Over-Ear
ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3)
82Great
$60
Full review dataASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3) vs Soundcore Life Q35: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3) comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 82. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3) - Great overall at around $60.
Over-Ear
Soundcore Life Q35
78Great
$92
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3)
Sound8.0
Battery7.0
Calls6.0
Value7.0
Soundcore Life Q35
Sound7.5
Noise cancelling7.5
Battery9.0
Calls7.0
Value8.5
Specifications
| Spec | ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3) | Soundcore Life Q35 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $60 | $92 |
| HearWiki score | 82 / 100 · Great | 78 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | dynamic | Custom silk-diaphragm drivers |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 20Hz - 20,000Hz | 20Hz-20kHz |
| Impedance | 48 Ω | 16 Ω |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | - | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth version | none | 5.0 |
| Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes |
| Wireless range | 9.1 m | - |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 15 h | 40 h |
| Battery life (ANC on) | - | 60 h |
| Quick charge | - | 5 min = 4 h |
| Wireless charging | No | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes |
| ANC type | - | hybrid |
| Transparency mode | - | Yes |
| Companion app | - | Yes |
| Custom EQ | - | Yes |
| Wear detection | - | No |
| Controls | - | buttons |
| Voice assistant | - | Google Assistant, Siri |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 380 g | 268 g |
| Water resistance | none | none |
| USB-C | - | Yes |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | 1 | 4 |
What reviewers said
ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3)
The ASTRO Gaming A50 (Gen 3) is a premium wireless headset designed for immersive gaming, delivering crisp virtual surround sound and a comfortable over-ear fit. Its standout feature is the convenient charging base, which also acts as a hub for connectivity, though the detachable microphone and software experience are less impressive than the hardware itself.
- Pro:Immersive virtual 7.1 surround sound
- Pro:Comfortable for long gaming sessions
- Pro:Convenient charging base and dock
- Con:Microphone quality is only average
- Con:Companion software is clunky
- Con:No Bluetooth or multipoint support
Soundcore Life Q35
The Soundcore Life Q35 are over-ear wireless headphones that deliver a bass-forward yet fairly balanced sound, strong active noise cancellation, and standout battery endurance that often exceeds the advertised 40 hours. They pack useful features like LDAC support, multipoint Bluetooth, and a companion app with EQ, all in a comfortable, affordable package, though their tuning isn't reference-grade and the midrange could be more transparent.
- Pro:Excellent battery life, often outlasting the rated 40 hours
- Pro:Effective hybrid ANC with a transparency mode
- Pro:Comfortable fit and solid build for the price
- Con:Bass-heavy tuning can sound boomy to some ears
- Con:Midrange clarity and out-of-box tuning could be better
- Con:No wear detection, so music keeps playing when removed
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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