The Logitech Astro A50 X launched at a particularly lofty price point earlier this year, and quickly became my go-to gaming headset for multiplatform use. It was a big ask at $379.99, though, especially considering the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless was regularly available for around $300 – $320 at that time. That means I’ve spent my days waiting for any kind of discount – and Amazon’s pulled through this week.
The luxury device is available for a record-low $341.99 at Amazon right now, $38 down from its original MSRP. That’s not a massive discount in the grand scheme of things, but it is the first time the Astro A50 X has seen any kind of price cut at all. This thing has been stuck at $380 ever since its release, and a period of low stock levels certainly didn’t help either.
At $341.99 we’re now within the realm of a high-end price tag – with those numbers looking a little ludicrous beforehand. It’s lower than the going-rate of SteelSeries’ flagship, though these are still two of the most expensive models on the market. If you’re after the best gaming headset for multi-platform console use, though, it’s a must-see.
Should you buy the Astro A50 X?
What could possibly be so good about a gaming headset for it to launch at nearly $400? The Astro A50 X has more than a few tricks up its sleeve, but its coup de grace is a KVM switch built straight into the charging base station itself. You’ll be hooking up your PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC into this hub using HDMI cables, before feeding everything to your TV. Once set up, you’ll be able to easily swap both video and audio between platforms at the touch of a button, and even wake consoles using the command. Not only that, but because the Astro A50 X runs all its sound through HDMI (I’d recommend picking up a good set of 2.1 cables) you’re getting a wider band of audio as well.
Combine that with the graphene drivers and Astro’s innate pedigree in high-end audio and you’ve got yourself a seriously powerful sound system. I use the Astro A50 X for pretty much everything within my main desk setup, hopping between platforms every day, and even running it as my main music device using G Hub’s Media profile. I don’t run it to its full potential, there’s no Xbox in this setup, but I would recommend you make sure you actually need all the features on offer before heading to checkout.
The Astro A50 X is my favorite multi-platform gaming headset, but it operates right at the top of that console-hopping need. It will generally only make sense for those who use both PS5 and Xbox Series X within the same space – the inclusion of PC’s DisplayPort means that setup is best placed at your desk, but I would still recommend it to console purists in the living room. There’s another hitch, and it’s the only thing that stopped the Astro A50 X from fully taking over from the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless at the top of the pack. Bluetooth is available, but it’s limited to the base station only. That means I can run a handheld like the Asus ROG Ally or Nintendo Switch from it, provided I’m in range. If I want to travel with either device, I need another wireless gaming headset altogether.
The Astro A50 X is a big commitment, even with today’s discount, but if you’re the target market it’s the best thing you can add to your setup. I’d heartily recommend it to anyone constantly switching between platforms within the same space, especially if you only tend to play at home.
We’re also rounding up all the best PC headsets on the market or, if you’re sticking with your brand allegiance, check out the best PS5 headsets and best Xbox Series X headsets available.
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