Game Room: September Roundup

Sony's PULSE Elite Edition headset ($150) is a well-weighted unit that's both sleek and modern. The headset is geared for the PS3, connecting automatically when the included USB dongle is plugged in and the headset turned on. The PULSE also comes with a 3.5mm audio cable which can be used for a wired connection to many mobile devices including the PS Vita and all iPhones. Unfortunately, the PULSE doesn't come with a USB charger. The PULSE headset features very comfortable ear cushions and the frame of it is loaded with buttons to tune your listening experience: including sliders for volume, bass and voice chat, as well as buttons to mute, enable virtual surround mode and change audio modes. Optimized audio modes feature presets for music, movies, games (general), shooters, fighting and racers. A hidden mic picks up voice well for folks that want to use it for online gaming and chatting. The overall audio quality of the headset is very good. The 7.1 virtual surround sound is effective, though there's really no way to perfectly nail directional sound with a pair of cans. Having the ability to adjust bass on the fly is especially impactful.

Score: 9 out of 10