Back in September last year, we reviewed a rather excellent headset from EPOS. We called the H3 Hybrid “excellent” and “versatile”. But EPOS didn’t want to stop there. There’s now a PRO version of that headset.
The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid – a bit of a mouthful, truth be told – is an incremental improvement on last year’s H3 Hybrid. Which itself was an improvement over the wired-only H3. Confusing? It is a bit; EPOS has a lot of headsets. We’ve tried several of them, and they’re all excellent in their own ways. Is the H3PRO Hybrid enough of a step up from the H3 Hybrid to warrant its existence (with a much steeper price tag to boot)? We’re not sure, in all honesty. There’s no denying this is a fantastic headset. But it is going to cost you.
Aside from the different colourways, there’s not a massive amount of difference when you look at the H3PRO Hybrid and the H3 Hybrid side-by-side. They’re the same size, practically the same weight, and they’re both made with high quality materials. They both have an adjustable soft head band, with a sturdy metal inner. They both have the same soft but hard-wearing ear cups, and a microphone that can be detached. And they both boast excellent audio quality.
On paper, the H3PRO Hybrid has slightly better audio quality. According to EPOS, the PRO has a slightly higher speaker sensitivity, and lower total harmonic distortion (THD). Truth be told, we can’t really tell the difference. The H3 Hybrid sounds excellent. The H3PRO Hybrid does too.
So what is the difference, then? Primarily, it’s in the headset’s connectivity. While last year’s H3 Hybrid allowed for connection over Bluetooth or 3.5mm jack, the H3PRO Hybrid throws a proprietary wireless dongle into the mix. That means you can use true wireless on PS4 and PS5 consoles – previously, your only option was to connect via your console’s controller audio jack.
It’s a very nice touch, and no matter how you decide to connect the H3PRO Hybrid, it’s seamless. Just like the non-pro version, you can connect multiple devices at once, too. If you’re using it on your console, you can also use the Bluetooth to connect to your phone; ideal if you want to stay plugged into calls and notifications, or want to use a third-party app to chat with friends.
But here’s the kicker: the H3PRO Hybrid is £90 more expensive than the H3 Hybrid. It’s £239, making it EPOS’ most expensive headset to date – and putting it squarely in the high-end gaming headset range. As fantastic as this headset is, we’re not sure we can justify that price tag, particularly not when the £149 H3 Hybrid was already so excellent.
While the audio quality is slightly better, in normal usage you’re not going to notice. Essentially then, you’re paying £90 extra simply to connect it to a PlayStation console wirelessly. £90 just so happens to be the price of Sony’s own 3D Pulse Wireless Headset, designed specifically for PS5. It’s a fraction of the price, and one of the best headsets for PS5 in our opinion.
There’s no doubting that EPOS’ H3PRO Hybrid – or indeed any of the H3 headsets – have a better build quality than the 3D Pulse. The difference with Sony’s headset is that it’s been specifically engineered to make use of PS5’s 3D Audio capabilities. And so if you’re specifically looking for a headset to use just for PS5, it’s hard to recommend anything else.
If it’s versatility you want, however, EPOS have the market cornered here. Both the H3 Hybrid and H3PRO Hybrid can connect to just about any device you can imagine, whether it be wireless or via the 3.5mm jack. The fact that you can so easily detach the microphone, too, transforming a premium gaming headset into a pair of premium headphones, is a boon. There’s no denying that the H3PRO Hybrid is an incredible headset, but unless money is no object and you absolutely must connect wireless to your PlayStation, the H3 Hybrid offers better value in our opinion.
The H3PRO Hybrid is available to purchase directly from EPOS. It’s available in three colours: Sebring Black, Ghost White and Racing Green.
A sample unit was provided by EPOS for the purposes of this review.
