For years, “gaming headset” has usually meant useful features wrapped around audio that was merely good enough. Sony’s next Pulse lineup is trying to move the category somewhere more serious. The new PlayStation Pulse and Pulse Edge wireless headsets put planar magnetic drivers—the kind of technology normally associated with audiophile headphones—at the center of the pitch.

Both models are designed for PS5, PlayStation Portal, PC and Mac, and both use Sony’s PlayStation Link wireless system. The difference is how far each one pushes the hardware. Pulse is the new mainstream option. Pulse Edge adds the premium extras and more muscle inside the earcups.

Planar magnetic drivers are the real upgrade

Traditional gaming headphones generally use dynamic drivers: a voice coil moves a cone to create sound. Planar magnetic drivers spread that force across a thin diaphragm, which can respond quickly and with more control. In practical terms, that can mean cleaner separation between effects, sharper positional cues and bass that hits without swallowing everything around it.

Sony says the new headsets use larger planar drivers than the current Pulse Elite. That matters in games where the mix is doing several jobs at once. A soundtrack, dialogue, footsteps and distant gunfire should each have their own space instead of turning into one loud wall. Better spatial accuracy is not just a luxury when hearing direction can change how you play.

PlayStation Link keeps the signal clean

The other half of the experience is PlayStation Link, Sony’s low-latency wireless connection. Both headsets support lossless audio through the included USB-C adapter, avoiding the lag and compression that can make ordinary Bluetooth feel slightly disconnected from the action.

They can connect to PS5, PlayStation Portal, PC or Mac while staying linked to a Bluetooth device at the same time. That means a player can hear the game and still take a call or keep another audio source connected without rebuilding the setup every session.

Pulse Edge earns its name with hardware

The standard Pulse uses four magnets for each planar driver and keeps the design streamlined: integrated microphones, PlayStation Link and the core audio upgrade. It does not include active noise cancellation.

Pulse Edge doubles the magnet count to eight per driver, giving the diaphragm more control and the headset more potential headroom. It also adds active noise cancellation, a detachable boom microphone backed by a hidden mic, built-in game-and-chat balance controls on PS5, an analog audio jack and a carrying case. Premium materials complete the distinction.

The microphone is getting smarter

Both models use AI-enhanced noise rejection to separate a player’s voice from background sound. That is less flashy than driver technology, but it could be the feature friends notice first. Mechanical keyboards, fans and a noisy room can ruin chat long before audio quality becomes the issue.

Sony has also updated the physical design with rotating earcups that lay flat when the headset comes off. White and Midnight Black colorways keep the look familiar, while the integrated mics on the standard Pulse avoid the always-on-streamer appearance of a permanent boom.

The missing detail is the price

PlayStation Pulse is scheduled to launch in select markets during the 2026 holiday season, with Pulse Edge following in early 2027. Sony has not announced pricing or preorder dates, which makes the final value call impossible for now.

The lineup still makes sense on paper. Pulse looks built to make planar audio the default for more PlayStation players, while Pulse Edge is the serious version for anyone who wants isolation, better microphone flexibility and the strongest driver system Sony can fit into the design. If the prices land well, gaming audio may finally stop asking players to choose between competitive features and genuinely great headphones.