The just-announced EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earphones are the most inevitable thing to happen to audio since the advent of low-latency wireless headsets. In and of itself, there is nothing inherently special about this Bluetooth earphone.

However, the problem is that Bluetooth is a relatively high-latency interface, which is fine for Spotify, but not so for games where every millisecond counts. the GTW 270 Hybrid uses a dedicated 2.4Ghz dongle over Bluetooth 5.1 This should be enough to get the GTW 270 Hybrid into our Best Gaming Headsets guide.

The GSA 70 USB Type-C aptX low-latency dongle is quite small, making it ideal for smartphones and Nintendo Switch. Additionally, it works perfectly on PCs, laptops, and PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. EPOS also offers a USB Type-A conversion cable for devices that do not have a USB Type-C port.

The $200 GTW 270 comes in a handsome, slim metallic case and has a 15-hour battery life. Buds can use it for 5 hours on a single charge, for a total of 20 hours of use. In a pinch, just 15 minutes in the case provides an hour of audio on the go. On the back of the slim rectangular box is a USB Type-C port for charging, and on the front is a single button and a small LED that indicates battery and connection status.

Opening the case reveals a chunky pair of earbuds in a snug fitting housing with the EPOS logo engraved on it. They fit surprisingly comfortably in the ear and, once properly secured, stay put; they are IPX5 rated, so sweat and light rain won't break them.

Correct ear fit and sealing is essential for the GTW 270 to deliver rich, bass-heavy sound. When I first put on the GTW 270s, I was surprised at how bad they sounded, but once I replaced the tips with larger ones, the sound improved dramatically. Unfortunately, the larger tip hurt my inner ear canal after a while, but I had to put up with it to maintain sound quality. I think some people may have trouble finding a good fit with the included tips.

When the GTW 270 is removed from the case, it automatically turns on and connects to the dongle or Bluetooth, but not at the same time. This feels like a missed opportunity, since it should make sense to pair it with a smartphone, PC, or game console; pairing with a USB dongle requires no work, but pairing with Bluetooth is a bit more involved. To initiate pairing, the bud must be placed in the case and the button on the case must be pressed and held.

When connected to a USB device, the low latency works as advertised. To be honest, we did not notice a significant difference between the Bluetooth mode and the low-latency mode. However, in low latency mode, EQ presets and 7.1 surround sound are available through the EPOS Gaming Suite on the PC.

I used the GTW 270 daily for about two weeks, testing it with many games, songs, and videos to verify overall audio performance. The sound is typical EPOS, with a warmer tone and more bass leaning. For earbuds, it is certainly impressive. They also send sound directly to the ear, making the bads almost imperceptible, as if one were listening to live audio.

I was impressed with the soundstage on Cyberpunk 2077. The electro-punk soundtrack is thrilling with just the right amount of bass, and NPC conversations and ambient sounds are clear. While the music is nice to listen to, the bass is not always great.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the GTW 270 is that the microphone cannot be used in low latency mode. According to EPOS, this is a limitation of aptX low latency, which only prioritizes the playback channel. If you like multiplayer games with your buddies, you'll have to put up with slower Bluetooth.

The microphone itself, however, is quite good for an earphone. While I can hear a faint background hiss, the microphone picks up my voice well and articulates it in a natural tone. It's good enough for phone calls and game chats. Samples here:

Overall, the EPOS GTW 270 is an exciting new product, especially suited for mobile gamers who want to move between smartphones, Nintendos, and laptops. However, the fact that the microphone cannot be used when using the dongle is a major downside for PC users, and it cannot be used for Zoom calls. As a first product, however, this bodes well.