While EPOS has been synonymous with Sennheiser for the past few years, the company (EPOS) has released its own standalone gaming audio product with the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid — a wireless earbud that’s specifically made for gaming, though mostly for listening rather than chatting (more on that in a bit). However, the earbuds do have some redeeming factor that makes it worth a look for those looking for something super portable for gaming that can double as a headset for mobile phones.

Premium Feel

The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid costs a cool $199, and just a few minutes after using the device, you’ll know why. The earbuds themselves are weighty in the sense that they don’t feel cheap or plastic-y, with the earpiece coming with three different sized rubber tips, so users can choose which ones they want to make it fit snugly in their ears.

Even the actual case, which is made out of metal, feels premium. It has a matte finish, and has a magnetic clasp that even has the EPOS brand on the underside when you open it. The battery indicator to know how much charge the case itself holds for your earbuds is in front of the case, and lights up blue with five dots to indicate the level of juiece it has left.

Rounding out the case, there’s a USB-C charging plug at the back that gives the charging case and buds a rather minimal but classy look and feel.

Tech Specs

Build and Battery

The case is made of metal and has a premium feel to it specially when compared to most buds out on the market in its price point. It will likely won’t age as good as its counterparts because it will scratch and dent easier. The buds themselves are made of good quality plastic and is rated as IPX5 rating making it safe from those accidental spills while gaming. They are pretty comfortable even when using them for extended periods of time. The battery can last you 5 hours and another 3 cycles in the charging case for a total of 20 hours.

Hearing Beat

The Audio quality was great for what it was designed for. The latency of these buds have got to be among the best out there given that it uses aptX. Using the dongle during gaming sessions I could hear footsteps and shot direction with accuracy. The soundstage is pretty wide and the bass response isn’t muddy. Out of the box the sound preset has a V profile, which is apt for it being gamer centric. When listening to music is where the EPOS lags behind the Jabra 75t and Samsung buds pro. You will definitely hear the difference when listening to songs with heavy vocals. The volume of the mids is not the issue but plainly how it sounds. I know sound is subjective but to my ears it was just isn’t close.

What’s in the box

• EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid earbuds
• Charging carry case
• Bluetooth dongle
• USB Type-A male to USB Type-C female dongle extension cable
• USB Type-A male to USB Type-C male charging cable
• Four silicone earbud tips
• Silicone Bluetooth dongle case
• Instructions and quick start manual

Talking Point…

I tested the GTW270 by using discord and other in game chats. The noise cancellation wasn’t good as the mic picked up a significant amount of background noise such as the keyboard strokes and air conditioning. My voice from the other end sounded very tinny and I had to crank up the gain so that my squad could hear me. For a lack of better comparison, it was described to sound like being in a bathroom without the minimal echo. I compared the mic with the Jabra 75T and Samsung Buds pro given that their price is in the same ballpark. Both of them could run circles around the EPOS because of better ambient noise rejection and voice quality. The only positive with it is that when the gain is turned up my squad can hear me clearly, it’s just that the sound wasn’t great.

Audio quality

The Audio quality was great for what it was designed for. The latency of these buds have got to be among the best out there given that it uses aptX. Using the dongle during gaming sessions I could hear footsteps and shot direction with accuracy. The soundstage was pretty wide and the bass response was not muddy. Out of the box the sound preset has a V profile, which is apt for it being gamer centric. When listening to music is where the EPOS lags behind the Jabra and Samsung. You will definitely hear the difference when listening to songs with heavy vocals. I know sound is subjective but to my ears it was just isn’t close.

The AptX codec only works when you are not using voice chat. When you do, things are routed to the conventional Bluetooth connection.

Conclusion:

If I was looking to buy a dedicated true wireless earphone for just gaming I would consider this because of its top tier latency performance. On the other hand if I was looking for something that I can use everyday for calls, workouts etc. there are a number of better options out there specially at the $200 retail mark. However, if you want a middle-ground of something that is good for gaming and something you can tote for everyday use? The EPOS GTW 270 should be on your radar.

Pros:

• Top notch latency via dongle (AptX)
• Premium look and feel of the alloy charging case
• Generous set of accessories
• Good sound detail for gaming
• Total battery life is good at 20 hours

Cons:

• AptX only works if you don’t use the microphone
• The charging case gets damaged easily and may look older sooner
• Sound quality for Music isn’t that great compared to other true wireless earphones in the same price point
• Microphone voice quality isn’t the best. Noise suppression is virtually absent

A review unit was provided by the manufacturer. You can purchase the product here for $199, You can read SP1st and MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here