EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Review

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Fast Facts

EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid

Dimensions: 0.94 in. + 0.91 in. + 0.93 in
Charge Connector: USB C
Audio Codecs: AptX
Fitment Type: In-Ear Earphones
Microphones: Dual Microphones
Battery Life: 5 Hours Per Earbud
Case Battery Life: 20 Hours
Bluetooth: 5.1
Water Resistance: IPX 5 (sweat and splashproof)
Price: £179

These earphones were provided for review purposes

Whats in the box?

The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid are generously supplied with a pair of polycarbonate built earbuds, an anodised aluminium charging case, 3 sets of earbuds, a USB charge cable, a low latency USB C Dongle, and a USB C extension cable. 

Design & Materials

The GTW 270 Hybrid wireless earbuds have a really striking design and are extremely high quality. The charging case has a robust and cool to the touch anodised aluminium case in a shade of deep gunmetal grey. The construction is really solid on the case, built with very little tolerance. The hinge opens by around 85 degrees and holds itself firmly in place at every orientation because the magnets are so snappy and strong, they draw the buds into place with minimal effort. 

I really need to talk about the case again, it’s just lovely to hold in the hand with wonderfully rounded corners, and it quickly became my pocket fidget spinner of choice. 

Fit & Sound

EPOS as a company has been around in its current form for just a short period of time, however as a product of Sennheisers gaming audio division your expectations should be high on sound. Yet, with their roots firmly placed in Denmark, you can sense this wonderful blend of cutting edge audio technologies alongside simplistic and minimalist Scandinavian design. Honestly, it’s a match made in heaven.

These sound amazing, with a typically V-shaped audio signature (this means elevated Bass and Treble with recessed mid-range). This shape of audio is pretty much tried and tested as the most pleasing of sounds and is perfectly suited for gaming. Audiophile authenticity it is not. Another point of note for prospective buyers, these are LOUD, like seriously loud. In my measurements they pushed an earsplitting 100db with ease, so 50% – 75% is probably all you’ll need. Nice to have the headroom though!

In the box, there are three sets of ear tips included, and I cannot stress this enough, try them all. The pre-installed tips may fit your ears perfectly well, but it will only take a few minutes to snap each set in place. You might surprise yourself, as ears are all different shapes and sizes, for me I needed the small size in my right ear and slightly large in the left. This fitment was the difference between a slightly flatter and leaky bass, and a booming well-sealed bass, absolutely worth figuring out the best combo for you.

Inserting them into your ears came very naturally, with a 90-degree rotation locking them into place. The headshake test was successful and they were comfortable for around 2-3 hours of solid gaming before I felt any discomfort or pressure. Credit to EPOS they have really taken the time and investment in building a design of Earphones that prioritises fit, utilising the ear scan database parent company Demant have to hand, and using AI to find the most universally applied fitment. That’s a cool use of tech!

Wireless Gaming

The most important unique selling point for this hybrid model of the EPOS GTW 270 is the included USB-C Dongle which supports aptX low latency audio. This has some really useful applications. First stop Nintendo Switch, where I spent about 8-10 hours testing. This console is infamous in the fact that it has Bluetooth but doesn’t support Bluetooth audio, meaning cable connected headphones have been your only option for audio outside of using the Switch’s tinny built-in speaker.

The integration is seamless with the dongle, which arrives pre-paired to the earphones. Simply:

Insert Earphones

Insert USB-C dongle to the Nintendo Switch charging port

Wait for the 5 second light show

Bingo – Audio will output in stunning surround sound from your handheld

The sound quality left me speechless. The Nintendo Switch has absolutely never sounded this good. I just wish I could go back and play Breath Of The Wild all over again, and listen to the soundtrack as the developer intended.

The connection was stable 99% of the time with the odd stumble or hiccup on the rarest of occasions. The main issue I would say is just the positioning of the USB-C port on the Nintendo Switch. With it pointing down towards your body the dongle can sometimes get snagged on your belt or lap when sitting. This is a Nintendo issue, however, not EPOS. 

The true test

My second test scenario was with the PS5, trying out Miles Morales as well as Call of Duty Warzone. This was a slightly challenging experience for the connection with regular dropouts or unwanted robot effects being added to the audio (you know the ones :-).

On this occasion, I did need to use the USB-C extension cable included. This pretty much removed the audio issues bar on a few occasions here and there. One other thing to bear in mind is the connection will only support the audio channel, not the built-in microphones onboard. With the PS5 having its own dedicated mic in the controller this wasn’t really an issue. The reason for this is to prioritise the need for low latency. With the AptX low latency codec operating at a significantly higher bandwidth. For me its the right compromise, and the low latency when playing a game like Warzone where every footstep counts, its a necessary trade-off. 

Conclusion

EPOS has really raised the bar with the GTW 270 Hybrid, carefully balancing acoustically stunning sound, with cutting edge audio technologies in a beautifully designed packaged. My only wish was somewhere integrated to keep the USB-C dongle safe when not in use. Although a small silicone cover is provided it doesn’t protect the vulnerable exposed USB-C port. Imagine if this could be slotted neatly into the bottom of the case?

I’m overwhelmingly impressed with what’s been put together here, and I think it’s a wonderfully dynamic system, agile to a gamer’s needs with portability and reliability at the forefront of every design decision. I love them. 

Rapid Reviews Rating

The EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid In-Ear Headphones are available to buy here