Reviews You Can Rely On

EPOS H3 Closed Acoustic Gaming Headset Review

A very modestly-price headset considering its high performance
gearlab tested logo
EPOS H3 Closed Acoustic Gaming Headset Review
Credit: EPOS
Price:  $119 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   EPOS
By Austin Palmer and Conrad Salonites  ⋅  Sep 27, 2021
75
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 16
  • Comfort - 40% 7.0
  • Audio - 30% 7.9
  • Microphone - 20% 8.4
  • Ease of Use - 10% 6.2

Our Verdict

The Epos H3 is a remarkably solid gaming headset. With a comfortable design, well-tuned audio, and a great microphone, this headset would make a great addition for any gamer looking to score a high performer for a lower price than the competition of similar performance. However, the Epos H3 is not without some flaws, the first being there is no software to adjust equalizer settings to your preference. As well as, the ear cup openings are a little small and take a little maneuvering to get them situated comfortably. That being said, if you don't frequently take on and off your headset or care that the sound isn't customized for the content you're listening to, the Epos H3 is a fantastic choice.
REASONS TO BUY
Great audio
Very comfortable
Designed for lengthy wearing
REASONS TO AVOID
No sidetones
No software

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Gaming Headset
 Best Buy Award
Best on a Tight Budget
 
Price $119 List
$65.01 at Amazon
$130 List
$74.99 at Amazon
$100 List
$57.95 at Amazon
$50 List
$29.99 at Amazon
$60 List
$39.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
75
83
72
67
64
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line A high performing yet modestly priced headset with only a few minor drawbacksThis headset offers great audio, superior comfort, and a fantastic microphone –- the only knock against it is that it is cordedIf you want a great headset that does well across the board and won't blow your budget, look no further than the Cloud IIThis headset is a great bargain option, holding its own with the top models while costing considerably lessDespite some shortcomings, this headset still delivers above average audio quality
Rating Categories EPOS H3 Closed Acou... Kraken V3 HyperSense Kingston HyperX Clo... Kingston HyperX Clo... SteelSeries Arctis...
Comfort (40%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
Audio (30%)
7.9
8.6
6.6
6.9
6.2
Microphone (20%)
8.4
8.3
6.8
7.7
7.5
Ease of Use (10%)
6.2
4.9
6.2
7.1
6.0
Specs EPOS H3 Closed Acou... Kraken V3 HyperSense Kingston HyperX Clo... Kingston HyperX Clo... SteelSeries Arctis...
Connection Type 3.5mm USB USB or 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm
Measure Max Cordlength PC: 6.5 ft
Console: 4.9 ft
6.4 ft 10.6 ft 10.5 ft 9.1 ft
Wireless or Wired Wired Wired Wired Wired Wired
How to Mute Lift mic Button Switch Lift mic Button
Detachable Microphone Yes Yes Yes No No
Mute and Volume Control Location Headphone Headphone Inline (USB only) Headphone Headphone
Measured weight (cable hanging) 10 oz 13 oz 10.9 oz 9.5 oz 8.8 oz
Measured Inner Ear Cup Opening 1-1/2" X 2-1/2" 1-1/2" X 2-1/2" 1-1/2" X 2-9/16" 1-5/8" X 2-9/16" 1-3/4" X 2-1/4"
Ear Cup Shape Asymmetric oval Oval Oval Oval Oval
Ear Cup Fabric Type Suede / leatherette Memory foam, leatherette, cooling mesh Leatherette
Velour included
Leatherette Fabric mesh
Downloadable Software No Yes No No No
Surround/Spacial Audio No Yes Yes No No
Manufacturer Stated Platform Compatibility PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch PC, PlayStation, Switch (docked mode) PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One (older version controllers may require an adapter) PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One (older version controllers may require an adapter) PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox (Series X, S, and One), Mobile

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Epos H3, more than anything else, really surprises us with its comfort, quality, and price. To ascertain its score, we engage in an extensive testing regiment challenging the headset's comfort, sound quality, microphone performance, and ease of use. The results show an overall high performer, but with some kinks that may alienate some users looking for peak performance.

Performance Comparison


epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - being burdened by a couple of kinks doesn't keep the epos h3 from...
Being burdened by a couple of kinks doesn't keep the Epos H3 from being a stand-out headset.
Credit: Laura Casner

Comfort


Constituting 40% of each gaming headset's total score, our Comfort metric provides us with the most important data for ranking. The Epos H3 offers an incredibly comfortable experience, outperforming much of the competition. For this metric, we test how comfortable the headset feels after a prolonged period, its quality, and how well it fits.

Every single one of our comfort testers found the Epos H3 to be a comfortable headset. Clearing the ten hours of continuous wearing benchmark was a cinch, and the Epos H3 sat snug but comfortable on every head. Our testers did note that it can get a little warm in hot environments, though this is normal for over-ear headsets.

epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - the easily adjustable headband contours comfortably to the scalp.
The easily adjustable headband contours comfortably to the scalp.
Credit: Laura Casner

A headset's headband can easily make or break the comfort metric, but the Epos H3 does not disappoint. With smooth, but firm, leatherette padding, this headset sits comfortably and securely on your head. With a slight indent along the roof of the headband catering to the curvature of the skull, the Epos H3 feels form-fitting and designed to be worn comfortably. The Epos H3 continues to provide quality comfort with the right amount of room for your ears. We say the right amount, because while there is plenty of room for your ears to not feel squished, the suede padding snugly keeps your ears in place, meaning they won't be swimming around. However, you can still comfortably adjust the cups around your ear a little bit to get a better fit.

Audio


Second only to comfort, our audio metric constitutes 30% of our total score. Once again, the Epos H3 provides a strong showing and outperforms many of the other gaming headsets in our lineup. For this metric, we run a baseline audio test, test in-game sound positioning, and how well external ambient sound is filtered out.

Given that we are testing out the best gaming headsets, in-game positioning capabilities are a necessity. The Epos H3 is great at conveying positional information on nearly all fronts, with the only murkiness coming from directly behind. Locational identification, however, was always clear and evident, making the Epos H3 a strong performer. As most gamers who utilize headsets are likely to be listening to their friends also, we opened up our Discord to see how the Epos H3 broadcasts voices. Our testers liked the clear, full sound which this headset provides. One tester did note that it lacked an 'airy' sound, but this is a personal preference.

epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - the epos h3 offers an all-around solid audio experience: not...
The Epos H3 offers an all-around solid audio experience: not perfect, but not just passable either.
Credit: Laura Casner

Our audio benchmark testing revealed interesting data about the Epos H3. Our bass testing found solid playback, accompanied by a slight parasitic buzz which may alienate audiophiles. Our binaural test also received excellent scores, although once again our testers noticed slight muffling on the right side. The driver test matching for the Epos H3, however, knocked it out of the park with excellently centered frequency. Overall, while an audiophile may have a complaint, this is a fantastically well-balanced headset.

This headset handles music well, although not exceptionally. The sound is good and crisp, yet neither the bass nor the treble offers up the high musical quality of other models. However, overall, the Epos H3 is still a solid model.

With a closed-back, the Epos H3 does a moderate job of blocking out external noise. Our testers found this headset to only block out about 20% of background music or television. However, when put up against dull droning sounds, such as an air-conditioner or fan, the Epos H3 eliminates almost 50% of the sound.

Microphone


20% of the Epos H3's score is accounted for by our microphone metric. The consensus amongst our testers is that this headset offers a good quality mic experience, although lacking the professional sound of better performers. Nonetheless, the mic quality was still crisp enough, with all of our phonemic and sibilant tests showcasing clear and distinct syllables without distortion.

epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - the epos h3 offers crisp mic audio, as well as filtering out most...
The Epos H3 offers crisp mic audio, as well as filtering out most ambient sounds.
Credit: Laura Casner

Our testing of the Epos H3's mic's ability to filter out ambient sound produced good results. Keyboard sounds were only really noticeable when the mic was queuing up, but unless the testers were striking the keys, the sound was nonexistent. When muting, the most perceivable sound was a slight moving sound, and when our testers used the headset while their computer produced its own audio, the noise fluctuated between nonexistent and hardly noticeable over the mic, even at max volume. Ambient sounds such as chewing, fans, or loud talking infrequently burst through the mic, but that usually only occurred when the headset user was talking simultaneously. Otherwise, the sounds were filtered out adequately.

Ease of Use


The Epos H3 scores the most poorly under our ease of use metric, which constitutes only 10% of our final score. As a plug-and-play headset, there is a convenient lack of software with the inherent downside of less fine-tuning.

The Epos H3 comes equipped with onboard controls for muting and volume. Muting is incredibly simple, requiring only to lift the microphone on the left side (this headset is not equipped with an in-line mic). The mic is not furbished with sidetones, however, so we found ourselves yelling now and then. We also didn't like the lack of detachability for the mic, so if it breaks, you will need to buy a whole new headset. On the headset's right side, there is the volume dial, which works fine, although we found it being flush slightly inconvenient.

epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - muting the epos h3 is as simple as lifting the mic.
Muting the Epos H3 is as simple as lifting the mic.
Credit: Laura Casner

The headset cables included with the Epos H3 are very durably braided products, which we liked. However, the cord to plug into the PC is only 78 inches (6 feet, 6 inches) which may seem long conceptually, but depending on your rig's setup, this may pose some issues, as it did for us. Likewise, the 3.5-millimeter cord is 59 inches long (4 feet, 11 inches), a length that falls in the shorter end of the products. The saving grace, however, is that all of these cords are detachable from the headset at the earphone, meaning in the case of damages or the need for a longer cable, a replacement is quick and easy.

epos h3 closed acoustic gaming headset - the cords for the epos h3 aren't very long, but they are easily...
The cords for the Epos H3 aren't very long, but they are easily replaceable.
Credit: Laura Casner

Value


The Epos H3 is a quality headset, and its value is high. One of the top gaming headsets we've ever tested, this model presents a better offering than some competitors, for half or even a third of the price. If you're looking for a premium offering, and the price is no object, then other headsets may be better. But, if you're looking for a great product that absolutely warrants its price, then the Epos H3 offers that, and even more.

Conclusion


Offering nice features, great performance, and a great price, the Epos H3 is a great product all around. Although it is by no means perfect, this is still a great gaming headset. Anyone searching for a new headset would be remiss in not giving the Epos H3 a look.

Austin Palmer and Conrad Salonites