A quick look through Gaming Trend’s reviews will show that there’s no shortage of headphone and earbud options available these days, and admittedly it can get confusing as to what the right choice for your lifestyle may be. While there are several quality brands available, there’s one brand I tend to navigate to time and again due to their quality, crystal clear sound, and comfortable designs: EPOS. I’m thankful to report that their latest release, the GTW 270 Hybrid low-latency wireless gaming earbuds, once again prove why EPOS are such a well-respected entity in the audio business.
The EPOS GTW 270 hybrid wireless earbuds are the culmination of years of experience in the industry and taking customer feedback into consideration, ultimately creating a sleek, comfortable, and high-quality earbud set. The GTW 270 features low-latency wireless technology, an ergonomic shape design for comfort, and closed acoustic sound. A huge selling point of this new release is the addition of connectivity via a USB-C dongle, a much-requested feature from customers, which works brilliantly. The dongle is not the only method of connectivity though, as the GTW 270 also can connect via bluetooth. The dongle, which provides single channel audio playback, is tiny and inconspicuous, able to connect by itself to products with USB-C inputs or via the provided USB-C to USB-A cable. Bluetooth connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.1, which allows for dual channel transmission from both the speaker and microphone.
The first thing you’ll likely notice about the GTW 270 and its packaging is its sleek design. From the portable charging case, which is made from sturdy anodized aluminum, to the earbuds themselves, everything has been designed to provide a top-of-the-line experience without having to pay exorbitant prices. The product is housed in an attractive magnetically sealed box, with the portable case, both ear pieces, USB-C dongle, charging cable, and USB-C to USB-A cable safely nestled individually in a thick layer of foam. The case serves as a charger, with a USB-C hook up on it to charge the earbuds while they rest safely inside. Without the charger, the earbuds typically last around five hours, but the charger can store around 15 hours of additional battery power, allowing the earbuds to be charged when placed inside without the user needing to be constantly hooked up to a charging source. Battery level can easily be discerned via five lights on the case which flash when the case is opened, letting the user know with just a quick glance the remaining battery power. The case came with a charge when first opened, which was convenient, and when it did come time to charge it only took a few hours before the case was fully ready to go again. The included USB-C charging cable made it easy to charge using any external outlet, including my couch’s USB chargers and my laptop. The included USB-C to USB-A extension cable is also a necessary component, allowing you to easily hook up to products which do not support bluetooth accessories on their own, such as the PS5.
The earbuds themselves are small, able to fit comfortably in your ear without feeling too weighty or uncomfortable, and boast an ergonomic design created by scrutinizing more than 100,000 ear scans. For those who use earbuds while working out, you’ll be happy to know that they provide IPX 5 water resistance. Rubberized ear tips, of which multiple sizes are included in the package, reside on each noise-isolating earbud, allowing the earbud to fit snugly while reducing pressure, creating an acoustic seal. I’m not normally a huge fan of wireless earbuds, I tend to prefer headsets due to how uncomfortable or irritated my ears get otherwise, but the GTW 270s created no discernable pressure or discomfort during my time testing them which is a miracle in and of itself.
But what about the most important aspect of any earbud – the sound? Thankfully, that’s where EPOS normally shines and the GTW 270 is no slouch in the audio department, especially when used for gaming. The deep bass is immediately noticeable, followed by how realistic and clear sound effects and music are. Additionally, the earbuds provide a vast range of multi-directional sound, which helps to enhance the gaming experience. Thankfully, the earbuds are also great at blocking outside interference. While I tested a few games on different consoles, I ultimately used A Plague Tale: Requiem on the PS5 to fully test the GTW 270, and I was not let down. Requiem has great use of multi-directional sound to grow tension, such as the ever encroaching rats, the crackling of fire, and the sound of enemies as they hunt for you and I was pleasantly surprised that the GTW 270 fared nearly as well as the EPOS headset I reviewed a while back and still use quite often, the H3 Hybrid. It might be time for a permanent change.
Gaming is not the only use for the GTW 270s though, as you can easily switch between phone and device use, making this a versatile choice for streaming, regular phone use, and gaming. No matter which product you are using the earbuds with, the sound quality was never diminished. The dual-channel Bluetooth was easily connected to my Android phone with perfect clarity and was great for streaming music. Likewise, the USB-C dongle worked just as well when paired with a PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox One. Unfortunately, most consoles would not directly support the earbuds via bluetooth, but did allow me to easily connect using the USB-C to USB-A connector. This does mean that a separate mic would be necessary if gaming online. Still, there was no sound loss or delay when using the dongle and extension cable, and it was plug and play, allowing you to immediately begin using the earbuds. A single button on the left earbud allows users to naturally switch between available devices along with providing the ability to control audio while streaming on your phone. The versatility of these earbuds should not be understated as the comfort and ease of use makes for a product that nearly anybody would be impressed with.
The GTW 270’s USB-C dongle works on PS5/PS4, PC, Android phones, and the Nintendo Switch, although you can also connect via Bluetooth to any device which supports it without the need of the dongle. Essentially, the dongle is just a welcome inclusion in an already great package, providing more ways to connect. During my time testing the dongle I experienced no issues, audio delays, or difficulty with a device recognizing the dongle.
For those who prefer to tweak their audio experience, you can download the free EPOS Gaming Suite, which provides a variety of options to customize the user’s experience and serves as a base for the product to receive firmware and software updates. The software is free, relatively easy to use even for those with no experience with tweaking audio settings and should run decently on nearly any pc or laptop available. The product is not linked to only the GTW 270, it can also be used for most other products in EPOS vast audio gaming line.
I have little in the way of gripes for this product. The sound is clear, the design is sleek, they are versatile and able to be used with nearly any modern product, and they are comfortable. The price may be a bit high for some, but for the value you are getting I don’t see it as much of an issue as it would hopefully be a one-time purchase which can be used for many years to come thanks to the ability to upgrade the software and firmware using the EPOS Gaming Suite.
Richard Allen is a freelance writer and contributing editor for various publications. While he enjoys modern gaming, he is a retro gamer at heart, having been raised on a steady diet of Contra, Mario, and Dragon's Lair. Chat with him via @thricetheartist on Twitter.
EPOS continues to showcase why they are well-respected in the audio community with their GTW 270 wireless earbuds. Sleek design, crystal-clear sound, innovative design, and compatibility with a wide range of products due to having both a USB-C dongle and Bluetooth, the GTW 270 is well worth the investment. Add in the EPOS Gaming Suite to allow users to tweak settings to their hearts content and keep their firmware and software updated, and the EPOS GTW 270 is a earbud set I heartily recommend.
PROS
- Great sound quality
- Comfortable design
- Ability to connect to nearly all modern products
- Sturdy charging case
CONS
- Must sometimes use the USB-C to USB-A extension cord for a device to recognize the dongle
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