Product Manufacturer: EPOS
Price: $399
Estimated Time With Gear: 60+ hours

Where To Buy: Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, EPOS Store

What Is It?: Wireless/Wired acoustic gaming headset with ANC
Compatible With: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing and using a bunch of the EPOS range of gaming headsets over the last year, and they continue to get better and better with each new release. The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid may be on the more expensive end, but it’s also one of the best gaming headsets on the market right now, and for someone like myself who uses a bunch of devices, it’s perfectly able to work with all of them with ease. 

The key feature here is the support for consoles, PC and mobile gaming. Thanks to the included USA-A dongle, I can easily connect the headset to my PS5 out of the box and use it later via Bluetooth with my iPhone 13 and Nintendo Switch. Switching between these devices in one day is also a breeze, and there’s really no reason for me to keep different headsets for each gaming device — something I usually do — with the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid, as it simply does it all. There’s also a 3.5mm cable for wired connections for anything else. Much like their other headsets, you can also mix a Bluetooth connected device’s audio to the audio from the dongle, meaning you can play music off your phone while gaming or answer and take calls while amid a boss fight. The only problem with the Bluetooth adaptor is the size. It’s about 2cm in length, and I love that it doesn’t stick out heaps when in the front of my PS5, but it’s also easy to lose if you’re taking it in and out of multiple devices.

Wearing the headset for hours on end, either listening to music on my phone while working on my PC or gaming on my PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch, I’ve had no discomfort from the headset. It’s light at only 308g with the mic attached (288g without), and the steel headband is flexible and fits nicely around my head. After hours of wearing the headset, I had no discomfort around my ears either, and I am a glasses wearer, leading to problems with other headsets. 

I’m using the ‘Racing Green’ colour variant of EPOS H3PRO Hybrid, which I love. The dark green colour with green highlights to areas around the headset has a premium look that sells its quality and price. The other colours available are ‘Sebring Black and ‘Ghost White,’ which both look fine, but there’s something flashy about the Racing Green design I love, without the headset using any RGB lighting or gamer focuses design attempts. 

EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Specs

• Connectivity: Low latency wireless dongle, Bluetooth®, USB-C to USB-A, 3.5 mm jack

• Speaker Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz

• Speaker Sensitivity: 116dBSPL / 0dBFS @ 1kHz

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.35% / 0dBFS @ 1kHz

• Battery Life: Low-latency dongle (ANC off): 30 hours, Low-latency dongle (ANC on): 19 hours, 

• Bluetooth (ANC off): 38 hours, Bluetooth (ANC on): 22 hours, 3.5 mm (ANC off): 29 hours, 3.5 mm (ANC on): 18.5 hours

• 7.1 Surround Sound: Yes (PC)

• Enhanced Noise Cancellation: Yes

• Audio Mixing with Bluetooth: Yes

• Microphone Style: Detachable

• Colour Options: Sebring Black, Ghost White, Racing Green

There are a few buttons on the headset, and several of them feel the same, which took me a little while to get my head around. On the left earcup at the front is the power button, while on the back of the right earcup is both the Bluetooth and ANC switch. The volume wheel is located on the right earcup, as has been the design of the last few headsets from EPOS, although I think it’s been fine-tuned here as I found it much more responsive to small adjusts than something like the original EPOS H3 wired headset. 

Battery wise, the headset is decent but not great. EPOS states the H3PRO Hybrid will last 30 hours using the dongle or 19 hours with enabled ANC (Active Noise Cancelling). Up to 38 hours via Bluetooth, or 22 hours with ANC and 29 hours with the 3.5mm connection and 18.5 with ANC enabled. All of those numbers sound about right to me as I’ve definitely had to charge the headset a few times since I’ve had it, but you’ll still likely get a few days of gaming out of it using ANC or not. The included charging cable is long enough. You could potentially charge and game simultaneously as well, depending on your set-up.  

In The Box

• GSA H3PRO Dongle

• GSA 25 Cover Plate – Black

• GSA 31 USB Cable

• GSA 30 Console Cable

• USB-A Extension Cable

• Safety Guide

• Quick Start Guide

ANC is a significant feature here not seen in mast gaming headsets, and it’s a feature you’re going to have to pick and choose when to use. If you’re in a relatively quiet room, you’ll turn it on to notice a minimal difference while cutting your battery life nearly in half. While on the other side of the coin, ANC is fantastic at cutting out noises around you and can help keep you engrossed in a game if a neighbour is mowing their lawn just outside or you’ve got someone watching AFL loudly in the room next to you. There’s a small microphone onboard the headset at all times, which means you can technically take calls without attaching the mic to the boom arm, but the difference in quality is highly noticeable. The mic inside the headset will be primarily used for ANC as it listens to your environment and helps pick up low-frequency sounds and cut them out before they read your ears. It’s a great feature for louder environments and helps be immersed in quieter atmospheres, like horror games and even listening to music. 

The quality of the boom microphone is excellent for gaming, I wouldn’t be using it for podcasting or professional voice-over work, but my voice is clean and deep. Playing with friends, they reported I sounded great, and the boom allows you to flex the mic closer or further away from your mouth as you may need. You can also remove it entirely if you don’t need it and place a coin-like filler into the compartment where the boom arm goes to give the headset a clean look.

Listen to the clip below for an example of the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid’s microphone audio quality. 

The headset sounds great playing a variety of things. Multiplayer gaming in Apex Legends, I was able to hear enemies’ footsteps and gunfire amidst the chatter of two others; playing LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, the sounds of cities came to life, and the endorphin inducing destructive sounds of bricks breaking rang through my head. Music via my phone also sounds good, although there’s a little bit less bass in the default settings than I’d like for music. Fortunately, if you’re on PC, you can play around and tweak some things via the EPOS Gaming Suite. 

The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid is a premium gaming headset for the type of gamer who plays on multiple devices or at least likes to use two at once. If you’re going to buy this just for your PS5, you’re going to overpay, as there will be more efficient options, some from EPOS themselves, including the H3 Hybrid. But for those seeking a wireless gaming headset with all the options, excellent sound quality, premium build and comfort, this is one of the best headsets on the market. 

(A review unit was supplied for the purposes of this review)