Astro A10 Gen 2 Review
A great headset for those on a budget
Verdict
The Astro A10 Gen 2 is a great gaming headset for those on a budget. With an impressive microphone and balanced audio, as well as a flexible and lightweight design, this is a solid choice for anyone who doesn’t have an issue with wires .
Pros
- Lightweight
- Comfortable ear cups
- Good microphone
- Strong audio
Cons
- Mic isn’t detachable
- Feels a little plasticky
Availability
- UKRRP: £49.99
- USARRP: $59.99
- EuropeRRP: €59.99
- CanadaRRP: CA$79.99
- AustraliaRRP: AU$99.95
Key Features
- Wired connection Connects via 3.5mm headphone jack
- MultiplatformCan be used with the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile and PC/Mac
Introduction
The second-generation Astro A10 (Gen 2) is the successor to the original Astro A10 headset, coming in at the same low price but with an overhauled design.
It aims to offer buyers on a budget a reliable cabled headset for prolonged gaming sessions. I had the opportunity to use the headset for about two weeks with my PC, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. Here’s how I got on.
Design and Features
- Flexible and lightweight design
- In-line wired controls
- Non-detachable microphone
- No high-end features
Design-wise, the Astro A10 Gen 2 sports a pretty basic and fairly discrete look for a gaming device. There’s no RGB lighting or particularly flashy colours like what you’ll find on more expensive headsets, such as the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless or Razer Kaira X. My review unit was white, although you can pick it up in black, white, mint, grey and lilac colourways if you’re after something a little jazzier looking.
I’m a huge fan of its weight, or lack thereof. At just 246g, I could wear the headset for hours on end while gaming without it pushing down on my neck. The ear cups are padded and comfortable, and I didn’t feel any discomfort –whether wearing glasses, earrings or both.
As you can see from the image below, this headset is pretty flexible, and you can easily push the ear cups out and away from each other without feeling like you’ll do any damage. I have a fairly small head, so I rarely struggle with headsets being too small, but the flexibility on show here is great news for anyone who regularly struggles to find the perfect fit.
The downside to this flexibility is that the headset does feel pretty plasticky; but considering the price point, I wouldn’t expect it to feel as hefty or premium as the Razer Opus X or the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense. And that plasticky feeling doesn’t make the headset feel unstable. Following a couple of accidental drops, I can attest to this headset’s durability, but you’ll need to spend more money if you want your headset to feel more expensive.
The Astro A10 Gen 2 is a wired model, and can only connect via a 3.5mm jack. This allowed me to use it with my PC, PS5 and Switch. The option to connect via Bluetooth would have been welcome, although I never had any issues connecting the headset to my devices. On occasion, though, it would take a couple of minutes to register on my PC.
The headset itself is bare in terms of buttons. The only feature being the 3.5mm port on the left ear cup. The in-line remote does house a volume roller – but, unless the buttons are on the headset itself, I usually defer to adjusting the volume manually via the device I’m using. On occasion, the roller would rub against my arm or desk, and I’d suddenly be inundated with noise. Once I had become used to the wired connection, however, it became less of an issue.
The cable itself is 2m long, and it does come with a PC splitter cable. I prefer a wireless connection for the purposes of convenience, but at least the cable length here proved long enough for me to play comfortably.
The microphone sits on the left side of the headset and can’t be detached, but it can be flipped up and out of the way when it isn’t in use. The microphone is pretty flexible. During testing I could move it further away from my face and out of my line of sight, which may be a small detail but was greatly appreciated, since headsets such as the Corsair HS80 RGB have an annoyingly rigid mic.
Sound Quality and Microphone
- Great audio quality
- 32mm neodymium magnet drivers
- Good microphone
For less than £50, the audio quality delivered by this headset is super-impressive, and it should work for anyone looking for a natural and balanced experience while they game. Offering directional stereo sound, playing Two Point Campus on PC I could hear the inane chattering of students and the student radio without everything sounding muddled.
While 7.1 surround sound would obviously be more immersive, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any big audio cues while playing Hades on my Switch. I could track where my enemies were through sound without issue. Music playback was balanced and I could catch the ringing sounds from my sword as I slashed through enemies, with the chatter between demons sounding wispy and menacing.
Audio quality was pretty similar across devices. I could move from my PS5 to my Switch without audio dipping or sounding completely different. This makes the Astro A10 Gen 2 headset super-accessible and a great choice for anyone who likes to play across multiple platforms.
Playing Cuphead on my PS5, I could hear the inventible clinking noise that comes when you lose a life, and the jazzy upbeat music sounded warm and natural. While bass is somewhat lacking, which proved to be the case when listening to music, too, the audio never sounded distorted or harsh. It simply lacked the degree of detail you might find with more expensive headsets.
Speaking of music, I listened to a fair few songs on my PC using the Astro A10 – and, again, it delivered perfectly serviceable audio. The highs weren’t harsh and the mid-tones sounded great, with most songs sounding balanced and natural to the ear. I wouldn’t choose this headset over my Razer Opus X for music, which also features ANC, but for the price I was impressed, and it only cemented my view that the Astro A10 Gen 2 is a great all-rounder headset.
The microphone was pretty good, too. Running my voice through audio software such as Audacity, I could hear how balanced my voice came across, with less emphasis on plosive words. While it wasn’t great at filtering out background noise, my voice remained at the fore. Nor did I receive any complaints of my voice sounding distorted or too tinny in Zoom calls.
The mic is also flip-to-mute, which was super-convenient for daily work calls, and will be welcomed by those who love to game online with friends.
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Should you buy it?
You want an affordable all-around headset: This headset has so much going for it offering multi-platform support, great audio for the money, a decent mic and high comfort. The low price makes it an easy sell, and the perfect option for someone in the market for their very first gaming headset.
You want high-end features: The low price point means that there’s no Bluetooth support or 7.1 surround sound. If you want extra features or a premium build, look at brands such as Razer, Corsair, EPOS and HyperX, and check out picks of the best gaming headsets we’ve reviewed for even more options.
Final Thoughts
The Astro A10 Gen 2 is a fantastic headset and is an easy recommendation, especially for someone with little experience with gaming headsets. Sporting a simple design and light on features, it isn’t the flashiest of models available, but the sturdy build and flexibility on offer mean it should fit most people’s needs.
It can be used across almost any device with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which makes it extremely versatile – it’s a great choice for anyone who likes to jump from one platform to the next for gaming. The audio and microphone are decent, too – and for the price you can’t really ask for more.
How we test
We use every headset we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by using it in a variety of games, as well as playing music in order to get the full experience.
We also check each headset’s software (if applicable) to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Use as our primary gaming headset for at least a week.
Tested with a variety of games.Tested with a variety of games.
Also tested with music playback.
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FAQs
This headset works with a PC/Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and mobile devices.
No, this headset doesn’t offer support for any high-end audio features.
Full specs
You can see a detailed breakdown of the Astro A10 Gen 2’s specs in the table below. Click through to see how it compares to its closest rival from Razer and a more expensive headset.
Full specification
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
