The Astro A50 X Wireless are the next generation of the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, Astro's flagship gaming headphones. While adopting a similar design to their predecessor, this latest iteration comes with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a top-of-the-line wireless gaming headset and some additions that set them apart from the competition. The standout feature here is the new PLAYSYNC function that enables you to switch between three systems (PC, PlayStation, and Xbox) at the press of a button. At the heart of this is a new-look base station that's optimized for HDMI passthrough, featuring three HDMI 2.1 ports and three USB-C ports. There's even the ability to blend your Bluetooth audio signal into your game/chat mix.
The Astro A50 X are great for neutral sound. Their default sound profile has a balanced bass response with ample rumble and thump to add excitement to action-packed sequences. The mid-range as a whole is virtually flat, with a small bump in the high-mids that can help bring out dialogue and vocals. The treble range is more inconsistent, with a veiled low treble and a peak in the mid-treble that accentuates sibilants. You can always adjust the sound via the companion software's parametric EQ and presets. These headphones also deliver consistent audio, regardless of whether you wear glasses. That said, the passive soundstage is mediocre, so if you find it's not up to the task, there's virtual soundstage compatibility for Dolby Atmos, Sony 3D Audio, and Windows Spatial Audio.
The Astro A50 X are mediocre for travel and commuting. They're designed to be a set-and-forget pair of gaming headphones that are tied to a home setup. They're too bulky to carry around with you in a bag, and they lack a case or carrying pouch to protect them while you're on the move. Plus, you'll need to haul the base station around with you to use them. They also offer virtually no attenuation against external noise, so the sounds of your commute will find their way into your audio. They're very comfortable, and their 26-hour battery life is enough to last a few long journeys.
The Astro A50 X Wireless aren't designed for sports and fitness. They score decently for this use in part because they support Bluetooth, but a Bluetooth connection is only possible when also using their base station, which limits their portability. They're also too bulky to be portable, and their lack of stability means they'll fall off your head during more intense bouts of exercise.
The Astro A50 X are alright for office use, though they're not intended for this purpose. Their bulky design and non-detachable boom mic make them stick out a bit from the crowd, but they're comfortable enough to be worn for long days in the office, and their 26 hours of battery life will ensure they stay the course. Their poor noise isolation performance means they won't be blocking out the sound of water cooler chatter near your desk.
The Astro A50 X are great for wireless gaming. They're comfortable and well-built, with a 26-hour battery life that'll get you through the sweatiest gaming marathons. They have a balanced default sound profile that's easy to tweak to your liking via the parametric EQ and presets in the companion app. It's easy to achieve consistent audio delivery each time you use them. The boom mic has excellent recording quality and a similar level of tweakability, although its noise-handling performance isn't the best. The biggest selling point here is the new dock and PLAYSYNC compatibility. For those that game across multiple systems or like to stream, the combination of HDMI and USB-C inputs with Bluetooth functionality offers unparalleled low latency connectivity options to integrate with your setup.
You can't use the Astro A50 X with a wired connection, so they're unsuitable for wired gaming.
The Astro A50 X are alright for phone calls, though they're not really intended for this purpose. The boom mic has excellent recording quality, making your voice sound clear and natural, and the balanced default sound profile will help you understand whoever's on the other end. They're also very comfortable, and you can accept/decline calls via the headphones' controls. They're let down by their terrible noise isolation performance and the mic's sub-par noise handling capabilities. There's no real fix for the former (beyond cranking the audio level at the risk of your hearing), but you can at least tweak the noise gate settings in the companion software to tailor the mic's noise handling more to your liking.
The Astro A50 X don't come in console-specific variants as they offer compatibility with PC, as well as Xbox and PlayStation family consoles. They come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White'. We tested the 'Black' variant; you can see our unit's label here.
If you encounter a different variant of these headphones, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
The Astro A50 X are the next generation of the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019. While they retain their predecessor's simple aesthetic and square ear cups, their connectivity options have been greatly improved. The new hub features three HDMI 2.1 inputs and 3 USB-C inputs to suit a range of gaming setups, and you can toggle between your different consoles and PC with the press of a button. You also get to mix in audio from a Bluetooth device and can tweak the sound profile, mic profile, and noise gate (among many other aspects) through the Logitech G HUB software. So far, this software seems less prone to issues than the Astro Command Center software used by the previous generation. While competitors like the Audeze Maxwell Wireless have a significantly longer battery life, better noise isolation, and the ability to use a wired connection, the Astro's comfortable fit, excellent mic recording quality, and many connectivity options make them a great alternative.
If you're looking for more gaming headphones, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best headsets for Xbox Series X/S, and the best wireless gaming headsets.
The Astro A50 X Wireless are better overall gaming headphones than the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019. The new version introduces more connectivity options via the base station, with USB-C and HDMI 2.1 inputs and the option to switch between different gaming systems and charge the headphones. While both headsets are similarly comfortable and well-built, the newer version have a more accurate bass and mid response, and their companion software is more reliable. They also have a longer continuous battery life. That said, the previous generation have a slightly better passive soundstage performance, better mic noise handling, and give you the option to switch between EQ presets or enable Dolby Digital Surround sound via the physical controls.
The Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless and the Astro A50 X Wireless are both premium gaming headphones that are comfortable and have great build quality. The Astro have a myriad of connectivity options through their base station, with plenty of USB-C inputs and the capability for HDMI passthrough with their three 2.1 inputs, which is ideal for gamers with multiple systems. The PLAYSYNC function also makes it easy to switch between them. They also have a more balanced default sound profile and more intuitive physical controls. However, the base station lacks the Logitech's USB dongle's line-out port. The Logitech have a longer continuous battery life, though, and you can use them with a wired connection.
The Astro A50 X Wireless and the Audeze Maxwell Wireless are both very good gaming headsets with different strengths that might suit your needs better. The Astro have more connectivity options via their base station, with plenty of USB-C inputs and the capability for HDMI passthrough with their three 2.1 inputs. They're also more comfortable and have a better mic recording quality. The Audeze have a more balanced default sound profile, and you can use them with a wired connection. They also have a longer continuous battery life and better noise isolation, and their mic does a better job of separating your voice from background noise.
The Astro A50 X Wireless are better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. While they both have a similar continuous battery life, the Astro are more comfortable and have a more balanced default sound profile with more consistent audio delivery. They also have more modern connectivity options housed in their base station, with USB-C and HDMI inputs that are optimized for HDMI 2.1 passthrough. If you need line in/out and optical ports, the SteelSeries might be the better bet. They also have a much better noise isolation performance and can be used with a wired connection.
The Astro A50 X are similar in design to the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019 and feature the manufacturer's signature square ear cups. They have a minimal, monochromatic aesthetic, regardless of which colorway you opt for, and there's little branding besides the model name emblazoned on the left earcup. There's also a boom mic that you can flip upwards to mute. The overall design is quite bulky, and combined with the non-detachable boom mic, it's hard to envision these headphones being worn casually in public. They come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White.'
These headphones have a comfortable fit. The earcup padding is soft and feels good on the skin, ensuring a comfortable fit across long gaming sessions. The earpads are also secured magnetically, which makes swapping out worn-down earpads a breeze. They're decently heavy, and while this weight feels well-distributed across the headband, it's still likely to cause discomfort on the top of your head over time. If you wear glasses, you'll be pleased to know that they won't get in the way of creating a good seal or interfere with getting a comfortable fit. We did notice that the ear cup size is a little smaller than the previous generation, but this may be due to the material covering the ear cup becoming looser over time on the 2019 model.
The Astro A50 X have a good control scheme. It's once again quite similar to the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, with the addition of controls for music playback and call management. You can flip the mic upwards to mute audio input. The most notable difference with this latest iteration is the inclusion of the PLAYSYNC button that replaces the EQ switch button on the previous generation. This allows you to switch between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC inputs with the press of a button. There's a power button located on the top of the left ear cup, and all other controls are located on the front side of the same ear cup.
Right ear cup towards the front:
They also have two additional controls on the outside face of the right ear cup that let you balance the mix between in-game audio and call audio. However, If you connect to a PlayStation console via USB, you won't have access to this feature, as it only works via the 2.1 HDMI Input to the base station. There's also audio feedback to indicate when you've hit Game Max, Mid, or Voice Max level, as well as when you switch inputs or pair a Bluetooth device.
The base now has a display indicator that lets you know which input you've selected, but this is the only way to ascertain which device you're connected to. There's good audible and tactile feedback, and all the buttons are clicky and responsive.
These headphones aren't very portable, but they're also not designed for use outside of your gaming setup. They have a bulky frame that's cumbersome to fit in a bag, and they don't come with a carrying pouch or case, so you can more easily transport them. Although you can swivel the earcups to decrease their surface area, they're still not ideal for bringing outside the house. You'll also need to haul the base station around with you if you want to use them on the go, which makes them an even less portable option.
The Astro A50 X feel well-constructed and capable of holding up through extended use. The ear cups are made from dense, durable plastic. The frame and headband are also plastic, but overall, this headset feels like it can withstand some general wear and tear from gaming at home. The headband and ear cup padding are made of a similar material: a soft cloth that feels good on the skin and isn't prone to tearing or chafing.
The headphones have okay stability. While they clamp quite tightly on the head, they're still prone to falling off if you move your head too quickly. If you're a particularly passionate, animated gamer, you might find yourself re-adjusting the fit occasionally. If you just like to game at home casually, you won't encounter many stability issues.
The Astro A50 X have a relatively neutral, well-balanced default sound profile that's well-suited to a variety of uses. It's more balanced overall than the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, though it has a slightly more veiled treble response. There's plenty of low-end rumble on tap to bring excitement to action-packed sequences and a balanced high-bass that can help bring out environmental audio, like approaching footsteps. The mid-range is also exceptionally well-balanced and reproduces vocals and speech with plenty of detail. The treble range is slightly more inconsistent, with a veiled low treble that dulls the upper harmonics of vocals and a sharp peak in the mid-treble range that can add some harshness to sibilants. You can always adjust the sound profile to your liking via the graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. You can see how the presets affect the sound profile here.
The Astro A50 X have excellent frequency response consistency. Audio delivery will be consistent every time you sit down to game, even if you have thick hair or glasses.
These headphones have outstanding bass accuracy. The response is even across the entire range, with a very subtle over-emphasis in the low bass that can add excitement to explosions and action-heavy cut scenes.
The mid accuracy is superb. The response is fairly flat and neutral across the entire range, with a small bump in the high-mid that adds detail to dialogue and speech in cutscenes. Vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present. When playing games like Assassin's Creed: Mirage, it's easy to pick up on hints dropped within NPC dialogue that can help you advance through the game.
The Astro A50 X have decent treble accuracy, although there are some inconsistencies across the entire range. The low treble is somewhat underemphasized, which can cause the upper harmonics of vocals to sound veiled and closed-off. A small peak towards the top of the high mid-treble range can cause sibilants, like S and T sounds, to sound bright and harsh at times.
The peaks and dips performance is decent, indicating that these headphones generally control their own sound profile well. The bass and lower mid-range are relatively flat, but a peak in the high-mid range adds detail and clarity to speech. However, the subsequent dip across the low-treble range robs them of some brilliance and presence. A sharp peak in the mid-treble gives sibilants a piercing quality.
The Astro A50 X's imaging performance is just okay. Good imaging is generally indicative of a manufacturer's commitment to good quality control and ergonomics, which is generally true for Astro's headsets. However, imaging performance does tend to vary between units. Out unit's weighted group delay falls under the audibility threshold across the entire range. While there appears to be a sharp peak in the sub-bass region, this frequency band is below most people's range of hearing. Our unit's drivers are well-matched in phase response, but there's a mismatch in amplitude and frequency in the treble range. While this is noticeable while running a sweep, we don't expect it to impact your gaming experience unless you're a particularly astute listener.
The Astro A50 X have a mediocre passive soundstage performance. However, this is normal for close-back headphones, which struggle to create an immersive, out-of-head listening experience by virtue of their design. While they have an open quality, it still sounds unnatural and makes it seem like audio is playing from inside your head. It's very different to open-back headphones like the Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019, which have a much more spacious soundstage.
The Astro A50 X come with Dolby Atmos, PS5 3D Audio, and Windows Spatial Audio compatibility, as well as head and speaker modeling features accessible through the companion software. Though all these features utilize audio object metadata to playback audio and localize these objects within a 360-degree space, their ability to create an immersive audio environment will vary from game to game, depending on implementation. For example, any difference between Dolby Atmos and PS5 3D audio will be difficult to hear, given they both virtualize surround sound for headphones rather than multi-output speaker systems.
These headphones have a decent weighted harmonic distortion performance, producing mostly clean and distortion-free audio across the entire frequency range. While there's some distortion present in the right driver at regular listening levels, it's only present at the extremes of the frequency range in bands that are already tough to hear.
We've noticed, however, that there are some volume inconsistencies when you connect these headphones to a Bluetooth device and a console. The audio level is quite a bit lower while listening on the Bluetooth channel, and if you raise the volume on the device that's paired, this can lead to a distorted sound at high volumes. It's possible to get around this by raising the volume on the headphones' volume wheel instead while keeping the volume on your Bluetooth device at a lower level.
These are the settings used to test the Astro A50 X. Our results are only valid when you use the headphones in this configuration.
The Astro A50 X have awful noise isolation. Despite being closed-back, they provide little passive attenuation against background noise, so bass and mid-range sounds, like engine rumble or ambient chatter, will make their way into your audio. They provide a small amount of reduction against higher-pitched sounds, like fridge hum, but it's still not enough to completely block them out. This won't pose a problem if you're gaming in a quiet environment, like your home, but they struggle to block out construction noise if there are renovations going on. Note that the bump in the bass region is slightly audible.
In common scenarios, like a shared space or if there's construction nearby, these headphones do a very bad job of isolating you from the noise. They dampen high-pitched sounds a little bit, but overall, if your window is open, any noise from the street will reach your ears. Also, note that the bump in the low-bass region is slightly audible, likely due to the headphones trapping low-frequency resonances.
The Astro A50 X have a disappointing leakage performance. Leakage is mainly concentrated in the mid and treble ranges, so escaping audio sounds thin and tinny. That said, other people will notice your in-game audio if you're gaming with the volume cranked in a quiet space with others, like a communal living room.
The Astro A50 X's mic recording quality is excellent. While there's some low-end roll-off, this can be advantageous for your understandability as it can remove many of the boomy qualities of your voice. Otherwise, the microphone has a relatively flat frequency response, rendering your voice well-balanced and natural-sounding. You can also choose between different mic EQ presets within the G HUB app. There's even a sidetone feature within the companion software that allows you to monitor your own voice in the headphones. That said, we noticed an audible hiss when we enabled this feature, and your own voice won't sound particularly natural.
The mic's noise handling is okay. It's a step down from the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019. While it does a passable job at separating your voice from moderately noisy environments, it struggles to keep your voice understandable in noisier environments. While this won't pose a problem if you're used to gaming at home in a quiet environment, loud sounds, like construction outside your house, might interfere with your ability to communicate with your teammates. The mic also has three noise gate settings you can choose from in the companion app that alter the volume threshold that the mic cuts out. You can choose between 'Home,' 'Night,' and 'Subway' to suit your needs. You can hear recordings using all the noise gate settings below:
'Night' Mode
'Home' Mode
'Tournament' Mode
The Astro A50 X's battery life performance is excellent. You can charge them directly from the dock or by connecting them with a USB cable. The manufacturer advertises 24 hours of continuous battery life, but we measured slightly more than this. However, battery life can vary quite a bit depending on your usage. You can enable a handy auto-off timer through the companion software and even use these headphones while charging. Notably, these headphones charge decently quickly, reaching a full charge in a little over two hours. That said, we noticed that the battery level indicator on the companion software would often incorrectly indicate a 100% charge while the base station indicated that the headphones were still charging.
The Astro A50 X are compatible with the Logitech G HUB app. Although Logitech acquired Astro in 2017, the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019 still used the Astro Command Center app. Users had previously encountered issues with the Command Center, where they were struggling to install firmware updates, but we've yet to hear of any similar issues with the G HUB software. There's also a version of the app that's accessible via your mobile phone that's compatible with iOS and Android devices. However, you can only use it if you switch the headset to either Xbox or PlayStation mode, and you can't access certain settings, like spatial audio, in the mobile app. You can see a video overview of the phone app here.
With Logitech G HUB software, you can alter the sound profile with a parametric EQ and presets, adjust the mic settings (including noise gate settings) and toggle between different mic presets, as well as toggle the auto-off timer. You can also set up stream output audio mixing, specify sidetone amount, save custom presets, and then share them with others. Sadly, there's no way to remap the buttons on the control interface, though.
You can't use the Astro A50 X wired as you can only use them wirelessly. They come with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a USB-C to Y Split (USB-A and USB-C) cable to connect the base station to the PC.
Their Bluetooth connectivity is decent. Using Bluetooth 5.0, you can connect these cans to a Bluetooth device (like a phone or tablet) and remain connected to a console or PC via the dongle. You can even blend audio like a Discord chat from your Bluetooth device into your overall audio mix. While latency is high with the default SBC codec, this connection isn't intended for wireless gaming use. It's worth noting that you cannot use these headphones' Bluetooth connection without their dock.
The Astro A50 X have outstanding wireless connectivity through their dock, which has a wealth of connectivity options so you can connect your PC, PlayStation, and Xbox simultaneously. Latency is very low across all platforms, so your audio and visuals will stay in sync while gaming. We also measured around 1 ms of latency while connected to consoles via the HDMI 2.1 passthrough, so you'll have no issues with latency while gaming when using this input.
These headphones connect wirelessly to your PC via the included USB Y-splitter cable for full audio and mic support, and you can even access the 'Game/Chat' mix controls. You can also connect via Bluetooth, although the latency is too high to make this a viable option for gaming.
These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility with PlayStation consoles, and you can connect to the hub via USB or HDMI passthrough. Connecting via the HDMI 2.1 input gives you the advantage of using the 'Game/Chat' mix controls with up to 24-bit audio. This option also lets you access the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) on your monitor or TV. That said, if you're a streamer or want to connect your console to external speakers, you'll need to connect via USB with up to 16-bit audio. However, the 'Game/Chat' mix controls are disabled when connected via USB.
These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility with Xbox family consoles, and you can connect to the hub via USB or HDMI passthrough. Streamers and those who want to connect a set of speakers will need to connect via USB. However, unlike with PlayStation connectivity, you can access the 'Game/Chat' mix controls while connected via USB. You can connect via HDMI for up to 24-bit audio and ALLM support. These HDMI ports also support up to 4k/120hz passthrough with VRR, which will help you get the most out of your graphics. However, you'll need a compatible monitor or TV to take advantage of this.
The Astro A50 X have a wealth of connectivity options via the base station. You can connect your PC via USB and connect PlayStation and Xbox family consoles via both USB and HDMI 2.1 passthrough. However, a few drawbacks affect the scoring for this section, namely the lack of line and optical inputs. It's worth noting that these input types are somewhat outdated regarding compatibility with modern gaming systems, which tend to favor USB and HDMI connectivity. If you need an optical port to complete your setup, it's worth looking at the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019 instead. The dock itself is powered via a USB-C power supply.