Sony has a long history in the audio field and has decided in recent years to combine this area with gaming. Beyond its classic headphones, which can also be used (in parallel) with consoles and home entertainment systems, recently we have seen a shift toward audio peripherals specially made for the PS5 and its accessories, and one of these is the PlayStation Pulse Explore Earbuds.

Watch my video ''Unboxing the new wireless PlayStation Pulse Explore headphones''.

Unique design

Let’s be realistic: no matter how many products we see in stores, design is the alpha and omega, or at least one of the most important factors. The earbuds come in a box that opens like a drawer and reveals them, while also serving as their carrying and charging case. The case is significantly larger than what I’ve seen so far in similar products, and the truth is that it fits much more awkwardly in pockets or small bags. The earbuds themselves are large and, beyond the speaker, they have a curved plastic piece that protrudes and gives them a fairly modern feel. To place them in your ears, you also have a choice of four different buds that attach to the end and come in different sizes so they can fit well in any type of ear.

Connectivity

The earbuds are specially designed to connect wirelessly and directly with the PS5 and the PlayStation Portal (or even a phone and tablet, via Bluetooth), while you can also connect them to your desktop or laptop using a PlayStation Link USB adapter included in the box. Especially with the PlayStation Portal, this is the only reliable solution at the moment, so if you’re used to Sony’s wireless streamer/player, this is the peripheral that will make your life easier and provide audio playback with no trace of lag. In fact, with support for dual connectivity technology, you can have them connected simultaneously to your mobile phone and your console, and while enjoying a game, you can also answer a phone call.

Quality/performance

Their sound quality is quite good, both in games and in music and movies. They deliver performance that reaches that of Sony’s own WF-1000XM5 and have fairly powerful bass for their size. It’s no coincidence, though, since last summer the company announced the acquisition of Audeze, a company specializing in magnetic earbuds-style headphones. What is definitely missing from a headset in this price range is any kind of external noise isolation (ANC), sensors that stop the music or movie when you remove them, as well as the absence of any related app for additional settings.

Are they worth it in the end?

If one excludes the significant omissions in features we would expect in this category of earbuds (such as Active Noise Cancellation or automatic pause when removed from the ear), the PlayStation Pulse Explore are earbuds that will greatly help you enjoy gaming on your PS5 and PlayStation Portal. They are also the only wireless ones at the moment that connect with Sony’s device in question. If you have such a need, definitely take a look at them.

Advantages/Disadvantages 

The advantages include the following:

• Compatibility with PlayStation Portal
• Direct connection with PS5, with zero lag
• Simultaneous connection with two devices

The disadvantages include the following:

• It lacks features we are used to seeing in expensive models in the category
• Large case