My PS5 has been collecting more dust these days after Sony's decision to back out of the physical game market, but the newly announced PlayStation Pulse wireless and Pulse Edge wireless headsets could be the trick to drive me back.
The new era of PS5 headsets was announced yesterday on the official PlayStation Blog, by Joe Bentley, the Vice President of Engineering at Sony Interactive Entertainment. There, he revealed that they have been equipped with larger planar audio drivers than the previous Pulse pairs to create "fuller, deeper bass" while maintaining a clean sound for PS5 players. Better yet, the Edge is equipped with ANC, which is entirely new for PlayStation's Pulse headset lineup.
The PlayStation Pulse Edge is the higher-end of the two newly announced PS5 headsets, perhaps as it has the edge over the other with its extra features?
Not only has it got ANC and a planar magnetic driver in tow, but Joe Bentley iterates that it has "double the magnet" volume compared to the PlayStation Pulse. If you're wondering why that's a good thing, the drivers in question are made up of a thin diaphragm with conductive wire across its surface. Magnets sit on either side to create a magnetic field that moves the diaphragm when sound (like from the best PS5 games) travels through.
With more magnets at your disposal, like the 8 per planar driver of the Edge, the more evenly air can move, which helps produce clear and enhanced bass. The downside to this is that headsets like it can be a lot heavier as a result, but there's no indication of how weighty we can expect the upcoming cans to be just yet.
If you want to experience a Planar Magnetic-powered sound without the wait, you can grab the Audeze Maxwell 2 headset for $329 at Amazon today.
What we do know for certain is that the Edge is also set to include a detachable boom mic for voice chat, AI-enhanced noise rejection, and PlayStation Link support when it launches in "early 2027" - all features you can expect to find on the PlayStation Pulse too.
The Pulse is expected to launch "this holiday season," so you'll have less time to wait. It won't have ANC in its corner, nor a fancy carrying case, or built-in game audio and chat balance control, which you can expect from the Edge. It also only has 4 magnets per planar driver in its midst, but you'll still be able to connect it to your PS5 or PS Portal via PlayStation Link, and pick it up in a White or Midnight Black colorway when it's ready to ship.
For now, PlayStation has yet to drop the prices for the new Pulse headset line-up, but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as those details drop, which should be "soon" according to the blog post. For now, there's still time to pre-order the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers for $219.99 (via PS Direct) / £199.99 (via PS Direct) if you're after some planar magnetic driver-powered sound.
- View all Pulse PS5 headsets at PS Direct
Can't wait for the new PlayStation Pulse and Pulse Edge headsets? Our best gaming headset guide is full of the best PC headsets for gaming, which are also compatible with Sony's current-gen pixel-pusher.
