EPOS H3 Hybrid Gaming Headset Review – A beautifully constructed headset which provides an audio experience worth praising

Gaming headsets are a dime a dozen and you certainly couldn’t fault someone for not understanding the difference between the brands available. Since virtually every available headset accomplishes the basic tasks that they are designed for, it’s really the presentation, features, sound quality, and depth of options that differentiate each headset.

Enter the EPOS H3 Hybrid, a beautifully sleek gaming headset featuring closed acoustic audio, 37 hours of battery life when using bluetooth, 3 connection options, a detachable boom arm microphone, a secondary microphone built into the ear piece, 7.1 surround sound, the ability to tailor your PC gaming sound through the EPOS gaming suite, and more.

EPOS’s entire presentation is impressive. The nicely designed box houses the EPOS H3 Hybrid is a lush bed of deep foam, leaving no worry of the headset dislodging when resting inside. A smaller, black box contains the USB cable, 35 MM console cable, multiple quick start and safety guides, as well as the cover plate used when you detach the boom arm microphone.

From the moment you open the box, the EPOS H3 Hybrid is striking. From the weight, the feel, and the construction to the way the black and grey colors meld into the design, the entire package is flawless. A bulky headset can be an inconvenience, but the EPOS H3 Hybrid manages to avoid this pitfall, somehow lightweight and form fitting while still providing an amazing experience with heavy duty ear pieces and quality components.

The EPOS H3 Hybrid is easy to set up and use, essentially being plug and play with most any device. Straight out of the box you can immediately pair it with any available Bluetooth device or use the USB or 35MM cables provided to connect to your computer or gaming system controller. To begin, you simply hold the power button, located on the left earpiece, in for a couple of seconds, after which it will flash green and a welcoming voice will indicate that the headset is ready to use and provide you with a quick update as to how much battery life you have left. Likewise, you turn the headset off by simply holding in the power button for an additional three seconds until that same voice says “power off”. To connect via Bluetooth you simply hold the Bluetooth button, located on the right earpiece, for three seconds and then select to connect to the headset from any available Bluetooth device.

Using the provided USB cable, you can charge the headset on any computer or via wall charger – which is not provided, but let’s face it, we all have tons of spare USB wall chargers lying around at this point. The battery provides an impressive 37 hours when using Bluetooth, 24 hours when connected via USB or 35 MM console cable, and a respectable 19 hours when using the dual audio stream options.

Speaking of dual audio – this is one of EPOS’ selling points for the H3 Hybrid. This headset allows you to mix audio from two connected devices, one via 35 MM console cable or USB and one via Bluetooth. Both audio stream’s volumes can be controlled separately, with the item connected via USB or 35 MM being controlled by the built-in rotary dial on the right earpiece and the item connected via Bluetooth being controlled manually on the connected device. This dual audio stream allows players to speak on the phone while playing their games without any interruption to the audio quality from either stream.  While I am unsure how often this will be used, it is a nice addition and works well, with neither audio stream overpowering the other.

The EPOS H3 Hybrid features angled ear cups for an ergonomic and comfy fit. They are both large and comfortable, and do a fantastic job of blocking out room noises so you can focus solely on whatever audio you have playing through the headset. Adjustable stainless steels sliders are built into the headset to allow for a sturdy and comfortable range of fit options. The sliders feature notches to help you easily remember your preferred settings and provide a satisfying click when you adjust to a new level.

The EPOS H3 Hybrid is compatible with just about everything: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OSX, and most phones. For the purposes of this review I paired it with my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and the PlayStation 5.

Before hopping into gameplay on the PC you may want to check out the EPOS Gaming Suite, a fully fledged sound mixing studio available for free via EPOS’s website. This software was designed to be used with EPOS’s various headsets including the H3 Hybrid series, and the GSP 370 and 670 as well as their external sound card / headset amplifier the GSX 300. The EPOS Gaming Suite features a 9-band EQ with four optimized factory settings. For those who like to dive into the specifics of audio suites, you can create your own profiles, using either one for all your gaming or going so far as to create a new profile for each game. Using the suite you can switch between 2.0 and 7.1 surround sound modes, adjust the reverb levels, switch between warm and clear voice tones, adjust gain, and more. Intuitive and newbie friendly, the EPOS Gaming Suite proves to be an amazing companion piece to EPOS’s already impressive hardware.

Now, I can ramble off specs for hours but when it comes to headsets what really matters is how an individual responds to the product while using it. Personally, I loved every aspect of the EPOS H3 Hybrid. The sleek design, the black tone color scheme, and the stainless steel sliders all created a form-fitting, comfortable, and lightweight headset. The padded earpieces sat firmly on my ears and effectively blocked out background noise, allowing me to focus purely on the music/video game audio instead. The audio was miles ahead of what I expected; when I first began using the headset I honestly thought it was off and my TV was still on, until I realized it just sounded that good. In fact, due to great use of surround sound, everything I played through the headset sounded better than through my TV or other speakers.

A stand out example was the sound quality of Resident Evil Village through the EPOS H3 Hybrid. Every creak of the many broken windows rattled throughout the headset, doors slammed shut from all directions, the low groans from the undead gave away their location far before I ever laid eyes on them, each howling gust of wind helped to immerse me into the world, and the loud crack of the shotgun echoed throughout the world. Simply put, the EPOS H3 Hybrid provided an amazing gaming experience; allowing me to fully immerse myself into the game.

As for voice chat during multiplayer matches, the attached boom arm microphone provides clear and crisp audio, allowing players to hear you cleanly and with no static. Additionally, the boom arm microphone can easily be muted by simply turning the microphone upwards, preventing you from having to search for a button to mute. Bringing the arm back down turns the microphone back on. As an additional feature, the boom arm microphone is held magnetically and can be removed to either use the microphone separately or to take the headset on the go. A replacement cap is provided to keep the design aesthetically pleasing when the microphone is removed. A second inner earpiece microphone is included so you can still communicate without the boom arm.

Despite the praise I’ve given the EPOS H3 Hybrid, there is a caveat which will deter some – the price. While the headset excels in nearly every way, is that enough to justify the $179.00 cost? That’s not for me to say, as what an individual is willing to pay for their gaming gear varies greatly. Do I believe that the EPOS H3 Hybrid is worth the money? Yes, I do. From the package, to the design, to the multiple connections, to the incredible sound – the headset does so much right you’d be hard pressed to find a better alternative for a lower price.

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