For serious gamers, every accessory is important---the keyboard, mouse, and headset. All these make for a smooth and amazing gaming experience, and they don’t mind spending on it. But more than the keyboard and mouse, nothing brings more pleasure and better gaming performance than owning a premium gaming headset. The Astro A40 TR and the Astro A50 are among the most preferred by the gaming community, and this article aims to tell you why. Astro headsets will cost you, but is it worth the price? If you’re looking for a reasonably priced, mid-range headset that still gives superior performance, then you might want to check these out instead:

• Logitech G633 Gaming Headset with Microphone
• Corsair HS 35 Stereo Gaming Headset
• Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Headset
• Razer BlackShark V2 Gaming Headset

If you are looking for a high-quality wired gaming headset, the Astro A40 is a wired gaming audio headpiece with swappable components. Meanwhile, the Astro A50 is top of the line fully wireless headset. There is no doubt about the quality and performance of both headsets. However, there’s still the question of which one to buy. Should you go for wired or wireless?

Astro Gaming has been making quality products for the gaming lifestyle for years. Their products are designed specifically to serve the meticulous gamer and gaming professionals. Logitech acquired Astro in 2011 in an attempt to expand its reach in gaming consoles. Astro has been gaining quite a reputation in the gaming market, and all for good reasons.

Design and specifications

The Astro A40 is a wired headset with a 3.5 mm Mini-stereo and PC splitter. Its transducer principle is dynamic, which is the standard among many high-quality headphones. It has an open 40mm sound driver tuned explicitly for gaming sounds. Its dimensions are 8 inches in length, 7.75 inches in width, and 3.75 inches in height.

The A40 is tuned with the Astro Audio V2, a collaboration with Pro Gamers to deliver more balanced music and in-game sounds. This headset unit is Mod Kit ready, has customizable speaker tags and a swappable boom microphone. It is compatible with PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox.

The Astro A50 is a wireless headset that comes with a base station. It is considered one of the best wireless gaming headphones in the market today. While others believe that wireless headphones can significantly affect sound quality, reviews about the A50 prove otherwise.

There are many advantages to choosing a wireless headset. For one, it allows freedom of movement while gaming. The A50 has a wireless range of 49 feet, so there’s no problem if you need to stand up and stretch after long hours of sitting. You will not miss out on what’s happening during the game because you can still hear and communicate even when away from the console.

The A50 is also tuned with the Astro Audio V2 for top-of-the-line acoustics. It is Mod Kit ready, uses a Dolby audio system, has game voice balance, and is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion single-cell battery. It has a standby battery life of 20 months. The A50’s base station charges through USB Micro-B.

The Astro Command Center Software gives users complete control of their audio experience. In order to install this software and start using the product, the system requirements are Mac OS, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

Both headsets are so comfortable that there would be no discomfort even for long-time wearing. It is designed and built specifically for extended gaming. Astro headphones are highly customizable, from wearing comfort to sound quality.

The only problem with the A50 is that it’s not as versatile in compatibility compared to the A40. For instance, it may only be used with either PC/Mac + Playstation or PC/Mac + Xbox series.

You will need to choose between the two consoles before you purchase one.

Major differences

• The pronounced difference is that A40 is a wired headset, and the A50 is fully wireless.
• The A50 is twice as expensive compared to the A40.
• The A40’s microphone is detachable, while the A50’s is fixed.
• The A50 comes with a base station, while the A40 is stand-alone or can come with a MixAmp Pro TR.

Technical specifications

Since both are very tightly alike when it comes to features, here’s a quick summary and overview of the technical specifications of the A40 and A50.

Boom mic

• Astro A40 - 6.0 mm unidirectional
• Astro A50 - 6.0 mm unidirectional with voice isolating

Ear coupling

• Astro A40 - over-ear
• Astro A50 - over-ear

Weight

• Astro A40 - 0.8 lbs
• Astro A50 - 0.83 lbs (weight without cable)

Frequency response

• Astro A40 - 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz
• Astro A50 - 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz

Price

According to the Astro website, the A40 costs $149.99, but if purchased with the MixAmp Pro TR, the price would be $249.99. The A50 with the base included costs $299.99. Mod kits and tags are bought separately. Compared to other premium headsets in the same price range, it is easy to see that Astro is very competitive and a real value for money.

Verdict

The only thing to think about here is whether you want the wired headset, then better go for A40. But if willing to spend more, then go for gold and get the A50. There will be absolutely no regrets in buying it.

In some headphones, being wired and wireless can affect sound quality. This is not an issue with Astro headphones. Whether you choose wired or wireless, the sound quality remains the same. There will be no regrets in purchasing any of the two because whichever you choose, it is sure to serve you for years.

Here’s a rundown of our winner by comparison:

• Weight and balance - Astro A40 (by a tiny margin)
• Comfort - It’s a tie
• Design and build - Astro A50
• Sound quality - Astro A50 (open-air transducer principle)
• Mic quality - Astro A50 (because of the voice isolating feature)
• Portability and mobility - Astro A50
• Price - Astro A50 (more expensive but worth every cent)

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