Astro has been a choice of gamers for its gaming headsets for a long time. Their latest gaming headset, Astro A20 Wireless (Gen 2) is a wireless gaming headset that comes with an Xbox-compatible version and a PlayStation version, and both of them support Windows and Mac. However, it’s not the headset that is incompatible with the different gaming consoles, it depends on the USB transmitter which works on different audio output formats. One can buy a separate transmitter for an additional $20.
The Astro A20 Wireless (Gen 2) is easy to use and comfortable over the ears. The soft fabric used in the padding avoids causing pain but brings the disadvantage of poor sound isolation. Additionally, gamers who wear spectacles will appreciate A20 for its comfortable fit and soft fabric. The Astro A20 (Gen 2) is affordable compared to its competitors.
Astro A20 Wireless: Specs and Design
Astro A20 comes with a distinctive aesthetic with a square ear cup design. Considering the built-in headset with hard plastic and rubber, A20 lies under the lightweight category with just 318g. White color with a blue accent for PS5 and green accent for Xbox gives the headset a more playful feel. The soft fabric ear pads sit comfortably over the ear without causing any discomfort in a long stretch of the gaming session and also feel pretty great with spectacles.
The volume knob, power button, and EQ button are mounted on the right ear cup. Equalizer switches between three presets, Pro with balanced sound, Studio for watching movies, and Astro for bass-heavy music listening which gives a little extra explosion.
| Driver Size | 40mm |
| Driver Type | Neodymium magnet |
| Driver Frequency Response | 20Hz-20KHz |
| Mic Frequency Response | 100 Hz-16KHz |
| Wireless Frequency | 2.4 Ghz |
| Wireless Range | 15 meter |
| Microphone | Attached, Uni-directional |
| Design | Over-Ear |
| Connectivity | USB Type-A 2.0 to USB Type-C |
| Weight | 318g |
| Battery Life | Around 15 hours |
| Price | $119.99 |
Astro A20 Wireless Review
Astro A20 is a pretty good wireless headset and one of the few headsets that support Xbox. A20 is built to be comfortable and sturdy and sounds really good thanks to 40mm Neodymium drivers. 15+ hours of battery life can easily handle a long single sitting. With all these goodnesses, there are some bad aspects too. Though Astro A20 is an affordable piece of tech, some sacrifices are made. A20 doesn’t support 3.5mm audio input, and also it lacks fast charging. The headset took at least 3 hours to fully charge. The soft fabric used on ear cups provides comfort but tolls on sound isolation, which is average. The microphone attached is equipped with a flip-to-mute function but captures sufficiently good audio with average noise reduction.
Pros:
- Comfortable and sturdy build
- Sounds Good
- Long-lasting battery life
- 15-meter wireless range
- Xbox/PS5 compatible (separate transmitter needed)
Cons:
- No 3.5mm input
- No fast charging support
- Average noise isolation
- Average microphone
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Final Words
Astro A20 (Gen 2) is a pretty good headset considering the budget. Its sounds and comfort don’t disappoint at all. There is no issue with volume and sound clarity. The battery is more than enough with 15+ hours of gaming backup and 20+ hours of media consumption. The headset doesn’t need any software to function, as it is a plug-and-play deal. One thing to consider is that the chat and game sound doesn’t work separately on PC.
However, Astro A20 (Gen 2) lags behind Astro A50 (Gen 4) in terms of comfort, lags in the sound department compared to Corsair HS70, and can’t be plugged with 3.5mm audio input like SteelSeries Arctis 7. But, one thing to note is that these headsets fall in the premium category and cost a lot more than the Astro A20 (Gen 2), but can be considered a better option if the budget allows.
