The variety of Sony gaming headphones has been better than it is today because Sony has two separate divisions working on audio products specifically for gaming: Sony PlayStation and Sony inZone.

The Sony inZone H5 is the newest in the inZone gaming line. Its price point is currently £129 on Amazon. Then there's the new Playstation Pulse Elite, also £129.

But which one is better for you specifically? Well, there are some very important, game-changing differences that you need to know about.

But before we get into that, let me show you the design differences between the Sony inZone H5 and Pulse Elites. I'm going to focus more on the H5s because I've made a video dedicated to the Pulse elites, which I'll link at the end.

Design

So, the inZone H5 Has that classic PS5 design language. The iconic PS5 stormtrooper colours. Just like the Playstation Pulse Elites.

Something I particularly like about the design of all the inZone headphones is how easy it is to find the volume wheel, which is slightly raised off the earcups.

Now where, the Pulse elites have the retractable Mic with a mute indicator light, which I am a fan of. The H5s have the more rigid boom arm that activates the Mic when down & muted when up.

But one of the biggest differences to consider is the materials used on the padding. The Pulse Elites have faux leather covers that may assist with passive noise cancelling and durability, and they will be a little more sweat-resistant.

The H5s use soft fabric, which has advantages. They're more breathable and arguably better suited for longer gaming sessions.The softer material can often be more comfortable.

However, there are some other important factors to consider regarding comfort, such as the slightly bigger cutouts in the H5s and the weight.

If you were to guess just by looking, you might mistakenly think Pulse Elites were lighter. But in fact, the H5s are 87 grams lighter.

The headband styles are also very different. The Pulse Elites have a Flexible resistance band, which works well for me. But apply more downward pressure if you have a slightly larger head.

The H5s have the classic headphones headband and hanger with more control of earcup & headband height. They're actually very different in terms of style, form. But before making a decision, you need to consider something even more important.

New features on H5

For example, the H5s were the first inzone headphones with wired and wireless connectivity.

The H5s, the newest inZone headphones, have some features that even the models above don't have. They're the first inzone headphones with AI noise reduction for the Mic. Which the Pulse Elites also have. Watch the video here to hear the Mics in action.

Battery life

As you know, wireless headphones only work if you have power. This is another factor to consider. The Pulse Elites battery runs up to 30 hours, but it has one very important caveat, which I'll come back to: a 10—minute quick charger gives you 2 hours of game time.

The H5s have up to 28 hours of battery life, with a 10-minute charge giving you 3 hours of playback. So, realistically, they are very close in terms of battery performance.

Connectivity

Okay, here's the second most important thing to consider when choosing between these two Sony gaming headphones: Both support Sony Playstation's Tempest audio spatial sound.

It's very clear that the inZone H5s have been built primarily with PC players in mind. I say this because the Sony inZone PC software brings a lot of tools to the table for playing on PC, and unfortunately, these cannot be dialled in and brought across to the PS5, such as the EQs and spatial audio profiles.

But don't get me wrong; that's not me saying they're not ideal for PS5 gaming. In fact, they are going to be better than most, Thanks to the tempest audio support. You also get the on-screen animations when adjusting volume and things like that.

But the reality is that the Pulse Elites were built with PS5 and PS Portal as the primary focus, so a lot of the PS5 features just work a little bit better here. For example, when you shut down the PS5, the headphones will shut down, and when you mute the headphones, it's indicated on the pad and the screen. The audio cues are a little nicer on the Pulse Elites, and they support Playstation PS Link and Bluetooth for phone and tablet connectivity.

And that's just me nitpicking a little bit. But the reality is none of this even matters if you don't like how they sound.

Sound Quality / Driver Differences

This brings me to what I think should be the deciding factor for you. I've tested many gaming headphones over the years and share my thoughts on the main difference in the audio quality. I'll even do a side-by-side test for you, so get your headphones ready for that.

So first, the hardware and spec differences. The Pulse Elites use Planar magnetic drivers. These types of drivers are normally seen on studio monitor headphones. Their characteristics usually favour a more neutral sound signature that offers more detail and definition between the frequencies, which is fantastic. However…

Many gamers may complain about the Elites' bass levels not being as powerful. Yes, you can EQ them on the PS5, and that carries over to any device you use them on. But there may be some who still want the added bass. And that's where the H5s come in.

The H5's default EQ is best described as warm and slightly bass-heavy, which may make gameplay audio feel slightly more cinematic. They do have good detail in the high-to-mid frequencies, too. So, where the Planar drivers on the Pulse Elite provide a crisp and bright sound by default, the H5s offer more sub-bass and very good mid- and high-frequency detail.

That's my thoughts, but I'm interested to hear yours in the comments. So, run them through your headphones if you want to get a real idea of the audio differences between these Sony gaming headphones.

Current Prices

Inzone H5 price [US] : InZone H5 price [EU] : Playstation Pulse Elite price [US] : Playstation Pulse Elite price [EU]

If you're interested in taking a closer look at the Pulse Elites or my top 5 gaming headphones compared to video, here are those videos.