CONCLUSION

   The reason behind the why EPOS released two versions of the GTW 270 is pretty clear, the regular model was meant for people who are looking for true wireless stereo earbuds to pair with their smartphones whereas the hybrid model was released for people who’d also like to use it with their PC’s, MAC’s and consoles. Unfortunately, even though audio quality is very good (even without support for HD audio codecs) with crisp and accurate mids and highs and a decent amount of bass (although clearly not enough for some music genres) the GTW 270 Hybrid are not perfect. The reason i say this is because you simply can't use the dual-microphones via the GSA 70 USB-C dongle. Luckily EPOS is very clear about the fact that the aptX low latency feature only supports the playback channel so it didn't come as a surprise. Still, it would be nice if it was possible, especially for people working from home and/or people who may want to play online games (although these are clearly marketed primarily for consoles). Another feature I’d like to see would be a hearthrough function which is a very good way to maintain awareness of your surroundings even while using the earbuds. Yes, only a rather small percentage of TWS models have that specific feature but this is something I was expecting from the GTW 270 Hybrid. As for battery life thigs are very good here since at maximum volume, I was able to squeeze up to just over 4 hours and 20 minutes from the GTW 270 Hybrid. Sure, it may not be quite close to the advertised number (5 hours) but always remember that official measurements are not taken at maximum volume.

   So how much for the GTW 270 Hybrid by EPOS? Well, it currently retails for USD199.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 199Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which is very balanced for what is pretty much a universal pair of TWS earbuds (if you don’t need the GSA 70 USB-C dongle then the regular version retails for around USD30/30Euros less). Overall, the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid is a great pair of TWS earbuds, granted it’s not perfect but thanks to its build quality, audio accuracy and clarity, great fit and very good battery life (for the size) it does come close and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (IPX5 Certified)
- Very Good Audio Quality
- Call Quality (Dual Noise Cancelling Microphones)
- Battery Life (Up To 20 Hours Total)
- GSA 70 Dongle (aptX Low Latency)
- Great Fit
- Bluetooth v5.1
- GTW 270 & GTW 270 Hybrid Models Available

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Playback Channel Only (aptX Low Latency Mode)