To coincide with the release of The Mandalorian’s third season, Astro has brought out a specially designed version of its all-star A30 mid-range gaming headset which takes many design cues from the Disney Plus show’s iconography.
While we’ve reviewed the standard version of the Astro A30 on PC, this time I’m reviewing it for the PS5, and it also works with Xbox Series X, too. If you’re a Star Wars fan then this can easily be considered one of the best PS5 headsets for its sound quality, construction, and style.
Price and Availability
The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition comes in slightly more expensive than other color schemes of the gaming headset, and launched on February 28 mere days before The Mandalorian season 3 debuted on Disney Plus. You can get your hands on this themed variant for $249 / £249 / AU$469.95 in the US, the UK, and Australia respectively. That’s $20 / £20 / AU$40 more than the standard versions that currently ship in either White or Navy.
Design and Features
The design is the obvious win for the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition gaming headset. Fittingly, there’s a gray and black color scheme which appropriately matches Din Djarin’s Beskar armor. There’s also iconography that fans of the series like myself appreciate, such as the Mythosaur and a silhouette of Mando wielding the dark saber. Inside the ear cups is lore-accurate script, too.
It’s a beautiful design, I can’t fault that whatsoever, but I do wish that the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition leaned a little further into the Beskar armor look with detailing based upon Djarin’s suit instead of the gun metal gray and black. As a more subtle decal, I think it’s really cool and sure to appeal to those who are into the character.
Cosmetic differences aside, this is the same all-star Astro A30 wireless gaming headset which launched back in October 2022. That means you can expect around 27 hours of playback through either Bluetooth or the included 2.4 GHz wireless receiver. My review unit is for the PS5 but this headset also works on Xbox Series X. There’s also the option of staying plugged in through the included 3.5mm and USB-C leads as well. You’re able to simultaneously connect to several devices at once, including your smartphone and best gaming consoles, too.
I like the ergonomic design of the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition a lot. While the squared ear cups and detachable bulky microphone aren’t to my personal tastes, they feel great to wear for long periods of time. There’s memory foam in the earcups, and the headband itself is also padded for a premium feeling gaming headset on your head. The leatherette feels a little weird in the hand, but the materials are high quality here.
Performance
The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition gaming headset has quickly become one of my go-to models when playing some of the best PS5 games. In my testing I’ve found that the sound balancing has been incredibly warm and faithful, whether that was running through the claustrophobic corridors in Dead Space or riding through the roaming hills of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Thanks to having Bluetooth connectivity and a detachable boom microphone, the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition can also act as dedicated headphones. While a far cry from the best headphones, this headset did a great job of bringing out the bass and the weight of heavier songs like Paradise Lost’s Darker Thoughts and rock tracks such as Ozzy Osbourne’s One of Those Days through the 40mm drivers. Alternative music seemed to really shine bright with Father John Misty’s Total Entertainment Forever coming through crystal clear with the acoustic guitar into the big band mix.
Even the best wireless gaming headsets have hit and miss microphones, but that’s thankfully not the case with the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition. While I’m not a big fan of the flexible boom mic here, which tends to not hold its shape all too well, it does sound a cut above what many small-scale mics do in my testing. My voice came through clear when chatting to friends and making isolated records, but isn’t quite up to the same level as the Rode NTH-100M’s NTH mic.
Proving itself to be just as much substance as style, the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition is an awesome looking and beautiful sounding gaming headset for your console of choice. While expensive, it’s something I can recommend based on its versatility alongside its looks.
Should I buy the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition?
Buy it if…
You love The Mandalorian
With its Beskar armor color scheme and iconography, there’s a lot to love for the seasoned Star Wars fan here.
You want a versatile gaming headset
The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition can be used on not only the PS5 and Xbox Series X but with a gaming PC and phone of choice thanks to its many connectivity options.
Don’t buy it if…
You don’t care about The Mandalorian
You’re paying around $20 / £20 /AU$40 more for the Star Wars show branding, so if you’re not a fan then you can save yourself money for the standard versions.
