100 TECH ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2019GAMING SPECIALautomatically shuts off 10 seconds later if so, and then
seamlessly powers back on and connects to your PC
when you pick it back up. Its base station also serves
as a charger, a nice mix of function and beauty.
What keeps it from being the stand-out winner
are several annoyances. For starters, the A50 uses
the 5GHz band, which means the range isn’t great.
Even sitting at my computer, I occasionally noticed
interference. A built-in battery also means that if you
do forget to charge it, you’re stuck attaching it to your
PC with a Micro-USB cable while you play. And the
audio, while quite good and superior to the Arctis Pro
Wireless, still is easily outdone by £300 headphones.
And yes, SteelSeries maintains a place on the
list, with the new Arctis Pro Wireless bumping its
predecessor, the Siberia 800. Though
the Astro A50 sounds better,
this headset’s been a favourite
of mine for a while – mostly
because of its battery system.
Rather than charging the
battery in the headset, the
Arctis Pro Wireless instead
allows you to swap between
two removable packs. One
can power the headset for
up to 12 hours while
the other charges in
the side of the base
station. There’s literally
no way you can run out of
Astro A50 battery in the middle of gaming.100 TECH ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2019
GAMING SPECIAL
automatically shuts off 10 seconds later if so, and then
seamlessly powers back on and connects to your PC
whenyoupickit backup.Itsbasestationalsoserves
asa charger, a nice mix of function and beauty.
What keeps it from being the stand-out winner
are several annoyances. For starters, the A50 uses
the 5GHz band, which means the range isn’t great.
Even sitting at my computer, I occasionally noticed
interference. A built-in battery also means that if you
do forget to charge it, you’re stuck attaching it to your
PC with a Micro-USB cable while you play. And the
audio,whilequitegoodandsuperiortotheArctisPro
Wireless,stillis easily outdone by £300 headphones.
And yes, SteelSeries maintains a place on the
list, with the new Arctis Pro Wireless bumping its
predecessor,theSiberia800. Though
theAstroA50sounds better,
thisheadset’sbeen a favourite
ofminefora while – mostly
becauseofits battery system.
Ratherthancharging the
batteryin the headset, the
ArctisProWireless instead
allowsyouto swap between
tworemovable packs. One
canpower the headset for
upto 12 hours while
theother charges in
theside of the base
station. There’s literally
nowayyoucan run out of
Astro A50 batteryin themiddle of gaming.