Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore headphones unveiled alongside Sony's new PlayStation Link audio technology

At the recent PlayStation showcase, Sony gave everyone a sneak peek at its first-ever PlayStation-branded TWS earbuds. However, one audio product wasn't teased in any way, and it has now been revealed alongside the said earbuds. The Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore are Sony's newest wireless headset and earbuds, respectively.

Sony promises to deliver an "audiophile-grade" level of audio with the Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore. They are one of the few gaming-grade headphones to ship with planar magnetic drivers. Both feature what Sony calls "AI-ehnanced noise rejection", which might be little more than a fancy term for ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation).

The PlayStation Pulse Elite comes with a retractable boom mic and a headphones hanger that doubles up as a charging dock. Lossless audio is reserved for the PlayStation Pulse Explore, which comes in a neat PlayStation 5-shaped charging case. For now, there is no word about how much battery life one can get out of either headphone.

Both headphones debut Sony's new PlayStation Link technology. It is the only way they can interface with the freshly-minted PlayStation Portal, given its lack of Bluetooth support. One needs to buy a separate USB adaptor to connect the Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore to a PlayStation console/PC/Mac. Thankfully, the Pulse Explore can be connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth. This also allows for multi-point connectivity between linked devices.

Third-party headphones with PlayStation Link support are slated to be launched later in the year. Meanwhile, those looking to get their hands on the Pulse Elite will have to shell out US$149.99. Similarly, the Pulse Explore costs US$199.99, which is a little ludicrous because one could get an entire PlayStation Portal for that price. Sony says it will reveal the availability of both headphones later.

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