Epos H3Pro Hybrid review

The Epos H3Pro Hybrid is a new powerhouse offering in the wireless gaming headset space. It continues the moniker of Epos’ H3 line, like the H3Pro which came out earlier last year, but from the outside looks like a mix between those and the newer H6Pro gaming headset. It’s the same blue not quite black colour as the H6Pro, and has the excellent removable and flip-to-mute microphone, too. So at least expect those upgrades over the previous Epos H3 cans. 

Like the other Epos headsets we’ve seen overall the build quality feels excellent. Given the sticker price on these for $‌279 (£239/€279/$399 AUD) anything less would be a huge let down. Thankfully, the H3Pro Hybrid is thick and padded where it needs to be and nothing on it feels flimsy. Even the plastic feels like good plastic, if you catch my drift. 

Everything that’s removable, like the plush ear pads and mic are easy to do so without feeling like you might be breaking it. As a bonus, they go back just as simply so it never feels like you’re putting too much pressure forcing things in. That's especially true of the mic with its excellent magnetic hold, which you can replace with an equally easy to use cover when not in use.

That last point actually ended up being a bigger deal than I expected, because these headphones sound really good. Even for music. They’re a really nice set of wireless headphones I’m happy to wear for more than just gaming. They have a good range and quality of sound, and can get exceptionally loud without losing quality. The control on the side is also really nice for granular changes so I found myself picking up even subtle little noises I might otherwise miss in music. I make and mix the music for my ambient sci-fi radio show podcast, Blockbuster Station, on an iPad, and even noticed a similar effect hearing my own music back through these via Bluetooth.

The headset is light enough and comfortable for long gaming sessions or commutes. They’re excellent public transport companions and not needing to have the big mic hanging off the side is a huge plus. Given the steep price on offer, being able to use these headphones for more than just gaming is a huge help to the sale. As far as excellent all rounders go, these are hard to beat. 

The cups give a secure fit over the ears, perhaps too much for some people, but they do a good job of isolating sound. Then you can ramp that up further with active noise cancelling, which also feels like it gives a slight bass boost. Once enabled, however, it  will drain your battery much faster.

When it comes to gaming, the sound quality continues to be pretty impressive. Music in-game sounds especially good compared to other gaming headsets. Again, I was just noticing more little touches in the sounds through these than other pairs I’ve tried. 

Game sounds like footsteps and gunshots are also very satisfying, and I found it easy to locate things based on the sound information given by the headset. The software lets you switch between 2.0 and 7.1 sound depending on what fits the situation best, and even allows for changes of decibels for different frequencies. I found it fine, and only really played with this side of things to get a feel of it for this review. Everything sounded great without getting into any of the fine tuning for me, but the added touch will be welcome for anyone needing extra calibration.

The wireless connectivity is also a huge win on the Epos H3Pro Hybrid. They’re Bluetooth ready so can connect to heaps of devices natively, and come with a dongle for your PC gaming use. Then they can also connect via cables to most controllers for console play. My house is fairly small but I haven’t had them go out of range yet, which I can’t say for all wireless headsets I’ve tried. When connected to my phone and PC I can be playing a game with a full gamut of sound and have the same headset automatically swap to my phone when it rings. I won’t ever answer it, but it’s just another nice bit of functionality in the arsenal.

The mic is perhaps the only real let down in the hardware, and it’s really not even bad, just a very par for the course headset mic. It’s more than clear enough for phone calls and game chat, and the clarity is even decent enough to stream without issue. I gave it a shot, with Nvidia’s RTX voice also on to counteract my air conditioner. While viewers could hear me perfectly fine, it just lacks the fullness of sound and comes out a bit tinny. You can tell it’s a mic on a headset by the audio quality, but not in a way that makes you physically cringe. If you’ve got a dedicated mic already you likely have something better than what this headset offers, but it will still get the job done for all your gaming and phone call needs.

The real kicker with the headset is the price, and $‌279 for a gaming headset is no small amount of savings to offer up. Given the extreme versatility, an argument can be made that this is more than one headset for your money. I can use this headset with every single piece of kit I’ve tried and it’s worked well each time. As a one stop solution that does an excellent job and any task I give it that price becomes a bit easier to swallow. 

If you’ve got the cash and you’re looking for one of the best wireless all-rounders, that still provides excellent sound quality for listening to music, an Epos H3Pro Hybrid is a really smart choice.