Logitech G Astro A50 X Review

About the Logitech Astro A50 X

Astro headsets have a distinctive appearance and it only takes a glance to see that the A50 X is a member of the family. If you’ve been waiting for big updates to the design, you’ll need to keep waiting.

It keeps the same square earcups on notched adjustment arms, the same flip-to-mute microphone boom (the mic itself is upgraded), and the same game-chat mix controls on the right earcup. It also brings back the base station, which recharges the headphones whenever they’re docked. It’s a familiar, tried and true design, if not the most exciting.

The updates this generation are all within that framework but move this headset from a run-of-the-mill peripheral to the very center of your gaming setup. It's compatible with each of the major consoles and can swap between three of them on the fly (three audio, two video and audio) with a single button press on the side of the headset.

New HDMI 2.1 passthrough technology built into the base station allows it to change the input on your TV as well as the audio coming through to your headset, all without picking up a remote or sacrificing the full 4K, 120Hz signal. The battery lasts 60% longer than the previous generation, it’s lighter, and if that weren’t enough, it also offers major improvements to audio quality and comms.

Logitech Astro A50 X specs

• Cost: $380
• Style: Over-ear
• Colors: White, black
• Drivers: 40mm PRO-G Graphene drivers
• Wireless connection: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz LIGHTSPEED wireless
• Wired connection: N/A
• Device compatibility: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, mobile
• Microphone: Non-detachable boom microphone
• Battery Life: Up to 24 hours per charge
• Virtual Surround Sound: Dolby Atmos
• Weight: 12.80 ounces (363g)
• Special Features: Broadcast-grade microphone, charges via base station, PlaySync switching between connected devices over HDMI 2.1 inputs, customizable through both mobile or PC apps
• Warranty: 2-year limited hardware warranty

What we like

It sounds seriously good

What matters most with any gaming headset is how good it sounds, and the Astro A50 X is a winner. I usually opt for headsets that put sound quality at the top of their priority list, like the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless or Audeze Maxwell, and crave balance and clarity. I stop short of calling myself an audiophile but the shoe fits.

And that’s why the A50 X is such a pleasant surprise. Logitech has upgraded this model with the 40mm graphene drivers used in its G Pro X 2 headset and in doing so, offered the venerable A50s a shot in the arm. The sound is more balanced, more detailed, and more immersive.

Bass hits hard but is fast and filled with texture. Explosions have a visceral quality but don’t overwhelm the important positional details of the mids. Testing these cans with The Finals was a particular joy because they highlighted the weight and body of the game’s destruction without leaving me to struggle to pick out where my target happened to be, even as walls exploded around me.

The highs are also well balanced—raised enough to make details like gunshots and soundtracks sound crisp and natural, but tempered enough to prevent them from becoming sharp or fatiguing. Last generation’s A50 audio performance is good, but these are great.

Out of the box, the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless beats them in balance and detail, but it’s close. Using the Logitech G Hub app for PC, and Logitech G Mobile app for Android, I was able to adjust the EQ to get them the rest of the way there.

The microphone is also one of the very best I’ve used in a gaming headset. Logitech has equipped it with a high-resolution omnidirectional microphone that captures a far wider range of frequencies than the majority of the best gaming headsets, wired or otherwise. The built-in noise canceling does a decent job of reducing environmental background noise, but it’s still possible for your keyboard or surroundings to make their way into your stream if they’re loud enough.

Compared to the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro, which was lauded for its microphone quality but only captures 100Hz to 10kHz, the A50 X’s is rated for 60Hz to 20kHz. The closest comparison is to the Antlion ModMic Wireless, is a standalone microphone that retails for $140. The A50 X’s mic is in a class of its own among gaming headsets.

It offers convenience I didn't know I needed

Variety is the spice of life and the Astro A50 X embraces that in a big way. Being able to swap between consoles on the fly with a single tap on the headset is an exceptionally nice feature that I didn't realize I needed until now. Gone are the days of needing to choose a platform or keep two headsets in reserve. Add to that the ability to connect to PC and mobile at the same time and it feels a bit like you have the world at your fingertips.

The versatility to jump between multiple consoles, including changing the input on your TV through the connected base station with the headset’s PLAYSYNC button, is incredibly nice. When most other gaming headsets force you to pick a platform and maintain a headset (or at least a separate dongle) for each console, the A50 X throws that convention to the wind.

Even though it’s expensive, not having to buy a second headset for your Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5 helps put the value into perspective.

You can play all day in complete comfort

The Logitech Astro A50 X is exceptionally comfortable. At 363 grams, it’s not the lightest headset, nor the heaviest, but they balance their weight well. The fabric-lined, memory foam ear cushions are like miniature velour pillows designed to cradle your head. Another cushion is placed right at the top of your head, balancing its weight.

The headband is adjustable by sliding it up and down two small poles helpfully labeled with measurements. Should you ever share your headset with a friend or find it jostled out of place, you can set it back to your exact measurements (or slide them by feel).

This design could be problematic if the grip force wasn't so well-tuned. The headset is just grippy enough to keep the headset from hanging on the top of your head, something that usually leads to sore spots. This balance makes them secure and comfortable to wear, even over many hours, and the material is breathable enough to ward off sweating after an extended gaming session.

What we don’t like

That price…

There’s no dancing around just how expensive the Astro A50 X is. At $380, it’s one of the most expensive gaming headsets on the market. It also offers functionality that other headsets don’t, so you get what you pay for.

But it’s a bitter pill to swallow when every other member of the best gaming headsets club sounds great and will still leave you with enough left over to buy a game or standalone microphone.

There’s no built-in surround sound or ANC

For all of its advancements, the A50 X does leave features on the cutting room floor. There’s no optical input on the base station, for example, but just as meaningful is the lack of built-in surround sound. Prior models included a button on the headset to enable virtual surround across the headset’s supported platforms. This model includes a Dolby Atmos license, which automatically activates for Windows and Xbox. PlayStation 5 users are left with Sony’s built-in spatial audio solution, introducing inconsistency between platforms.

The lack of active noise cancellation is also rather egregious at this price. While it’s arguable whether a gaming headset needs ANC, it’s a big missing feature when lower-cost competitors like the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless and Turtle Beach Stealth Pro both offer it.

The A50 X’s fabric cushions also isolate less noise than either of those headsets, so it would have been a very welcome addition.

All of your platforms need to be close together

The functionality of the base station is inarguably beneficial but it carries with it one big caveat: all of your consoles and your PC need to be close together. If you’re like me, your Xbox and PlayStation are connected to your TV while your PC is separate, maybe even in another room.

To take advantage of the switching capability, each platform needs to be connected to the base station and unless you’re running a lot of wire, the claims of “three device switching” simply won’t work for a lot of people.

It’s also worth noting that the A50 X only supports two devices for video switching. If you’re connecting both a PS5 and Xbox, you can still connect your PC over USB Type-C, but you’ll need to reach for your remote to swap video.

Should you buy the Logitech Astro A50 X?

Yes, if you can stomach the price

The Astro A50 X isn’t the perfect gaming headset, and it’s easy to see how a future version could expand on its concepts further, but it’s absolutely one of the best gaming headsets you can buy right now. It sounds great, has an outstanding microphone, and is comfortable enough to wear for its full extended battery life. It nails the fundamentals and then piles on with its innovative input switching. It’s exceptionally convenient and exceptionally cool.

For all of the benefits, though, it lacks active noise cancellation and built-in surround sound. And, simply put, not everyone will be able to justify spending nearly $400 on a gaming headset. In this case, we recommend the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless or, for even less, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro. Both of these headsets use swappable batteries, which the A50 X lacks.

Still, if you can afford it, the Astro A50 X is simply an outstanding gaming headset that’s bound to impress. It’s a genuine, marked improvement over the last generation and competes with the very best gaming headsets available today and usually coming out on top. And once you get used to controlling your TV with your headset, it’s hard to go back. This headset is a winner.