Sony is stepping into the desktop gaming audio space with Pulse Elevate, its first wireless speakers designed for gaming rigs, consoles, and on-the-go setups. The reveal came via today’s State of Play and is detailed in a PlayStation blog post.
Pulse Elevate packs planar magnetic drivers and built-in woofers to deliver what Sony describes as “lifelike” audio across the full range. The speakers also support Sony’s Tempest 3D Audio on compatible PS5 titles, aiming to place sound cues more precisely in space. A built-in mic with AI-enhanced noise rejection is integrated into the right speaker, allowing for headset-free voice chat.
On the wireless front, Pulse Elevate uses “PlayStation Link” for ultra-low latency, lossless connectivity across PS5, PC, Mac and remote play setups. It also supports Bluetooth, letting you run game audio via PlayStation Link while using Bluetooth for music or voice chat in tandem. The speakers come with a USB-C adapter, a rechargeable battery, and charging docks for flexible positioning or portability. Launch is scheduled for 2026, in both Midnight Black and White varieties.
My gut reaction is one of confusion. The trailer seems to push these as being for people using their PS5 on a desk alongside their PC, and as a portable method of boosting audio for the PlayStation Portal. However, desktop users will probably already have a set of speakers anyway, and I doubt Portal players are that bothered about moving speakers around, unless you leave them next to your bed like the trailer suggests. And TV users will probably also already have some sort of sound solution.
Oh, and then there’s the built in mic. Why? The Dualsense controller already has one, PC users probably already have a mic anyway. That just leaves Portal, but even it has a mic port.
That leaves these Pulse Elevate things in a weird position. The Planar speakers mean they probably aren’t going to be cheap, and Sony notably did not include a price tag anywhere. Portable speakers are already a niche market, so when you throw in a high price tag, I’m not sure I see the audience. But then again, I thought the same thing about the Portal and it’s selling just fine, so maybe I should shut up.
