Logitech updates the company’s five-year-old Astro A50 gaming headset to the present day by bringing effortless cross-platform support to the new version and continuing with first-class sound reproduction.
Logitech’s new Astro A50 (Gen 5) not only updates the company’s praised wireless gaming headset from five years ago to the next generation, but also acts as a smaller sister to the Astro A50 X model released at the beginning of the year.
READ ALSO: Test Logitech G Astro A50 X headphones – Luxury sound wirelessly for all gaming platforms
Although the predecessor released in 2019 basically supported several different game platforms, users had to make a choice between either PlayStation or Xbox regarding the console. With Gen 5, that choice will finally be history.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
One of the most significant innovations of the new model, which costs 329.99 euros, is the multi-platform support borrowed from the Astro A50 X, which allows the headphones to be connected to three different devices at the same time – including PlayStation and Xbox. As an exception to its older sibling, the Astro A50 connects only via USB-C instead of HDMI, so the jungle of wires has been reduced.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
The support and charging station for the headphones must still be located near the devices to be connected, so for example, in the case of consoles located in different rooms, the multi-platform support of the model is not necessarily very useful.
The Bluetooth connection is also tied to the base station, so you can’t take your headphones out for a run, for example.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
However, the sales package only contains a framework for one platform, so owners of several consoles have to buy a couple of USB-C sticks separately. Fortunately, the connection itself is pretty effortless, and the installation work only requires connecting the power and USB cables to the right devices and base station. You don’t have to slavishly follow the PC, Xbox and PS markings on the connections at the back of the dock and on the handsome light board in front, and you can connect the headphones to up to three computers if you wish.
The dock itself is also sturdy and follows the design of the headphones. In addition, it is compact in size and does not take up too much space on the table. The simple station is completed by the indicator lights that tell you the remaining battery in the headphones and to which device the headphones are connected.
As a charging station, the headphones also click magnetically into the right position accompanied by an elegant sound. According to the promises, the headphones themselves have enough power for 24 hours, so the battery should not run out even during a longer marathon. When the gaming headset is still resting in the charging dock when not in use, you don’t have to worry about the battery suddenly running out in the middle of gaming.
In terms of design, the Astro A50 (Gen 5) continues on an obviously tried and tested line, and there is almost no difference at all from the Astro A50 X, let alone its predecessor from five years ago. Made of durable plastic, the whole thing weighs 363 grams, so they sit comfortably on the head and don’t really squeeze. The fit also remains tight on the head when playing at the computer or console, but for example when vacuuming and shaking your head to the beat of the music, the headphones quickly start to connect.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
The general comfort of use is thanks to the cups made of memory foam, which are wonderfully airy and breathable. Thus, there is no need to worry about grinding your ears during long gaming sessions, for example. The protections are also easily removable and replaceable.
Really, the only personal criticism regarding comfort is directed at the design solution of the headband, which only rests on one memory foam pad. In your own head case, such models often start to press annoyingly on the top of your head before long, unless the headphones are in just the right position, and the Astro A50 (Gen 5) is no exception. For example, the strap-on additional strap known from the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro makes the fit significantly more comfortable in terms of pressure from above.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
The cup on the right, on the other hand, has all the necessary buttons to adjust the headphones on the fly. These include the power button, volume control, Bluetooth button and Playsync Audio, which allows you to easily switch between platforms by pressing a button. The outer shell of the cup, on the other hand, has a regulator that manages the balance of game and speech sounds, so important match communication does not get lost under the sounds of the game. Finally, at the bottom of the right cup there is a separate USB-C connection for wired toys.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
Instead, the left cup only has a foldable omnidirectional microphone, which is automatically activated when pulled down. The pickup, made of slightly flexible plastic, can still be fine-tuned in terms of position. In terms of quality, the manufacturer claims that the mic matches broadcast quality and offers high-resolution voice reproduction up to 48 kilohertz. At least there was nothing to complain about in terms of sound quality among my gaming friends.
The 40-millimeter Pro-G Graphene speaker element, which was also used in the Astro A50 X, is responsible for the sound reproduction coming to the user. The PC’s USB-C interface supports 24-bit / 48 kHz audio, while the USB-Cs blessed for the two consoles respectively support 16-bit / 48 kHz. In addition, the headphones have support for Dolby Atmos surround sound.
Fortunately, the sound quality is excellent throughout, and the headphones can’t really be faulted in that regard. On the other hand, nothing less would be suitable for headphones over 300 euros. Regardless of the game, the sound world is always really spacious and detailed, which brings not only airiness but also accuracy to the games. Individual effects are easy to distinguish from the crowd just by ear, but as a whole the experience is comprehensively convincing.
Especially in competitive games, such as Deadlock or Overwatch 2, the positioning of individual elements can be done with the Astro A50 with frightening accuracy. You can often hear the footsteps of the enemies from far away, and depending on the game, you can also judge them quite well in terms of distance. Of course, the same also applies to single-player games, whose details that may have previously been lost in the background are repeated clearly and without masking other sounds. The surround sound of the headphones is first-class throughout.
Although the Astro A50 is primarily designed for gaming, luckily they don’t disappoint when listening to music either. In principle, the same concerns apply to the music side as well, where the lower, middle and upper frequencies are reproduced wonderfully and details that would be hidden in weaker models can be extracted from the songs. Compared to competitors designed for direct listening, the nuances of the Astro A50 hardly reach the same spheres, but in terms of quality it is still an excellent whole – especially for game and music lovers.
You can also edit your own sound profile via Logitech’s own G Hub. As standard, three ready-made profiles are offered for the headphones, in addition to which you can adjust the curves you like with the equalizer. You can find your own EQs for both voice and microphone. You can of course save several profiles, for example for gaming and music use, and you can also download profiles made by other users by logging into your Logitech account. The latter is a particularly useful addition if you can’t find enough verms or a decent tuning ear for making a profile at home.
Photo: Joonas Pikkarainen, Muro package
The Astro A50 (Gen 5) is a successful update of the acclaimed gaming headset for today. In terms of connections, the new model is closer to the Astro A50 X model released at the beginning of the year, but especially for those updating the old generation model, the advantages of the new one are almost unbeatable. Of course, you also have to pay a lot for headphones, but for those who want quality, there is effortless multi-platform support, first-class sound reproduction and mostly good comfort.
Good
- Effortless and easy-to-use cross-platform support
- First-class sound for gaming and music use
- Durable and stylish design
- Dolby Atmos
Bad
- Multi-platform support still requires the devices to be centrally located
- Despite the quality, the price is high
Specifications
- Price: €329.99
- Frequency band: 20 – 20,000 Hz
- Element: 40mm Pro-G Graphene
- Weight: 363 grams
- Connections: Bluetooth, 3x USB-C
- Battery life, declared: Up to 24 hours
- Other: Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic Spatial Audio support, Lightspeed Wireless @ 24-bit / 48 kHz
Source: muropaketti.com
