The A20 X features Astro's 40mm bio-cellulose dynamic drivers, which have a frequency response range of 20 – 20,000 Hz. This is the standard frequency response range on many gaming headsets, though we've been seeing more and more headsets push beyond this range (on both sides).
The A20 X sounds, unsurprisingly, a lot like the Logitech G522. It has a semi-neutral sound profile, with the mids standing out and a slightly pumped up low end, and relatively restrained highs that are turned up just enough to make footsteps and gunshots stand out slightly. It's not the most exciting or dramatic sound profile, but it's… fine, out of the box. All forms of media — games, music, movies, podcasts, etc. — will sound adequate on the A20 X out of the box, but you'll need to play with the EQ if you want to get the most out of this headset.
Logitech G Hub comes with a handful of "curated presets" to get you started, including "bass boost," gaming, FPS gaming, and "media." You can also create your own presets, and you can get a pretty solid bass response with some tweaking. The headset also features plenty of detail, though it has a somewhat narrow soundstage, making rich audio environments like cities and jungles in games sound particularly alive (though perhaps a bit oppressive).
You will need to use Logitech G Hub to tweak and switch between EQ presets, however, as there doesn't seem to be a way to quickly switch between them on the headset itself. However, like the Astro A50 X, the A20 X doesn't really work without its base station (it does, but… not really), so I guess that shouldn't be too much of an issue.
The A20 X has a detachable boom microphone with an omni-directional polar pattern and a frequency response range of 70 – 20,000 Hz. The mic plugs into a 3.5mm jack (trapezoid-shaped, to direct the orientation) on the left earcup, and sits on the end of a semi-flexible 4.5-inch gooseneck arm. It can be manually muted using a button on the left earcup, and it features a bright red light at the tip when it is muted, so you know whether people can hear you.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The microphone is pretty solid for a headset mic, though it's not the absolute best we've used and it doesn't compare to a standalone USB gaming mic . But it does a very good job of capturing your voice and making it sound full and well-rounded, even without any of the Blue Vo!ce presets turned on. It does a pretty good job of keeping background sound to a minimum, even though it's omni-directional (not cardioid or hypercardioid) — though, of course, typing on a loud keyboard will still be somewhat obvious.
But like all Logitech mics, the A20 X is supported by Logitech's G Hub software, which means you also have access to the Blue Vo!ce microphone technology. This includes a mic EQ as well as several signal cleanup options, such as noise reduction, a de-esser and a de-popper, a noise gate, and a compressor. The EQ comes with several curated presets, including AM/FM radio presets, two broadcast options, and a night/whisper preset that works surprisingly well.
The A20 X is configurable through Logitech's universal peripheral software, Logitech G Hub. You can use G Hub to update firmware, tune the headset and microphone EQ, and customize the headset's RGB lighting, as well as adjust several settings such as sidetone, game/chat mix, audio prompts, and power management. (It also gives you access to a sound board, if that's something that interests you.)
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The A20 X has three forms of connectivity — 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, and wired via USB-C. Both the 2.4GHz wireless and the Bluetooth connections work through the base station, which means that the headset does not work wirelessly without the base station. You must be within range of the base station for both the 2.4GHz wireless connection and the Bluetooth connection to work. It does, however, work without the base station if you plug it in via USB-C, so it's at least somewhat portable — and the base station is extremely slim and lightweight, so you could take it with you pretty easily if you wanted to travel with it. But you'd still need to have it plugged into your PC for it to work, so it's not what I would call travel-friendly.
Also, the wireless connections do not support simultaneous playback — you'll need to press the Bluetooth button on the left earcup to switch between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth. The switch is quick and seamless, but this feels like it makes the Bluetooth connection even less useful. Still, I understand the point of this headset is to be able to seamlessly connect to multiple devices and switch between them simultaneously, and I have seen how connections can get mixed up in headsets that attempt to do it while also making the headset fully portable. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro ambitiously attempts to connect to multiple devices and have simultaneous dual-wireless Bluetooth connectivity that's not dependent on the base station, and I have had several issues
Logitech rates the battery life of the A20 X at up to 90 hours with the lighting turned off, and up to 40 hours with the lighting turned on. This is actually better than I expected, considering how bright and flashy the lighting is.
The Astro A20 X is a pretty solid gaming headset if you're looking for a multi-device headset and you don't need something you can take out of the house. The base station is convenient and small, and switching between devices is quick and seamless — though it doesn't have simultaneous dual-wireless connectivity like the Astro A50 X . But if you don't want to switch between your PC and your console, the Logitech G522 is the same headset without a base station, and it costs just $129.99 versus the A20 X's $179.99.
Sarah Jacobsson Purewal is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware covering peripherals, software, and custom builds. You can find more of her work in PCWorld, Macworld, TechHive, CNET, Gizmodo, Tom's Guide, PC Gamer, Men's Health, Men's Fitness, SHAPE, Cosmopolitan, and just about everywhere else. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-22/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Sarah Jacobsson Purewal Social Links Navigation Senior Editor, Peripherals Sarah Jacobsson Purewal is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware covering peripherals, software, and custom builds. You can find more of her work in PCWorld, Macworld, TechHive, CNET, Gizmodo, Tom's Guide, PC Gamer, Men's Health, Men's Fitness, SHAPE, Cosmopolitan, and just about everywhere else.
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- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/gaming-headsets/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/gaming-headsets/astro-a20-x-review#main
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