When it comes to gaming headsets, there’s no shortage of great ones. Wired, wireless, Bluetooth, planar magnetic, open, closed—you name it. The problem? No headset works seamlessly across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. That means constantly swapping headsets or moving dongles around, which is hella annoying.
Thankfully, Logitech saw this problem and basically said, “Here, hold my beer,” then dropped the Logitech G Astro A50 (Gen 5) Lightspeed Wireless with PLAYSYNC. That’s a mouthful, so from now on, we’ll just call it the A50—and it’s so close to being the holy grail of gaming headsets.
That’s largely thanks to the innovative PLAYSYNC system, which lets the A50 connect to PC, Xbox, PlayStation (or Switch), plus a fourth device via Bluetooth. Best of all, you can switch between them with a simple button press on the headset. No more juggling dongles or cables.
There’s a catch, though—all your devices need to be plugged into the A50’s docking station via USB. That’s fine if everything sits close together on a TV stand or desk setup. If not? You’re kinda screwed.
Design & Build
Let’s put that aside for a second and talk about the headset itself. The A50 Gen 5 is, as the name suggests, the fifth generation of Astro’s legendary headset. It retails for $599, but don’t confuse it with its more expensive sibling, the Astro A50 X, which costs a mind-numbing $750. What’s the difference? The A50 X has one extra party trick—it can swap both audio and video between connected devices. The A50 does just audio. Is that $150 difference worth it to you?
Design-wise, the two are practically identical and unmistakably Astro. Logitech went with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, so you still get the signature square earcups, polished metallic rails for adjusting the fit, and the classic flip-down mic. It’s certifiably gamer looking.
The ear cushions are fabric—great for long gaming sessions but not so great in the Aussie heat, where they tend to get clammy. If you live in colder environments, you might appreciate the warmth, but in hotter conditions? Not so much. Luckily, the ear cups are easily swappable thanks to a magnetic clasp system, so you can grab aftermarket replacements if you prefer. Shamefully, unlike the cheaper Logitech G Pro X 2, which includes both fabric and pleather cups, the A50 doesn’t.
Behind those earcups are Pro-G Graphene drivers, delivering fantastic sound—but more on that later. Controls are kept minimal: you’ve got a power button, a multifunction Bluetooth button, the PLAYSYNC button, and a volume dial on the right earcup. The faceplate of the same cup has touchpoints for game/chat balance. Meanwhile, the left earcup is bare, except for the flip-to-mute boom mic, which is flexible enough to adjust however you like.
The real standout feature, though, is the Base Station. It acts as the central hub for all connections and transmits the Lightspeed Wireless signal to the headset. The back has three clearly labeled USB-C ports—one for each console. Once connected, just tap the PLAYSYNC button to switch between them.
Wireless performance is rock solid, with Logitech’s 2.4GHz Lightspeed Wireless ensuring lag-free 24-bit/48kHz audio transmission up to 12 meters away. The A50 also supports Bluetooth, but—frustratingly—it’s only available through the Base Station, not the headset itself. That means you can’t use it wirelessly with your phone when you’re out and about. A shame, but let’s be honest—who’s wearing this bulky headset on their commute? At least you can have a laptop, phone, or tablet connected while gaming and still take calls.
But as impressive as the Base Station is, you’re still stuck needing three separate USB cables for all your devices, plus a power cable. That’s manageable if everything’s within a meter of each other—like on a desk or TV cabinet. Anything beyond that? Cable management nightmare. I don’t see why Logitech couldn’t have included three wireless dongles instead, which would’ve completely removed this limitation. Maybe in future versions?
Performance
The microphone is excellent—clean, natural-sounding, and capable of 48kHz audio. No one will complain about how you sound. Flip it up to mute, which is always a welcome feature. Weirdly, though, the A50 doesn’t support Logitech’s BLUE VO!CE enhancements—something even the cheaper G Pro X 2 has.
Sound quality? Absolutely fantastic. The Pro-G Graphene drivers remain some of my favorites in gaming headsets, delivering thick, powerful bass without distortion. I loved these same drivers in the G Pro X 2 and Corsair’s Virtuoso Pro, and the A50 delivers just as impressively.
The sound signature leans warm, with clear highs and head-pounding bass that you feel as much as you hear. But it’s not boomy or bloated—just clean, precise bass that hits exactly when needed and nothing more.
In games, this translates into shotguns sounding thunderous, while the squelch of demon flesh being torn apart is disturbingly clear. The A50’s soundstage is impressive, making game environments feel rich and immersive.
Playing God of War Ragnarok on PS5? The A50’s Tempest 3D Audio handling made it feel more alive than I remember. From Atreus’ boyish voice squaring off against Kratos’ gravelly tone to the roar of a charging troll, everything sounded incredible.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, I could pinpoint enemy footsteps with eerie accuracy. Every gunshot was visceral and adrenaline-pumping. In Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga, the Furies’ whispers felt like actual voices creeping up behind me. And in Diablo IV, even with a chaotic mess of exploding corpses, spells, and shouts, the A50 handled it all without any distortion.
Beyond gaming, music and movies also shine. Whether it’s hip-hop basslines or Beethoven’s symphonies, the A50 delivers rich, textured sound. You can fine-tune the EQ in Logitech’s G-Hub software, with access to user-designed EQs—not that you need to tweak much, as the default tuning is already stellar.
Battery life is excellent at 24 hours, but honestly? I never came close to running out—because the headset always goes back into its dock, meaning it’s basically infinite.
Verdict
When I tested the A50 X, I wasn’t convinced by the whole HDMI-swapping gimmick. It was cool, but niche. The A50 Gen 5 is a far better proposition, shaving off $150 while still offering essentially the same utility: an incredible multi-platform headset.
It’s comfortable, durable, has one of the best mics, and sounds phenomenal. Could it be even better? Yes. A truly wireless setup using three separate dongles instead of USB cables would be a game-changer. But that would probably jack the price back up and it would still be tied to the Base Station.
That’s a tough sell when there are cheaper options—like the Turtle Beach Stealth 700, which uses two dongles for dual-device connections plus Bluetooth for a third. Sure, it only supports three devices compared to the A50’s four, but you don’t have to deal with a Base Station, and Bluetooth is built-in so you can use it on the go. Oh, and it’s $300 cheaper.
But if you’ve got the cash and the right setup, the Astro A50 Gen 5 is—without a doubt—the multiplatform king of gaming headsets.
Logitech Australia kindly provided the Astro A50 Gen 5 to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
