PS5 Pulse 3D Headset vs SteelSeries Arctis 7P (2021): Choosing the Best PS5 Headset

The best PS5 headset should tick all the right boxes: clear mic and sound quality, a comfortable fit, seamless integration, and features to match. That said, the Pulse 3D and SteelSeries Arctis 7P can deliver on those points, but each one offers a slightly different experience.

We compare the two to clear up what to expect from these gaming cans and how one stacks against the other on a few but important fronts.

PS5 Pulse 3D Headset vs SteelSeries Arctis 7P Comparison Chart

Design

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P is the comfier headset.

To start things off, the Pulse 3D sports a plastic matte finish and a design that complements the console. It has minimal flex, and it doesn’t swivel or rotate. There’s also a rubber headband you can adjust to get that perfect fit.

On the other hand, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P features matte panels on its ear cups, and its build is a mix of hard plastic and metal. Unlike the Pulse 3D, it has a lot of swivel and rotates to the point that you can rest it on your neck or lay it flat on your desk. For adjustments, it has what the company calls a ski goggle suspension headband that adapts to your head and distributes weight evenly.

On the left ear cup of the Pulse 3D are the power button, 3.5mm port, USB-C charging port, mic mute button, volume rocker, mic monitor switch, and in-game and chat audio balancer. Needless to say, they’re pretty bunched together, and it might take some time getting used to their layout. The Arctis 7Ps have its mobile chat port, 3.5mm jack, mic mute button, volume dial, and microUSB charging port on the left cup and the power button and sidetone wheel on the right.

The takeaway here is the Arctis 7P is more comfortable to wear, and the buttons aren’t as crowded. However, the Pulse 3D does have the upper hand with its USB-C charging port and chat and game audio balancer.

Performance

The two can be used wired and support the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech.

Sony fitted the Pulse 3D with pleather ear cushions, making for decent noise isolation. It wirelessly connects to the PS5 via a USB-A receiver that can be plugged into any of the two ports on the back or the port on the front of the console. It also has two hidden microphones, which is a nice touch since nothing is in the way at all. Even though they’re not placed directly in front of your mouth, they can still deliver your voice to the other end with clarity, but it can’t really beat a boom mic.

Meanwhile, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P uses a USB-C receiver, which has a slight design flaw in that it blocks other USB ports (more on that later). It relies on a retractable noise-cancelling ClearCast microphone that has a lot of flex to it for easy positioning.

The two have a similar sound quality, but the Pulse 3D has slightly richer bass and a louder microphone. The Arctis 7P does have a higher max volume and louder audio in general, though. On top of that, it’s backed by the SteelSeries Engine 3 where you can tweak equalizers or choose presets. For the record, adjustments are made on the PC and the settings will be saved for use on the PS5. The Pulse 3D doesn’t have an equivalent software to compare.

Both can be used wired with the DualSense controller. There’s no noticeable improvement in sound quality when you use them wired, but their microphones perform better when plugged. The two also have support for Sony’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, so you’ll get an immersive experience on either one.

Click here to see how the PS5 Pulse 3D compares to the Turtle Beach Stealth 600.

Usage

Each headset has its strong points and inconveniences.

Considering that the Pulse 3D is a first-party headset from Sony, it isn’t a surprise that it has better integration with the PS5. For one thing, it has a battery indicator on the console. And when it’s turned off while connected, the console automatically switches audio output to your HDMI device. 

One odd thing about it is it won’t mute when you press the mute button on the DualSense. In other words, you’ll need to fumble your way through the physical buttons on the headset and press the mic mute button there. Strangely enough, the mute button on the controller works with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P.

Now in the Arctis 7P’s case, there’s no battery indicator on the PS5, so you’ll have to turn to the LED on the headset itself to check its remaining battery life. Also, when you turn it off while it’s connected to the PS5, the console won’t switch to HDMI audio. That means you’ll have to manually change it in the settings.

As mentioned earlier, the Arctis 7Ps have a wide USB-C receiver that blocks the other ports on the PS5. According to the manual, SteelSeries recommends using a USB-C to USB-A adapter to prevent this, and from the look of things, its dongle is designed for the Nintendo Switch and Android devices. 

Again, only the Pulse 3D has an in-game and chat audio balancer on the ear cup, so on the Arctis 7P, you’ll have to adjust this in the menu on the PS5 instead. That’s far from a herculean task, but it’s just not as convenient.

Last but not least, the Pulse 3D has a battery life of up to 12 hours on a single charge, but the Arctis 7P can last twice as long, up to 24 hours.

Verdict

The Pulse 3D and SteelSeries Arctis 7P can deliver where it counts, but the latter just does it better.

Both headsets are excellent and perfect for the PS5, but the SteelSeries Arctis 7P edges out the Pulse 3D with its more comfortable fit, SteelSeries Engine 3 support, and longer battery life. In the Pulse 3D’s defense, it does have better integration with the PS5 and a design to match the console, and it’s more affordable too, but not by much.

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