In the gaming industry, the demand for gaming headsets is rising. Thanks to the pandemic and WFH, people want the best in the market. A glance at the market, and you will find there is no shortage of wireless gaming headsets.
You can always find a pair that suits your requirement. With several gaming manufacturers demanding top-quality professional gamers, gamers, in turn, want top-notch units from makers. In this comparison review, we will be reading about two exceptional gaming headsets in the market.
They are Astro A50 vs Arctis Pro Wireless gaming headsets. These two models are top-notch models in the market and are quite expensive. They come infused with incredible features in them, making them in the price range of above $300.
It is safe to say that the A50 has stood the test of times, and the maker has done a decent job producing the unit. The unit sounds good; it is wireless and is comfortable to wear. Having said that, you also have the Arctis Pro in the market.
We felt that the A50 lets you customize your sound preference and provides you with excellent output quality. The EQ modes in the unit were just breathtaking. Though the microphone was good and the precious in the voice was there, we felt that it was a tat bland.
The Arctis Pro comes with exceptional features that are ideal for gaming, listening to music, and entertainment. Besides, it comes with a 2.4G wireless audio and Bluetooth connectivity for use on smartphones effortlessly.
You can use the connectivity simultaneously. This brings us to the main question. Which model should you consider purchasing? Which of the two gaming headsets can help solve your needs and meet your requirements?
We have compiled this review to know that. Let us read the post carefully and find out in the end who the winner between these two top models is.
 |  |
|---|---|
| ASTRO A50 | ARCTIS PRO |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| The unit comes in an elegant-looking design. Its audio playback is sublime. The product has superb HyperSense haptic technology. Its wireless connection is excellent. It comes with a 1-year manufacture warranty. | It has a stable and comfortable fitting. The product is extremely lightweight. Its sound quality is splendid. The microphone is removable. It comes with a 2-year warranty. |
| CONS | CONS |
| It comes with limited battery life. | The unit is not compatible with gaming consoles. |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ASTRO A50 | ARCTIS PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Product Name | ASTRO A50 + Base Station RF Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones | Arctis Pro Wireless Stereo Gaming Headset |
| Brand | Astro Gaming | SteelSeries |
| Sound Mode | Stereo | Stereo |
| Connection Type | Wireless | Wireless |
| Wireless Connectivity | Radio Frequency (RF) | Bluetooth |
| True Wireless | No | No |
| Maximum Wireless Range | 30 feet | 39 feet |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Fit | Over-the-Ear | Over-the-Ear |
| Adjustable Headband | No | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours | 20 hours |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
DESIGN & COMFORT
The Astro A50 and Arctis Pro Wireless are premium headsets, and it is only fair that you expect the best from them. They both are designed differently, and that might affect the entire course of the game.
The A50 is undeniably a gaming headset. The unit is designed with plastic and comes with large earcups. Its hollow plastic band was sublime, and along with it comes a flexible microphone. The band is attached to the headset with the help of metal bars.
This is used to adjust the height of the earcups, and you can rotate them if you like. We loved the velour pads that can be put on for those wearing spectacles. You have material, including the leatherette providing you with extreme isolation.
You will require something that is soft and flexible for wearing around your long hair. All in all, the A50 was elegant in design, and we loved the blue highlights on it. The controls were found on the side of the earcup instead of at the bottom.
The microphone moves up if you flip it. This is a must-have feature in a top-end model. There is also the base station, which is a charging station. The Arctis Pro Wireless gaming headset is beautifully designed when compared to the A50.
SteelSeries, as you know, comes with an elegant and sober design. There is something about their model designs. The elastic headband is sublime, and you can adjust them as you want them to. They feel quite solid and will not buckle under pressure.
The microphone is retractable. It also comes with a wireless station that can be plugged into your PC. It comes with few ports and a volume wheel. A notable feature of the design is the dual batteries, which means you can use up the first battery and use the second one.
BUILD QUALITY
The build quality of both the A50 and the Arctis Pro is sublime. Astro A50 could have considered a better build quality, but it is okay. The A50 comes made of plastic and weighs 0.8 lbs. That makes it very light.
This model is also comfortable, and the cushions are soft, enabling you to wear them for several hours without hassle. The Astro A50 is a very comfortable headset, thanks mainly to the soft material covering the foam in both the ear cups and the headband.
We felt that the Arctis Pro is designed sleek and better. It comes with a retractable microphone making it compact. There are Airweave earpads made from memory foam and breathable fabric, helping it to stay cool.
It comes made from aluminum and steel. It makes it robust, weighing at 0.8lbs. Though the material is soft, it is incredible. You can wear them for those extended hours of gaming sessions. We also noticed that the headband is adjustable.
This means that your head does not become heated when you use it for many hours of play. Choosing between plastic and metal is quite simple. That is because you are offered with more sturdiness with metal.
Despite using more force, the Arctis Pro can hold itself. The same cannot be said about the A50. We cannot say how much it can withstand. In the end, both the models come with spectacular build quality.
But the A50 did not feel that sturdy as an expensive model should. We were not entirely convinced. On the other hand, the Arctis Pro was robust in nature like most SteelSeries models and came with incredible durability.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE
The audio performance is the most crucial factor for any gaming headset, and it becomes even more critical when the stakes are high. Luckily, they both sound terrific, and we were mesmerized by their sound quality.
The Astro A50 offers you with stunning audio quality. We thoroughly enjoyed our gaming session playing a wide range of games, including Risk of Rain 2, Overwatch, and Doom. Our testers loved the heavy music, and sound quality offered in the unit.
However, they did not overshadow other minor sounds coming in from all around. We were able to make out from where trouble was coming, and it enhanced the gameplay. The gunshots pop, and bombs were clearly and loudly heard.
It comes with the outstanding Dolby Audio surround sound. You can connect it to your consoles and have a blast with this kind of sound effect. We can say that it gives you a new direction in gaming.
You can either use the stereo sound effects or might want to play using ordinary audio. The Arctis Pro Wireless gaming headset provides you with good sound quality. You can feel and hear the bass. When you are keen on listening to the drums and guitars, then you can do so with it.
We were quite pleased with the mid-range music too. They were well-tuned, and you can hear the lows and highs. You could also hear your teammates talking to you loud and clear. It was highly detailed.
There is no denying that the Arctis Pro offers stunning noise quality. But the A50 can push the envelope much higher thanks to the surround sound and stereo noise effects. The sound levels were ideal for gaming and entertainment.
MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE
The Astro A50 gaming microphone was sublime. It comes with decent features like most units you can find in the market today. This top-end microphone, however, cannot be termed as best. You can call it average.
Users will notice de-emphasis in the bass range. If you have a deep voice, it may sound distorted many times. That cannot be very pleasant for the person at the other end. We were slightly surprised by that.
However, the peaks during the high range make hearing slightly better. Since it is a quiet performing microphone, you may need to increase your volume from time to time when using it.
On the other hand, the Arctis Pro Wireless microphone sounded good, but we felt it lacked life. At times, you felt as if you had to put more juice into your voice to be heard at the other end.
We were pretty surprised that these top-end models came with subpar microphones. On the whole, we felt that the Astro A50 unit sounded natural than the Arctis Pro in the microphone. You can consider using it for streaming and gaming purposes too.
COMPATIBILITY
The Astro A50 is a good model that is compatible with a barrage of devices and consoles. Gamers can efficiently connect on their PC, laptop, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and others.
We were pretty impressed with the smooth manner in which it operated on these devices and consoles as well. A notable feature in these two models is the battery working life that we will be discussing here.
The Astro A50 model comes with 15 hours of working life on a single charge. Though you may lose the charge, the unit runs on the charging station. This is when you are not using it. We specifically loved this feature on a top-end gaming headset.
It drastically improves the operation time and compatibility of the headset. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless offers you with 10 hours of usage on a single charge. It also comes with a second battery that can be swapped when you are not using it.
Unfortunately, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is compatible only with your PC, laptop, PS4, and your smartphone. You cannot work using it on your Xbox One. If you are particular about operating it using your Xbox One, you might need to look elsewhere.
All in all, both gaming headsets work exceptionally well on most of the devices and consoles. However, the A50 has the edge over the Arcits Pro model here. If you are an Xbox One fan, then you will be disappointed.
PRICE
Since we are dealing with top-end gaming headsets in this comparison review, it is expected that the price would be steep. The Astro A50 is priced under $300 and is not cheap by any means.
But, when you look at the features, you may be tempted to purchase them. Right from the design to the battery life, everything has been nicely done. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is priced under $330.
We can say the same about the gaming headset as it comes with sublime features and exceptional functionalities. Overall, these two spectacular models come priced at the $300 mark, and both are worthy of use for gaming purposes.
VERDICT
Well, it was a close call. Both the units come with breathtaking features and capabilities. Not only that, when you look at the pricing, the Arctis Pro wireless is about $40 more than the Astro A50.
So, which model is better? It comes down to your needs and preference. If you are particular about having a sublime microphone and the 7.1 surround sound feature, then you will want to use the Astro A50 gaming headset.
When you want to own a premium-looking headset that comes with exceptional sound quality and is comfortable, then you might want to go with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless headset. The A50 is a good unit, but the build quality is not convincing.
At times, we felt that it might come off entirely when not handled cautiously. Besides, the voice at a time causes distortion. Not to mention, the base station is annoying too. The unit is not able to connect to the platform that you have plugged it into.
Our tester was not happy with the $300 price tag on it. Though the Astro A50 is one of the main top-end models in the market since 2019, there are plenty of gaming headsets that you can purchase for lesser money.
We have decided that the winner of the comparison review of Astro A50 vs Arctis Pro Wireless is the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. SteelSeries gaming headsets are the mainstay in the market for quite some time now.
They are a sublime gaming headset that is infused with the right amount of extraordinary features with it. We liked the build quality, sound performance, and battery working ability. All these give a slight edge over the Astro A50.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.