Astro A50 X Headset—An Unbeatable Headset, Now in 'Mars Red'

I’ve been a fan of Astro’s dynamic headset range for many, many years. I was using Astro headsets when I was an aspiring esports athlete more than fifteen years ago, but I never unlocked the highest echelons of the range until the last few years. I’ve got an Astro A50 Gen 5 that I’ve been using for a while, and it’s absolutely solid– the best headset I’ve ever had.

But then, along came the Astro A50 X LIGHTSPEED in Mars Red. It’s gorgeous, it’s extremely capable, and it now rivals the Gen 5 as the best gaming headset on the market… At least, in my eyes.

Here’s my full Astro A50 X headset review, but this time, it’s red.

Astro A50 X is Stunning in Mars Red

The first thing you notice when you pull your Astro A50 X out of the box is the depth of that colorway. Before, you could get the headset either in black or white, which represented a rather monotonous, monochrome take on the aesthetic front. They’re phenomenal headsets, but they weren’t going to catch anyone’s eye.

But recently, Logitech has been on something of a colorful expansion, reintroducing existing stock with a fantastic new color palette. For instance, the team at Logitech G also sent me a gorgeous G502 X PLUS in a striking purple and black design.

Color aside, I will always maintain that the Astro A50 range boasts a flawless build. The overall makeup of this headset cuts a mean impression, and there’s nothing else that looks quite like it. You’ve got soft foam earcups, a tactical headband made of the same material, and lightweight plastic that means it’s nowhere near as hefty as it looks – 363 grams, all-in.

There’s plenty of adjustment to be found, and it accommodates all shapes and sizes of head.

Buttons are within easy reach; the flip-up microphone is stellar and very capable, even if I’d prefer more of a cardioid polarization pattern for more ‘directional’ pick-up and less background noise.

Beyond the very attractive surface of the Astro A50 X, you’ve got one hell of a technical slate.

Let’s start with my favorite thing about this headset… The base station.

This thing is an absolute marvel, and it’s why I’d literally give the Astro A50 X an award if I could. Every single headset I’ve reviewed of late just uses USB-C charging, which always feels somewhat cheap. Are you telling me I can spend $250 on a headset and have to just leave it sitting there with a cable jammed up its behind to rejuvenate it?

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No, the Astro A50 X’s base station is something worthy of unparalleled praise. The Astro A50 Gen 5 has a good enough base station, but the A50 X is where things really excel and shatter expectations. It comes with HDMI 2.1 pass-through ports that allow for high-quality, uncompressed game audio from multiple platforms all at the same time.

If you have a couch-based gaming setup and you have a PlayStation 5 and an XBOX Series X side by side, you can use the same headset on both and switch between them at the simple tap of a button.

The headset’s LIGHTSPEED wireless technology, which is characteristic of all top-tier Logitech headsets (yes, Astro is Logitech), ensures you’re getting absolutely blistering low-latency without losing any clarity. And that technology facilitates a great range – 12 meters without cutting out.

If you nip to the bathroom when you’re between maps, you can stay connected to hear when you’re back in the action!

But the dock is also all about convenience. Being able to just slot the headset in at the end of a session and have it start charging automatically is a godsend. It’s so accessible, it’s unreal.

The 40 mm PRO-G GRAPHENE drivers deliver cutting-edge audio quality, and the depth they offer in all aspects is phenomenal. If you plug the base station into a PlayStation 5, you’ll even be able to take advantage of full 3D audio, and on PC, you can get Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic Spatial.

There’s no faulting this thing, honestly. It’s comfortable as all hell, it looks fantastic, the Mars Red palette is gorgeous, and the base station sets it apart from the competition. The only problem is it’ll run you a bill of up to $399, making it one of the most expensive gaming headsets on the market.

I’m a firm advocate for investing in a brilliant headset if you’re a dedicated, die-hard gamer, or if you’re a legitimate esports pro player, and this is that, but it’s arguably not an option for gamers on a budget. And that’s fine, because there are plenty more headsets out there.

Ultimately, the Astro A50 X represents the pinnacle of gaming headsets, and everything it does, it does perfectly. I am unable to fault this headset, and I’m fortunate it landed on my desk.

Let me know on the Insider Gaming Discord server if the Astro A50 X seems like your kind of headset.

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Written by

Grant Taylor-Hill

Senior Editor and Esports Lead

Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.