If you're looking for the latest on stock availability and pre-orders then check out our PlayStation Pulse Elite pre-order guide.
And don't forget to consider its earbud brethren by checking out our PlayStation Pulse Explore restock tracker page.
The PlayStation Pulse Elite is the next official PS5 headset from Sony, and it brings a wealth of improvements over the original model which debuted when the PS5 launched in 2020. The Pulse Elite is out now and readily available.
Whether the PlayStation Pulse Elite can be considered one of the best PS5 headsets remains to be seen, however, given the foundations laid with the excellent Pulse 3D, it's certainly a possibility. The new headset - along with the Pulse Explore earbuds - does mark a new moment in Sony's gaming peripherals however with the brand launching its own proprietary wireless connection in PlayStation Link. This is crucial for the PlayStation Portal handheld device too which will rely on Link to connect to the Elite or Explore.
If you got a PlayStation Portal for Christmas then, along with the Explore earbuds, the Elite headset is likely to be of greater interest than ever being one of the sole two official wireless companions to the handheld.
Anyway, you can find all the information we have on the Pulse Elite headset below from price and pre-order details to specs and features.
PlayStation Pulse Elite - release date and price
The PlayStation Pulse Elite was revealed in August 2023 by Sony in an official teaser trailer and corresponding PlayStation Blog post . The headset is out now and retails for $149.99 / £129.99.
For some price reference, the cost is 30% higher than that of the Pulse 3D headset with that retailing for $99 / £89.99 / AU$159. In terms of price comparison with other leading PS5 headsets, the PlayStation Pulse Elite positions itself firmly in the mid-range of the market. As an example, it's a little cheaper than our number one pick for the best PS5 headset, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+, which retails at $169.99 / £174.99.
PlayStation Pulse Elite - design and features
The teaser trailer highlights that the Pulse Elite shares a lot of the DNA with the existing Pulse 3D but adds a few noteworthy inclusions. From what the brief video snippet shows, the physical design seems almost identical, but with the addition of a retractable boom arm that can be hidden into the cup. This is something many of the SteelSeries Arctis gaming headsets have utilized, instead of a detachable 3.5mm mic we have seen from the likes of Razer with the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5.
The aforementioned blog post goes into much more detail about the headset: "Pulse Elite is our new wireless headset that offers lossless audio and comes with a retractable boom mic and AI-enhanced noise rejection capable of filtering background sounds. A charging hanger is also included with the product for a convenient charging and storage option."
The fact that the microphone on the Pulse Elite will use AI-enhanced noise-canceling is something that we haven't seen in any other official PS5 headset yet. This feature is present in Sony's excellent WH-1000XM5 headphones, some of the best headphones on the market, so whether it's the same technology or something bespoke remains to be seen.
From what Sony is claiming, it sounds as though the Pulse Elite will take cues from its premium line of headphones, as the Pulse Elite "will be the first PlayStation audio devices to use custom-designed planar magnetic drivers for an audiophile-level listening experience normally found in premium headphones for professional sound engineers". Bold claims, and we'll be able to verify them when we get our hands on the PlayStation Pulse Elite later in the year.
Our two biggest problems with the Pulse 3D headset were its plastic build quality and the underwhelming 3D audio effect. Now that every PS5 headset and soundbar can use the Tempest 3D Audiotech, there's a lot more competition. While it's unconfirmed officially, it's looking as though the Pulse Elite will share a similar level of build quality from the product shots available.
PlayStation Pulse Elite: FAQs
How much does the Pulse Elite cost?
The PlayStation Pulse Elite headset will cost $149.99 / £129.99 and is available to pre-order right now at the likes of Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart in the USA, and Amazon, Very, and Argos in the UK.
Will the PlayStation Pulse Elite be better than the Pulse 3D?
While the Pulse 3D was a great PS5 headset, especially considering its value for money, the Pulse Elite has the potential to be a better overall headset if it can improve on the audio quality, build quality, and microphone of the original model. From what Sony has outlined, this is looking likely, but we won't know until we get our hands on it for sure.
How long is the battery life on the PS5 Pulse Elite headset?
Sony is claiming that the Pulse Elite headset will have a battery life of up to 30 hours, which is very robust indeed. What's more you can also fast charge the headset and apparently get two hours of juice from just ten minute's worth of charge. Impressive.
For more from Sony's latest console, we're also rounding up all the best SSDs for PS5 as well as the best monitors for PS5, and the best PS5 accessories, too.
