Review of the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid: great for the price

Our Verdict

The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid gaming headset is an excellent companion for anyone who wants a bit of extra luxury as they spend hours playing games. Ignoring whether these are right for you or not – that’s your choice – they’re just fundamentally lovely, and not that extortionate once you actually get to using them.

When I purchase something, I want to know two things: how long it will endure and how well-made it is. I'll purchase anything that accomplishes the job as cheaply as possible, ideally second-hand, if it won't last very long or if I don't like the design.

The problem with this philosophy is that it may grow really pricey. When I informed a buddy that my nail clippers had cost me £17, they exclaimed, "Ben, they literally fall out of Christmas crackers." This is accurate, however my nail clippers ought to last for almost ten years as well. Those crackers for Christmas wouldn't.

All of this is just a fancy way of stating that I like good things. However, it must function flawlessly and to a great degree. And this is the EPOS H3PROs' sales pitch. They cost $279 / £250, which puts them in the same price category as other upscale over-ear headphones, but they differ in that they are made specifically for playing video games.

This implies that this can be the ideal option for you if you use a gaming headset for extended periods of time, every day. This is the best option if you currently own the appropriate headphones for your music, have some spare cash, and want a little luxury.

The sound quality is the primary cause of this. When compared to the wireless headphones made by Sony or Xbox, the H3PROs significantly outperform them, dispersing various sounds to different zones with the same simplicity but with superior quality.

Even more, the headphones have a flawless balance. The bass was the first thing I noticed; it was really subdued. The EPOS H3PROs feature excellent bass balance, allowing sharp highs to emerge naturally and smoothly without dominating the center, in contrast to other headsets that may enhance the bass to make everything seem a bit showier and more aggressive.

The video game F1 22 is a useful test for this. These headphones masterfully manage all that muddy subtlety. An F1 engine might moan high up or gurgle down low, screech its wheels or clonk into another vehicle, all while there's continual noise from people and other cars and everything.

This isn't the ideal fidelity test, either, since it's difficult to determine what constitutes high-quality sound when the predominant noise is essentially white noise. I begin with The Witcher 3. No, Roach doesn't have a V6 roaring away, but the many natural sounds it contains provide as a fair gauge for the quality of the headphones.

Here, the sound of birds chirping, Roach's hooves clipping and clopping underneath the occasional grumble, loud nonsensical shouting from different NPCs, a river flowing by, and a nasty drowner giving a loud shriek are all rather nice.

As an amateur audiophile, I must say that the EPOS H3PROs pleased me a great deal, even though I'm by no means an expert. Not only have I never used a gaming headset this costly, but I have never used one that sounded this fantastic.

Furthermore, the mic quality is excellent. Instead of using this to record your next smash hit song, let your companions enjoy every Mountain Dew sip and Dorito chip crunch as you cruise the high seas or launch an attack on the enemy.-virtual murder supported by a firearm.

These are all the essentials, however; a $280 headset would be quite absurd at such a high price if it didn't sound excellent. Thus, it's fortunate that it clears that obstacle right away and without any restrictions (unless you're a dumbass who like super-boomy bass).

To enhance the service In addition to producing the headphones to a high caliber, including nice-feeling plastic casings, a steel band that passes through the mesh fabric, and an attractive design, EPOS also includes some wonderful extras to enhance the user experience.

The EPOS H3PROs cover all the bases with a headphone jack cable, Bluetooth, and a USB dongle for wireless gaming. For example, although you can play on the Nintendo Switch docked or undocked using Bluetooth, you need a dongle to do so; similarly, you can connect to Xbox via Bluetooth but can also use the dongle or plug into the controller's headphone jack.

Thanks to the console makers, this is the way things are, and EPOS is shrewd enough to avoid any awkward situations by just packing everything inside the box. Additionally, you can utilize the USB-C charging connector on your PC for audio — you know, never leave anything behind.

The microphone is ergonomic and turns on when it is lowered in front of your lips and off when it is lifted. To keep things tidy, you can easily take it all out and replace it with the little cover that comes with the package.

This may lead you to believe that they may also be used as portable headphones, but if you're as vain as I am, you'll find that they're much too enormous to wear comfortably. They have an ear defender-like quality to them, which is nice for the tube racket but not so great for my aesthetic.

Nevertheless, putting aesthetics aside, those large cups are really effective at isolating your ears from noise, offering a convenient volume control on the right cup, and providing enough room for multidirectional music. The holes and cups fit snugly, however my ears are little, so if yours are bigger, you may want to try them on at a store.

In the event that the cups are insufficient in attenuating outside sounds, active noise cancellation is available to ensure that you never hear anything more. I don't see the need for ANC unless you live on a construction site or share a room with a loud baby, but it's wonderful to have it available in case it comes in handy.

With a minimum of 19 hours of battery life, all of this beautiful stuff also comes in a useful compact. Although it may not seem like much, it will last you many days without any problems, and because it charges by USB-C, you will undoubtedly find plenty of places to plug it in.

What's the catch, then? Oh, it's simply really expensive; there isn't any. Are they too expensive? Indeed, if I were the magistrate. However, I don't have a lot of money or income, and I would never pay £240 on headphones for gaming purposes. But because they are quite great and I'm not you, you have the last say, youngster.

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