EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Overview
Once out of the box, my first impression of the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid was that I weren’t dealing with an entry-level product. While you won’t find an overabundance of metal or exotic materials on this head set, the mostly plastic build does feel quite solid, while the stainless steel headband and accents add a touch of class. Holding the headset in my hands and adjusting them to my head gave me a good feel for their construction quality, which is top notch. Nothing felt loose, and the solid adjustment of the headband let me know that it was going to stay exactly where I wanted it during use. Available in three colorways (Black, White, and Green), the H3Pro Hybrid offers a good choice of options to pair up with your aesthetic. Our review sample was of the green variety, which pairs a nice forest green up with gold and black highlights. This color combination is my favorite of the three options by far, and is a pretty unique combo when compared to the offerings of other manufacturers.
Starting out with the left earcup, we have quite a bit going on. The most prominent feature on this side is the rotating microphone boom arm, but we will discuss that in further detail later on.
Along the front edge of the earcup from top to bottom we find a small opening for the integrated microphone. This microphone takes over when the boom arm is removed, and I really like this option for a toned-down look for the headset. Next up is the power button, followed by a small oval window that is used to display power status, battery charge level, and Bluetooth information.
At the bottom of the earcup we find the USB Type-C port for charging the internal battery. This port can also be used in a wired mode if you so choose.
The last port is the 3.5mm jack that is available for wired devices like phones, tablets, mobile consoles, and controllers.
On the outer portion of the right earcup is a dial that is used to adjust the volume of the headset. A couple “boop” sounds will let you know when you have reached the maximum volume, as this is a free-spinning dial.
Moving over to the edge of the right earcup, we have a single button used to control the Bluetooth functions of the headset, as well as a switch labeled “ANC”, which controls the active noise cancellation function of the headset.
Each earcup has removable padding that simply snaps on and off of the earcups, which can be very helpful for cleaning. Speaking of the padding, there are three materials found on the exterior of the pads, each of which I found to be appreciated in their own way. The exterior material that is seen when the headset is on is a leatherette material that is flexible and helps to seal in sound. Up against your head is a suede-like material that is soft to the touch and lends itself to comfort, even in long gaming sessions. The interior material of the pads is a mesh-like material that can help with breathability. Inside the outer fabrics is a memory foam material for customized comfort.
With the earcup padding off, we can see the 40mm driver used by EPOS, which does not sit flat against your head, but is angled slightly back. I do wish EPOS would have used something like a larger 50mm driver to get a bit more bass out of this headset, but more on that later.
Bringing the two earcups together is an adjustable headband that attaches to each earcup via a tilting and swiveling extension. A stainless steel band exits the top of each of these extensions, and is marked with 10 levels of adjustment, each of which clicks into place with good grip. Following this band up to the top of the headset greets us with another of the H3PRO Hybrid’s gold accents, just before getting to the leatherette and mesh-covered padded band. I really like the notch at the top of the headset band that works in conjunction with a headset stand to keep the headset in its place, as well as not inadvertently leaving an unintended indentation on the headset padding.
Unfortunately, the H3PRO Hybrid does not have a lay-flat design, so pulling them off of your head and onto your neck isn’t quite as comfortable as some other headsets with that feature.