Multi-Console Gaming – Is It the Future?
According to Logitech, a growing number of gamers are using at least two systems and managing inputs and audio into a single main display hasn’t been easy. I personally play on my PlayStation 5, but I’ve been getting more into PC gaming lately. This situation of multi-console gaming has been increasingly common.
The company says that a growing number of gamers are using at least two systems and managing inputs and audio into a single main display hasn’t been easy. I have to agree – prioritizing one system over another was the downside. But that was before the A50 X, which looks to address this problem directly.
I was already in the market for something like the A50 X system but was finding that a true HDMI 2.1 switcher was very uncommon. So, naturally, I was very excited about these headphones as they were coming at the perfect time.
Logitech A50 X – Design and Build
The new Logitech Astro A50 X headphones are physically identical to the existing A50 headphones and they are compatible with all first or third-party accessories designed for the original A50. The A50 X features large squared-off earcups with a height adjustment bar connected to the headband and has a boom arm that holds the microphone on the left. It also has a Voice/Game volume toggle on the right side and a power switch with buttons and a master volume rocker at the back. The functionality of the buttons has changed slightly, replacing the Dolby Atmos audio and EQ buttons with Bluetooth and source switcher buttons.
Let’s Talk About the Switcher
The A50 X charging base has a fully redesigned backside that sports two HDMI 2.1 input ports, each accompanied by a USB-C port for audio, a third USB-C for PC connection, and a single HDMI out in addition to the power port. You can choose which HDMI input you want to be active on your connected display (monitor or television) by cycling through them via a button on the side of the headset.
Example Use Case
Let me quickly walk you through an example of how I use the headphones to better paint a picture of how and why the integrated switcher is so handy. In this position, the headphones aren’t receiving audio. Instead, it is coming through the HDMI connection into my TV and out my soundbar.
I got a text from my friend asking me to join him on Apex Legends and since he’s on PlayStation, I would have to change my input. Well, normally I would have to do that, but not anymore. Instead, I just grabbed my controller, lifted the headphones off the charging base, and hit the switcher button on the side of the right earcup.
Logitech A50 X – In Use
Firstly, Logitech ships these with a fabric earcup that is scratchy on my ears and the side of my head and also prone to getting very hot very quickly. They might be my least favorite earcups I’ve worn in some time and my least favorite of any gaming headset I’ve ever tested. The A50 X does not have active noise cancellation and these earcups aren’t great at isolating noise either. Luckily, as mentioned, the cups are easily replaceable and attach to the headset via three magnets.
Logitech A50 X – Sound Quality
The Logitech A50 X headphones sound perfectly serviceable with good bass and great mids, but middling highs. They also don’t provide a high level of detail, so while I have used them with much success in competitive PvP games, I found them to be well below the quality of sound that I was getting out of the PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds or the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro headphones, for example.
However, the sound quality for music, movies, and television was a lot better than the Pulse Explore buds and about on par with the Nova Pro headphones. The fact you can dial in the EQ to your liking is also a big plus. EQ can be managed either through Logitech’s G app on smartphones or the PC version of the software.
Logitech A50 X – Software Hiccups
The Logitech G app on PC can create issues, but overall, the Logitech A50 X system’s functionality is unparalleled as nothing else offers the HDMI 2.1 switching functionality that these do, making them truly unique. The Logitech Astro A50 X is available from Logitech with an MSRP of $379.99.