Sony first tried to appease mic-less gamers with a Warhawk bundle over a year ago. Launching at USD 59.99, consumers could pick up not only one of the best online-only games on the market, but they could grab a sweet Jabra headset at bargain bin pricing. Despite this, there were several complaints regarding the quality of the headset on all levels. Fast forward one year, and Sony is trying once again to bundle one of their flagship first-party titles, SOCOM: Confontation with a headset. Fortunately for consumers, this isn’t a third-party peripheral like before, but instead, an Official PlayStation brand accessory.
Usually when Sony slaps their PlayStation logo on the side of a product, you can expect it to be of the highest quality and deliver customer satisfaction. Fortunately, the official PlayStation headset is no stranger to this standard and completely delivers on the ergonomic and sound fronts. With a comfortable swiveling ear grasp, the Bluetooth device sits perfectly around your ear much like a pair of glasses would. The soft rubber finish and sleek design enable the user to game for long periods of time without feeling that discomfort in their ear that may occur with other headsets. The microphone is also packaged with a smaller, rubber earpiece in case the default one may be too large for your ear. As long as you’re using a piece that fits inside comfortably, you’ll be set to go.
Of course, the comfort level of this product isn’t what will set it apart from other options in the Bluetooth market. The sound quality, however, is what puts this device on a different level. Not only are voice chats with your PSN buddies crisp, clear and at a reasonable volume, but you can expect this to transfer over seamlessly to online play as well. While playing SOCOM with the headset, I could immediately tell which players in the room were owners of this product due to how clear their voices came through. On the other hand, the players who were utilizing third party headsets were cutting out a tad or their microphone levels seemed a bit low (I also asked them what they were using, so you may say I cheated a bit).
Other noteworthy factors that isn’t as important as sound and comfort include the ability to talk while charging. The charging cradle is very stylish, and comes complete with a microphone mute button that is easily accessible and has a nice futuristic red ring when fully charged (in this case it’s a good thing). The one key feature that gamers may find the most useful however is the fact that the mic activates itself once you turn it on. Whereas some Bluetooth headsets force you to activate it before each session, I was pleased to discover that this isn’t an issue with the official model.
Overall, Sony has delivered a quality peripheral that should appeal to all online enthusiasts. The comfort level and sound quality match the more expensive headsets on the market, while its smaller, less significant features make this microphone a must own product for anyone who considers themselves a master of the online realm.