EPOS H3 Hybrid Gaming Headset
Feature
Styling and Comfort
The H3 Hybrid has a similar design to the H3 Closed Acoustic Gaming Headset. It has a compact design that allows it to fit on smaller heads without it looking bulky. The unit fitted the head of my ten-year-old daughter comfortably but expanded to fit my head and larger adult heads without issue. The stainless steel and plastic sliders have a length indicator that clicks for each increment allowing users to return to their optimal size if someone else has used them. The review unit we tested was the all-black variant, but the set also comes with a variation that has white highlights.
The headband has a leather-underside, but a black woven material design on the outside. This looks fine, but it can attract dust that is more difficult to remove if it was an all-leather headband. The black woven material is present for both the black and white models. There isn’t an over-abundance of padding, but there was enough to keep me comfortable for a few hours of gaming.
The earcups have an oval shape that fit nicely around the ear, fully enclosing the ears within the memory foam padding. A felt-like material surrounds the ear preventing a sweat build up, whilst the sides of the earcup are covered in a leather-look material. The oval shape does prevent the headset from moving too much if you look down whilst wearing them, which was the only issue I had with the Corsair Virtuoso.
Both earcups house different inputs and controls. The right earcup houses a large volume control wheel and the Bluetooth pairing button situated to the rear of the earcup. The left side though, is where the H3 Hybrid has a few surprises. Firstly, there are two inputs, a 3.5mm jack and a Type-C USB port along with the power button. The left side also features EPOS signature swinging boom mic, but one with a difference – it is a magnetized detachable mic. Removing and re-attaching the mic is effortless, and a special cover is provided for whenever you don’t want to be walking around with the mic poking towards the stars.
Connectivity and Performance
The H3 Hybrid comes with 2 cables – a braided 3.5mm audio cable and a USB-to-USB Type-C cable that is used to charge the headset but can also be used as the input cable. But the headset can also be connected via Bluetooth, allowing users to connect wirelessly to a mobile device or to a PC with Bluetooth abilities. Having Bluetooth connectivity allows gamers to free up their USB ports for other gaming devices.
Being a Hybrid Headset, the headset needs to be charged in order for it to work. Battery life varies depending on the connection. When connected with the 3.5mm audio jack, the headset allowed for around 20 hours of use, whilst the Bluetooth connection lasted for over 30 hours of listening to music and watching videos. However, if you’re going to be seated in front of your PC, I would stick to using the USB connection (assuming you have a free USB port) as this allows you to charge the H3 Hybrid while you are using it. And with that, whilst charging, it can still be used via Bluetooth on your mobile device so you can answer calls whilst plugged into your PC.
Like the H3 Closed Acoustic headset, the H3 Hybrid has a lower base volume level than other headsets, requiring the volume to be turned up higher as a starting point. But the audio quality is sensational once you get to that limit. The directional drivers aim the sound exactly where it needs to play in clear 7.1 surround sound (with the USB connection). When playing Deathloop, I was clearly able to listen to enemies as they had their conversations and could pick up their directions as they moved away. Explosions are loud and gunshots echo, allowing gamers to immerse themselves in their game.
This carries over into other audio aspects. When listening to music, the H3 Hybrid feels like it provides deeper bass tones than the H3 Closed Acoustic, and combined with the 7.1 surround sound, provides a brilliant listening experience. Watching your favourite TV show whilst commuting is great too, with characters discussions being crisp and clear.
The microphone provides wonderful quality. My voice was picked up as clearly as any other headset I have used. Considering that the swinging boom mic is not permanently attached, this did come as a bit of a surprise, as I have often found that removable microphones can be hit or miss with the recording quality.
Like other EPOS headsets, swinging the boom mic into an upward position automatically mutes the microphone. I have found that this is a much simpler process than fumbling for a mute button on inline controls. And for the H3 Hybrid this function works well, even with the microphone being detachable. The magnetized mic requires a fair bit of force to remove, so you will be unlikely to pull it out by accident when muting (or unmuting) the microphone.
Verdict
The H3 Hybrid Gaming headset does not have the battery life of the EPOS Sennheiser GSP370 but matches that and other EPOS headsets for quality in both the audio and microphone perspectives. The compact nature of the headset allows it to be used by both adults and younger gamers and will feel comfortable over a lengthy period of time. But the fact that the H3 Hybrid can be used on the go without having the swing mic poking up like you want to contact your mothership gives it an allrounder approach that recent EPOS headsets don’t have. Whether you want to use it for gaming, watching your favourite TV shows on your commute, or listening to your favourite tunes whilst going for a walk, the EPOS H3 Hybrid Gaming headset can work for you.
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