Style and bass, minus the boom mic
Sony didn’t just release the PlayStation 5 last November. It also rolled out PS5 accessories, including a media remote, a camera (presumably for PlayStation VR), and a headset. The Pulse 3D is Sony’s new, first-party PS5 wireless gaming headset, a sleek-looking set of headphones that carries a $99.99 price tag. The Pulse 3D sounds quite good, with plenty of bass, and it uses the PS5’s surround sound mixing well. Unfortunately, its pinhole microphone can’t compete with a proper boom mic. PS5 Design The Pulse 3D headset looks distinctly Sony, with a black-and-while design that compliments the PS5. The earcups are circular with matte black plastic, connected by a curving headband that’s white on the outside and black on the inside. The headband features a springy, padded suspension that automatically fits most head sizes, and the faux leather-covered earpads are nicely cushioned. However, I found that the circular earpads pinched my ears a bit; be wary if you have big ears. All controls and ports are found along the edge of the left earcup, along with pinhole microphones. The power switch, mic mute button, volume rocker, chat/game audio rocker, and voice monitoring switch are narrow buttons and switches that sit alongside the USB-C charging port and 3.5mm aux port. The controls are tiny, but arranged to be easy to discern with your fingertips: The volume and audio rockers are separated by the clicky monitoring switch, the mic mute button below the volume rocker sticks out a bit more than the other controls, and the power switch is safely tucked in front of the headset’s ports where you won’t accidentally move it. USB Connectivity The Pulse 3D is designed to work with the PlayStation 5, using the included wireless USB transmitter. It’s also compatible with the PS4, and PCs and Macs. The 3.5mm port lets you connect the headset to the PlayStation 4 or any mobile device with a headphone jack. The 3D part of the Pulse 3D’s name doesn’t come from the headset itself, but from the 3D audio it’s capable of when connected to a PS5.
