Personally, I don’t wear earbuds very often, but I was very interested in the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid. After all, EPOS made my favorite gaming headset and made several quality microphones. With that in mind, I tested these hybrid earbuds to see what I thought.
One thing that definitely sets them apart from other “gaming earbuds” I’ve seen over the years is that it includes a USB-C dongle, which can connect the earbuds to different platforms.
The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid has great sound when it comes to audio, a solid, heavy feel and decent battery life. It’s not all roses though, as I noticed some issues worth mentioning.
EPOS’s first solo device alongside Sennheiser is the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid
This is EPOS’ first solo project, and while I do like them, I have mixed feelings after spending a few days with them. Overall, they’re a solid product and I enjoy using them with my phone to listen to music while I’m cleaning around the house or playing on my Nintendo Switch. However, there was one major hurdle I had to overcome that was worth discussing.
One of the first things I noticed may not be an issue for everyone. My router had both a 2.4GhZ band and a 5GzH band, and both were turned on. That’s why after doing some research, I’ve had such notoriously bad Bluetooth connectivity issues on my PC over the years.
There was some interference in the signals, which just made things not work as they should. The earbuds would disconnect immediately as soon as I put them on. Fortunately, the problem has been resolved. I decided to add this to my review in case others have the same problem.
How does the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid look and use it?
The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid are “true” wireless earbuds, they slide right into your ears like Air Pods could. However, I like the physical design of these more than the Air Pods. They feel heavy, heavy without causing any real discomfort.
One drawback for me was that there is only one button on the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid that controls all facets of audio. It answers calls, plays music, pauses, plays, etc. It’s also a very small button, so for me this wasn’t worth messing around with. It’s much easier to just press a button on my phone.
The earbuds also come with different tips for different ear sizes. I used the stand as I hate having to replace the rubber tips on the headphones, and thankfully they felt great! This will vary from person to person, so keep that in mind.
They also come with a sturdy carrying case that charges the earbuds and also serves as networking for Bluetooth devices. It’s a bit tedious to pair via Bluetooth as the instructions have to be executed in a very specific order.
One thing that frustrated me, however, is that the earbuds connection is very sensitive to the environment. If I put the dongle in the back of my PC, it was useless.
Fortunately, the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid comes with an extension cable that I could just plug into the top of my PC, which helped a lot. Otherwise, the connection often drops or simply doesn’t connect at all.
The carrying case also felt heavy for me, which is another good thing. They don’t feel light or cheap. The material they are made of is sturdy and it is no problem to place the earbuds in the case to start charging.
The battery on it is also incredible. I carried them with me all day for a few days, put them in the carrying case when I wasn’t wearing them, and found the charging time to be solid and the battery life quite good. They hold a charge for about 4 hours 55 minutes and the charging case has 3 charges before it runs out. That’s a solid 20 hours there.
Listening on the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid is great; the microphone, not so much
I must say I loved using this one to listen to music. Whether on my PC, on my phone or gaming on my Nintendo Switch, the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid delivers. The sound is soft, but incredibly clear.
I had no connectivity issues on my phone unless I left the room and left my phone. It has a pretty decent range. I spent some time testing the microphone on my PC via Discord. While the mic works and is clear enough, it picks up a lot of background noise.
Everything that happened around me was picked up, so it’s not a substitute for a high-quality standalone microphone or gaming headset. When it came to listening to music, they were fantastic.
I also had some connectivity issues on the PlayStation 5. I’ve attached some footage from my review of The Last of Us Part 1 remaster, where I used my EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid for both audio and microphone. Towards the end of the recording it drops out a few times.
I’d say that while the promised low-latency audio was accurate, the microphone isn’t a substitute for a decent gaming headset. However, gaming while using it as Bluetooth earbuds is a mistake. There was a bit of a delay here, and it made things pretty frustrating. Thank goodness it came with that USB-C dongle.
If you’re not a gamer who desperately needs a microphone to play, you might find some fun with these earbuds.
EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds Specifications
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<p><strong>Product: </strong>EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds</p>
<p><strong>Product weight:</strong> 13.1 ounces</p>
<p><strong>Batteries: </strong>1 lithium polymer battery</p>
<p><strong>Listening time: </strong>Up to 5 hours, up to 20 hours with charging case</p>
<p><strong>Charging time: </strong>1.5 hours to fully charge the earbuds, 1.75 hours to fully charge the case</p>
<p><strong>ear coupling: </strong>in the ear</p>
<p><strong>Transducer principle: </strong>Dynamic, closed</p>
<p><strong>Connectivity: </strong>Low latency and Bluetooth</p>
<p><strong>Extension Cable Length: </strong>1.5 m . USB cable</p>
<p><strong>Connector plugs: </strong>USB-C</p>
<p><strong>Compatibility: </strong> Dongle: Nintendo Switch, Android, PC, PS4 / Earbuds: Bluetooth devices</p>
<p><strong>Microphone recording pattern: </strong>Omnidirectional</p>
<p><strong>Headphone sound pressure level: </strong>100 dB</p>
<p><strong>Guarantee: </strong>2 years, international</p>
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<h2><strong>Finally</strong></h2>
<p>I know I’ve been picking on this pair of earbuds quite a bit, but I love them. They’re great for listening to music while I’m doing things around the house or traveling, but when it comes to gaming I’m not that thrilled.</p>
<p>However, I had a great time gaming on my Nintendo Switch while I was travelling. It didn’t disconnect, I didn’t notice any audio delay either. The microphone, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have low latency, so there was a bit of a lag between the things I said to people online. However, I’m not sure if the $149 price tag is worth it for the lackluster mic.</p>
<p>The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid isn’t a substitute for a good gaming headset, not even EPOS’s own headsets, but they are a solid backup and do offer high quality sound.</p>
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