review – I’ve always appreciated products that can serve multiple purposes, and I’d love to have the opportunity to review a great gaming headset that I can also wear on Zoom calls (without the need for a rave party light show). The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid is a feature-packed headset in an understated package, but can it really do it all?
What is it?
EPOS is relatively new as a brand, launching in 2019, however, as a joint venture between Sennheiser and Demant, EPOS has its roots in the gaming industry for nearly 20 years. When the joint venture ended, three different new companies were formed, including EPOS. Sennheiser is synonymous with audio quality, and EPOS brings that legacy to their lineup.
The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Gaming Headset is one of the newest gaming headsets from EPOS, featuring active noise cancellation, 7.1 surround sound and multiple connectivity options. It’s the big brother of the H3 Hybrid model, and the biggest difference is the addition of a wireless dongle to the H3PRO model. In this iteration, the wireless dongle provides a true wireless connection experience on PS4/PS5 and lag-free wireless performance on PC.
What’s in the box?
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- EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Headphones
- H3Pro Dongle (USB-A)
- USB-C charging cable
- Console cable, 3.5mm
- Boom cover
- USB-A extension cable
- Documentation
Features and Specifications
feature
- Latency-free wireless performance via dongle connection
- Simultaneous Bluetooth connection support
- Passive Noise Isolation and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
- Dedicated software support for EQ and gaming functions
- Detachable boom microphone
- Up to 38 hours of battery life
Specification
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- Headphone Type: Dynamic, Closed Acoustic
- Frequency Response 20-20,000 Hz
- Drive size: 40mm
- Weight: 308 grams
- Cable Length: USB-A Extension Cable – 2 m / Console Cable – 15 m
- Bluetooth version: 5.2
- compatibility
- H3PRO dongle: PC, PS4, PS5
- USB cable: PC, PS4, PS5
- Bluetooth: Mobile Devices
- Console Cables: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and consoles with 3.5mm jack input
- battery time
- H3PRO dongle (ANC on): 19 hours
- H3PRO dongle (ANC off): 30 hours
- Bluetooth (ANC on): 22 hours
- Bluetooth (ANC off): 38 hours
- Console cable (ANC on): 18.5 hours
- Console cable (ANC off): 29 hours
- H3PRO dongle + Bluetooth (ANC on): 19 hours
- H3PRO dongle + Bluetooth (ANC off): 28 hours
- Console cable + Bluetooth (ANC on): 19 hours
- Console cable + Bluetooth (ANC off): 27 hours
- Charging time: 2 hours
impression and performance
The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid gaming headset feels great right out of the box. The earcups are leatherette with a plush finish, reminiscent of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 – a very comfortable headphone. The Sebring Black colorway imparts a black accent on a cobalt blue can that is well balanced. An audible click is heard as the headset is adjusted, and numbered adjustment points adorn the strap to take the guesswork out of adjusting. I have no problem wearing this headset for extended periods of time throughout the day. The ear cups pointing towards the EPOS are replaceable.
To make the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid gaming headset go smoothly, the H3PRO Hybrid is the only headset that can be used for work and gaming, with about 8 hours of use per day.
Power on the headset and the user will hear a battery level indicator. It’s a nice touch, as the battery indicator on wireless headphones usually takes some effort to find unless the battery is already low.
Early on, some challenges were observed in connection. The work laptop Dell XPS 15 testing this headset seems to have frequent issues connecting via the H3PRO dongle. The laptop doesn’t have any USB-A ports, so suspect some interference from a docking station or adapter required to run the dongle. Switching to Bluetooth completely resolved these issues, and I had no issues using the dongle on a gaming PC with the correct USB-A port.
The dongle is relatively small, only about half an inch, and has an LED indicator that lights up when headphones are connected. The EPOS software does not provide any adjustments to the colors used here, so be careful if matching your RBG scheme is important to you.
In terms of microphone and call quality, the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid gaming headset can use the built-in dual microphones instead of the cantilever. Once the boom is attached, simply lift the boom up to mute the headphones. Without the cantilever, the experience on the other end of the communication would definitely suffer, and there’s no headphone-level mute option. A quick call on the go without using the boom is definitely recommended whenever voice quality is essential.
The sound quality of these headphones is simply fantastic. Out of the box, they have a similar sound signature to that typical of Sennheisers—slightly softer bass, but very good delivery of mids and highs. Dial in more punch in the low post with the EPOS Gaming Suite software EQ. The closed back design does not detract from the experience, and passive sound insulation is done without muffling. ANC does affect the sound signature slightly, but this is typical. The ANC performs well for ambient sound, but not so well in open office environments compared to headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4.
The EPOS Gaming Kit has a variety of settings and is fairly intuitive to use. The caveat here is that the software does require entering an email to get to the download site.
Gaming with the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Gaming Headset is a great experience, and the 7.1 surround sound really makes a difference to the immersion. EPOS audio engineers are known for their clarity and sharpness in game sound. As a slight detractor, Windows only detects the dongle as an audio output option when using it on a PC. This makes it more difficult to dial into dedicated voice apps like Discord, since games also use the same audio output. When connected to a PC using Bluetooth, Windows will allow separate audio outputs for the headset and game channels, which makes voice/game audio mixing easier. The headset also lacks a dedicated onboard mixer. These aren’t deal breakers, but quality-of-life features typical of high-end gaming headsets.
In actual use, the battery times quoted seem to be close to the real thing. With a mix of bluetooth and bluetooth/dongle connections (occasional ANC), the earphones are three days (about 24 hours) before they need to be charged.
It’s worth mentioning that the feature set of the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid requires power, so even with the console cable, the headset still needs to be powered on. In a pinch, the USB-C power cable and console cable can be connected at the same time.
what do I like
- Design and Build Quality
- audio quality
- Covers the basics as gaming and lifestyle headsets
- 2 years warranty
what would i change
- Capable of dual audio output on Windows via dongle connection
- Email Requirements for Software Downloads
- expensive
final thoughts
The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Gaming Headset is a true dual-purpose headset that ticks the boxes where it matters. While some quality-of-life features are missing on the gaming side, those are forgivable when you consider the entire package. The headset transitions seamlessly between work and play, and has a permanent place on my desk.
price: $279.00
where to buy: EPOS website and Amazon
source: Samples for this review provided by EPOS.
