EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Review – Bite Sized Boom

GTW 270 Hybrid Are Quality Earbuds That Pack a Punch

When it comes to playing video games, I’ve always been a headset kinda guy. My Astro A50’s have remained my go-to cans for the better part of the past decade. Sure, they are huge and bulky, but the comfort and sound are second to none. When the opportunity surfaced to review EPOS gaming earbuds, I’ll admit, I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy. I mean, ears buds for console or PC gaming? You gotta be kidding, right. EPOS; however, has made it possible with their GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds. Surprisingly enough, they sound great and are remarkably comfortable despite some of their shortcomings.

At its core, the GTW 270 Hybrid is designed for the mobile gamer. These buds are ideal for those that take their Nintendo Switch on the go, or for mobile gaming. For console owners, they aren’t really meant to replace your current gaming headset. Sure they can be used with your PlayStation 4 or 5 but the lack of mic for online chatting is a big problem, but more on that later.

For the better part of the past two weeks, I spent the bulk of my time with them on the PS5 via a dedicated 2.4Ghz dongle and on my phone via the Bluetooth 5.1 connection. Why do you need the dongle? In order to achieve low latency gaming, it’s necessary as Bluetooth doesn’t give you that same audio experience. While they won’t replace my A50’s any time soon, they’ll be my primary option when gaming on the go.

Similar to Apple’s AirPods, the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid comes included with a portable charging case. This metallic case is pretty slick and feels expensive. It’s a slim rectangular box that has a USB Type-C port on the back for charging, a button on the front for pairing and some LED lights that show us the battery status and connection status. The Hybrid also comes with a USB-C dongle that plugs into both my Nintendo Switch and/or PlayStation 5. You also get some different-sized eartips and some instructions to get you started. You get all that for the rather hefty suggested retail price of $199 USD/C$249 CAD.

How Much Are They Again?

I know, that price is steep, but it’s certainly on par with AirPods and in many ways these EPOS earbuds are better. Just don’t lose that case. That metallic case acts as a hub for the earbuds. You cannot pair or charge the earbuds without that case. This is a bummer as I frequently lose small tech, but also understandable given the size and the overall quality of the earbuds.

Connectivity to my Nintendo Switch and PS5 was surprisingly fast and seamless. Simply plug the USB dongle into your console, pair your buds and just like that the PS5 recognizes them. Likewise, with the Nintendo Switch, it connected in a flash. The same goes for my phone via Bluetooth connectivity. I didn’t (and you won’t) have any issues pairing the Hybrid with all my devices. On restart, the GTW 270 instantly recognizes the devices, so you won’t have to pair them each time. The earbuds also automatically turn on when you pull them out of the case, which is a neat little feature.

The earbuds themselves feel meaty and don’t seem cheap at all. They are quite comfortable in my ears, which I didn’t expect. Typically, I find earbuds uncomfortable but the GTW 270’s fit perfectly. I didn’t have to swap out the tips for a different size as the ‘default’ eartips did the job and always seemed firmly in place.

The GTW 270 will last approximately 5 hours per charge but the charging case holds an extra 15 hours of battery life. I never found myself running out of juice as I was inclined to leave them in the charging case while not in use. So that is certainly a plus, but 5-hours battery life isn’t great for those who jump into marathon gaming sessions. If you plunk them in the case for 15-minutes that’ll get you 1-hour of battery life, so I do appreciate the fact they charge rather quickly. Yet for the price, I expected a bit more battery life.

Sound-wise, I was impressed. I played several games on the PlayStation 5 and they all sounded fantastic. The audio in next gen games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Astro’s Playroom sound brilliant. The clarity is impressive and they aren’t too heavy in the bass department either. The clear highs and rich lows made for an impressive audio experience that fully immerses you into the game. Likewise, music from my Spotify account sounded great. When it comes to the GTW’s 270 audio, I have no real complaints and I was satisfied I was getting my money’s worth.

Premium Quality Gaming Earbuds

While the GTW 270 do indeed sound great, there is a downside and a rather large one at that. Voice chat is not supported via the USB-C wireless dongle. So, if you play a lot of multiplayer games and prefer chatting with your friends, you’ll have to employ a workaround. Granted, they have a mic when connected via Bluetooth 5.1 to your phone, but for your Switch or PS5 you’re out of luck. With your PS5; however, you can use the voice chat on the DualSense controller. Not ideal at all, but an option nonetheless.

I am not a techy headset expert by any stretch of the imagination; so when it comes to earbuds, I am by no means an aficionado. Yet the sound on the GTW 270 is impressive and they are remarkably comfortable. For gaming on the go, the Hybrid is a suitable albeit somewhat expensive option for you. The lack of a built-in mic option for console and PC gaming is a letdown and will likely keep many gamers away. Yet if you are looking for something that delivers a comfortable and immersive audio experience for gaming on the go, the GTW 270’s are an excellent option.

***GTW 270 Hybrid was provided to COGconnected for the purpose of this review***

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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