![]() ![]() The problem is, the presets have labels such as "A50 Mod Kit," "Astro" and "Pro," when I would have appreciated presets for specific genres or use cases. You can toggle and create custom presets for the A50's three EQ modes and sync them to the headset, allowing you to enjoy your settings even when you're not on your PC. You can customize the A50 on your PC or Mac via the Astro Command Center, which is an impressively robust app that's also a bit overwhelming. The A50's endurance is likely due, in part, to its brilliant built-in accelerometer, which automatically powers the headset down if you lay it down for about 20 seconds, and turns it back on once you pick it up. After using the headset on and off over the course of two days, it kept ticking with no sign of a low battery warning. The A50 promises up to 15 hours of battery life, which seems in line with my testing. On the new model, however, I was able to chat without any pesky cords. Despite delivering wireless audio, the A50 previously required you to plug a cable into your controller to talk to your friends. I listened to a recording I had taken of my voice on the A50, and although the quality seemed perfectly fine for game chat, there was a fuzziness to it that would keep me from using the mic for a podcast or stream.įortunately, Astro did fix one of my biggest issues with the previous A50 by making chat fully wireless on Xbox One. My Xbox Live friends had little trouble hearing me, but they noted that I sounded pretty distant, even though the mic was right next to my mouth. Unlike the rest of the headset, the Astro A50's microphone isn't a complete all-star. When I flipped on the moody alternative rock of Balance and Composure's latest album, I enjoyed rich bass and soothingly crisp guitars. Millennium Falcon chase scene in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, thanks to how full the film's iconic blaster and ship sounds came across from all angles. I was sufficiently immersed in the big TIE Fighters vs. The A50 also doubles as a dependable pair of multimedia headphones. The deep bass of explosions and the punchiness of rifle shots made me feel like I was truly fighting in the trenches during World War I. I could clearly hear the satisfying "woosh" of every car and obstacle I sped by, and could make out the finer details of every road I drove on, whether I was racing down pavement or destroying a small forest with my Lamborghini. My only gripe was with the Studio preset, which made the action sound unrealistically bass-heavy.Īstro's headset was just as reliable for the decidedly less murderous racing action of Forza Horizon 3. Punches and kicks had a nice oomph to them, and I could hear every cracking bone and tearing flesh of the game's disturbing fatalities. I always appreciate when a headset can make Mortal Kombat X sound appropriately disgusting, and the A50 did not disappoint in that regard. MORE: Razer's Best Gaming Headset Just Got Even Better That same strong directionality translated just as well into Battlefield 1, in which the deep bass of explosions and the punchiness of rifle shots made me feel like I was truly fighting in the trenches during World War I. I spent most of my time with the A50 while playing Titanfall 2, which made it incredibly easy to pinpoint the soft footsteps of enemy soldiers and the clackety stomps of rogue robots. All three modes are satisfying, although Studio occasionally overwhelmed me with the low end. The headset offers three EQ modes: Astro is the most balanced Pro doubles down on bass and Studio seems to emphasize treble. Audio Performanceįeaturing Dolby Headphone 7.1 surround sound, the A50 delivered crisp, immersive audio during my time with it on Xbox One and PC. Based on the kits available for the A40, I'm hoping that the A50 eventually gets more mods, including game-specific ones. The pleather ear cups were very cozy and are better for noise cancellation, but they weighed on me in a way that the feathery plush ones didn't. ![]() Within seconds, I replaced the headset's plush cushions with a set of faux-leather-coated ones, which are sold separately for $40. Plenty of headsets promise all-day comfort, but the Astro A50 truly delivers it. Swapping out the parts was a breeze the A50's ear cups attach and detach magnetically, and the headband simply needs to be popped out of a small groove at the top. If the default cushions aren't your thing, you can purchase and swap in new ear cups and headbands, thanks to the A50's Mod Kit support, which Astro carried over from the lower-end Astro A40 TR. ![]()
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