Logitech G, a brand of gaming technologies and gear from Logitech, unveiled the Logitech G ASTRO A50 X Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset and Base Station, designed to deliver the ultimate headset gaming and audio fidelity experience. This new gaming headset model is packed full of breakthrough innovations in audio and connectivity, made possible by a large company with solid foundations in both the product development and manufacturing side.
The irony is not lost on the fact that after several years since Ora Graphene introduced its groundbreaking GrapheneQ membrane technology, that gamers are the first ones to enjoy the ultimate audio fidelity so relentlessly pursued by high end audio enthusiasts and the headphones community. Following years of intense research efforts and proof-of-concept developments, Ora's GrapheneQ drivers - produced from the largest sheets of free-standing graphene, demonstrating incredible new material properties and proven to significantly improve sound quality - are finally available to other headphones manufacturers who don't have the resources to develop and perfect such components in-house.
"With sound being such a critical component in gaming, the A50 X’s PRO-G Graphene Audio Driver has been precision engineered with a 40mm graphene diaphragm featuring a live edge suspension, to deliver superior audio performance like never before. The new driver delivers improvements in sound reproduction accuracy, time to signal accuracy and distortion reduction, allowing players to identify audio objects more clearly, and more quickly discern their location as objects move relative to the player," Logitech explains. "Graphene is a breakthrough material for audio clarity, detail, and spatial timing accuracy. With unprecedented harmonic rigidity these audio drivers reduce distortion while delivering soaring highs, clear mids and rich bass," they add.
For Logitech, this is just another piece of their product development efforts to achieve the intended goals required by a thriving, much larger, and lucrative market segment such as gaming headsets. In the Logitech G ASTRO A50 X model, the company combined its PRO-G Graphene Audio Driver technology for high performance audio - introduced in the Logitech G PRO X 2 Lightspeed Gaming Headset - combined with Playsync source switching connectivity via a single button press.
As wireless headsets, the ASTRO A50 X model also offers the latest Bluetooth technology with multipoint connectivity, combined with the company's proprietary 24-bit Lightspeed Wireless technology for low latency, high resolution wireless audio from the gaming consoles. The A50 X headset system was also designed to work with high performance game consoles using HDMI 2.1 and USB-C connectivity, supporting uncompressed audio at up to 24-bit.
Logitech's Lightspeed wireless technology is described as "a continuously improving pro-grade solution for quality of sound, reliability in connectivity, and efficiency for epic battery life." The Base Station also features simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity allowing gamers to mix a Discord chat with game audio or listen to music while playing. The A50 X is also Logitech G's first headset that comes equipped with an integrated high resolution 16-bit 48kHz Lightspeed microphone
"Over the last decade, the A50 has become an icon in gaming headsets due to its focus on gamer-centric design, premium sound, and superior comfort and durability," says Ujesh Desai, general manager of Logitech G. "Our new A50 X elevates this beloved headset with an unmatched level of performance by combining the A50’s award-winning design with several new features and advanced technologies that truly revolutionize gameplay."
The A50 X combines the design of the original A50 - a favorite of console gamers everywhere - Playsync technology, an industry first that allows gamers to connect their Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC/MAC all at once and seamlessly switch between all three gaming systems with the simple ‘one-click’ of a button on the A50 X headset.
This is made possible with a two-part Base Station and Wireless Headset system that works directly with high performance game consoles as well as 4K UHD Televisions using HDMI 2.1 technology. Using HDMI, the Base Station directs audio wirelessly to the A50 X Headset, while passing the console's video through to the TV without impacting the source's intended fidelity and features such as 4K 120Hz HDR, VRR, and ALLM. The result is high performance and ultra-low latency video.
Audio signals are also intelligently routed on A50 X; with the headset docked to the Base Station, audio signals along with video will be passed through to the connected TV. When gamers undock the headset, audio signals will be rerouted to the headset automatically, improving convenience and versatility between open or private listening experiences. The integrated LED status info panel and the click-in magnetic charging cradle of the A50 X Base Station keeps the headset battery topped off and always at the ready.
Users can control multiple sources, presets, and features directly in control buttons on the headset, and they can optimize and fine tune the gaming audio experience with the G HUB software on PC and the Logitech G App on iOS/Android devices. Via the software and app, users can tweak headset EQ presets, dive deep into the fully parametric EQ, set up stream output audio mixing, specify sidetone amount, save custom presets, and more.
The Logitech G ASTRO A50 X Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset also features parts that include a minimum of 35 percent post-consumer recycled content, and the paper packaging comes from FSC-certified forests. In addition the A50 X is certified Carbon Neutral, which means that the company reduces the carbon impact of the product to zero.
This flagship gaming headset starts shipping in the first half of 2024 and retails for $379.99, showing that Logitech is now fooling around.
Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).
www.logitech.com
