EPOS has seen a huge upgrade in its headsets. From big and clunky headsets that featured non-detachable mics to the absolute beauty that the H3PRO is, the company has evolved a lot. This $279 headset may be a little too much for your pockets, but it’s an extremely wise investment. Offering excellent sound, a pretty good mic, brilliant ergonomics and an easy controls layout, the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid checks all the boxes.
Aesthetics
EPOS has come a long way in terms of aesthetics. H3PRO offers a sturdy plastic body that gives off utter sophistication. Just holding the headset in your hands is enough to make you believe its worth its price tag. The quality of the plastic used looks and feels quite premium. There is also a little inclusion of metal in the all-plastic body. Even with sufficient inclusion of metal, the headset doesn’t exceed 0.6lbs.
Just like the exterior of the headset features multiple materials, the company has included multiple materials on the inside of the headband and the earcups too. There is actually quite a lot going o in the interior. The outer rims of the earcups are leatherette and the area that clasps onto the sides of your face is coated with suede. Similarly, the headband is all mesh and the part that rests on the top of your noggin is covered with leatherette. I appreciate the company for not covering the inner part of the cups with leatherette as it tends to get too hot during after-hours gaming sessions. Overall, the H3PRO is absolutely gorgeous and thoughtfully designed.
Ergonomics
The H3PRO is easily one of the most comfortable headsets I have ever used. The earcups are generously padded and apply just the right amount of clamping force. My extra small head usually requires a little more force than usual or the headset keeps slipping whenever I lean back. However, some headset companies tend to overperform in the clamping force department making their headsets way too suffocating. EPOS just gets it. Moreover, the earcups are big enough to offer my ears enough breathing space. There was enough space on the sides of my ears that’s another very important point to note for companies to make sure the gamer doesn’t feel suffocated.
The headband also offers sufficient cushioning and is wide enough to let the pressure be distributed over a well-sized area. This makes sure one narrow strip of my head isn’t under extreme pressure during extended sessions of gaming. I used the H3PRO for quite a while and the top of my head was more than content.
Controls
EPOS has always been very smart about the controls of its headsets. I have never seen an EPOS headset that had a poorly-designed or unnecessarily complex controls panel. The H3PRO also comes through with intuitive and minimal controls. There is a pretty large non-tactile volume dial on one of the cups accompanied by an ANC toggle switch and a Bluetooth button. The other cup hosts a power button, a Type-C charging port and a 2.5mm audio input port. It also has the boom mic magnetically attached to it. The company made sure to strategically distribute controls on both cups.
The boom mic being detachable is a huge step for EPOS. Most of the EPOS GSP series headsets hosted bulky and awkward non-detachable mics that made you look like a newscaster when you weren’t gaming. Not only is the mic on the H3PRO a lot sleeker and better-looking, but its ability to detach itself from the headset with the help of a set of pogo pins is also highly commendable. The mic is tactile and has an overall smooth movement. There is a boom arm cover plate provided in the package for covering up the space that is left uncovered when you detach the mic. The package also includes a dongle for wireless connection, a USB-A extension cable, a charging cable and a 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable for wired connection.
Performance
As you can see, the H3PRO has made sure to include every possible accessory they could to ensure maximum compatibility. The headset offers connectivity with PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC and phone. The audio cable allows wired connection and people who don’t like being tethered to ports can opt for the dongle or the Bluetooth option.
The H3PRO’s huge earcups provide an impressive amount of passive noise isolation. Even before I turned them on, the earcups muted the ambient noise significantly. I could still hear the hum of my washing machine, for instance, but my fan was completely silenced. The ANC, however, silenced almost everything. It isolated my music in a room of its own and separated all background noise from it.
Sound-wise, the H3PRO does a great job too. The headset is definitely more inclined towards the lower end. It emphasizes bass to a great extent and produces an extra oomph if you put on a bass-heavy song. At the same time, EPOS has thankfully made sure not to overdo the lower end too much. The treble isn’t as overemphasized but it is certainly not absent. The layers in the orchestra are pretty prominent. You can easily discern overlapping tracks.
The H3PRO sounds absolutely brilliant during gaming. Since it’s a bass-heavy headset, the low-end thump of bomb blasts, for instance, is way more noticeable than the treble-heavy shrill of a gunshot. The overall focused sound profile makes every footstep immensely audible. I had no issues being able to discern relatively quieter sounds in the background that would’ve otherwise gone unnoticed. Hence, the H3PRO is an ideal device for gaming.
Mic
EPOS’ recent release features a pretty good mic, but it’s admittedly not the best mic I have come across in a gaming headset. While all the other great features of the H3PRO do cover up for the not-the-best mic, the price, unfortunately, doesn’t. With a price tag of $279, it should have offered a stellar mic. While the mic is pretty good at transmitting your voice fairly fast, it doesn’t sound amazing. It has a tinny effect to it and turns your voice a little metallic.
Battery life
The H3PRO’s battery life, though great, is significantly shorter than what the company claims. The latter is 38 hours and, according to my testing, the headset lasted exactly around 20 hours with ANC off and Bluetooth on. I don’t really mind that since 20 hours is a good enough spec for me. It took around an hour and a half to charge it to 100% and that’s pretty impressive, too.
Is It Hardware?
For sure!
The H3PRO is a solid gaming device. It features excellent ergonomics, great sound and a pretty cool mic. Its price is admittedly steep, though. If you have some moolah to spare and are looking for an upgrade that will last you years, go for it.
