Batman: Arkham Knight, one of the most anticipated games on the PlayStation 4, was finally released on June 23rd of this year. Sony thought so much the title that they decided to partner with Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment for advertising, timed-exclusive DLC in addition to two system bundles. As fun as the sequel is, the experience will be even better if you are playing the game with the right videogame headset. Below you can find our guide for the best PlayStation 4 headsets to use with the newly-available Batman: Arkham Knight.
Why It is Worth Investing In a Surround Sound Headset
In order to be fully immerse in a game like Batman: Arkham Knight, you will need a headset that is capable of producing surround sound. Being able to hear which direction a particular voice or noise is coming from not only adds more realism to the experience but also will help you out during gameplay, especially in an open-world game.
Why Sony’s Gaming Headsets are Recommended
While there are some great PlayStation 4 third-party gaming headsets, it is best to stick with the official first-party ones created by Sony. This is because the company worked directly with the development team at Rocksteady Studios to create a custom Batman: Arkham Knight audio mode for the Headset Companion App. The application is free to download on the PlayStation Store of the PS4. You can find it by doing a search.
The Headset Companion App works with the PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset, PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset and PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset.
PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset
The cheapest of the three is the PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset. For a budget price, you will be able to get 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound. With that said, the Silver version requires a wired connection and has a slightly lesser sound quality when compared to the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset and PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset (the differences aren’t that noticeable, however, unless you are an audiophile).
The other major issue is the build of the PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset. The product is not that comfortable, especially when worn for an extended period of time. Its durability is suspect as well. For its price, however, you will get the most affordable way to experience Batman: Arkham Knight with 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound. If you are interested, you can purchase the PlayStation Silver Headset on Amazon with this page.
PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset
The most popular first-party headset for the PS4 is the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset. The wireless product is also capable of 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound at a slightly highly quality when compared to the Silver version. It is also a lot more comfortable with the extra padding added to the ear cups and headband.
Like the PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset, the PlayStation Gold does suffer from some durability issues with the hinges eventually cracking. If you take good care of it, however, you should get plenty of usage from the accessory before it breaks (if it does at all). You can check out the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset with this link. Old school PlayStation fans might also want to check out the upcoming 20th Anniversary Edition, which features the same grey color scheme as the first PlayStation console, here.
PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset
Last but not least is the PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset. The most expensive version of Sony’s gaming headset has the best sound quality when compared to the other two while also supporting the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound. In terms of comfort and build quality, it is about the same as the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset.
One feature that differentiates the PlayStation Pulse Elite from the other two is Bass Impact. When supported, the ear pads will send pulses, adding more impact to the sound output. The only real drawback is that Sony may be phasing to Elite out in favor of the PlayStation Silver and PlayStation Gold as the company support the latter two more when it comes to the Headset Companion App.
With that said, a custom Batman: Arkham Knight audio profile is available for the PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset. If you are interested, you can purchase the first-party accessory via this link.
Recap
If you are short on cash, you should consider picking up the PlayStation Silver Wired Stereo Headset to play Batman: Arkham Knight with 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound. If money is not the issue, then you should take a look at either the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset or PlayStation Pulse Elite Edition Wireless Stereo Headset. While the Pulse Elite sounds a little bit better and has the exclusive Bass Impact feature, the PlayStation Gold is also a good pickup as Sony is seemingly supporting it more.