Priced at Rs. 8590, the Sony Pulse 3D headset is a no-brainer if you're a big fan of the Sony PlayStation 5's aesthetic. It's a decent gaming headset overall and it has support for PlayStation 3D Tempest audio as well, hence the name we're guessing? However, it's not the only headset that does. Which is basically what it all boils down to; there are better options which also have Tempest 3D AudioTech support, which makes the only reason to go for the Sony Pulse 3D, its aesthetic.
The Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is a made-for-PlayStation gaming headset which comes with the black and white aesthetic to match the console. The console in question is of course, the PlayStation 5, but that doesn't mean the headset won't work with previous generation PlayStations, or even PCs for that matter. You will however, miss out on a few features. That being said, let's find out how good the Sony Pulse 3D really is.
Speaking of the design, like we just mentioned, the first thing you will notice about the Sony Pulse 3D is its aesthetic. It certainly looks the part of a PlayStation 5 accessory with its futuristic design. While the black and white variant of the Pulse 3D best matches the console thematically, there is a fully black variant as well for the edgier gamers out there.
Coming to the build, the entire frame is made out of hard plastic, and there's a rubberised suspension band to support the top of your head, which is fairly comfortable even after long hours of use. However, those with larger ears and heads will have some trouble with the Pulse 3D. There's little-to-no adjustment beyond a certain point for larger heads, and the leatherette ear cups can press down pretty hard on larger ears which can get very uncomfortable, even after short uses. The headphones fit me just fine, and when the fit works out, these are a comfortable pair of headphones with a decent seal around the ears.
Coming to the features, you've got all the on-ear controls on the left ear cup, which include buttons to adjust the volume, game and chat balance if you're using it with a PlayStation 5, microphone monitoring or a sidetone switch, mute, and power. All the buttons being present on a single ear cup can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but each of the buttons has a different feel to it, they're well spaced out and all have different heights so you can tell them apart. You should have no trouble navigating the buttons once you've used the Pulse 3D for a while.
Again, we should point out that these were made for the PlayStation 5, so you'll miss out on a few features, like the game chat balance we just mentioned for example. Also, when using the headphones with PC, the headphones volume controls are independent of your PC's volume controls, so you'll need to adjust volume via the volume rocker on the headset.
Pairing and actually using the Pulse 3D with a PlayStation 4 and even a PC was very easy. Simply plug in the 2.4Ghz wireless USB dongle and you're good to go. The headset also comes with a detachable 3.5mm cable which opens up the number of platforms these headphones can work with.
When it comes to sound, the Sony Pulse 3D has a pretty balanced sound profile with slightly boosted bass and mids. This is only really noticeable when listening to music though, and shouldn't bother anyone too much when it comes to gaming. The boosted bass can at times overshadow other audio elements, so trying to listen to voices or footsteps while there's gunfire or other boomy sounds in the background can be slightly difficult with the Pulse 3D.
The isolation of the Pulse 3D is not very good. Even if the headset is the right fit and you get a good seal, environmental sounds will get through to you. Shouldn't be too much of an issue if you game in a quiet environment.
Coming to the microphone, there's no boom microphone on the Pulse 3D, instead we've got an embedded microphone which suffers from all the usual complaints that come with them. Voice comes across slightly muffled and the speaker's voice is boosted to compensate. This can create a jarring sound when you speak too close to the mic, but overall, the sound quality is decent. It's no competition to a proper boom microphone however, but it does help maintain the overall aesthetic the Pulse 3D is going for.
When it comes to the battery life, the Sony Pulse 3D comes with an advertised battery life of up to 12 hours on a single charge, which we found to be fairly accurate during our time with it. The Pulse 3D comes with a type-C cable in the box for charging, and you can still use the headset with the 3.5mm connection should the battery die on you. Still, 12 hours is on the lower side when it comes to wireless gaming headsets. The Arctis 7P for example, offers close to 24 hours on a single charge, and the Logitech G435 offers up to 18 hours, and both of these options have Tempest 3D AudioTech support.
Priced at Rs. 8590, the Sony Pulse 3D headset is a no-brainer if you're a big fan of the Sony PlayStation 5's aesthetic. It's a decent gaming headset overall and it has support for PlayStation 3D Tempest audio as well, hence the name we're guessing? However, it's not the only headset that does. Which is basically what it all boils down to; there are better options which also have Tempest 3D AudioTech support, which makes the only reason to go for the Sony Pulse 3D, its aesthetic.
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