Since its acquisition by Logitech, Astro Gaming is often considered the luxury branch of the Swiss range and this is confirmed with the Logitech G Astro A50 X that we have the pleasure of testing.
For many years, the Astro A50 has established itself as one of the most prominent high-end wireless gaming headsets. Today, the Astro A50 PS5 and Xbox Series. This feature is particularly appealing to gamers with both systems, and the Bluetooth connectivity makes it attractive for on-the-go listening as well. However, with a price of 400 euros, the A50 X is positioned in a very high price segment.
A qualitative design and robust construction for the A50 X
Available in black or white versions, the A50 X will be familiar to Astro fans from before the Logitech era. Indeed, the helmet and its headband are almost identical to the old A50s. It sports Astro-style earpieces suspended on hard plastic struts that connect to metal stems. They swivel 90 degrees to allow the headset to lay flat, and the earbuds can tilt vertically for optimal comfort against the ear. The headband, adjustable along the metal rods, is made up of two rectangular bands, with fabric-covered foam facing downward, resting against the scalp. The earbuds, headband, and spacers are plastic, but they’re sturdy and feel really solid
The headset features foam ear cushions wrapped in breathable fabric, magnetically attached to each earbud and easily interchangeable. A very good point for cleanliness freaks. For those who prefer faux leather, it is possible to replace these pads with alternatives available in the Astro A50 Gen 4 Mod Kit, sold at 39.99 euros. The ear cushions are soft and the headband is flexible enough to ensure optimal comfort during long gaming sessions.
Simple but effective controls
The microphone, located on the left earcup, is fixed and automatically mutes when raised. It can rotate up to approximately 130 degrees. All ports and controls are on the right earcup, with a rear panel functioning as a voice/game mixer. There is also a power switch, buttons for devices and Bluetooth, as well as a volume wheel. A USB-C port for wired charging is located at the base of the earbud.
The earphones have a distinctive feature with three charging contacts located on their bottom edges, providing a convenient solution for charging them on the supplied base station. The headset’s charging light glows orange while charging, although aligning it with the base station can be tricky. It is better to take your time to put it back on, otherwise you risk having a headset that discharges itself during the night.
Base Station, welcome to the future
The trapezoidal base station functions as both charger and transmitter. This is the most significantly improved part of the A50 For old models you had to constantly switch with a button or via the manufacturer’s application. This is no longer the case.
The front of the base station is sleek with four LEDs indicating the headset’s battery level and a device icon illuminating to show the active connection. It’s at the back where things get a little complicated. There are three USB-C ports, each associated with an HDMI port. The pair of ports on the left are for an Xbox, the one in the middle is for a PlayStation, and the one on the right is for a PC and the screen of your choice. This new setup means that the A50’s 3.5mm auxiliary input, optical audio inputs and outputs, and USB-A port are gone. It is therefore no longer possible to connect an analog or optical audio source, to chain the audio connection or to charge another device with the base station.
What about the connectors? How it works ?
For use with a PC, simply plug the long USB-C combo cable into the port in the PC section. This cable splits into two outlets, a USB-C that connects to the included power adapter and a USB-A that plugs into your PC. That’s all you need to start gaming on PC.
The PlayStation and Xbox must be connected via USB and HDMI, with their video outputs routed to the base station via an HDMI 2.1 cable to pass 4K HDR video. The HDMI output goes to your TV or monitor. The base station thus functions as an HDMI switch, switching between a PlayStation and an Xbox by pressing the device button on the headset. It may seem complex, but in fact it is very simple and a small manual explains everything in detail and in images. The headset can also connect to a phone or any other Bluetooth compatible device to enjoy stereo sound.
The A50 X delivers breathtaking sound
The A50 X supports spatial audio and includes compatibility for Dolby Atmos when connected to a Windows PC or Xbox. The PS5’s own 3D audio functionality also works by default with the headset. These characteristics enable an immersive experience, particularly appreciated in games and media where spatialization of sound is crucial.
The Logitech G Astro A50 X proves to be a gaming headset with exceptional audio performance, offering an immersive sound experience for both games and music. As is often the case with our headphone tests, we bring out the good old Wagner Tannhäuser song because it covers a very wide frequency range. The result is spectacular and simply sumptuous. It’s enjoyable for the ears. The balance is very good, with particular attention paid to the low-mids and mids.
In game, the same observation on Hunt Showdown, FPS in which sound has a particular importance in the gameplay. Particularly in terms of spatialization to hear the adversaries arriving. The different superimposed sound effects, such as a gunshot and the screams of a dead player, were very precise. Respect. And the quality doesn’t stop there…
Quality microphone
While the microphone benefits from its own EQ, it lacks the customization options and expanded features powered by Blue Microphones as in other high-end headsets from Logitech, like the G Pro I was also able to test it here on Gameblog. However, this is not necessary since the microphone already offers exceptional sound quality right out of the box. Your voice is clear, limpid and flawless for your interlocutor.
The Logitech G Astro A50 X stands out as an excellent gaming headset, a worthy successor to the Astro A50. With its quality sound performance and unique ability to connect to PlayStation and Xbox consoles, while acting as an HDMI switch between them, it presents a distinct advantage for owners of these consoles. If you are a PC gamer and all this does not interest you, you will still have in your hands an extraordinary audio rendering. Despite everything, with a price of 400 euros it remains difficult to recommend it in all situations. Because a PC gamer will get along just as well with a G Pro X 2 Lightspeed whose sound quality is still quite close, even if perhaps slightly below in terms of spatialization.
TECHNICAL SHEET
- Price : 399€
- Weight : 363 grams
- Compatibility : PS5, PS4, Xbox, Switch, Windows, Mac, tablets Microphone : Yes
- Autonomy : 24 hours
- Connections : USB-C, Lightspeed wireless
- Microphone noise reduction : Yes