Is the ASTRO Gaming A50 Gen 5 worth the upgrade from the Sennheiser HDB 630?
Verdict
Downgrade
The ASTRO Gaming A50 Gen 5 actually scores 5.4 points below the Sennheiser HDB 630, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in calls (8.5 to 9.2). You do give up ground on battery (9.7 to 7.1) and sound (9.4 to 8.2). On paper it adds wireless charging. Worth checking: battery life goes 60 h to 24 h and active noise cancelling goes Yes to No. It is at least $190 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.48.2
- Battery9.77.1
- Calls8.59.2
- Value8.47.4
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | HDB 630 | A50 Gen 5 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 60 h | 24 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | No | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | SBC | |
| Weight | 311 g | 363 g | |
| Full charge time | 120 min | 180 min | |
| Driver size | 42 mm | 40 mm | |
| Microphones | 4 | 1 | |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | none | |
| Quick charge | 10 min → 7 h | 10 min → 2 h | |
| Controls | touch | buttons | |
| Driver | 42 mm dynamic | 40 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 6 Hz - 40 kHz | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "HDB 630 to A50 Gen 5". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.