Competition in the headphone arena has become quite fierce in recent years, but, for many gamers, 'Astro' is still the name they trust the most.
However, while the company's reputation for high-quality gear has won it many fans, including PC and console gamers, mobile gamers have been left out of the game — after all, not everyone wants to wear bulky headphones while playing Fortnite. In that vein, Astro is entering the world of wired gaming headphones for the first time with the A03 In-Ear Monitors .
The A03 IEMs aren't the first or only set of headphones aimed at gamers, with HyperX and Turtle Beach selling wired headsets for consoles and mobile devices. Astro is casting as wide a net as possible, highlighting the A03's usefulness with phones, the Switch, and even PS4 or Xbox.
To achieve this broad compatibility, the headphones use a 3.5mm jack. This isn't particularly ideal if you're using one of the many flagship devices that have removed the headphone jack.
The ear pieces have a metal spherical shape, so they are durable and stylish, but they are also not very secure.
As a pair of headphones intended for gaming, Astro built the A03s slightly differently, combining two drivers in each ear: one for bass and the other for mids and highs.
In games like Fall Guys and Persona 5, the music was perfectly balanced, with the bass present but not overwhelming, Engadget reports. However, the cable makes a lot of noise when it slides over an object, which is something all wired headphones have to some extent.
Of course, the Astro headphones' cable has a built-in microphone and in-line controls. The three control are made of plastic and feel a little cheap, not only in contrast to the aluminum pieces, but also compared to some of the plastics. It's still perfectly functional, but it doesn't feel as premium as it could.
It's worth noting that wired headphones are slowly taking a back seat as wireless headphones get better and better. However, Astro's A03 IEMs are a good first effort for the company, offering high-quality gaming audio. They come in red or purple color combinations.
