The Astro A50 wireless headset is the best gaming headset I’ve ever used, but it comes at a price where the standards are very, very high. Even with some amazing features, there are also some minor issues which may turn some off as well.
Let’s cut right to the chase, and talk about how much the Astro A50 actually costs, and what you’re getting with it. For $300, gamers can buy either a PS4 or Xbox One wireless headset. While both can also be used with a PC, the PS4 headset does not work with Xbox One and vice versa. This is due to how the consoles handle voice chat.
$300 certainly is a lot to spend on a gaming headset. You can get an entire console for less than that! That being said, those who can afford the A50 will be treated to some of the best headphones I have put on my head.
Despite being wireless, the A50 isn’t that heavy. This allows you to play for long sessions without your neck feeling like it’s forced to hold up a couple of rocks. Audio comes in crystal clear, and there isn’t any noticeable lag on audio reception. They are also incredibly comfortable and make zero noise. You won’t be hearing these headphones creak and squeak at all if you move your head while wearing them.
Wireless range for the A50 is also great. I am lucky to live in a comparably large apartment, and could go anywhere with the headphones on and still hear just fine. You may have some issues going into a different room (like when you need to take a bathroom break), but if you can see your TV, you’ll be able to hear it with the headphones.
Players also have the ability to make several different pre-set profiles for the A50 that can be changed on the fly. By hooking up the A50 to a computer, you can go in and tweak all sorts of equalizers to make individual profiles for movies, TV, and even for different games.
To use the headset to talk with friends, simply fold down the microphone arm from the left ear cup, and you’re good to go. To mute yourself, simply flip the arm back up. Playing multiplayer, my friends said I sounded just fine, and they also sounded great on my end. The A50 even has a way to mix your game and chat audio built right into the ear cup to get the perfect balance. Simply tap on the front of the right ear cup for more game audio, or on the back for more chat audio. There are also some great features for streamers, if you happen to be one of those.
The microphone arm isn’t removable, which is a bit of a bummer. Then again, seeing as how these headphones can only work on PC and whichever system they are designed for, it’s not like you can use these as your everyday headphones anyway.
Charging and wireless data transfer is done through a dock that comes with the headset. To sync the headset to your console or PC, simply plug the dock in and you’re good to go. If you happen to own both a PS4 and Xbox One, it will be possible to purchase the other console’s dock and swap your headset between the two docks.
Speaking of charging, the headset seems to take a very long time to charge, but a full charge lasts an incredible amount of time as well. I haven’t even had the headset drop below a 50 percent charge yet. And seeing as how the headphones connect to the dock by simply dropping them right on it, putting the A50 down for the night meant it would be ready to go again in the morning. To help conserve battery life even more, there is an accelerometer in the A50 that can tell if you’ve put the headphones down and walked away. After a few seconds, the headphones will turn themselves off, and turn back on again once you pick them back up.
While the Astro A50 certainly deserves some big praise, it is still a very limited device, especially when you consider the price. $300 buys you a headset that can only be used with either a PS4 or Xbox One and PC. That headset cannot be used for any other device and you cannot remove the microphone arm. These limitations certainly may turn some away for a more practical purchase.
Ultimately, it comes down to how much you are willing to spend. If you have the money to spare, the Astro A50 wireless headset is a fantastic piece of hardware. These are honestly the best headphones I’ve used for gaming, and allow for all sorts of aural customization. If you can’t justify the high price point, I still recommend the HyperX Cloud II headphones, which cost much less and can be used with any device that requires a headphone jack.
So what do you think? Are you interested in getting the Astro A50 wireless headset for yourself? Do you think you’ll keep looking for other options? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
