Bluetooth adapter for PS5 & PS4: What you have to pay attention to when buying
With an adapter you can use your Bluetooth headphones on the PS5 and PS4. But not every Bluetooth adapter is suitable for this.
If you want to play the sound of the PS5 or PS4 wirelessly via headphones, be it for gaming or film streaming, a wireless headset is of course the obvious choice. But what if you already have expensive Bluetooth headphones at home and don’t feel like shelling out a ton of money for a good gaming headset? Then all you need is a Bluetooth adapter. However, not everyone works equally well on the PS5 and PS4. You can find out how to find the right Bluetooth adapter in this article.
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There are many Bluetooth adapters that are basically compatible with the PS5 and PS4. But that doesn’t mean they’re all equally good.
For those of you who don’t want to delve too deep into technical details, we’ve put together a small list of PS5 and PS4 compatible Bluetooth adapters here. However, please note that while all of these adapters will work with the PS5 and PS4, they are not all equally good. In addition to differences in equipment (e.g. with or without a microphone), the most important thing is which audio codecs are supported. For gaming, the aptX LL codec would be best due to its low latency (more on that below).
Sony itself recommends the PlayStation Blog Incidentally, the aforementioned Creative BT-W3. This has the advantage that it comes with a microphone plug supplied, which you can plug directly into the PS4 or PS5 controller via the 3.5mm connector. However, you should not have high expectations of this microphone. If you frequently communicate via voice chat in games and don’t want to get on your team members’ nerves, you should rather use a headset.
For those who want to know a little more about what makes a good Bluetooth adapter for the PS5, here are a few features to look out for when buying:
Drivers and Compatibility
With some adapters, such as the Echtpower Bluetooth 5.0 adapter here, it is very easy to see which devices they are compatible with. Unfortunately, the manufacturers are not always so transparent.
Plug & Play: Before you buy a Bluetooth adapter, you should make sure that it actually works with consoles and does not need a driver that has to be installed on the PC. If you find information such as “driver installation required”, there could be problems when using it with PS5 or PS4. Manufacturer information such as “Plug and Play” is at least a good sign, although it is not yet guaranteed that the consoles are also meant. Even such adapters sometimes only work with the Windows drivers.
PS5, PS4 und Switch: You can only be sure if the compatibility with consoles is explicitly mentioned in the manufacturer’s information. The PS5 or PS4 does not necessarily have to be mentioned. Even with adapters that are compatible with Nintendo Switch, you should generally be on the safe side. With many older adapters, the PS5 is not mentioned anyway because the information has not yet been adjusted.
The right codec: aptX LL for gaming
Bluetooth adapters with aptX-LL support are particularly suitable for gaming thanks to their low latency. (Image source: aptx.com/aptx-low-latency)
Low latency with aptX LL: For gaming, you should get a Bluetooth adapter with the codec aptX LL. LL stands for Low Latency. The latency of Bluetooth adapters with this codec is usually around 30 to 40 ms, which is roughly in the same range as many wireless gaming headsets. With normal aptX you have to reckon with 70 to 100 ms, without aptX with the standard SBC codec it can even be over 200 ms. Cheap adapters that only support SBC are therefore not recommended for gaming.
More quality with aptX HD: Compared to aptX LL, the newer codec aptX HD offers a higher bit rate (576 kbps compared to 352 kbps with aptX LL) and thus potentially better sound, but has latencies of around 200 ms. Especially if you want to be warned of approaching opponents by ambient noise in fast shooters, for example, that’s too much. On the other hand, if you want to use the adapter to listen to music from time to time and have high demands there, it is a good idea to buy a model that supports aptX LL as well as aptX HD.
The right Bluetooth: preferably 5.0
Adapters with Bluetooth 4.0 can work with the PS5. When buying a new one, however, it is better to use an adapter with Bluetooth 5.0. (Pictured: The Avantree DG80 Bluetooth 5.0 Adapter and the TP-Link UB400 Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter)
Sony recommendation: There is no official information on what Bluetooth version the adapter must have in order to connect your headphones to the PS5 or PS4. Sony only recommends an adapter that “supports the current Bluetooth standards”. We assume that this means at least the Bluetooth 5.0 from 2016, which would also match the fact that the Creative BT-W3* is mentioned as an example.
Connection via Bluetooth 4.0 possible: But that doesn’t mean that Bluetooth 4.0 adapters generally don’t work. According to reports, for example, the Asus USB-BT400* and the deleyCON USB Bluetooth-Adapter* get along well with the PS5. So if you still have an old adapter lying around at home, you can at least give it a chance. Of course, whether the connection works or not also depends on your headphones.
Better Bluetooth 5.0: When buying a new one, we would advise you to get a current adapter with Bluetooth 5.0 if in doubt. After all, these not only offer more security in terms of compatibility, but also advantages in terms of range and data rate. However: The extent to which Bluetooth 5.0 actually brings you advantages depends on your type of use and whether your headphones also support the standard.
The right connection: USB-C or USB-A
USB-A on PS4, free choice on PS5: While the PS4 only has USB-A ports, your headphones can be connected to the PS5 via a Bluetooth adapter with both USB-C and USB-A ports. Just keep in mind: the PS5 has three USB-A ports, but only one USB-C port. So before you buy, you should think about whether you might need the single USB-C port for something else. The good, current Bluetooth adapters mostly use USB-C by default, but some come with an additional USB-A plug.
* This buying guide is not commissioned by an advertising partner, but a list of recommendations. The offers listed here are provided with so-called affiliate links. With a purchase via one of these links, you support GamePro: We receive a small commission from the provider without affecting the price. Do you have any suggestions for articles we should include? Feel free to write them in the comments.
Reference-www.gamepro.de