The Epos H3 Hybrid gaming headset tries to do a bit of everything. It features Bluetooth connectivity for phones and the Nintendo Switch, a USB wired connection for the PC, and 3.5mm connectivity for the PlayStation and Xbox. Overall audio quality is pretty strong, at least for stereo content, proving that Epos has kept the momentum on that front in its post-Sennheiser collaboration days. However, its microphone is less than stellar, and the app-driven, 7.1-channel surround sound on PC is underwhelming. That makes the Epos H3 Hybrid’s $179.99 price feel a bit high, especially when our Editors’ Choice picks, the wireless Razer Barracuda X and wired Razer BlackShark V2, ring up well below that.
Slightly Chunky
The H3 Hybrid has an understated design that’s more like an overbuilt enterprise headset than a gaming headset. It’s all black, with a plastic exterior over a metal headband support. The over-ear earpads are generously padded with memory foam, with faux leather on the sides and a felt-like material on the facing surface that presses against the sides of your head. The headband’s top is lightly padded, and wrapped with a combination of faux leather and mesh fabric. The Epos H3 Hybrid rests comfortably on the head, but your ears might get a bit overheated between the faux leather and the dense memory foam during long play sessions.
The boom mic is magnetically attached to the back of the left earcup, mounted on a flat, flexible rubber arm that flips up and automatically mutes when not in use. The left earcup holds a power button, indicator light, USB-C port for charging, and 3.5mm headset cable jack. The right earcup features a freely spinning volume wheel on the back and a Bluetooth pairing button on the side. You can swap the mic and the volume wheel between the two earcups, but getting the wheel off is tricky.
It Connects to Everything
The H3 Hybrid offers both wired and wireless gaming, with USB and 3.5mm wired connectivity and Bluetooth. The USB connection gives PCs 7.1-channel, simulated surround sound through the EPOS Gaming Suite software. The app also has a 10-band EQ and a variety of microphone tweaks, such as sidetone and noise gate adjustment. The 3.5mm connection to the PlayStation and Xbox consoles relies on those systems’ audio processing for directional audio. Bluetooth wirelessly works with smartphones and the Nintendo Switch, but it only supports stereo sound.
Middling Microphone
The boom mic is strong and generally clear, but it doesn’t quite reach the levels of Razer’s headset mics. Test recordings were easy to understand, but I picked up just a bit of audio fuzziness. The H3 Hybrid works great for voice chat and calls, but it comes up short for podcasting, recording, and streaming. In terms of mic quality, the Razer Barracuda X and BlackShark V2 are better choices, but we always recommend getting a dedicated USB microphone if you’re serious about content creation.
Less Than Stellar Surround
Unfortunately, the 7.1-channel, simulated surround sound available through the Epos Gaming Suite app is underwhelming. Playing Doom (2016), I got very little sense of directionality with the feature enabled compared with stereo audio. If you want accurate positioning, consider getting Dolby Atmos for Headphones or THX Spatial Audio in addition to the headset; Epos’ system doesn’t impress.
Doom sounds loud and detailed even without good directional imaging, though the headset doesn’t reach deep enough into sub-bass frequencies to really rattle your head (few headphones do). Weapon fire, demonic growls, and Mick Gordon’s driving, industrial soundtrack all come through with plenty of high-mid presence, and enough low-mids to make the audio sound full. Still, the audio balance doesn’t stand out in terms of range or power.
The headset offers a similar experience when playing Fortnite. Gunshots are punchy, and footsteps through grass and across wood come through clearly enough, but little thunder accompanies them. The Epos-driven simulated surround sound also does little to present strong directional imaging; it’s about as accurate as standard stereo.
Good for Stereo Music
The H3 Hybrid is a capable headset for listening to music through your phone. It handled our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” at maximum volume without distorting. The bass synth notes and kick drum hits sound full and powerful, though the rumble lacks the proper low-end to really shake your ears.
The opening acoustic guitar plucks in Yes’ “Roundabout” get a good sense of string texture with a bit of higher-frequency finesse, but the balance leans more towards the low-mids, with the resonance of the notes standing out. When the track properly kicks in, the bassline stands prominently and pushes the guitar to the background, though the vocals and high-hat get enough treble edge to keep their place in the mix.
Funky, Flexible, and a Bit Pricey
The Epos H3 Hybrid gaming headset offers plenty of connection options, and its overall sound balance is quite good. It doesn’t feature particularly strong directional imaging unless you bring in outside sound processing, such as Dolby Atmos or THX Spatial Audio, and that’s disappointing for a $180 headset. At that price, Epos’ own software doesn’t quite cut it, and the overall package would be much more appealing if a code for a spatial audio app was included. Its microphone also isn’t quite clear enough to be dependable for content creation.
The $99.99 Razer Barracuda X, an Editors’ Choice pick, costs almost half much as the H3 Hybrid, and its wireless USB-C adapter works with Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation (though you need to use the wired connection for Xbox, and there’s no good option for iPhone). The Barracuda X doesn’t have its own spatial audio system, but it includes a promotional code that cuts the price of THX Spatial Audio down to $10. The wired, $99.99 Razer Blackshark V2 and $129.99 Logitech G Pro X are also strong picks if you don’t mind giving up the wireless option, and if you want to specifically play on Xbox, the $99.99 Xbox Wireless Headset is another good option that includes Bluetooth.
