The Astro A50 X Now Comes In Red, And It's Still The Best Gaming Headset

Published Oct 7, 2026, 11:24 AM EDT Niall (pronounced Ny-ul) is a UK-based writer who has been writing about Magic: The Gathering throughout his entire career, with everything from new set breakdowns and individual deck guides to offering his opinions on the state of formats and the general direction of the iconic TCG. Niall also has a rich history covering triple-A releases, sports games, and PC hardware. It’s been almost three years since the reveal and release of the Astro A50 X gaming headset. It innovated in ways that few gaming headsets have ever done, through unity. It’s an amazing headset first and foremost, but its secret weapon is Playsync, a proprietary technology that lets you connect it to a PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Bluetooth device at the same time and switch between audio channels at the touch of a button. The A50 X also supports each of the primary platforms with key features such as 3D audio on PS5, Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, and Dolby Atmos support. Granted, there are definitely some improvements at the top of my list for future iterations of this headset, but they all feel minor compared to how much easier this headset makes your life if you own multiple gaming platforms. The Ultimate Gaming Headset & Now Available In Red There’s a very good reason I’m waxing lyrical about the Astro A50 X all over again: Logitech recently released a new Mars Red version. It’s perhaps a strange move so long after the original white and black models, but to me, it signals contentment with the Astro A50 X and a willingness to let it sit on the market and continue to put others to shame with its multiplatform accessibility. Logitech kindly sent me one of the new red Astro A50 X models to take a closer look at, since I reviewed the OG model back in 2023. At the time, I gave it an almost perfect score, docking it only because it was a nightmare for cable management if you have it hardwired into a PlayStation, Xbox, and PC at the same time. I struggled with that cable management again when setting up this new model, but this time I knew what awaited me when it was done, so it felt far less tedious. Another change over the past three years is that I’m no longer a multiplatform gamer, at least not in the same way, so instead of owning a gaming PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S, I only have a PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 to worry about. The good news is that I can hook my Switch 2 up to the Xbox ports on the A50 X’s dock, and it works a treat; I can also switch to Bluetooth when I’m in handheld mode. Velvety Smooth Audio That’s Still Best In Class I’m fully aware that a lot of impressive gaming headsets have been released since December 2023, namely the Razer Kraken V4 Pro and Blackshark V3 Pro, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, and the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II. Each of these headsets has great audio quality and a strong microphone, but the reality is that audio tech simply isn’t innovating quickly enough for the A50 X to be outdated after only three years on the market. In fact, the A50 X felt so far ahead of its time that it still looks pretty good among these headsets, some of which are wildly more expensive. The 40mm Pro G Graphene drivers and 48KHz omnidirectional microphone are still considered high-end today, but the A50 X really impresses with the passthrough quality and feature set of its base unit. You can use Playsync to cycle through connected devices and, if your TV is compatible, it will switch the source to the console you selected. This works by connecting compatible 2.1 HDMI cables from the base unit to each console, with a single 2.1 HDMI cable feeding out from the base unit to your TV. With the right cables (none of which are provided), you’ll get low-latency passthrough that is virtually indistinguishable from a single native cable running from console to TV. Where the A50 X falls short by some modern standards, however, is with its 24-hour battery life. This is on the low side for a wireless headset, and repeated on-and-off charging via the magnetic contacts in the base unit can take a fair bit of the capacity over time, without the ability to cap the charge at 80%, which we now know is ideal for lithium-ion batteries. A 12-meter Bluetooth range is also on the short side, but at that point I’m splitting hairs to classify it as a reason not to buy the headset. A $399.99 investment in the A50 X three years ago would have more than paid off by now, and with its sturdy build and swappable magnetic earcups, maintaining comfort is a breeze. In the current market, the A50 X often goes on sale for as little as $289 at certain retailers, and it would still be my top recommendation for Black Friday and the holiday season. Why Would You Buy Anything Else? I’m being a touch facetious here in saying “why would you buy anything else” because, at its current price ($399.99 for the Mars Red variant), the Astro A50 X is likely still out of budget for a lot of people in this economy. Also, with the rapid rise in gaming accessory costs, you may not want something all singing and all dancing as your daily driver. However, three years ago I suggested that if you own only one platform, the Astro A50 X might lose some of its shine because it relies on the Playsync feature as a unique selling point. Now, because many competitor headsets with a single-platform focus and Bluetooth as a backup are priced lower, the Astro A50 X is an easier recommendation if you have the budget to spare. Investing in this headset today still feels like a smart decision, knowing that many of the other big names in the market still haven’t cracked the code to multiplatform usability. So, whether you’re a PC gamer with a handheld on the side or someone who collects consoles like Infinity Stones, consider the Astro A50 X as your next gaming headset.