EPOS H3 Gaming Headset Review: The Definition Of Fine

Who Is The EPOS H3 Gaming Headset For?

• The EPOS H3 gaming headset is a no-frills pair of headphones that works with all consoles and PCs
• The H3 is straightforward and easy to use
• The EPOS H3 clamps fairly tightly, which helps block out background noise

Headsets, headsets, headsets! There's a seemingly never ending stream of new headsets getting released, and that includes the latest from EPOS, the EPOS H3. In a world where gimmicks help headsets stand apart from the crowd, the EPOS H3 doesn't wander too far from the tried and true path. There aren't any special features or little tricks here, it's just a straight pair of headphones with a microphone.

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Funky Looks

While the EPOS H3 gaming headset may be straightforward to use, it does have a somewhat unique design. The chassis is largely made of plastic, but the headband is reinforced with metal. The use of plastic helps the H3 headset stay light, but does make it feel a little on the cheap side. Additionally, the ear cups can't be rotated in any direction. There is some movement for fitting onto a person's head, but the cups can't lay flat.

The padding on the EPOS H3 ear cups have a nice feel to them. They're soft, but firm, and have two different textures. The outside of the pads is a leather-style material while the part of the pad that touches a wearer's head has a velvety texture that is very pleasing to the touch.

The left ear cup is home to a microphone arm that can swivel down into place. This microphone arm has a light, but satisfying, click to signify when the microphone goes from muted to active. The arm itself can't really be repositioned once lowered, but it generally stays out of the way and isn't too much of a distraction. I also am a sucker for a removable microphone, but the H3's microphone arm is unfortunately permanently attached to the headset.

The right ear cup is home to the only input found on the H3 headset, a volume wheel. This is an easy way to quickly adjust volume, though there aren't any ways to modify chat volume or game volume specifically on the headset. The volume wheel only serves as a universal volume control.

Like the EPOS H3's ear cups, the volume wheel feels a little cheap. Spinning it around feels more like playing with a toy than a fancy gaming headset.

Tight Clamp Means Noise Isolation

The EPOS H3 headset clamps down fairly tightly on my head, but it's not tight enough to cause pain. It's more like being wrapped in a tight blanket. This tight squeeze allows the headset to create a strong seal around my head, which helps to block out sound. There aren't any proper noise cancelling features going on, but a decent amount of noise gets blocked from the ear pads alone.

The only downside to the tight clamp from the H3 headset is that while it doesn't cause immediate discomfort, prolonged use did cause my ears to start slightly aching. At around the four hour mark, I had to take the H3 off to give my ears a quick break. I also found my ears to be getting a little warm while using the H3, so if you run hot like I do that might be something to keep in mind.

Acceptable Audio

The audio quality of the EPOS H3 is perfectly adequate. The H3 is a very balanced headset, meaning there isn't a punchy or overly stated bass response, and mids and highs are clear without getting muddy. The bass is still noticeable and can really be heard when listening to bass-heavy music, but is never overstepping its bounds.

When gaming, game audio comes through crystal clear. I tried out the EPOS H3 with Apex Legends, and each gun shot rung out loudly with echos following shortly after. When playing Madden 21 the crowd's pulsating cheering accompanied each helmet collision, and the crack of a bat in the just released MLB The Show 21 sounded like I was right there in the ball park.

Because there are no chat adjustment features built into the H3 headset, expect to have to use your console's game volume/chat volume mixers to get a healthy mix for yourself. I found the basic 50/50 split was a little heavy on the game audio side, so I had to boost my chat audio a little to compensate.

Fine Microphone

Similar to the audio quality, the microphone quality is also pretty solid on the EPOS H3. When talking to my friends over Xbox Live, I was told that I sounded nice and clear.

The Amazon listing for the H3 mentions that the microphone has noise cancelling features, which I didn't necessarily find to be the case. I was talking to my friend over Xbox Live while making dinner because I'm an adult like that, and he commented on the sound of the sink running in the background. It would make sense that the constant droning sound of a sink would be the thing most likely to be canceled, but I suppose I was standing directly over it.

No Special Features

The EPOS H3 headset is pretty much a "what you see is what you get" kind of product. There aren't any noise cancelling features or 3D audio effects or wireless capabilities. The only bonus touch the H3 has going for it is that it includes a cable for console use and a cable for PC use, which splits the audio and microphone ports. The cables can be unplugged at the base of the headset, allowing for easy transitions from the PC to a console.

Also, because the H3 headset uses a wired connection it is compatible with virtually any device out there. The H3 can be used with PCs, all Xbox consoles, all PlayStation consoles, Switch, Stadia, and any mobile devices that still have 3.5mm ports. Of course, a USB-C to 3.5mm cable can be used with mobile devices that don't have the 3.5mm port built in.

Final Thoughts

The EPOS H3 gaming headset is fine. It doesn't shine in any area, but there aren't really any glaring negatives to be found either. That means it really comes down to price.

At around $120, the H3 is pretty much in the middle of the road. It's a fine price for a fine headset. However, if I were in the market for a wired headset and wanted just a little more bang for my buck, I'd check out the HyperX Cloud II, which is currently on sale for $84. The Cloud II offers everything the H3 has, along with a detachable microphone and improved sound quality.