When you want to equip yourself with a gaming and musical headset, the choices can be difficult. Check out EPOS H3 Hybrid vs SteelSeries Arctis Prime.
Epos known is recognized in the world of audio, thanks to its former membership in the Sennheiser brand. After testing the classic Epos H3, a purely gaming headset with high-end sound and manufacturing, we received the wireless model. A segment that Epos is not used to venturing, but that time is over thanks to the classic Epos H3 and the Epos H3 Hybrid that we will see in this article.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime headset is what you might call versatility. Indeed SteelSeries has accustomed us to good gaming headsets, which is exactly what Arctis Prime is, but not only. Versatility, ergonomics, and quality are the keywords of this headset.
Pros and Cons
| EPOS H3 Hybrid | SteelSeries Arctis Prime |
| Outstanding audio quality | Comfortable, well-built design |
| EPOS Gaming Suite | Retractable microphone |
| Dual Microphones | Great Microphone quality |
| Good battery life | No companion software |
| Too expensive | Too expensive |
General
| EPOS H3 Hybrid | SteelSeries Arctis Prime | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | EPOS | SteelSeries |
| Type | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Colors | Black | Black |
| Weight | 0.66 lbs | 0.76 lbs |
| Connectivity | USB-C to USB-A | Wired |
Design
| Type | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Wireless | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Type | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Foldable Design | No | No |
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How we saw it, Epos is a relatively high-end brand, and its packaging also seems to be made with care. From the opening of the box, we find ourselves directly with the helmet; we first feel the similarity with the Epos H3. It is, in fact, the same helmet, and there is no physical difference between the Epos H3 and the Epos H3 Hybrid. The only point that will change is connectivity here in Bluetooth.
On the left side, we still find the microphone, also endowed with its specificity that we will detail in the part of the test provided for this purpose. This microphone is foldable but does not fit in the helmet like some competition headphones. We also find on the right side the power button and a USB-C port to recharge the beast, and a 3.5 mm jack port for wired use of the product.
On the other side, we have a volume control dial. It is not very practical from an ergonomic point of view; although it is aesthetically ideal, we cannot hide from it. There is also the connection button on Bluetooth.
The headphones are in a mix of faux leather and Alcantara velvet. The strapping around is in imitation leather, when the part in contact with your skin is in Alcantara, which is original and promises to be pleasant, to see in the long term if it does not deteriorate too quickly.
These headphones on the Epos H3 are attached to the headband from the back, which brings a little aesthetic and modern touch to its design.
SteelSeries in terms of design with a sober, round but functional helmet. Its black plastic frame does not look cheap and looks rather well overhung by a good quality metal support, and its adjustment strap maintained by a good quality scratch will undoubtedly suit all types of gamers.
The right ear cup has no plastic buttons, or the SteelSeries logo pops out in a dark gray to keep it quiet. The foam is leatherette and looks quite sturdy but remains to be seen over time.
The left ear cup has a volume modification wheel, a microphone mute button, a USB port, and a 3.5mm jack. As usual with SteelSeries, the microphone can fit inside. This arrangement is simple but is nonetheless effectively functional, without excess.
For the rest of the left atrium, nothing changes compared to the right.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime is relatively comfortable to wear; the foams take the ears well; the only downside and that it serves the head slightly.
The headset connects directly to the PC or any other device supporting the 3.5 mm jack. Thanks to the cable supplied with an extension to double 3.5 mm jack, it is provided to connect it to the internal sound card of your motherboard. Cables which are also quite well made.
Features
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Music Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Charge | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 20 – 20,000 Hz | 100 – 10,000 Hz |
The important point for a headset is its comfort. Carrying a device with average audio quality but optimal comfort can allow you to listen to music without much hassle. While the Epos H3 Hybrid does well in terms of audio quality, it also does wonders for comfort. In any case, my ears did not touch the pads, nor even the atrium and even less the diaphragm.
The feeling of floating is very present. To tell the truth, it is strongly helped by the materials used, which are, It reminds you, imitation leather for the robustness and the Alcantara for the contact with the skin. This avoids the unpleasant sensations of cold when you put on the helmet in the morning and does not make you sweat unnecessarily in summer.
The Epos H3 Hybrid does not put too much pressure on the head or the ears. We note, however, that we feel it a little at the level of the ears in the long term because it is the main pressure zone. The top of the head remains a little sparer.
In terms of comfort, it is rather pleasant to wear; we note that it tightens slightly at the level of the ears. On the other hand, the comfort band on the top of the head is good and adjustable thanks to a scratch; it is easy and practical. We still regret not being able to adjust the height of the branches of the helmets.
The headset is not tiring to wear in the long run, especially for a helmet at this price; it is still good on this point. It is pleasant with a good setting, even if you can still feel it quite a bit. It would have been better to have foams a bit firmer, but nothing serious for a helmet in this price range there.
Audio Quality
One of the two most important things is audio quality. You can wear headphones for hours on end if the sound quality is good, even if the comfort is not completely optimal. Here, in addition to having good comfort, we have pleasant sound quality. First of all, it should note that the headphones isolate many external sounds.
There is no active ANC noise reduction here like the Epos H3, the Epos H3 hybrid; too bad it’s a Bluetooth headset and Jack. However, the passive noise reduction of this Epos H3 Hybrid is as good as its brother, the classic H3.
However, regarding the sound quality, if it is good, we have a few small caveats to qualify it. The mids are clearly very well managed, even perfectly well; it is the same for the highs, which are doing very well, even if sometimes a little too pronounced. Only the bass tend, at high volume, to sizzle. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a shame, but it has very little quality/price ratio competition.
In the end, the Epos H3 Hybrid delivers a really pure and pleasant sound. It is a pity that it lacks a little depth that would have allowed it to reach near-perfection.
The headset design is one thing, but the performance is the real issue and the selling point of a helmet. This SteelSeries Arctis Prime is surprising; it offers a good experience in the game, its favorite area, nevertheless it is not bad at all in music listening.
It covers a fairly good range of response frequencies from 10 to 40,000Hz, which is honorable and offers a spectrum of harmonic frequencies ranging from 20Hz to 20KHz.
The mids are quite good; the highs are sometimes a little garnish and naturally pronounced bass due to their gaming orientation. Obviously, do not expect exceptional quality, but for this price, it is honorable.
Microphone
If the sound is clearly not bad with these headphones, the microphone, on the other hand, is a little different. Sure, it allows you to chat with your friends on Discord in peace, but it does record a lot of background noise.
The microphone of the Epos H3 is not located very close to your mouth, as it can be the case with other headphones.
However, you can remedy this by making a few settings in your chat software and operating system settings. The bass is quite absent from the sound, which is a shame but will allow your interlocutors to hear you more clearly, especially if you are not speaking very loudly. The possibility of muting the microphone very easily, with a single gesture, is enough to raise the microphone, simple and fast and very practical.
Because of the nomadic use that this Epos H3 Hybrid can have, it is normal to use it outdoors. And can hear the same story, the winds, the sound of footsteps, the cars, and the music too much; unfortunately, it will be complicated for your interlocutor to understand you.
As for the microphone, it is rather basic; we can blame it for picking up too much ambient noise, such as the noise of the nearby PC if, like me, your config is noisy (and yes, two GPUs and a Xeon it heats up, so it blows ), nevertheless in discord chat or others, it will do the job perfectly without asking too much of course. We hear the voice distinctly, which is more than enough.
The regrettable point is to be raised, compared to other headset from SteelSeries like the Arctis 7, it is not possible to configure anything with the SteelSeries Engine software; in fact, it is a plug and play helmet, it is an advantage of compatibility but all the same regrettable in substance.
Battery
| Battery Type | Li-Po | Li-Po |
| Battery Life | Up to 37 hours | – |
| Charging Time | 1.5 hours | – |
| Connector Type | Jack, USB | USB, 3.5mm jack |
EPOS H3 Hybrid- For a full charge in 1h 30m, Epos announces 37 hours of autonomy on this Bluetooth headset. During several gaming sessions, the headset keeps its promises. The announcement of the lack of battery arrived after 36 hours of use. Of course, that depends on the use. The 37 hours announced are in Bluetooth but not in Jack or even in mixed.
In itself, all of the use gives good autonomy, despite a slight lack of freedom compared to some competitors. The headset is not self-powered; it has a worse autonomy in jack than in Bluetooth, which is surprising, never seen before.
SteelSeries Arctis Prime- As for the microphone, it is rather basic; we can blame it for picking up too much ambient noise, such as the noise of the nearby PC if, like me, your config is noisy, nevertheless in discord chat or others, it will do the job perfectly without asking too much of course. We hear the voice distinctly, which is more than enough.
The regrettable point is to be raised, compared to another headset from SteelSeries like the Arctis 7, it is not possible to configure anything with the SteelSeries Engine software; in fact, it is a plug and play helmet, it is an advantage of compatibility but all the same regrettable in substance.
Conclusion!
The Epos H3 hybrid is a good headset that fits in the gaming and Life-Style categories. Its full connectivity and its sobriety and materials give it a high-end appearance.
The Steelseries Arctis Prime are good headphones at a relatively affordable price. Surprisingly, the sound is good, and the quality is present; it is a great success at Steelseries.
