CM Storm Pulse-R Gaming Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The CM Storm Pulse-R Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

The Pulse-R uses an over-the-head design, meaning that the earpads sit around your ears and press against the sides of your head.

There is plenty of adjustment in the headband which will help you achieve the best possible fit. The headband also features a strip of leatherette-covered foam padding to help distribute the weight of the headset across your head.

We couldn’t say that the Pulse-R is the most comfortable headset that we’ve ever tested, but it’s not too bad. It features leatherette-covered foam earpads which conform nicely to the contours of your head however we found that they gripped our head a little too firmly. This caused some discomfort after a couple of hours of use.

We commenced our testing of the Pulse-R with gaming performance. After all, this is the use which the headset is designed and optimised specifically for. We commenced our gaming tests with of Duty Black Ops 2 and found that the sound-balance of the Pulse-R is well suited to FPS gaming. The bias towards the lower registers rendered explosions with impressive vigour, while ambient noises remained clear throughout.

The headset also performed well in other genres. In DiRT Showdown, the engine noises were rendered with considerable presence and clarity. The only drawback of the Pulse-R is the lack of virtual or dedicated surround-sound which negatively impacts sound-panning. The Pulse-R is no worse than any other stereo headset, but doesn’t come close to matching virtual and dedicated surround-sound headsets in this area.

The lack of sound-panning also negatively impacts the movie playback experience, however it is otherwise fairly impressive. In the opening scenes of the Dark Knight, the deep bass notes were complimented by the bass-heavy nature of the sound balance and there was a limited degree of sound panning noticeable.

Moving on to the music playback performance, we find the real strength of the Pulse-R. Sure, the slight bias towards the lower registers doesn’t suit all genres of music, however we found it preferable in most. Vocals are rendered with impressive clarity and the high and mid-tones are well balanced.

Become a Patron!