Sony's Days of Play sale is back and is running until June 11. Plenty of the best PS5 accessories are included in this year's savings, including Sony's own Pulse Explore Wireless buds, which I spotted are down to a record low right now.
The wireless earbuds have been marked down to just $149 (Amazon), which is $50 off their full MSRP. Yet while these official earbuds and their PlayStation Link capabilities must be an alluring purchase, I'd much sooner recommend you grab the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds while they're down to a much cheaper $114.99 at Amazon for a refurbished pair instead. They aren't officially licensed for the Sony pixel-pusher, but these earphones pack in not just an easy-to-pair PS5 setup thanks to the slimline USB-C dongle, but a longer 10-hour battery life that can power plenty more Sony-fueled gaming sessions to come.
I must admit, I haven't had time with Sony's Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, so I can't comment on those directly through personal experience. However, I've been using the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds for almost a year with my PS5, and there's not only plenty more impressive features on display, but these are the best gaming earbuds for the PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, and any modern games console I've used to date.
The slimline USB-C dongle makes setup a breeze. You just have to pop the thing into the front-facing port, and you're golden. It allows you to use this with more than just the PS5, and that's exactly what I do every day, listening to music on the go with these sat inside my ear canals.
But I'm not here to blether on about why the Game Buds are excellent for music listening on the go (though they very much are), but how great they are for the PS5. And they are, most notably for their impressive battery life. The best PS5 headsets are always going to have earbuds beat where battery is concerned, but these little earphones can still muster up 10 hours of playtime, with up to 40 hours in total thanks to the handy Qi Charging Case. 10 hours might not seem like a big deal, but I've rarely had to worry about these dying on me during heated Marvel Rival matches, or during my recent Lego Batman sessions, and these buds never leave my sight.
Not only do these buds have the Pulse Explore's 5 hours of battery life beat, but they're also super comfortable to wear. I used to stay clear of earbuds as my awkwardly large ears made using them get uncomfortable fast. But I've had no aches and pains, no matter how many hours I've had these popped in my ears with a DualSense controller in hand.
Getting lost in your PS5 games and wasting away the hours is pretty easily done with these buds, thanks to the impressive ANC too. I play my PS5 in the same room as my partner's gaming PC, and he's spent many frustrated moments trying to talk to me for 30+ minutes while I've been none the wiser. Whether it's the ANC, comfort, great battery, fantastic sound, or the handy case, these buds are still just as great to use with my Sony console as they were on day one, and this $114.99 opportunity is not worth missing out on.
If you prefer officially licenced tech, I wouldn't blame you if you still picked up the Pulse Explore Wireless buds instead. I'm also highly aware that not everyone is comfortable picking up a refurbished pair of buds, no matter if they're backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee. Yet, I highly recommend you grab the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds for your PS5, or for any console you have at your disposal.
Remember, if their new $199.99 price is too much, you can always wait to check out the best Amazon Prime Day PS5 deals, which are expected to drop in June later this year, in hopes of a better bargain.
- View all PS5 Days of Play discounts at PS Direct
Check out our guides to the best PS5 controllers, the best SSDs for PS5, and the best PS5 monitors if you're on the hunt to create the ultimate Sony gaming setup.
