EPOS GTW270 Hybrid Wireless Earbuds
Feature
True Freedom
Design
The earbuds come in a stylish storage case, that doubles as the charging device. The brushed aluminium case comes with rounded corners, so it won’t damage anything if placed in the bottom of a bag. The storage box is light but was actually a little heavier than I was expecting, but this does give the impression that the earbuds would be safe inside if they were shoved in a bag. Once the magnetic clasp is opened, the earbuds can be found sitting snugly on top of their charging connections. Five small lights on the front indicate the current level of battery case charge, whilst the rear of the case has a USB Type-C input slot.
The earbuds themselves look much the same as other wireless earbuds on the market. They have a bean-type shape which fits within the canal, with no protruding parts. They are lightweight which does allow lengthy use without discomfort, but have a sturdy feel due to the brushed aluminium look appearance. A single button on the left earbud manages all the controls, so if you’re used to touch-sensitive controls, you may find this disappointing. However, the single button does allow for basic controls.
The earbuds come with four different sized silicone buds, which are simple to swap out. And once fitted snugly in the ear, they are hard to dislodge accidentally which can be the case with earbuds that have a protruding extension. Even when exercising, I found that the GTW270 earbuds remained in place, allowing me to listen to my favourite tunes without continually playing around with the earbuds.
Connectivity
The GTW270 earbuds have two forms of connectivity. On PC, the earbuds can be connected via the included USB Type-C dongle. I like the fact that EPOS has decided to go with the type-C connection, as this keeps the standard type-A ports free for other purposes. The USB dongle can also be used to connect to a Switch or PlayStation console.
The set can also be connected via Bluetooth, allowing the earbuds to be used on a mobile device. Initial pairing is a simple matter of pressing the small button on the front of the charging container whilst the earbuds are contained inside. Of course, the Bluetooth can be used to connect to a PC as well or to a Smart TV so that you can watch your favourite shows without bothering anyone else.
The GTW270 earbuds can also connect simultaneously using both methods. Gamers can be playing their current game of choice and then take a call.
Features and performance
As briefly touched upon earlier, the GTW270 only has the one button that controls the device. Although this keeps things quite basic, there are a few controls that require users to get used to them. When playing media, a single press will pause (or then restarts) the media. A double press of the button will fast forward, whilst three presses will rewind. It can take a couple of attempts to get the hang of the timing, but once mastered, works well.
The in-call controls are somewhat more straightforward, however. A single touch of the button will answer an incoming call or end the call if it is in progress. What isn’t as ideal is the muting function which requires holding down the button for three seconds. That three seconds could be cause for embarrassment if you have something going on in the background that you don’t necessarily want the caller to hear.
I did find that the base volume was quite low when compared to other gaming headsets. This is something that affects most EPOS headsets that I have reviewed in the past and continues with the GTW270. But with the large over-ear sets, an on-ear volume dial allows gamers to quickly rectify that. Unfortunately, with the lack of controls on the earbuds, all volume control must be done within the platform you are using. Despite this issue, I was pleasantly surprised by the ability of the earbuds to block outside noise. With the earbuds sitting snugly within my ear canal, this seals off any sound penetrating around the earbuds.
When listening to music, the bass is sufficient, with one of my favourites, Prodigy’s Diesel Power booming. When gaming, the 7.1 surround ability allows gamers to pinpoint the location of enemy steps or hear the direction of gunshots. Explosions in game and within movies are loud and clear.
Microphone does a surprisingly respectable job of picking up a voice. The quality for Teams/Zoom calls was more than sufficient, as well as when answering a call on a mobile phone. Muting calls and Teams/Zoom voice chats is simply a matter of holding the button down for three seconds. Admittedly this is not as ideal as a one-touch mute on over-ear headphones, but it does work nevertheless. One issue that gamers will have is the inability to support voice chat while gaming, so if you are a gamer who needs to chat with a squad whilst in game via Discord, the GTW270 may be a miss.
The earbuds have indicator lights that show the amount of charge left (red = low, yellow = 50%, Green = full charge). The battery life is a tad on the low side for a wireless gaming headset, but fine for earbuds. I got just under 5 hours use on a single charge (when using Bluetooth, slightly less when connected via the dongle), whilst the charging case can allow for three charge cycles before needing to charge the case. Generally, five hours is probably sufficient for most gamers in a sitting. Each charge from empty to full within the case takes around ninety minutes, so you’ll need to ensure you give them adequate time to charge if you’re going to use them on your commute to the office or back home again.
Verdict
The EPOS GTW270 Hybrid Wireless Earbuds are a decent all-rounder. They can be used for gaming, matching movies, listening to your favourite tunes, and can be worn during your exercise routine without causing an excess of sweat. The Bluetooth and USB dongle connections allow gamers to connect however they choose. The wireless earbuds are not without issues, however. The lower base volume and lack of volume controls, the inability to use external voice chat software during gaming, and the fact that they cannot be worn whilst charging like many wireless over-ear headsets may turn some people off. If you can look past those issues and are in the market for some quality earbuds, then the GTW270 is worth a look.
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