If you are the type of person who uses both PCs and consoles, you may have heard of Astro Gaming. The company's flagship product, the A50, has earned a reputation for high-end console gaming, and in the process, a rival, Logitech, has emerged. But how will the console's finest fare against the PC's best in its fourth iteration? There is certainly still work to be done.

The A50 is rather understated in style, available in black or black (one with subtle gold accents, the other with silver), with a unique tubular band that is striking. Dimensions are provided on both sides for adjusting the fit.

The audio experience is almost entirely controlled from the headset itself, although the Astro Command Center app is available to go even deeper into the equalizer. On the headset itself, there are game/voice balance controls, a power switch, an EQ preset switch for quick game/music switching, and a Dolby switch for imitation surround sound.

The headset comes with a wireless base station that displays all the important information you need, including EQ preset selection and a battery level indicator. This base station is compatible with either the Xbox platform or PS4, but not both. However, both the PS4 and Xbox headset versions are compatible with PCs, so you should choose according to which is cheaper. The one I received for review is for PC/PS4.

The base station serves as a charging station for the 2.4GHz wireless dongle, sound card, and the A50's 15-hour internal battery. When you are done using the headset for the day, simply return it to the charging station for the next day's use; the 15-hour battery will cover all but the most intense and irresponsible gaming sessions, and if you return the headset to the dock overnight, the battery will You will never run out of battery power.

To further conserve precious battery life, the A50 also includes an automatic shut-off feature, which is enabled when the headset is completely stationary for a short period of time.

With smart features that minimize power consumption, the A50's dock charging system makes it easy to enjoy listening without worrying about sudden, annoying power loss. However, it is not as convenient as the interchangeable batteries available with SteelSeries' Arctis Pro Wireless and hubs.

And this is an important battle for the Astro A50. At least in the PC arena, the SteelSeries Arctis Wireless Pro is arguably the fiercest competitor: the A50 is a whopping $300 (£300), as is the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless, Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless is also $300 (£300).

And frankly, the audio is not quite up to scratch. The A50's sound profile is quite crowded, especially when the volume is turned up. Bass is a bit too strong, even with the "flat" studio preset applied. This is unfortunate for a headset in this price range.

Most of all, the lack of noise isolation keeps me going back to the Steelseries cans; while the Astro A50's ear cups are comfortable on the ears (the less said about the headband's firm cushioning, the better), they do little to block out ambient noise. I prefer the open-back design, but unfortunately the Astro is not of that type. So you get all the drawbacks of the open-back design (outside noise, loud keyboard) and none of the drawbacks (extended soundstage, natural tone).

The aforementioned Command Centre app also seems to need some work on its UI. While functionally concise, the choice of gray text on a black background feels totally inaccessible. Why this decision was made is beyond me.

And that's a shame, because I believe the Astro Gaming A50 has many redeeming qualities underlying the headset. The design is a bit odd, and the dock system is simple and convenient. But at a suggested price of $300 (£300), I really want a gaming headset that is over-performing in every way, and the Astro A50 doesn't quite fit that bill, with its mixed palette of successes.