If you have selected your favorite game and set up your gaming system, the final piece to the puzzle is to find the right headset. The Astro A50 and A40 are high-quality gaming headsets used by professional gamers and the most experienced users. Let us look at these two headsets and determine which of them is better.
A good quality gaming headset is crucial for the ultimate gaming experience as it offers a wide range of incredible entertainment options. However, it can be challenging to choose the right set of headphones with so many different brands, models, and designs available on the market. The Astro A50 and A40 are two popular gaming headsets that feature excellent sound quality and are comfortable to wear for long gaming hours. At that, let us compare these two headsets to clear up their differences and help you decide which one to get.
What are the differences between Astro A50 and A40?
[wpdatatable id=22]Astro A50 vs. A40- How do they compare?
Design/look:
At first glance, both the Astro A50 and A40 have a similar design and premium look. Both have the standard gamer aesthetic look familiar to gaming headphones nowadays and have a very adjustable design.
The Astro A50 has a grey color scheme with grey/gold accents and a neon piping that connects the large and round rectangular ear cups to the headband. The ear cups are quite large and made from mainly plastic and metal frame. Most controls on this headset are on the right ear cup, and the left ear cup hosts the adjustable and foldable microphone.
On the other hand, the Astro A40 features oversized and adjustable ear cups, a bendable and detachable microphone, and shiny metal rods. This headset primarily consists of matte black plastic with aluminum struts on the sides of the ear cups and headbands. Its headbands and speaker tags come with hints of color, like blue, red, or green, depending on the version. Additionally, this headset has smoother corners than the Astro A50.
The Astro A40 features a better design/look than the Astro A50.
Build quality:
When it comes to build quality, the Astro A50 consists of solid construction made from high-quality and durable plastic. It has big ear pads with a generous amount of memory foam covered with breathable fabric that matches the padding on the headband’s underside. At 1.49 pounds, this gaming headset is relatively light for prolonged use.
Alternatively, the Astro A40 also contains premium quality black plastic and soft headbands and earphones, ideal for long gaming sessions. Weighing 0.8 pounds, this gaming headphone is slightly lighter than the Astro A50 and can be made lighter as the microphone, fabric headband cushion, and speaker tags are detachable.
The Astro A40 is slightly lighter than the Astro A50.
Performance/sound quality:
Like any other typical headset in this category, these headsets were made explicitly for gaming as they have a robust bass response. Although the bass is not too overpowering, users may notice a slight shrill on the highs.
With a frequency response range of 20Hz- 20 kHz, both headphones have an overall excellent sound quality, and the difference in audio performance between the two is imperceptible. Each of them comes with 40mm drivers that deliver pristine audio quality for a fully immersive and very clear gaming experience.
Furthermore, both headphones feature 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound that significantly contributes to their exceptional audio capabilities. When playing Call of Duty: Warzone, both headsets delivered solid lows, and I could hear the vocals with complete clarity to a certain extent. When listening to music, it was perfect for tracks with heavy bass, but the vocals were a bit too soft.
Both the Astro A50 and A40 have impressive sound quality.
Microphone sound quality:
In terms of microphone quality, the Astro A50 will not disappoint you. It delivers reliable performance, but you will notice slight tinkering, which can be amended in the Astro Command Center. The default mic gain levels lack clarity and do not cancel background noise effectively.
On the other hand, the Astro A40’s detachable microphone sounds excellent. Whether you want to do commentary, voice chats, or podcasts, this gaming headset has clean and warm audio quality with no distortion or fuzziness.
The Astro A40 features better microphone sound quality than the Astro A50.
Comfort:
When buying a gaming headset, comfort is a crucial consideration. Since you are likely to wear them for several hours at a time, a comfortable set of headsets guarantee their durability. Both the Astro A50 and A40 are relatively light gaming headphones that offer plenty of comforts.
Each model comes with heavily padded earpieces with plenty of foam padding for a comfortable yet snug fit. Both models’ unique design ensures its weight is equally dispersed over the entire unit, ensuring there is no discomfort or irritation, even after long hours of use.
The Astro A40 is slightly more comfortable than the Astro A50 as it is slightly lighter.
Astro A50 vs. A40-A comparison review
Astro A50 review:
If you are looking for premium and wireless gaming headphones, the Astro A50 is the ideal option. Primarily made from plastic, this device also consists of bits of metal, and its earphones contain comfortable fabric material. While the microphone is permanently fixed, it has a flip-to-mute function, where users can flip it up to mute it.
The sound quality of this headset is quite impressive, which makes up for its price point. It delivers powerful bass output, which may be too much for some, but can be tweaked from the software settings. Another impressive feature of this headphone is that it comes with Dolby 7.1 surround sound, which gives users an added advantage. You can hear practically everything, meaning you can be fully immersed and concentrated on your game.
Given it is a wireless headset, you have to charge it now and then. It comes with a USB charging dock that you can plug into your console or PC. In addition, the dock has LED lights to show how much battery life is available and how much charge the headset contains. Generally, it has an overall battery life of about 15 hours and takes approximately four hours to recharge fully.
- Excellent sound quality with Dolby 7.1 surround sound
- Durable build
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Flexible microphone
- Recharges quickly
- Slightly pricey
- When the headset is put down, the audio turns off
Astro A40 review:
The Astro A40 gaming headset features a clean design and is available in black and red. It is adjustable and has foam padded ear cups, ensuring its users’ comfort when gaming for long hours. Likewise, the ear cups are removable, which makes it easier for cleaning or replacing them. Additionally, the headphone cables are detachable, which is perfect if you need to travel and take it with you.
Like other Astro gaming products, its design is quite traditional and minimalistic. However, you can customize this product through the optional MOD kits that allow you to swap the side plates with a more colorful option. The microphone is also detachable, allowing you o use the device with your phone when listening to music.
It is worth noting that this device is quite versatile as it can be used with various devices, like Xbox One, Mac, and PS4. Apart from using it on your phone, you can also use its single line cable and splitter, in its packaging, to connect it to your PC.
When it comes to sound quality, the audio is very clear, and you can easily hear every detail in the game. Its 7.1 Dolby surround sound enables users to note small details, like shots and footsteps, in the game, providing a fully immersive experience. However, you will notice a slight distortion of highs and mids when the bass is too much.
- Comfortable
- Customizable
- Detachable microphone and cables
- Excellent audio quality with surround sound
- Attractive design
- No volume controls
- Mumbly sound quality at high volume
Final verdict: So, which is better, Astro A50 or A40?
After comparing these two gaming headsets side by side, we found that the Astro A40 is a better gaming headset than the Astro A50 as it is available at a fair price with plenty of customizable options. The Astro A50 headsets are twice the price of the Astro A40 due to their wireless feature.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you have to use the base station to charge the Astro A50?
Yes, the headset and the Base Station come with a micro-USB port.
Can you talk while using the Astro A40 on PC?
Yes. You can use the splitter to connect this headset to consoles, PCs, PS4, Xbox One, and phones, among many others.