Turtle Beach vs Astro Gaming Headsets – Which to Buy in 2021

When we’re talking about gaming headsets, two of the biggest brands that come to mind are Turtle Beach and Astro. They’re two of the most commonly sought after options if you’re looking for a decent quality gaming headset. But are they worth the investment?

For the most part, they’re very similar in the way they are made. However, there are some differences between them that may make you prefer one brand over the other.

Turtle Beach vs Astro Gaming Headsets- Which is best?

Both of these brands are very similar in their design. But, we’ll take a look at some of their models with can be compared (as they’re in the same price bracket). This way, you’ll be able to tell which of the two is more likely to suit your needs, which can make your purchasing process that little bit easier.

Turtle Beaches have been making comfortable, realistic quality headsets for gamers since 1999 and over that time have built up a reputation for comfortable, high quality wireless gaming equipment. They are well known for their better sound quality in comparison to standard headphones, but when compared to your average wired gaming headset, they’re fairly normal.

For many people using the term ‘Turtle Beach’ conjures up images of bulky, hard to wear equipment, but the reality is that Turtle Beach Headphones can be every bit as convenient and comfortable as their more discrete rivals. Astro headsets tend to be a little more slimlime than this, which is one reason why you may want to opt for them (along with their higher build quality too).

Turtle Beach gaming headphones come in several ranges, all with varying price tags but offering a fantastic range of quality sound none-the-less. Turtle beach wireless headsets are available in both PC and Xbox varieties, each with a wide variety of features.

Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50

The Ear Force Recon 50’s are one of the most commonly purchased sets of gaming headphones for complete beginners, and it makes sense – you can usually find them retailing at 40 bucks. Whilst they have their fair share of admirers and haters, there are some good things about the Recon 50s.

It’s hard to criticise much about a cheap set of headphones, as the Turtle Beach Recon 50’s do pretty much everything well. The sound quality isn’t going to blow you away, but it’s decent enough for a set of gaming headphones. They aren’t particularly bass orientated, but you’ll need to spend a lot more on a set of headphones to get that.

They’re a big and bulky set of gaming headphones, which is exactly what you want if you’re looking for something durable that will last a long while. The sound quality is okay and the mic quality is decent too, so if you want to come across clear on the mic, then these do that pretty well.

Of course, it’s only fair we talk about these headphones from a negative perspective as well. One of the bad things about this headset is that it just isn’t that loud, which can be a little frustrating. Even on the loudest setting it isn’t that loud, so if you like to blast noise through your headphones, these might not be suitable.

Another negative for me is that I don’t think that they’re as comfortable as some other headphones that you’re currently find available. So, for prolonged periods of gameplay, they aren’t great.

Astro Gaming A10

The A10 is the closest comparison to the Ear Force Recons, and in my opinion, they win the battle in this comparison. The main reason for this for me is that the two things I don’t like about the Recons are things that the A10’s do pretty damn well.

You can wear the A10’s for the entire day and not feel any sort of discomfort, which is necessary in my opinion, as you don’t want to be wearing a set of headphones that aren’t comfortable. You can also play these at loud volumes without distortion, which is ideal for me.

The A10’s generally retail at 10 or 20 bucks more expensive than the Turtle Beach equivalent, but it’s worth this little bit extra in my opinion. They can handle bass a lot better than the Turtle Beach headset, which is something that’s pretty impressive for a cheap set of headphones.

There aren’t many areas where the Turtle Beach headset wins in my opinion, and although the Recons have more control over things like volume, this isn’t really necessary for a cheap set of headphones. So in this battle, I’d definitely choose the A10’s over the Recons.

Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2

The Elite Pro 2 from Turtle Beach put a better show in than Turtle Beaches cheaper headphones in my opinion.

The Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2s are some of their most popular headphones that are currently available, and they’re worth considering if you’re looking for a decent set of gaming headphones. They use 50mm nanoclear speakers to portray sound, and the sound quality is easy to see a step up in ability in comparison to cheaper models. They’re a lot more comfortable than cheaper Turtle Beach headsets, which is a sigh of relief for those that have used poor quality bargain headphones in the past.

However, how do they compare to other Astro gaming headsets within a similar price range?

Astro Gaming A50

One of the closest comparisons that you can make to the Elite Pros is by comparing them to the Astro A50s.

Of course, there’s one key element that elevates the A50s above the Elite Pro 2s. The fact that they are wireless is a massive plus, and makes them a much better choice for those that want some flexibility to move around. Is it really that greater of a hardship to take your headphones off when you head into the kitchen? Probably not, but it’s nice to have the ability to do so.

From a specification perspective, there isn’t really a great deal between the two. In terms of sound quality and mic quality, they’re really very similar and you’re unlikely to notice much of a difference between them. As always however, the Astros do have a slight edge in terms of bass, so keep that in mind if you need some bassy headphones.

So in my opinion, the A50s do have the edge over the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2, but there’s really not much in it apart from the wireless ability.

Conclusion

Overall, if you asked 10 gamers which they prefer out of the two brands, they’d probably all give you opposing answers. In my opinion, Astro has the edge over Turtle Beach because their products are generally more comfortable and user friendly in my opinion.

Turtle Beach are okay, but I have had a set of Recons which only lasted a few months, which is why my loyalties lie now with Astro (I’ve had their A50s for a while now and they’re as good as ever. A good gaming headset doesn’t have to cost a ton of money, and you can often find cheap gaming headsets for a decent price. Turtle Beach and Astro both make a wide range of gaming headsets, both cheap and more expensive luxury headsets too.

If you don’t want to spend a lot of a gaming headset, then there are some that are available at a cheap price, so check out my list of budget gaming headsets too. The right headset can reduce background noise, enhance voice chat and can be a massive advantage in online gameplay.

Last update on 2023-05-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API