The Astro A50 headset was the first high-end (more than $300) headset that I owned many moons ago, and for the longest time, it was the go-to option for any gamer wanting the best, but many have been waiting for the next iteration in the A50 series, and it has arrived in the A50 X.
This is the most exciting headset drop since the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and for many including myself, will solve a number of issues that have been brought with the next-generation consoles. The first is that I simply don’t have enough HDMI ports, which is only an issue since HDMI 2.1 became a thing, and the second is that with both Sony and Xbox locking down their audio even more with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, this is really the first headset to be fully compatible with both consoles for game/chat audio.
Whether you need it or not, Logitech is to be commended for what it has with the Astro A50 X. The dock with doubles as a charging station essentially has a HDMI 2.1 switcher built-in and whilst it could have gone all kinds of wrong, it works flawlessly. The setup involves plugging in your HDMI cords from your PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as well as a USB cord from both for chat audio. If you’re wanting to connect your PC and are lucky enough to have it in the same spot, there’s a third USB-C port which also doubles as the charging port as well.
The setup will take a bit of time, but as long as you sort it out properly, it doesn’t get too messy in my opinion. It’s worth mentioning that you only get one USB-C cord in the box (for either console) and no HDMI cord which is a little bit odd given the price tag of the headset.
@shannongrixti The new $750 Logitech Astro A50 X wireless headset is also a HDMI 2.1 switcher providing seamless audio from your PS5, Xbox Series X and PC #Logitech #AstroA50X #AstroA50 #LogitechG #Astrogaming #Headset #Gaming #Tech #Astroheadset
I’d also really have loved a third HDMI port for either your PC or Nintendo Switch as well to really complete the setup. I was hoping to connect a mini PC to my TV, and whilst I’d be easily able to get audio from it with the A50 X, I wouldn’t be able to get signal as I’d be back at square one with my HDMI ports in my TV filled up. It’s absolutely solved the issue of connecting both my Xbox Series X|S and PS5 at all time though.
THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $749 WITH FREE DELIVERY
Switching between your consoles is as simple as pressing the Playsync button on the headset which switches between your consoles/PC including both video and audio. I was expecting this to be glitchy but it was absolutely flawless, once I turned off HDMI CEC. My only minor gripe was the fact that even without a PC connected, it still switches to it even though there’s no input.
With this method, you’re able to fully take advantage of audio from both consoles through to the A50 X including game/chat audio balance using the traditional buttons on the right cup. To my knowledge, this is the only headset on the market that can do both game audio as well as game/chat balance from both consoles seamlessly.
The headset can take advantage of Dolby Atmos on Xbox Series X|S, but not on PS5 and this is a little bit painful as it means that you have to deselect Dolby Atmos as an option, and for me with a full Sonos 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos setup, this means that I can’t utilise Dolby Atmos when using my TV sound, or having to swap back and forth, but I won’t blame Logitech for this.
The headset also connects with Bluetooth via the dock to your phone, and you can use this method to connect to your Nintendo Switch as well. It allows for simultaneous connection between your console/PC and your phone, and once you’ve set it up the first time, it was absolutely flawless connecting instantly to my mobile as soon as I put the headset on and disconnecting when it went back into the dock. Because it does connect through the dock, you can’t use the headset out and about. There’s also a phone app that can change between inputs, control your EQ settings and other basic settings such as sidetone.
The A50s have always been prided on how they sound and the A50 X is no different with its Pro-G graphene drivers not too dissimilar to the ones that I tested in the Pro X 2 Lightspeed headset. The audio feels extremely full with a good amount of bass to hear the minor details in the likes of Forza Horizon 5 and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It adds a whole other dimension to games and you absolutely won’t be disappointed in this regard.
Similarly, the microphone is fantastic, with my friends saying that I sounded super crisp online. It’s not detachable, which might be annoying to some, but it does mute on flip-up.
In terms of battery life, you get a 24 hour battery life, but honestly, I’d be shocked if anybody ever used it all, with the dock allowing you to simply place the headset onto it to keep it charged, which works as well as it ever has.
The Astro A50 X is absolutely pricey at $750, but HDMI 2.1 switching functionality isn’t cheap, and if you’re somebody who has a PS5/Xbox Series X|S in the same place, it’s a small price to pay for the convenience of having one headset to rule them all. If you’ve also got your PC in the same spot, even better.
