There’s a new premium gaming headset on the block – the Astro A50X – and Logitech has built it to be the only gaming headset you’ll need for a very long time.
Taking advantage of the Logitech 24-bit LIGHTSPEED wireless technology, the Astro A50X doesn’t rely on just one unique selling point to justify its $379 / £359 price tag, it instead takes everything you might want in a gaming headset and brings it into one product.
First up is Playsync, a proprietary tech that allows you to connect all major consoles and a PC to the Astro A50X wireless charging base and run a complete audio/video signal through it. You can then, with the simple press of a button on the headset, switch between the feeds in real-time. Three connections are possible at any one time covering PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Bluetooth is also included with simultaneous connections possible, meaning you can listen to music via Bluetooth while gaming on your chosen platform.
Playsync is incredibly useful for anyone who owns multiple consoles or has all of their gaming hardware in one location. Place the charging base wherever you like, hook up the required HDMI 2.1 and USB-C cables, and you never need to worry about messing around with adaptors and Bluetooth connections ever again. During a press event I attended for the release of the A50X, it was confirmed that despite running an A/V feed through the wireless base station, there is no lag present in audio or video. You will also be able to enjoy a full 4K/120Hz video feed with variable refresh rate and low latency modes with no compatibility issues.
The Astro A50X maintains Logitech’s commitment to the 40mm Pro-G Graphene drivers and is also open-backed, meaning there is no audio cancellation in play as it could be redundant. It also allows for an uncompressed audio feed that sounds just like it came from the source.
On the microphone, Logitech is challenging the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro with a 48KHz LIGHTSPEED mic. The aforementioned press event was hosted by two employees from Logitech who were using the headset to communicate, and it has to be said that the audio quality was incredible.
Battery life is said to be 24 hours, which isn’t groundbreaking, but should get you through plenty of intense gaming sessions before a recharge is needed. Then again, due to the way the wireless charging base works, you’ll likely never find yourself out of battery unless you neglect to store the Astro A50X properly.
When I say that the Astro A50X might be a real contender for the only headset you ever need to own, I mean it. Pre-orders for the Astro A50X are live now with shipments starting soon via Logitech. Stock is expected into external retailers in the first half of 2024.
If the Astro A50X lives up to expectations, then it will be one of the best wireless gaming headsets ever released, and you can check out one of our current favorites, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless as a comparison.