It appears that a new combat encounter animation pre-visualization has surfaced for the canceled version of Doom 4. This video shows what the id Software devs were trying to create before canceling this particular version of Doom 4. The first leak for this canceled Doom 4 game happened back in 2015. Back then, numerous screenshots surfaced from … Continue reading New Combat Encounter Animation Surfaces From “Call of Doom 4”→
Still searching for a good Valentine's Day gift? Power banks and chargers might sound like a boring gift idea, but not if they look as stylish as the ones that mfish offers. Even better, you can save an extra 15% off sitewide with coupon code: "MFVAL26" through February 14. mfish power banks, chargers, and cables are a huge step up in build quality, design, and features compared to the standard Anker, Baseus, and Iniu products you generally find on Amazon.
Note that you want your order total to clear the $39.99 free shipping threshold, since otherwise shipping starts at $6. Also, at this point your order may not arrive before February 14, although a belated gift is definitely better than nothing at all.
Aroma Bee 6ft 240W USB-C Scented? Cable for $4.24
"Aromatherapy cables"
I'll start off with a great deal on one of the more unique products, to say the least. mFish's "Aroma Bee" charging cable is down to just $4.24 from its original $16 list price. These cables are thicker than your standard USB cable but in a good way; they look and feel more durable, but they still bend well and comes in fun colors like pastel pink, blue, or purple. I'll mention that the "liquid silicone" sheath that mfish uses feels ultra silky smooth to the touch, and it's much nicer than any other silicone cable I've used before. They're terminated with RGB illuminated aluminum alloy connectors for that extra bling factor. It's rated for 240W, which is the max power rating for any USB cable.
What's really unique, though, is that the terminal ends acts as an electric diffuser. You read that right; there's a spot in the cable end to add in a few drops of oil for a little bit of aromatherapy. I believe some diffuser oil is actually included as well. I don't know if I'd use that feature myself, but for $4.24, I can't think of another cable with more features.
E-Rhino 140W USB-C Charger for $46.74
Free 4-in-1 USB cable with purchase
Looking for a charger with swag? The mFish E-Rhino charger features a stylish futuristic design in your choice of green, silver, or pink. It's no slouch in the performance department either. The compact GaN power brick houses four total outputs, including one USB-C port capable of up to 140W of Power Delivery 3.1.
With the coupon, the price drops to $46.75 (which means it qualifies for free shipping). That's actually not much cheaper than getting it from Amazon, however you also get a really cool freebie in the form of an mFish Armored Dragon 6ft 240W charging cable. This is a 4-way cable that can convert to (1) USB-C to USB-C, (2) USB-C to Lightning, (3) USB-A to USB-C, and (4) USB-A to Lightning with an ingenious terminal design which prevents you from losing any pieces.
E-Monster Qi2 MagSafe Power Banks from $33.99
Free 4-in-1 USB cable with purchase
The mfish E-Monster power bank boasts an eye catching that's bound to turn heads. The decorative side is protected by a textured tempered glass that gives it a much more premium look and feel than the plastic power banks that are all too common nowadays. Both 5,000mAh and 10,000mAh MagSafe models are Qi2 certified and rated for up to 15W of wireless power delivery. There's also a 20W USB Type-C port if you need faster charging.
The 5,000mAh model is very slim, measuring a mere 0.3" thin and weighing 4.4 ounces. It's priced at $33.99 after coupon. The 10,000mAh gives you twice the battery capacity, but it's also considerably thicker and heavier and also includes a built-in kickstand. This model is priced at $49.29 with free shipping after coupon. Both include a 4-in-1 charging cable
E-Tank 240W Power Station for $110.49
Free 4-in-1 USB cable with purchase
The mfish E-Rhino power station is popular amongst influencers because it looks so very cool with its illuminated ringed power outlets. This is a compact, all-inclusive power station that is hefty enough to sit on your desk without moving around. Total outputs include three standard 3-prong AC outlets rated for up to 1,250W each and four USB-C ports with 240W maximum power output (140W max for a single port). The three AC outlets are raised and encased in a plastic sheath that can be illuminated to your choice of color. The lights aren't super bright so it won't distract you.
With the coupon, the price drops to $110.49 plus you get a free mfish Armored Dragon 6ft 240W 4-way charging cable. It's currently priced at $139.99 on Amazon with no cable included.
Super Mushroom 20,000mAh Modular Power Bank from $80
Connect two together for 40,000mAh of power
One of the more innovative mfish products is its Super Mushroom 20,000mAh 100W modular power bank. It boasts a cylindrical design with a translucent plastic outer casing that showcases the stylish lithium battery cells inside. What's really neat is that two of these power banks can be stacked together to form a single unit with a 40,000mAh capacity.
The coupon code doesn't work on this product because there's already an instant discount. The $99.99 sku drops to $80 in-cart and includes a single 20,000mAh power bank. The $199.99 kit drops to $160 in-cart and gets you two 20,000mAh power banks plus (1) a link module to stack the two power banks together, (2) a flashlight module, and (3) a magnetic charging module. Whatever package you decide on, you get a free mfish Armored Dragon 6ft 240W 4-way charging cable.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Amazon is running another 'Buy 2, get 1 50% off' sale this week and some of my favorite books are included here. Whether you're hoping to grab a Valentine's Day gift for someone who loves to read or just looking to stock your own library, right now is a great time to find savings on actual physical books.
If you already know what you're looking for, I'd recommend just diving into the full sale yourself. There are a ton of books included in the promotion and you can easily type things into the search bar to see if they are eligible for that extra 50% off. Otherwise, you can check out some of my top picks for both reading and gifting.
Books I Recommend From the Sale
My overall top pick from this sale is Dungeon Crawler Carl, which has consistently been one of my favorite LitRPG books. It's not a series I'd recommend for everyone, but it's fast, fun, and filled with a surprising amount of explosions. The story follows a guy named Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat as Earth gets taken over by an alien game show and straddled by a completely unhinged AI. There are currently seven books in there series so far and the next book is releasing in May.
If sci-fi is more your thing, then I highly recommend checking out Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. The movie adaptation is coming out in March, so right now is the best time to read it before the movie ruins it for you. Assuming the trailers for the movie haven't already spoiled you on the plot, I'd suggest going in cold and just enjoying the story. It's incredibly well written and you don't need to be a sci-fi nerd to enjoy it. Plus if you like it enough, you can also grab the new LEGO set collaboration coming out next month.
My last big recommendation on this list comes from my deep love for Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe. In case you missed the news, Apple TV and Sanderson recently struck a deal to adapt his sprawling fantasy universe for streaming. If you've never read any of the Cosmere books before, you're going to want to check out the Mistborn trilogy or the Stormlight Archive first. Amazon has box sets for both included in this sale, so it's a perfect starter pack for anyone new to that universe.
The Best Books to Give as Gifts
For those looking for gift ideas, there are a lot of different options available. My overall favorite reading gifts to recommend, however, are illustrated editions. More specifically, I'd suggest checking out The Lord of the Rings Illustrated edition and the Harry Potter Illustrated editions. The Lord of the Rings book I've featured here includes drawings and maps from Tolkien himself and is a really fun way to read the LotR books. Whereas the Harry Potter illustrated books feature gorgeous art from Jim Kay that really capture the magic of the series.
There are also some really cool gift editions of classic stories that I'd suggest checking out. The complete Sherlock Holmes collection looks awesome and features all of the novels from Arthur Conan Doyle in one volume. The Winnie-the-Pooh gift edition is also one of my top Disney gift picks and I'd definitely recommend that. My copy is currently sitting on a shelf in my son's nursery and we've already gotten some good use out of it.
If you're willing to spend a bit more, Amazon also includes quite a few box sets in this sale that are worth a look. Fans of the Game of Thrones books will love the leather-bound box set of George R.R. Martin's series. There's also the entire hardcover set of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass Series included here that I'd recommend for any fan of the romantasy genre. And the Calvin and Hobbes collection is just a great gift for anyone regardless of their preferences.
It's never a bad idea to keep a power station on hand to keep your mobile electronics charged up during emergencies. If you're of the same mind and plan to look on Amazon, then you might want to check out this better deal from AliExpress.
Right now, AliExpress is offering the Ecoflow River 3 230Wh LiFePO4 power station for just $130.84 after you apply $10 off code "USSS10". Compare that to $190 on Amazon currently. It's sold through Ecoflow's official Aliexpress storefront and it ships from a local US warehouse so your order delivers quickly and you don't need to worry about additional tariff fees.
Ecoflow River 3 Power Station for $130.84
The Ecoflow River 3 is a truly portable power station that weighs in at under 8 pounds and is 30% more compact than its River 2 precedessor. The AliExpress model has a slightly lower 230Wh capacity compared to the 245Wh on Amazon. Other than that, the two are identical; it has two 300W (600W surge) AC outlets, one 100W USB Type-C port, and two 18W USB Type-A ports. The River 3 can be recharged using traditional AC from 0% to 100% in only one hour.
The River 3 uses LiFePO4 cells, which are safer and retain their charge longer than other lithium battery types. The 230Whr battery is meant for lower powered electronics like your PC or laptop, phone, tablet, or just about anything else that doesn't use too much electricity (ideally under 200W). Power hungry electronics and appliances won't last long.
Although the River 3 is typically used as a mobile backup power solution when you have no available grid power, it can also work as an always-on passthrough AC power strip. It has an EPS function that will automatically swap to battery power when there is a power outage. The shutoff delay is less than 10ms, which is fast enough for even sensitive electronics like PCs to remain powered on during the switchover.
More Powerful Alternative: Ecoflow River 2 Max Power Station
If you want a portable backup with a higher capacity, check out the Ecoflow River 2 Max, which is currently on sale for $234.35 after you apply code: "USSS30". The River 2 Max boasts a much higher 499Wh capacity with four AC outlets capable of 500W (1,000W surge) apiece. Like the River 3, this model also uses safe and more efficient LiFePO4 batteries. It weighs in at 13.5 pounds, so it's still easy to move from place to place, and comes with a 5 year warranty.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Best Buy Presidents Day Sale starts this week, and one of the best deals is a great fit for anyone who likes to listen to tunes while running. Right now you can save $60 off the Shokz OpenRun Pro wireless sport headphones, now just $99.99, a savings of nearly 40% off. The OpenRun Pro is the best non-earbuds headphones for running. It uses bone conduction technology which is tailor-made for situations where you need to be fully aware of your surroundings.
Shokz OpenRun Pro Sport Headphones for $99.99
The SHOKZ OpenRun Pro is more headphone than earbud, with a lightweight titanium band connecting the two ear pieces and wrapping around the back of your head. It does an excellent job of keeping everything in place, which is important because the buds need to be positioned precisely. Instead of the traditional method of sending sound vibrations to your eardrums, the OpenRun Pro uses bone conduction technology to send vibrations through your cheekbones directly to your inner ear. As such, the headphones are actually placed in front of your ear instead of on your ear. The biggest advantage is that you can fully hear your surroundings; if you like running on the street, for example, you'll be aware of everything that's going on around you and still be able to hear your music perfectly well.
The OpenRun Pros offer more bass than the standard OpenRuns. They're IP5 rated to withstand sweat, dust, and grime. You'll get up to ten hours of continuous playback on a single charge. They also feature multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which means that you can pair it with up to two different devices simultaneously.
I have a pair of AirPods Pro that I use regularly, but I always set them aside for the OpenRun Pros when I run. I can hear my surroundings better than the "Transparency" mode on the AirPods Pro. They also stay in place well even when I develop a good sweat and the sound quality and bass response is quite good.
The updated Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is also on sale
Best Buy has also dropped the price of the newer Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 to $129.99. The OpenRun Pro 2 features some notable upgrades over its predecessor. The biggest QoL update is the switch from a proprietary magnetic charging cable to the USB Type-C standard. The second big update is improved bass. The new OpenRun Pro 2 utilizes Shok's DualPitch technology to virtually eliminate vibrations so that bass response is cleaner. Smaller changes include slightly increased battery life and improved noise cancelation for the microphone.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Wuthering Heights opens in theaters on February 13.
Three years after Wuthering Heights was first published under the pen name Ellis Bell, Charlotte Brontë, the sister of its true author, Emily Brontë, issued a correction in its new edition. "The immature but very real powers revealed in Wuthering Heights were scarcely recognised," she wrote in 1850. "Its import and nature were misunderstood."
That sentiment holds up with the arrival of “Wuthering Heights”, writer-director Emerald Fennell's fast and loose adaptation of the beloved book. I now understand why she opted to put the title in quotation marks, because this is by no means a faithful homage. It's shallow fan fiction that has more in common with E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey than Brontë's unflinching portrait of obsessive love, vengeance, the violence of class, racism and generational trauma. If, as Fennell has said, this is her teenage recollection of Wuthering Heights, then it speaks more to the white affluence of her upbringing than Brontë's novel.
The writer-director dispenses with the book's beginning and end, as well as multiple characters who fully contextualize the toxic atmosphere of the eponymous estate. Instead, she opens with black and the grunting sounds of a man. Is he having sex? No, he's being strangled to death in a contrived public hanging scene, gleefully watched by young heroine Catherine Earnshaw (Charlotte Mellington), as other kids laugh at his "stiffy" and the camera follows some common folk engaging in promiscuity. This sets the highly sexualized tone for the rest of the film, charting Cathy's sexual awakening from child to "spinster," as her father, Mr. Earnshaw (Martin Clunes), calls her, once Margot Robbie takes over the role.
There's been valid criticism of the whitewashing of "dark-skinned gipsy" orphan Heathcliff, a role shared by Owen Cooper and Jacob Elordi, who washes up at Wuthering Heights via Mr. Earnshaw – no longer the novel's loving adoptive parent but redrawn in, from the book, Hindley Earnshaw's revolting, drunken likeness (Hindley being his son, who doesn't appear in the film). But Robbie's casting is equally ill-fitted. The novel's Catherine is a dark-haired, dark-eyed teen, whose unruly stubbornness and violent love that she shares with a similarly-aged Heathcliff speaking volumes for their juvenile nature.
Robbie looks amazing for 35, but here her age works against the authenticity of Catherine's youthful recklessness. She struggles to exude the naivety of a teen who thinks she can have her cake and eat it, by having both Heathcliff and the social status of wealthy Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif), after he moves into the nearby Thrushcross Grange and proposes.
It all feels too forced, like a sales bin, smutty romance novel come to life, working too hard to hide the erasure of Brontë's far more complex ideas.
Robbie and Elordi are obviously very attractive people, and with the number of steamy sex scenes shoehorned in, you'd be forgiven for thinking this amounts to palpable chemistry. But it all feels too forced, like a sales bin, smutty romance novel come to life, working too hard to hide the erasure of Brontë's far more complex ideas about the hell of societal convention.
That's due in large part to the script, which ignores the Gothic supernatural elements and too often paraphrases Brontë's earnest, expressive dialogue in key scenes. Fans hoping to hear Catherine's "If all else perished, and he remained" speech will be left wanting. It also strips away the compelling social commentary about Heathcliff's ethnic ambiguity and sanitizes the brutality of his revenge narrative, softening Heathcliff's aggressive cruelty into something coldly charismatic. His Yorkshire accent isn't bad, but Elordi's performance recalls his Euphoria character, Nate, more than Brontë's antagonistic antihero.
Supporting players like Nelly (Hong Chau) and Isabella Linton (Alison Oliver) fare better. While Nelly's backstory is changed from servant to bastard companion, Chau affords Nelly a quiet composure as a vulnerable witness to (and sometimes meddler in) Catherine and Heathcliff's destructive romance. As Edgar's ward (she's his sister in the book), Oliver nails Isabella's sickly sweet innocence. Even as the film weirdly pushes Isabella to evoke the spirit of Brontë's Catherine, she brings a deviant edge to her infatuation with Heathcliff. It's a wonder they didn't just cast the Irish actor as the lead.
The same could be said for Latif, who, as a mixed British-Pakistani actor, better fits the profile of Heathcliff. The novel even describes him as a "little Lascar," the name for a sailor from the Indian subcontinent. Where Brontë's Edgar is laced with snobbish hostility towards Heathcliff, thus becoming a mighty catalyst for the low-born lad to exact revenge against him, Latif's iteration barely registers. He rarely engages with his rival and, as with the silk wallpaper modelled after Catherine's skin, serves merely as window dressing. His color blind casting ticks the box for diversity, but Fennell gives him little character to work with.
Her approach to the class divide feels somewhat hackneyed, too. The lilt of the Yorkshire accent is relegated to the lower class, where Fennell throws in sexual deviancy as a marker, too. Film and TV frequently stereotype the Yorkshire accent this way, but the Earnshaws aren't landed gentry; they didn't require posh accents like the Lintons to reinforce the upstairs-downstairs dynamic.
Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does capture the tumultuous beauty of the Yorkshire Moors and the stormy atmosphere of the Heights estate, but the production design of Thrushcross Grange is jarringly anachronistic. It becomes a Gothic Barbie Dreamhouse (derogatory), with the costuming, though beautiful, more in keeping with an Alice in Wonderland film. Throw in Charli xcx's pulsating original songs and Anthony Willis's overwhelming score, and you've got a bombastic world that does more to distract than solidify the emotional journey of these iconic literary figures.
I don't believe all book-to-screen adaptations need to be carbon copies. And maybe if you haven't read the novel, "Wuthering Heights" will work for you. But I must have read a different book in my teens than Fennell, because her vision obscures my memory of it – as it will for many Wuthering Heights fans out there.
Sonic fans, here is something really cool for you today. A team of modders has just released a new version of Sonic Megamix Mania. Sonic Megamix Mania is a mod for Sonic Mania Plus that aims to carry the torch of the discontinued ROM hack, Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix. For those who did not know, … Continue reading Sonic Megamix Mania V1.0a has just been released on PC→
Team Jade, the team behind the recent Delta Force game, is currently working on a new PvPvE tactical squad-based FPS called Project Spectrum. Project Spectrum will be released on PC, and below you can find its first gameplay footage. Project Spectrum is a free-to-play tactical horror shooter with squads, monsters, and AI enemies. It mixes … Continue reading Gameplay footage revealed for Project Spectrum, a new PvPvE tactical squad-based FPS→
With both the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, the visual experience on Sony’s console is incredible, especially when paired with the right TV for gaming. Playing games at 4K resolution and 60fps on the PS5 Pro is fantastic, but to really get into it, you need the audio experience to match. You’ll do justice in a home theater setup with the proper 7.1 speakers or a great soundbar, but you probably don’t want to be rattling your walls at all times. That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice sound quality – one of the most important PS5 accessories is a good gaming headset, and there are plenty out there.
I’ve rounded up my recommendations for the best PS5 headsets you can buy now. I’ve also split my picks into several categories to make the choice easier since prices vary and each headset emphasizes different features and qualities that may matter more to you than others. For example, the Pulse Elite is one of the best picks for PS5 since it’s a Sony first-party product that features some nice platform integration. But if you’re willing to spend more for pure audio quality, the newly updated Audeze Maxwell 2 is an easy choice, while the recent BlackShark V3 Pro put Razer back in the conversation with excellent noise cancellation. If you want to ditch having something clamping over your head entirely, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds elevate earbuds to the headset levels of performance.
TL;DR - These Are the Best PS5 Headsets
When it comes to our picks, you may notice some crossover in our best overall gaming headsets roundup since many of them have PS5-specific models that take advantage of the console’s specific features. There are also a few first-party options that make the most of the PS5 with features like Tempest 3D spatial audio and further customization that’s native to the platform. Regardless of what you go for, you’ll end up with something great, which I can attest to since I have first-hand experience with every product I recommend. Everything from sound quality and comfort to ease-of-use and feature set are all factors in deciding which headsets get my stamp of approval. Below, you can read my detailed explanations behind each pick to help you decide which one is right for you. As new headsets come out and I test more of them, I’ll update this list to make sure you’re looking at the top picks.
1. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro
The Best PS5 Headset
It seems like everywhere you look for headset recommendations, you’ll come across someone singing the praises of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro – us included. It’s the current top pick in our overall best gaming headset roundup and it’s also tremendous when using it on the PS5. You still get all the great features with some new technology including active noise cancellation and improved audio all around. Using a hybrid noise-canceling system with four mics, you can drown out harsh noises from outside your room to the ambient hum of loud fans. But it's the full compatiblity with the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio that give it the edge, which is one of console-specific perks you should expect from a top-end headset such as this one.
Most importantly, the Nova Pro offers some fantastic sound quality out of the box with bold and balanced audio for those PlayStation-exclusive single-player cinematic experiences. Its positional audio is great as well, so it's easier to hear enemy footsteps around the corner or gauge the distance of action happening in a competitive shooter like Call of Duty Warzone or Apex Legends.
The Arctis Nova Pro represents the biggest design shift since the start of the Arctis lineup. Its telescoping arms on its adjustable headband better accommodate larger head sizes and proper fitment. The earcups are also slimmer and sleeker, giving off less of a gaming headset vibe and more of a look akin to wireless headphones without sacrificing the comfort SteelSeries headsets are known for. And one of our favorite features remains intact with a few upgrades: the hot-swappable rechargeable battery system. This means that when the battery runs low during a gaming session, you can quickly change it out without having to plug in, giving you wireless freedom indefinitely.
The Arctis Nova Pro is one of the best headsets you can buy right now, regardless of platform but especially for PS5. It’s well-rounded with uniquely robust features, great sound quality for gaming, and comfort to keep you going. Take our word for it – in our Arctis Nova Pro headset review, it earned a rare 10 for all the aforementioned reasons and more.
2. PlayStation Pulse Elite
Best First-Party PS5 Headset
The PlayStation Pulse Elite wireless headset turned out to be an absolute beast when we reviewed it, which didn’t come as much of a surprise considering its more affordable counterpart, the Pulse 3D, was already a fantastic headset. It has some versatility with Bluetooth connectivity, but when connected to the PS5 with the USB dongle, you can access EQ settings and 3D audio natively. Additionally, you’re able to get audio feeds from both the PS5 and a Bluetooth device simultaneously. With a sleek unibody design, its on-device controls are easy to use since it’s easy to distinguish each button.
But at the end of the day, it’s all about audio quality, and the Pulse Elite delivers on that front. The planar magnetic audio drivers help minimize distortion and provide tremendous sound quality that’ll get the most out of your games. There’s strong bass that doesn’t overpower other frequencies, and playing games at loud volumes doesn’t sound harsh when it comes to the mids and highs. Especially when you use the right EQ settings, the Pulse Elite sounds tuned just right for each game. Sony's own Tempest 3D audio is the cherry on top, and a single-player game that takes advantage of this feature gives the experience of an immersive soundstage few headsets can pull off right.
For $150, you’re getting a lot for your money. It’s priced well below other high-end headsets, yet performs on par with many of them. It’s also packed with several extra features that make the most of the PS5 as a platform. For all that and more, the Pulse Elite is one of the best PS5 headsets you can get today.
3. Sony InZone H9 II
Best PS5 Headset for 3D Audio
The new Sony InZone H9 II gaming headset impresses on many fronts even with its relatively heftier price tag, but above all else, its positional audio is outstanding. It's built for competitive gaming and by extension, the implementation of Tempest 3D audio on the PS5 is some of the best I've experienced. While the overall sound quality struggles to compete with others in its price range, it's well ahead of the Pulse 3D and Pulse Elite headsets with booming bass and clean mids and treble.
When I reviewed the InZone H9 II headset earlier this year, I concluded, "There's a lot I like about the Sony InZone H9 II gaming headset, especially in its lightweight and unassuming design. It's one of the most comfortable options out there complemented by soft fabric earpads and low clamp force. And when it comes to competitive gaming, the audio profile you get is both punchy and detailed, but it'll take some adjustments to get the best sound out of them for music and other games – once it's set, it shines. ANC performance is fantastic, although it'll emphasize the relatively short battery life. At this demanding of a price tag, you have plenty of great options at this upper echelon of gaming headsets – however, if you're willing to mess with settings to get the most out of it for different listening scenarios, I have no trouble recommending the InZone H9 II."
4. Audeze Maxwell 2
Best High-End PS5 Headset
Although our overall top pick is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro and the Pulse Elite on the more affordable end of things, the Audeze Maxwell 2 wedges itself in by prioritizing pure audio quality above all else. Relatively speaking, it's not quite as feature-rich or user-friendly (given how heavy and big the headset itself actually is), but playing any of PlayStation's first-party games or a competitive shooter with the Maxwell 2 will show you why it outclasses other headsets in its price range. It's easy to point to the 90mm planar magnetic drives as the standout spec, but Audeze fine-tuned it based on the already fantastic original Maxwell. I often describe the listening experience as having a home theater strapped to your head because not only does every frequency come through cleanly at loud volumes with strong bass, but you also get a spacious sound profile. It's something headsets tend to struggle with, often due to the nature of
Sony owns Audeze, and while there aren't features that go above-and-beyond on the PS5, you get a great implementation of Tempest 3D audio and this is a fantastic option for single-player games. Virtual surround can be hit-or-miss on headsets, but the Maxwell 2 executes on it well. It also nails core aspects you need from a headset; super-long battery life upwards of 80 hours from a full charge, a solid microphone with good noise isolation, and great comfort to wear for long sessions (despite the heavier weight). The USB-C dongle lets you use it natively on PlayStation and PC to make connectivity easy, and it can be used as a wired headset, too.
Spending $300 or more on a gaming headset can be intimidating, but if you're interested in making the jump, you won't be disappointed by the best-in-class sound quality, which is the biggest reason it earned a 9 in my review of the Audeze Maxwell 2.
5. Razer BlackShark V3 Pro
Best Noise-Canceling PS5 Headset
The latest headset from Razer took me by surprise with how much it genuinely improved over its previous model. With the new BlackShark V3 Pro, you get a rare combo of top-notch audio performance, long-term comfort with sports mesh padding, and powerful active noise cancellation. Even with the sports mesh upholstery on the earpads, which typically doesn't create as good of a seal for natural sound isolation compared to leatherette, it is impressively strong at blocking outside noise through ANC. While many other headsets come with some noticeable distortion with ANC enabled, the BlackShark V3 Pro still comes through with clean and detailed sound quality. So, if ANC is of utmost importance, Razer is doing it better than most here.
While every model of the BlackShark V3 Pro will work on the PS5, there is a white color scheme with blue stitching to match the platform's aesthetic, and it looks fantastic. More importantly, its expansive feature set helps it stand out from a crowded lineup; wired analog audio, Bluetooth, ANC, great microphone clarity, fine-tuned EQ profiles, solid battery life, smart implementation of 3D audio, sensible onboard controls, and the lowest latency (on paper) from a wireless headset thus far. Razer paid attention to the little things, and it paid off in a worthy flagship product.
There was a lot to praise in my review of the BlackShark V3 Pro, even though it comes in at a whopping $250 at retail price. It has a fairly balanced audio profile, but can really sing with punchy bass and clean mids when tuned right, which was apparent in the many rounds of Call of Duty Warzone I played when I was reviewing it. When you stack it against the likes of the Audeze Maxwell and SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro recommended above, it easily competes with those high-end juggernauts, making it one of the top gaming headsets for PS5 and one of Razer's best yet.
6. Turtle Beach Stealth 500
Best Budget PS5 Headset
Years of solid headsets proves that Turtle Beach knows what it's doing, and its high-end offerings have been competitive options for a while now. But as I go down the pricing hierarchy, there are still impressive headsets like the Stealth 500 that punches above its weight. Although it’s quite bulky in its physical build, I find the Stealth 500 to be smartly designed with a super flexible headband that's durable and lightweight, which also translates to solid comfort that’s easy on the ears.
What's most important is sound quality, and what you get from the Stealth 500 is nothing to scoff at. While it may struggle in higher frequencies, which tend to sound a bit crunchy at louder volumes, its strong bass and clear mids make games sound full without coming across as artificial. With the Swarm II software’s Signature Sound profile, you’ll be set without having to fiddle with too many settings. Its positional audio was great as well, which I sussed out while playing ranked matches of Counter-Strike 2, so you don’t really need to shell out the big bucks to get that kind of advantage in competitive games on PS5.
Even at this price point, you get Bluetooth capabilities and can swap between devices with the press of a button. While the mic isn’t anything to boast about, it’s serviceable and can be customized in the software as well. It’s no surprise that there are compromises that need to be made in budget-level headsets, but it gets the essentials right, which earned it an 8 in my Stealth 500 review.
7. HyperX Cloud III
Best Wired PS5 Headset
No matter which version of the HyperX Cloud headset you go with, you'll be getting a quality product. If you’re running on a budget and want to get the most bang for your buck, I always recommend the wired HyperX Cloud III, which can often be found below its $100 base price. It punches above its weight with impressive sound and mic quality and great comfort. Plus, it’s built like a brick house so it’s not going to fall apart through years of use.
Out of the box, the Cloud III impressed me with its build and durability – its aluminum frame can be flexed and contorted in any which direction without ever feeling like it’s going to break. Stretching the headset out to fit on your head is super easy and you can toss them on your desk without worrying about damaging them. It's built for comfort as well with dense foam earpads wrapped in a leatherette (just be aware it tends to get a bit sweaty), although its clamp force may be a bit much for some.
At the end of the day, it’s all about sound quality and the Cloud III handles various frequencies wonderfully. In my Cloud III headset review, I felt comfortable tracking enemy footsteps while playing a ton of Valorant and enjoyed the balanced audio in Final Fantasy XIV, which this more budget-friendly headset handled gracefully. Assuming you’re on a budget, you probably don’t want to spend extra on a decent microphone – luckily, the mic clarity on the Cloud III was equally as impressive.
While there is a wireless version of the Cloud III available, the wired model presents some of the best value and performance. Something like the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro is a current analog favorite, but since you're plugging into the DualSense when you're using a wired headset on PS5, it somewhat limits what you can get out of said headset. Thus, the Cloud III strikes the better value proposition.
8. SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
Best PS5 Earbuds
Gaming earbuds are a fairly recent trend with the notable peripheral companies like Razer, Asus, and PlayStation making their own that are suited for games. It's tough because of the limited driver size and battery life, earbuds tend to make sacrifices in one way or another. But the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are so impressive because of how uncompromising these little rounded buds are.
On top of having solid foundations of sound quality, battery life, and long-term comfort, SteelSeries has one of the most robust software suites, which is easily controllable through a mobile app. This takes out the inconvenience of having to flip through PS5 menus to customize the earbuds, while also letting you access its 100+ custom-tuned EQ profiles easily.
Although there are a few minor inconveniences with how some of its quality-of-life features work (autoplay when taking it on and off, connecting through Bluetooth reliably), the GameBuds do all the important things extremely well. While you should definitely use these as your primary earbuds to listen to music on your phone, they really shine in games with the kind of bold audio experience you expect from a headset. For all that and more, I gave a 9 to the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds in my review, and they'll pair nicely with your PS5.
At $160, these have cheaper base price than the Razer Hammerheads I previously recommended. While I still think the Hammerheads have a very slight edge in sound quality, it's the battery life, software support, and overall comfort that make the GameBuds the best all around.
Best PS5 Headset Changelog
2/6/26: Updated our high-end pick from the Audeze Maxwell to its successor, the Maxwell 2. It's a bit heavier, but has an updated strap alongside its outstanding battery and sound quality.
8/6/25: The newly released Razer BlackShark V3 Pro replaced the Alienware Pro as the top pick for best noise-canceling headset, which just edged it out with its ANC performance, feature set, and overall sound quality. My former pick is still a great headset, however, which I outline in my Alienware Pro review.
PS5 Headsets FAQ
How do you determine sound quality on a gaming headset?
There are ways to extract audio data from a headset to get a look at how they handle various frequencies, like artificial ear and audio analyzing software, but that alone won’t be able to tell you what the actual audio experience is like. Admittedly, it can be quite abstract to have someone describe what games, music, or movies sound like. Paying attention to descriptors like distortion, drowning, cleanliness, or balance when talking about frequencies are common ways to explain the sound quality of a device, and at some point you need to trust the reviewer’s trained ear.
There’s also the factor of driver size, the actual hardware that delivers the audio. Generally, bigger drivers means better potential for cleaner and bolder sound, but again, that alone isn’t going to determine whether or not a headset sounds good. Quality can also come down to spatial or positional audio which gives the impression of sound effects having distance and direction – it’s important for competitive settings but can make for audio more suited for cinematic games.
As I talk about further down, the PS5 in particular has embraced 3D audio in a way other platforms have not. It may seem like a gimmick at first glance, but when done right, it can give you a genuinely immersive experience – not just for direction and distance, but also verticality in the sound design. This gives headsets like the Pulse Elite and Pulse 3D an advantage when picking out the best PS5 headset since 3D audio definitely affects how good games can sound.
What makes gaming headsets different from headphones?
Gaming headsets tend to pack additional features that support the actual gaming experience, some of which may be gimmicky, but many that I would call essential. Not everyone wants to have a standalone microphone, for example, but the key feature that separates a headset from headphones is a built-in microphone. While most headset mics are passable in terms of clarity that can suffice for in-game communication, some go the extra mile to provide better clarity or mitigate ambient noise spilling through.
Good gaming headsets are generally tuned to pick up on certain sound effects and have a more intimate sound profile since you’re an active participant in the experience rather than a passive observer (especially in competitive games). When it comes to wireless capabilities, most gaming headsets come with 2.4GHz USB dongles for the lowest latency possible – something that wireless headphones rarely include. As you’ll see in the next section, software suites for USB-based headsets (wireless or otherwise) have gotten sophisticated and sometimes offer a level of customization for specific gaming scenarios.
Should I go wired or wireless for a gaming headset?
Of course, it depends on your needs. On PC, I still gravitate towards wired headsets and headphones since I tend to prefer the sound profiles of a properly-tuned analog audio device (I also tend to forget about charging devices until it’s too late, but that’s a me-problem). However, battery life and latency of modern gaming headsets have come so far that you rarely, if ever, see them being issues on the latest releases. Good software suites and apps can also help you get more out of your headset by letting you customize EQ settings or swap sound profiles for certain games.
Wireless headsets are also sometimes capable of multi-device connectivity and simultaneous Bluetooth, which makes them versatile and opens them up to more use-cases (especially swapping to a mobile connection within seconds). Even though they tend to be more expensive, there’s a lot of upside to going with a wireless gaming headset, just be sure you know what you’ll be getting out of it.
On PS5, you're better going off with a wireless headset, though. Since 3.5mm analog wired audio devices have to go through the DualSense controller's, there's an upper limit to how good they can sound. Don't get it twisted, though – headsets and headphones can still sound great when fed through the DualSense, but it'll be diminishing returns when using audiophile-type gear. After all, the console experience is best when free of wires.
Is 3D audio worth it?
Made specifically for the PS5, Tempest 3D AudioTech to simulate 360-degree audio in supported PS5 games. That means you can tell the direction the audio is coming from, be it a helicopter overhead or enemy fire coming from whichever direction, it's an experiential marvel more so than an advantage. It’s similar to Windows Sonic on the Xbox Series X/S, but Sony has embraced it to greater extent and its implementation on the PS5 is a really neat perk. And to boot, plenty of the best PS5 headsets support Sony’s 3D audio, including the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P, Sony Pulse 3D, and PlayStation Pulse Elite wireless headset.
The Sony Pulse 3D does a good job showing off the PS5’s next-gen 3D audio tech, whereby noises and sounds are emulated to appear in a 360-degree space around your ears, and even expressing a greater level of verticality to positional sound in some instances. It’s straightforward to set up, comfortable, and surprisingly affordable for an official PlayStation headset, and a great choice if you want to see exactly what the PS5’s 3D audio can do.
Do you need a Bluetooth adapter for your PS5?
If you're hoping to connect wireless headphones and headsets to your PS5, you will need a compatible Bluetooth adapter. The PS5 does not currently support direct pairing with any Bluetooth headphones for audio output. However, when it comes to latency, you're best served using headsets with 2.4GHz dongles, which all our recommended headsets come with.
What is PlayStation Link?
PlayStation Link is Sony’s latest wireless connectivity standard that provides a lightning-fast connection, lossless audio, and ultra-low latency with easy switching between different devices. The PlayStation Portal is the only gaming device with the technology built-in. So, you’ll need the PS Link USB dongle when using the PS5, PS5 Slim, PS5 Pro, and PC. Still, at the moment, only a couple of Sony’s peripherals have this technology, including the PlayStation Pulse Elite wireless headset in this guide.
Michael is the tech reviews editor at IGN, but regularly contributes to games coverage with reviews, features, and news.
The Crunchyroll Store has officially launched its annual Warehouse Sale, which typically features some of the best deals of the year on anime media and merchandise. New items will go on sale each week, but plenty of these are limited stock collectibles that will sell out before the next cycle of deals. Leading up to Valentine’s Day, we’re already seeing up to 70% discounts on anime Blu-rays and figures as well as clothes and accessories.
Crunchyroll Launches Massive Warehouse Sale on Anime Merch
These discounts are spread across the Crunchyroll Store, with specific sections dedicated to figures and physical media. Starting on Thursday, the store will also unveil weekly “Super Steal” deals that only last 48 hours.
On top of the general selection of deals, each week will also highlight media and merch from specific anime series, with this week’s headliners being Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (which happen to be airing new seasons), as well as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Dragon Ball, and Naruto.
Plenty of deals extend beyond those series. For example, forever my top pick, Crunchyroll’s exclusive steelbook edition of the 1996 Berserk anime, has dropped below $50. The Solo Leveling Collector’s Omnibus Novel has also gotten a solid 50% discount, and a relatively clean One Piece sweater has dropped under $20.
As always, Crunchyroll member discounts may be stacked on top of eligible deals. Free shipping is also available through the Mega and Ultimate Fan tiers, and is otherwise automatically applied on any orders over $75.
A lot is going on in the world of anime streaming. Crunchyroll recently increased prices on its streaming service relatively soon after removing the option for free streaming with ads. The increase also followed the launch of the digital service Crunchyroll Manga. Since the hike, the anime hub has announced that it will be developing its own line of original video games for inclusion in the Crunchyroll Game Vault.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
Ah, the Big Game. An annual chance for football fans to root for their team (frequently, if you happened to grow up in New England in the dynasty era like I did), take in some world-class entertainment at the halftime show, and load up not just on dairy and carb confections, but that most delectable of American treats… advertising! Lots of those immaculately produced commercials are there to remind you of products and services you already love (horse beer! Sports gambling app!), but ‘round the ol’ IGN, we get especially excited for the sneak peeks of upcoming movies and TV shows.
Super Bowl LX featured previews of some of 2026’s most anticipated releases. We got new looks at Supergirl, Disclosure Day, Scream 7, Hoppers, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, Minions and Monsters, Project Hail Mary, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Studios, networks, and streamers use Super Bowl ad space (and the truckloads of money it takes to buy it) to let general audiences know what they’ve got cooking, and why you and everyone else you’re watching the game with should be getting jazzed for it. Hell, Netflix even dropped a whole-ass Cloverfield movie on us during one of these spots a few years ago, and a lot of people who may not have otherwise cared ended up watching it because of that hype… even if popular opinion has settled into that whole-ass Cloverfield movie being kinda half-assed. Point being: You can drive a lot of eyeballs to your movie or show with a well-placed Super Bowl ad.
But there was one ad this year for a summer 2026 release that put a pit in my stomach.
The Mandalorian and Grogu just used 30 very expensive seconds of Sam Elliott voiceover and the bones of a Budweiser advertisement to incept Silver Man and Green Boy back into your brains without showing off more of the $150 million-plus budgeted movie the two star in, which releases in just a few months.
I have a bad feeling about this.
In the early days of The Mandalorian’s meteoric popularity on Disney+, it seemed like the idea of eventually wrapping up the show’s story with a big summer blockbuster could be rooted in a desire to legitimize the streaming series as just as worthy of a theatrical release as any of the other Skywalker Saga or legacy-heavy spinoff movies. Sentiment around the show has wavered over the years, and even still, I don’t consider myself one of those people who believe the show’s gone off the rails. Largely, I haven’t minded The Mandalorian’s shift into exploring Mandalorian culture from perspectives other than Din Djarin’s, even if I do agree that it’s kept the narrative from feeling as cohesive and punchy as it did in the earlier days. Has the Disney era of Star Wars been perfect? Of course not. But at the end of the day, I’m just a boy, holding his broom aloft, looking out at the sky and hoping to see a good Star War.
So why isn’t Disney showing us more of the new Star War?
In these complicated times, I’m a big fan of the philosophical frame of “Occam’s razor,” or the idea that the simplest explanation is usually the right one. The first (and, to date, only) trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu debuted at D23 in August 2024 and, naturally, leaked online immediately after that. Those trailers are supposed to be special, “you had to be there” moments for attendees of those kinds of events, but even through the off-screen recordings, it was clear that this first look wasn’t evoking much sense that Din Djarin and Grogu were getting all that much of a glow-up in their transition to the big screen. No, the overwhelming response has seemed to be some version of “it just looks like an episode of the show” or, more succinctly, “...that’s it?” Not even the additional footage added in the official release of the trailer late last year, not even Jeremy Allen White’s stronkboy Rotta the Hutt has seemed to be enough to move the needle on fan excitement. At least not that I’ve been able to see on my scanners and radars.
But Disney’s still got a movie to sell. So what do you sell when you’re seemingly averse to selling the movie itself? Based on the Big Game spot, it seems like the answer is nostalgia… for a 6-year-old branch of the Star Wars tree. Super Bowl ads are a hefty investment. Just 30 seconds of ad space costs $8 million. I can’t imagine Disney spent any less than a million bucks on sledge-bearing tauntauns, getting Sam Elliott into a VO booth, and getting Grogu out of his trailer. A drop in the bucket for Disney, sure, but it’s still a lot of money, and you’ve gotta wonder what the Mouse House was looking to buy with it.
To make an educated guess on that, let’s check out the component parts of the ad: Sam Elliott’s gravelly voiceover – a mainstay of American advertising – intoning about how “sometimes we choose our path,” and that we’re “driven by a deeper purpose.” Pair that with the distant sight of majestic creatures running through the snow, and eight seconds into this thing, visions of classic “yearning for simpler times” ads from beer or automotive companies are likely dancing through your head. It becomes clear right around then that these are tauntauns as Elliott mentions all that rugged individualism being guided by an “unseen force,” just as Grogu takes the reins from Din Djarin… with the unseen Force. The first half of the trailer gets your nostalgia juices boiling, the second half reminds you how damn cute that puppet is. The logo for the movie comes up, and we’re back to watching the Seahawks defense absolutely stymie the Pats.
Really, the full text of the ad’s voiceover makes this all as clear as Cerveza Cristal:
Sometimes we choose our path. Other times, the path chooses us.
Through it all, we keep pushing forward:
Driven by a deeper purpose, guided by an unseen Force.
The journey never gets any easier; the bond just gets harder to break.
This is the way.
Only in theaters and IMAX May 22.
WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT EVEN MEAN!? Look, I may be thinking a little too much about this, but if none of this has been rolling around in your noggin in the last 24 hours, I’d encourage you to think about it just a little more critically. From how Disney has chosen to frame this ad, the only conclusion I can draw from The Mandalorian and Grogu spot is that Disney sees value in letting us know the movie’s coming, but not in letting us see more of what the movie actually looks like.
Disney’s spent the last decade working out how best to serve its multi-billion dollar investment in the Star Wars franchise and do right by the fans at the same time – they’ve had unquestionablesuccesses in that space. New leadership will inevitably revitalize and push that effort in different directions, and I’m optimistic it will lead to even more great Star Wars stories. Hem and haw about how scared you are about the potential Filonification of Star Wars, but after “somehow, Palpatine returned” and the trainwreck of Rise of Skywalker which followed, I’m happy to give Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan the benefit of the doubt. Fear leads to the dark side, after all. But the dawn of the New Lucasfilm Order has not yet touched the horizon: There’s night yet to journey through, and a commercial spoof’s not convincing me that we’re going to make it through the darkness unscathed.
Good or bad, I just wish The Mandalorian and Grogu, the first new Star Wars movie to hit theaters in seven years, wasn’t being treated like a dirty little secret. Because “unseen Force” is a phrase I want to associate with that which surrounds and binds us, not the Rotten Tomatoes consensus the Monday after the movie comes out. I’m going into it with a wary mind, but an open heart.
As the ad says, The Mandalorian and Grogu releases in theaters on May 22.
Tom Jorgensen is a senior video producer at IGN, where he also regularly reviews movies and interviews creative people. You can check out more of Tom's stuff on his Instagram (@jomtorgensen), X (@tom_jorgensen), and Bluesky (@tom-jorgensen.bsky.social) accounts, where he promises to never refer to himself in the third person like he has to in this very text box right here.
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