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Astro A20 Wireless Headset Review

Astro is one of the known names when it comes to gaming headsets. And today, we’re writing our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review to discuss one of Astro’s products.

The A20 (Gen2) wireless is a straightforward wireless gaming headset for the Playstation and Xbox. The one we have for our review is the Xbox version in green, and it looks pretty cool and aesthetic. Both versions are compatible with the computer, but these don’t come with software. 

For this Astro A20 Wireless Headset review, we spent over a week with it. We tested the headset to see if it’s worth buying, so continue reading our review to learn more. 

Astro A20 Wireless Headset Packaging

We were lucky that the headset arrived in time for our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review. It came in a thick box that was sturdy and thick enough to protect the items inside. 

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The front displays an image of the product, its name, and a sign showing it’s compatible with the Xbox. Inside, you’ll find the A20 Wireless Headset, a USB transmitter, and a 1.5m USB-A to C cable. 

Astro A20 Wireless Headset Review – Design and Functionality

To continue our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review, let’s focus on the headset’s functions and design. 

As we mentioned earlier, the variant we have is the one that works with the PC/Mac and Xbox. The other works with the PC/Mac and the Playstation, specifically the PS4 and PS5. 

Our version works with the Xbox One, One X, Series X, One S, and the Xbox Series X. 

There’s some difference between how these two variants connect. But otherwise, you can tell them apart based on the colour schemes. 

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The construction of this headset has a body made of plastic. Its earpads have a rubber and soft fabric material to keep everything comfortable during gaming sessions. 

It’s a bit disappointing since it has a plastic build which is usually prone to snapping. But as a tradeoff, the headset is lighter and more comfortable even during hours of use. 

Connecting the ear cups and the bridge are extendable plastic hinges that fit most head sizes. When we tried it, the headset felt comfortable, and there was an adequate clamping force to keep it on our heads. 

Though this may not be the case for other users, pay attention to the fit before making your purchase. 

On the earcups, you’ll see various buttons on the right can. These include Voice and Game audio buttons for pushing the balance to one or the other. There’s also a volume dial in-between these, plus an equaliser button and the overall on/off switch.  

Like other headsets from Astro, the mic of this A20 wireless headset has a flip-to-mute function. That means it auto silences when you move it up, making it better than searching for the mute button. 

However, it would’ve been nicer if the microphone was entirely detachable like other headsets under the same price range. 

We also observed its  EQ options for this Astro A20 Wireless Headset review. The headset has three EQ presets for changing the product’s audio: Astro Studio and Pro. 

Astro is the headset’s default, while Studio flattens the frequency for proper media consumption. Pro tailors the audio for competitive gaming by draining bass output from the mix. 

Key Features of the Astro A20 Wireless Headset 

What makes this product better than other gaming headsets for Xbox? Is it worth purchasing? Let’s find out by discussing the key features of the A20 Wireless.

Wireless Design that Gives You Freedom

Astro designed their second-generation A20 Wireless to provide several levels of freedom. The headset uses a 2.4GHz signal for extended wireless range and a flip-to-mute microphone for your convenience.

Its long-lasting comfort and long battery life allow you to enjoy long hours of gaming sessions.

You can also purchase a USB transmitter for expanded console compatibility, so you won’t have to switch headsets.

15m Wireless Range

When testing the headset for our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review was its wireless performance. We freely moved around and did not notice any signal fluctuation, thanks to its 15m range and 2.4GHz technology.

Over 15 Hours Battery Life

The A20 Wireless’ long battery life lets you game without worries, even during the hours of gaming sessions. 

Flip-to-Mute Microphone

The A20 Wireless features a unidirectional flip-to-mute microphone. Its polar pattern guarantees superior clarity. You can also mute it instantly when necessary.

Long-lasting Comfort

You won’t have to worry about discomfort and headset fatigue in the middle of the game. The A20 Wireless uses flexible and lightweight materials combined with cloth ear cushions for unparalleled comfort.

Astro Audio V2

The Astro Audio V2 delivers smooth and neutral sound quality with an extended frequency range for detailed and realistic soundscapes. It offers balanced highs, clear mids, and distortion-free bass, resulting in non-fatiguing audio.

Specifications

The A20 wireless has a unidirectional  6mm x 2.7mm mic with an over-ear coupling. It has 40mm neodymium drivers and a wireless range + frequency of 15m and 2.4GHz, respectively.

It uses a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery with a charge time of 3.5 hours. Plus, it has a USB 2.0 high speed over USB-C. Its battery also has an auto-shutdown mode after 10 minutes. 

Without the cable, it weighs 318g and measures 17.75 x 26.2 x 8.72cm (HxWxD). Then, its headband’s pressure is 0.45 kgf ± 50g. 

The headset has a dynamic transducer principle, a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, and 100dB SPL 1kHz @ mW sensitivity. Also, its nominal impedance is 32 Ohms while total harmonic distortion is <3% (20 Hz to 10 kHz).

The battery of A20 Wireless has a capacity of 1050 mAh and weighs 17g. The USB transmitter uses USB 2.0 connectivity. Its input power is 5V < 100 mAh, and its wireless frequency is 2.4GHz.

The transmitter weighs 7.1g and measures 6.58 x 1.96 x 0.76cm (LxWxH).

Hands-on with the Astro A20 Wireless Headset 

Using the A20 Wireless was a great experience in terms of comfort and audio quality. The fabric ear pads made the headset feel comfortable to wear. It sounded good, and we’ll give you more details about this here in our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review.

We played numerous games with this headset and did voice chats in a co-op game. We had no problems hearing them, even with in-game sounds playing simultaneously.

The in-game audio was equally good. This headset delivered a decent bass response while the dialogues sounded clear. We heard details more clearly, so enemies and items were easier to locate.

With RPG, the A20 Wireless delivered an excellent balance between in-game sounds and the musical score of the background music. 

The bass response was not overpowering even in FPS, so the rumble of gunshots and explosions didn’t sound overwhelming. This moderate response is essential in games like Apex Legends since we pay attention to positional audio cues.

The headset focused on the mid-range, which helped dialogues and footsteps cut through intense explosions and gunfire.

Although it doesn’t have an integrated spatial audio feature, it has Windows Sonic. In our tests, this feature worked well in enhancing our listening experience.

With the headset’s high range from 3 to 10kHz, the A20 Wireless had a notable degree of added emphasis. But this emphasis dropped in sounds under 40Hz. 

As expected, the A20 performed well like its predecessor, but this newer model delivered better audio quality. It has the perfect tuning for game audio and chat, which is excellent for co-op gaming.

The microphone of the A20 Wireless was standard for a gaming headset. But to our surprise, our teammates said that our voices sounded crisp and clear. It was also loud with slightly under-emphasised bass response.

Aside from game chats, this headset also performed well in Discord calls and Zoom meetings. But of course, don’t expect to record podcasts since it’s not a dedicated microphone for high-quality voice recordings.

The company claims its battery can last over 15 hours on a single charge. But in our tests, it exceeded that estimated time. It lasted for almost 20 hours, which was much longer than claimed.

Astro A20 Wireless Headset Review Summary

The A20 Wireless is a straightforward gaming headset that delivers excellent performance. It’s comfortable to wear, and it offers impressive audio quality.

This headset may not deliver superior audio quality for music, but we have no complaints. It’s a dedicated headset for the Xbox, and we expected it to perform excellently for gaming. Just remember to choose the appropriate variant for your gaming console.

Its microphone isn’t the best, but it solves the issues with volume and clarity. During our tests for our Astro A20 Wireless Headset review, the microphone helped us communicate well. It helped improve our teamwork and performance, so we had the advantage against our opponents.

We also liked that the battery life lasted longer than expected.

Overall, this product is an impressive gaming headset that we highly recommend. It’s one of the best Xbox gaming headsets you can find on the market today.

To learn more about the A20 Wireless Headset, visit Astro’s official product page for more information about the headset.