The Sony has a long history in the audio industry and has decided in recent years to combine this aspect with gaming. In addition to its classic headphones that can be used (simultaneously) with consoles and home entertainment systems, we have recently seen a shift towards peripherals specifically designed for the PS5 and their accessories, and one of these is the PlayStation Pulse Explore Earbuds.

Watch my video ''Unboxing of 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, also functioning as a carrying and charging case. The case is significantly larger than what I have seen so far in similar products and the truth is that they fit much more difficultly in pockets or small bags. The earbuds themselves are large and besides the speaker, they have a curved plastic piece that protrudes and gives a quite modern feeling. To place them in your ears, you have the option of four different buds that go in the edge and have different sizes to fit well in any ear type.

Connectivity

The earbuds are specially designed to connect wirelessly and directly to the PS5 and the PlayStation Portal (or even mobile and tablet, via Bluetooth) while you can also make them communicate with your computer or laptop using a PlayStation Link USB adapter that you will find in the box. Especially with the PlayStation Portal, this is the only reliable solution at the moment, so if you are used to this wireless streamer/player from Sony, it is the peripheral that will free your hands and offer lag-free sound reproduction. Moreover, with the support of dual connection technology, you can have them simultaneously on your mobile phone and console, and while enjoying a game, you have the ability to answer a phone call that comes to you.

Quality/performance

The sound quality is quite good, both in games and in music and movies. They offer performances that reach those of the WF-1000XM5 from Sony itself and have quite powerful bass for their size. This is not accidental, though, as last summer the company announced the acquisition of Audeze, a company specialized in magnetic earbud-type headphones. Something that is definitely missing from a set of headphones at this price range is any type of external noise isolation (ANC), sensors that stop the music or movie when you remove them, but also the absence of a relevant app for some additional settings.

Are they worth it after all?

If we exclude the significant shortcomings in features that we would expect in this earbud category (such as Active Noise Cancellation or automatic pause when removed from the ear), the PlayStation Pulse Explore are headphones 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 to the said Sony device.

If you have such a need, definitely take a look at them.

Advantages/Disadvantages 

In the advantages, I include the following:

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

In the disadvantages, I include the following:

• Does not have features that we are accustomed to in expensive models of the category
• Large case