EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid review: lightweight features at cost

The $ 199 GTW 270 Hybrid headphones from the audio company EPOS are, as far as I know, the first truly wireless headphones made for gaming – but the buttons themselves are not the biggest selling point. The USB-C Bluetooth receiver that comes with the headphones receives this distinction.

It is much more compact than the standard USB flash drive-sized dongles included in many headsets. It is also more capable, operating with the low latency aptX codec (aptX LL), which offers good audio quality without noticeable delays. Using the receiver, the GTW 270 Hybrid can be especially great for fast-paced games, where sound tracks count for success; but it’s really good to have any title.

However, there is a problem: the microphones do not work when you hear audio through the USB-C receiver. (The headset’s built-in microphones work, however, when paired with a device via Bluetooth.)

This falls more on the technical limitations of aptX than on EPOS decision making. In an effort to prioritize bandwidth for sound quality and responsiveness, only the playback channel is active when you are listening using the USB-C dongle. This is a potential business break for some players who may want to have a voice chat with friends on their consoles. But to the EPOS credit, the latency between the dongle and the headphones really looks nonexistent.

These bronze-colored buttons have a simple and discreet design so they don’t come out too far from your ear. They are not too heavy and the fit is comfortable, thanks to the replaceable silicone ear tips that help obtain a good seal in your ear. As for the controls, they have only a single multifunctional button that allows you to pause and resume music, change tracks and also answer calls. In other words, without the USB-C dongle, they are not that special. (EPOS makes a $ 169 version without a dongle.) For general use – like phone calls or music – you can get more by spending less if you check out some of the options in my colleague Chris Welch’s affordable wireless headset purchase guide.

Outside of games, these headphones can be used like any other wireless set to connect to your phone, tablet or laptop via Bluetooth. They support Bluetooth 5.1 (with the SBC or aptX codec, depending on the device you connect to) for music, videos, games and phone calls, and EPOS says you can pair them with up to eight devices. Pairing is done by pressing and holding the button on the charging case.

Speaking of the charging case: it has an all-metal design that unfortunately is very easy to scratch. It charges via USB-C; on a full charge, EPOS says it can provide up to 15 hours of extra battery life for the headphones. During the review period, the GTW 270 Hybrid headphones reached the five-hour battery life mark, which corresponds to what the company claims. And if you’re someone who occasionally runs out in a sweat or just doesn’t want to be caught in the rain, these are IPX5 water resistant.

I spent the past few weeks using the headphones to play alternately on my PS5, my switch and my work laptop several times a day. (If you’re curious, there’s an included adapter that allows you to connect the dongle to a device that has Type A USB ports.) The GTW 270 Hybrid works just like any wireless gaming headset, but the truly wireless format has some obvious advantages. I like that they let me move without inhibition by wires, and using them doesn’t isolate me (or mess my hair) as much as the heavy cans over my ears. The receiver is pre-paired with the buttons and they connect almost instantly.

I also love the convenience of being able to use just the right headset (the right controls Bluetooth transmission, so listening only through the left headset doesn’t work), so I can keep an ear available to hear falling packets. This, of course, is nothing new for those who already use truly wireless headphones. It is a new sensation to experience this freedom with a gaming headset.

I tasted the Demon’s Souls remake, 2018’s God of War, Ring Fit Adventure, and Tsushima’s Ghost, along with some other games, during the review period. Although they don’t have the widest sound stage or the clearest frequency separation I’ve ever heard for listening to music, they shine with the game’s audio – in particular, with surround sound effects and bass delivery. The overall sound quality is not explosively robust and there is a limit to how immersive surround sound effects can be, given the small drivers for the headphones. But the sound is not very compromised. Unless you are a hardcore gamer who needs to hear all the details in a crystal clear presentation, they will probably be right for you.

The GTW 270 Hybrid would be very close to ideal if the microphones would work when connecting to the USB-C dongle. Unfortunately, they don’t work, so using the dongle will be almost useless for those who often play multiplayer games with friends. (It’s a slightly different story if you play a lot of games for a single player and don’t mind not having a microphone to play with.) Since headphones are not so useful for games without the dongle, it means that you is making a big commitment, and it’s one that none of the best gaming headphones I’ve tested (most of which are cheaper than this one) asks you to make. It is your choice.

Cameron Faulkner / The Verge photography