EPOS have had quite an impressive track record when it comes to delivering high sound quality products, because what's even cooler is that they not only make these products for gaming, but also for enterprises, Air Traffic Control and have even conducted decades of psychoacoustic research. If you're interested, here's where you can read about it and a video here.
So, I think it's safe to say that EPOS craft a lot of thought and quality within all their products. After spending a bit of time with the GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds, I can confirm that these are the real deal when it comes to crisp, lag free audio. Whether you're gaming, watching YouTube or listening to music. However, the mic has a few minor issues, but other than that I think it's worth your time in checking them out. Of course, every individual is different when it comes to pricing and what's included, but here's the breakdown and what I thought;
For context, I have never owned wireless earbuds. All my headphones and earbuds I've ever had have been wired, so this was a brand new experience for me in joining the wireless side of things. Currently the gaming headphones I use is the Turtle Beach Atlas Ones (Multi Format) and the headphones I use for every day use is the Beats Solo3. Needless to say though, going wireless was a positive experience. It was easy to connect to all the devices I wanted to use, and I was incredibly impressed with the level of quality, crisp sound it produced. It also has a decent enough battery life - though I was hoping for a bit more.
What's included for AU$229
Charge case
GSA 70 USB-C
USB-C charging cable
USB-C® to USB-A extension cable
Silicone eartips
Dongle carry case
There are two ways to use these earbuds - either via Bluetooth or using the dongle. If you use the dongle, the battery will drain a lot quicker compared to the Bluetooth option. You can get up to 5 hours on a single charge, and the case has the capacity for three charging cycles before needing to charge the case again. If using dongle however, your single charge will be less.
Personally, I preferred using the dongle, but it was a bit of a shame it's battery life didn't last as long as I had hoped.
The case is compact with a sleek design, and the earbuds fall into their designed section easily. There's no fumbling around, or it not sitting properly. I appreciated the fact that it also comes with a USB -A extension cable. No need to have the hassle of having to purchase something extra on top of what you've already paid for.
The earbuds come with a few different silicone eartips sizes to pick from, so you choose to what's most comfortable for you. Variety is always something I look at with products, and here it certainty delivers with accounting for different sized ears. For me, my tiny hobbit ears were perfectly comfortable with the smaller eartips. My ears did itch a little bit after a while in use, but that issue will likely vary from person to person.
What I tested them with
I played and tested with both the dongle and Bluetooth options on a variety of devices including;
PC (via dongle) - Saints Row | Fall Guys
PC (via dongle) - YouTube and Spotify | Editing with music on Adobe Premiere Pro (I've always preferred editing anything with headphones, but I have to admit these earbuds were also quite good)
PS5 (via dongle) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Beta | The Quarry
Nintendo Switch (via dongle) Mario Kart 8
Xbox Series X - When it came to testing them on my Xbox Series X however, I soon learnt these earbuds are not compatible on either Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S (I found this to be a little bit disappointing)
Samsung Galaxy S9 (via dongle and Bluetooth) - Spotify and phone calls
Here's what the mic sounds like via Bluetooth on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S9) without music in the background + with music in the background
Here's what the mic sounds like via dongle on my PC. A few pops, and as you can hear towards the end of the clip the range starts to drop as I walk further away from the dongle
And here with the PS5 via dongle
Pros
Crisp audio
Lightweight and compact, fits perfectly in your pocket
Lag free
Easy to set up on devices
Noise isolation
Handles calls well
Cons
Battery doesn't last as long if using the dongle
Not compatible on any Xbox consoles
Mixed
Mic audio isn't as clear when using the dongle compared to Bluetooth
Overall
For some people the AU$229 pricing may be a bit too steep considering there isn't a wide range of features - including the fact it's not compatible on Xbox. However! If you are looking to invest a bit of extra money for high quality audio earbuds that will last quite some time, this may just be worth your time still.
Despite the issues I found with it, it's safe to say I can still highly recommend these earbuds. Whether you game for a few hours a day to a few hours a week or more. Specifically, if you play single player games or don't use your mic on multiplayer titles, you'll have no problem with these. They're also fantastic for every day use including listening to music, podcasts and hitting the gym without the hassle of wired headphones getting in the way. They're lightweight, compact and the earbuds don't fall out of place in the case.
As I mentioned, these are the first wireless earbuds I've owned, so I don't quite have anything else to compare it to, but I can say they're excellent in immersing yourself into whatever you're playing.
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