PSVR is still quite new to many households, and is easily the cheapest and most accessible VR to date. Part of making the PSVR affordable meant cutting out some things like 360° tracking and built-in headphones, but Bionik’s Mantis headphones for PSVR feel about as integrated as a 3rd-party headset could.
Mantis PSVR Headphones
Developer: Bionik
Price: $49.99
Monstervine was given a pair of Mantis headphones for the purpose of this review.
The first thing that I noticed when setting up my Mantis headphones was how incredibly easy it was. The left and right speakers latch onto the sides of the headset strap separately, and a single wire connects both of them to the headphone jack on the PSVR’s cable. It took about 30 seconds and was remarkably stable for how easy it was to set up.
I don’t often enjoy the type of earbuds that come with the PSVR, so I was relieved when I discovered the Mantis’s round on-the-ear approach, much like the Oculus Rift’s default headphones. When clipped onto the headset, they can easily flip up and down for quick sound removal. Mantis is far more comfortable than the default earbuds not only because of this convenience, but also cable management. With the default buds, I had two wires loosely hanging over my shoulders and down the PSVR cord, often bumping into me or getting pulled out. Additionally, the Mantis headphones converge into a single wire much earlier, and follow the PSVR cord much nicer without me bumping into it during play.
Aside from comfort, I felt that the Mantis headphones did an incredible job with immersion—providing a wider dynamic range and more accurate directional sound than the default earbuds. Unfortunately, the ear pads don’t firmly press down on your ears, allowing outside sound to leak in a bit more than would be ideal. This usually isn’t a problem unless you don’t live alone, or are trying to have an immersive experience while showing spectators the experience with sound.
The Final Word
Bionik’s Mantis PSVR headphones feel like a natural addition to the PSVR kit in appearance, installation and functionality. Improving both comfort and immersion, their only downside is a somewhat loose fit on the ears themselves. Considering the relatively low price, I’d absolutely recommend these headphones for any serious PSVR users.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
