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The ASTRO A50 and base station make for one of the best headset and charging station combinations I've ever used. The A50's stand as a perfect example that gaming headsets can be both convenient, and have awesome performance.
The Astro A50 Wireless is one of the most expensive gaming headsets on offer, but the features, build quality and Dolby-powered audio quality largely reflect the high price point.
The Astro A50 is a high-quality gaming headset with stellar sound, impressive battery, and a slew of customizability options. The new Base Station is cleverly designed to occupy a smaller footprint, and the latest drivers sound better than ever. But there's no guarantee they'll work with new consoles next year, the software feels woefully antiquated, and they cost as much as a console.
The Astro A50 performs with the best of them, but its edgy aesthetic might put some people off, especially for those are looking for a multi-use headset.
At the end of the day, the Astro A50’s (affiliate link) provide a high-quality audio experience that works great for a number of applications from music to gaming. They also sport a great battery life, awesome operating range, and low latency. The ability to use the headset for more systems than advertised for is also an enormous bonus and one that I have been able to take full advantage of in my streaming and content creation setup. They do command a premium price at $299.99 but the quality and features you are getting are more than a fair trade in my book. If you are looking to take your gaming audio setup to the next level, the Astro A50’s are the best option!
Overall, the 4th generation Astro A50 TR may be a good solution for those looking for a wireless solution. So far, it feels like it may be a stronger experience for PC users. Firmware updates can easily change that for the Xbox One, though for right now, the wired A40 TR seems to be much more reliable. Again, it’s hard to say if these issues are the headset or the console interface itself, but they’re issues regardless. When the headset is properly situated, it’s an amazing audio experience, especially for games like Gears 5. It just might take a couple steps to get to that point.
The Astro A50 does not come cheap, but for the price, you get a design that will not get old, great sound quality and some excellent features. Connection to the docking station could be more reliable, and the headset does sit a little tight on the head, but on the whole, the A50 would make a stylishly reliable – but expensive – companion to enhance your gaming experience.
Then again, once you’ve used an Astro A50 for any significant amount of time it’s hard to go back to other wireless headsets. Whenever I do, I annoy myself when I forgot to charge a headset overnight, or lament the lack of chat-mix. So what are you really paying for with the Astro A50? Convenience, more than anything.