its launch abroad, it was Brazil’s turn to receive the Pulse 3D’s successor headset.

While the original version already has the potential to please PS5 gamers, is it worth paying almost double to upgrade? Voxel tested the Pulse Elite and now tells you about it with the PlayStation headset in this short review.

Features and content

Before we get into the demos, let’s take a look at the official specifications and what’s in the box.

What’s in the box?

• PULSE Elite wireless headset;
• PlayStation Link USB adapter;
• PULSE Elite charging strap;
• Horizontal mounting plate;
• USB-C cable.

Features

• Model: CFI-ZDD1AX;
• Receiver compatibility for PS5, PS Portal and PC/Mac;
• Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connection;
• USB Type-C port for recharging;
• 3.5mm audio connector for wired devices;
• Noise canceling;
• Weight 347 grams.

Design

What attracts attention at first glance about Pulse Elite is its design: Although it resembles Pulse 3D, its “futuristic mode” attracts attention. The headset, which has a very durable plastic body, will remain neither tight nor loose on the player’s head, unlike the previous model, which became uncomfortable after a while.

There is a rubber under the arch that helps the headset adapt to different head shapes. So, if you have good breath, the rubber band will help keep it firm while you play. The belt itself also has a power port, which we’ll talk about later.

The upholstery of the headphones is made of synthetic leather and completely surrounds the ears with 360 angular movement, which helps a lot with fit. There is no height adjustment as the belt elastic does its job well. Since it’s synthetic, you already know: take care of it because this stuff will peel in the future.

On the right side, there is the pairing and power button, P2 input if you want to play wired, USB-C input and sound settings. Since the buttons are almost behind your head, the positioning can take some getting used to.

On the left side there is a retractable microphone, very similar to the one available on the Dualsense, and a button to mute the sound during matches. The microphone is flexible so you can move it away from your mouth if you’re too close.

Even though it weighs 347 grams, it fits very well so you don’t feel like it’s on your head during use. However, if you want to use it on the street, remember that the blue light on the right will never turn off.

It is possible to connect it to mobile phones and computers with Bluetooth 5.0 connection, but to use it on Playstation, you need to use the dongle that comes in the box. It doesn’t make sense… but it’s all thanks to Playstation Link, which makes it almost instantly possible to turn on the headset and listen to the console.

availability

In terms of audio, PULSE Elite performs very well and offers a great experience in shooting games or games that require extreme attention from the player. I tested this while playing Alien: Isolation and I can say with great certainty that the already tense game became even more tense when the headset was plugged in. The metallic creaks of the ship, footsteps and path add an extra touch of life.

This is thanks to the shells’ magnetic planar speakers, which make ambient sound even more realistic. When playing Fallout 4 and Helldivers 2, it was possible to hear and recognize where the shots were coming from, since there was 3D sound in the headset (as far as we remember here, this is not available in all games)

It is possible to change some settings in PS5, ranging from bass, treble, medium and high, depending on what you will play, and you can change and save them according to your preference. However, this option is only for Playstation.

Although it is possible to use it on mobile phones and computers, I would not recommend it. Although connecting is very simple, you will have to do everything from your mobile phone when you press and hold the pairing button for 8 seconds. Want to turn the volume down or up, pause the music, or skip to the next song in the middle of the street? Forget it, buttons are useless for this.

Thanks to Bluetooth 5.0 and Playstation Link, it is possible to use both games and headphones at the same time on your mobile phone or computer if you want to listen to music or use Discord during the game (which, let’s face it, is a lot). While I was writing this review, news about Discord on Playstation had just come out). Even if connected from two places, there was no loss of quality.

I had a minor issue with the headset while gaming, as soon as the controller’s battery died it disconnected. I reconnected the dongle and reconfigured the headset. I don’t know if it is connected to the remote or something, but there is nothing that would prevent use.

“The headset works on PlayStation, PC and mobile phones, but is not compatible with Xbox.”

Oh, before you ask: yes, I tried using it on Xbox. But it didn’t work, because neither Bluetooth nor the Xbox Series X via the dongle could recognize it. Apparent? Yes, but I had to test it!

Even though the microphone has a noise canceling feature developed with artificial intelligence, I did not feel much difference from an ordinary headset microphone. The impression it gives is that the sound is a bit canned. This is unnatural, I apologize to Playstation for my sincerity.

Battery

Besides sound, battery is also one of the Pulse Elite’s strongest points. Sony promises 30 hours of battery life, and although I used it for two weeks, the first battery bar disappeared after barely a week. Since I use it for about three hours a day, less on weekends, I haven’t needed to charge the phone yet, which is currently at 49% battery.

Regarding charging, the box comes with a USB-C cable; There’s also a power cord in case you want to leave it charging on the wall or table. With 10 minutes of charging, you can play for approximately two hours until 100% discharged; This is very helpful if you need to take a quick bathroom break.

Worth it?

In online markets you will find the Pulse Elite priced between R$ 920 and R$ 1000; This is almost R$ 500 more than the previous model. Is it cheap? Undoubtedly not. But if you take into account the sound quality and especially the battery, you should consider purchasing the product in the future, as the Pulse 3D’s battery and microphone are not the best.

Now, at this price, it is difficult to say buy the new PlayStation headset immediately. However, if you have money to spare and want a good gaming experience, Pulse Elite is a great choice. Remember, on mobile phones and computers it is not possible to control anything via the device, which may affect people who will use the accessory for work, for example.

So what’s your opinion on the PlayStation headset? Will you switch to Pulse Elite or stay with the 3D model? Comment on Voxel’s social networks!