PlayStation Pulse Explore review

Sony’s gaming wireless earbuds deliver on their promise, but they are far from perfect

Sony’s first wireless earbuds specifically designed for gamers certainly look the part, but do they deliver on all of their promises? (Image: Sony)

In all honesty, the most incredible thing about the PlayStation Pulse Explore — Sony’s first wireless earbuds bearing the logo of the most successful brand in gaming — is that it actually took the company this long to release a product like this. Sony has enjoyed great success with its flagship WF-1000X line of wireless earbuds, after all, as well as with its more affordable such lines, so — in theory — it would be easy to build a high-quality PlayStation-focused option. Plus, there should be quite a few people interested in wireless earbuds capable of pulling double duty, i.e. providing great sound in games while also being good enough for listening to music on the go. Right?

The Pulse Explore is a product that would seemingly fit that description: it is clearly designed with the PlayStation crowd in mind, but it also makes use of audiophile-class tech developed by Audeze, a highly respected audio products manufacturer Sony acquired in 2023. So how do the company’s new earbuds fare when it comes to PlayStation gaming and music listening? Here’s what consumers need to know.

Design, build quality, comfort: impressive and divisive in equal measure