During my time at E3 2019, I sat down with Astro Gaming to check out their new A50 Wireless Gaming Headset, and the C40 TR Controller. I don't always consider myself huge on gaming hardware or any kind of peripherals as I only upgrade every couple of years and try my best to make my products last as long as possible. However, as soon as I got my hands on Astro's new C40 TR Controller and felt the ridiculously comfortable A50 Headset, I was sold.

The C40 TR Controller is officially licensed for PS4 but can also be used with a PC. As those are two of my three platforms of choice, I was pretty drawn to this controller. The thing that stood out to me the most was the way some buttons make low noises when pressed. "Now I can really shout in celebration when I know I input a game-winning command correctly," I thought to myself. The D-pad, in particular, makes a satisfying clicking noise. I could see this feature being very solid for people who are into fighting games like me. Even as a casual fan who is pretty torn about moving over to an arcade stick, this controller could provide the edge I need to practice in Dragon Ball FighterZ and eventually Granblue Fantasy Versus.

This is considered a premium controller so it's priced accordingly at $199.99 USD. Players will be able to swap a multitude of parts in and out of the controller. You can replace analog sticks, d-pad modules. Additionally, you can change the positions of both if you're not satisfied with the base PS4 controller's symmetrical analog design. Furthermore, the controller includes programmable rear buttons. For those that are very particular about performance, Astro has included both a wired and wireless mode on the controller ensures low-level latency for optimal performance in every game you play.

On top of all that, Astro is including software that'll allow you to create different profiles that then are able to be switched via the controller. You can customize stick and trigger sensitivity, remap buttons, and there is an assortment of sound features that'll let you play with the equalizer, audio output, and more. Better yet, the controller has 12 hours of battery life, blue light bar be damned! It's not the friendliest price for gamers on a tight budget, but if you have the means and are looking for the best way to play Astro has definitely made sure that this controller delivers. Other features are to be expected like support for both wired and wireless headsets. Keep in mind that it does only support headset with a 3.5mm jack.

You'll also get a neat little travel case to go along with your shiny new C40 TR. With PS4 streaming being available across multiple devices, you'll be able to play all your PS4 games on the go with a really nice controller that you can safely carry with you. I know I've broken some a lot of peripherals from carrying them unprotected in my bags, so the added travel case is appreciated.

As for the new A50 Wireless Gaming Headset, it's a premium Astro headset so you can expect some really wicked quality. First and foremost, the thing you're going to notice first is comfort. This is easily the comfiest headset I've ever worn. I said earlier that I've never really cared for hardcore gaming peripherals but Astro made me a true believer in them when I tried on this headset. It also has a slew of cool features that'll make it great for anyone who plays games quite frequently.

The newly designed Base Station that comes with the headset is really neat. It makes charging the A50 a breeze as the headset magnetically connects onto the station with ease, immediately charging as soon as it links up. Additionally, you can link your Base Station to multiple platforms including PC, Xbox One, and PC, ensuring that you won't have to go through a connection process once it's all linked up to the headset. I'm not super familiar with how this technology works as I've never owned this product myself but I'm certainly excited at the prospect of tinkering with it myself. I also couldn't help but imagine how sleek this Base Station and headset would look next to my whole setup.

[pullquote]"[The A50 Wireless Gaming Headset] is easily the comfiest headset I've ever worn"[/pullquote]

If you're familiar with Astro's previous A50 models, you'll know that these headsets are made to be tweaked with. Whether you're a streamer, professional players, casual, etc. there are a host of options that'll allow you to really optimize what you want to hear in your games. Whether you're chatting it up with a group of friends on Discord or jumping into your preferred multiplayer game, there are options for you. There are also some preset modes if you're not super comfortable with tweaking things yourself, I find the best way to learn is to start with presets and tinker with whatever software is available, in this case, it's the Astro Command Center (ACC).

Astro pointed out to me that they've made strides to support gamers who might not have a PC. So if you only own a console, the ACC software will be available on Xbox and iOS as well as PC and Mac. If this headset is something you really want, but you don't have the hardware to use it at its full potential, Astro has made some more options available to try and help you out. As of right now, nothing is available on PS4. This new A50 Wireless Headset is available for preorder for $299.99 USD.

While these products certainly won't be for every gamer, they're very impressive. I certainly want to get my hands on them and see how they can really improve my overall gameplay in both fighting games and shooters in particular. While I didn't go into my E3 meeting with Astro as a big believer in premium peripherals, I definitely left as one.