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Drop + Epos PC38X review: One-minute review
Not necessarily a new model, but still a great one, the Drop + Epos PC38X is an excellent wired gaming headset and comes through with the promise of delivering top-shelf audio for the discerning gaming sound enthusiasts among us.
The standout feature is easily the audio. I’ve tested some of the best and most expensive gaming headsets of the last decade, and only a few really blow me away; the Drop + Epos PC38X does that, too, for a sub-$200 price tag. It’s even played beautifully with an external sound card as well.
It’s by no means a flashy or outlandish gaming headset when it comes to design and build, but it does sport the level of quality you’d expect from Sennheiser and Epos. A symphony of piano black, the headset is slick, and its over-ear, open-back earcups are robust but supremely comfortable. The only blemishes on the scorecard here are a slightly plasticky-feeling build and that the microphone is a bit of a chunky one, despite it being a handy flip-to-mute model.
In brief, if you’re happy to be (or prefer being) a wired gamer, then the Drop + Epos PC38X is a superb option. It’s now my go-to wired headset – though it’s in constant battle with my Sennheiser HD 550s – and I’ve had a blast listening to all my music and entertainment, and playing games across PC and PlayStation 5 with it.
Drop + Epos PC38X review: Price and availability
- Current approximate prices as of early 2026: $199 / £180 / around AU$305
- Availability is spotty, but it represents excellent value for money
- Pricing puts it in the mid-to-high range for gaming headsets, but good value for audiophile sets
The main point of discussion around the Drop + Epos PC38X gaming headset’s price and availability in 2026 is that it is not as readily available as its competitors. I’ve seen listings come and go at retailers, both US and UK, and prices go up and down like yo-yos, too.
There’s also some variation in the headset’s name when it comes to retailer listings. However, if you can find one of any Drop + Epos PC38X, DROP PC38X, or Drop + Sennheiser PC38X (or similar), know that it’s the same headset regardless of name, and you’re still getting a quality product.
Despite stock wobbliness, Drop’s own website has been a reliable seller of the headset, and currently has it in stock for $199, but has had it as low as $169 at times, too. It does very much look like you’ll be limited to the all-black variant if you do find it in stock, though – the version that had yellow-colored cups appears to not be available for purchase anymore.
Given that ‘roughly $200 / £200’ price point, that does put it in pretty lofty territory and in the company of some absolute belters – in both gaming headset and headphone territory. I’ve been comparing the PC38X most closely to my Sennheiser HD 550 headphones ($299.99 / $249.99 / AU$479) and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro headset ($279.99 / £249.99 / AU$565); both are wired, both have great audio, and both are a little bit more costly, but are viable alternatives for gamers wanting seriously strong audio.
Drop + Epos PC38X review: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Drop + Epos PC38X |
|
Price |
$199 / £180 / around AU$305 |
|
Weight |
8.9oz / 253g |
|
Drivers |
Size officially unspecified |
|
Compatibility |
PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, mobile |
|
Connection type |
3.5mm audio jack (2.5m 2 x 3.5mm cable, 1.5m 1 x 3.5mm cable) |
|
Battery life |
N/A |
|
Features |
Openback design, Bi-directional, flip-to-mute electret condenser mic, dynamic neodymium drivers |
|
Software |
N/A |
Drop + Epos PC38X review: Design and features
- Open-back earcup design
- Flip-to-mute boom-arm mic
- Sleek and understated black finish
When it comes to design, the Drop + Epos PC38X doesn’t really stand out. It’s a slick black-on-black unit, with only black metal covers for the open earcups and mic punctuating the cloak of darkness. There used to be a slightly more exciting green/yellow colorway, but I haven’t been able to spot a listing for that in all my time testing this black model.
Away from aesthetics, it does feel like any other gaming headset to wear, too, in all honesty. The frame is a little plasticky, and there’s nothing too special here – but there are upsides to that. It’s just an easy-to-wear, very comfortable headset with padding in the right places, and a deliberate and appropriate use of materials.
The cables provided make for easy connection too: you get both a mic-and-headphone split cable perfect for those who prefer the split (or to use their headphones with other devices), as well as a straight-up 3.5mm audio jack connection too – perfect for use with a gaming console controller.
My only small criticism is the boom mic, which is a chunky monster. Located on the left cup, every part of it feels large in the hand, and when inspecting or holding the headset.
The caveat to that is – when it’s flipped up, especially – it’s totally out of sight anyway, and is in no way an immersion or multiplayer-ruiner. It feels like something from one of the older Sennheiser gaming headsets, too, so it doesn’t feel out of place either. Completing the onboard set, the volume dial on the right cup is the only onboard control and is intuitive and easy to interact with.
Drop + Epos PC38X review: Performance
- Brilliant, immersive audio
- While massive in design, the mic is crisp and clear
- Comfortable to wear for long periods of time
The audio on offer from the Drop + Epos PC38X is excellent, across the board. It certainly punches above its weight and can certainly hold its own against even the most recent of premium headsets.
Bass notes are rich and thumpy without being muddy and unpleasant, mids are rich and full, and highs are always crisp and punchy, but not piercing. It really does channel some excellent Sennheiser and Epos pedigree that makes its out-of-the-box audio some of the best I’ve tested.
On PC, the echoes and spookiness of The Oldest House in Control were beamed to my brain superbly, while hearing every detail of my cities in Frostpunk 2, and every crunch and thwack in encounters in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 were joyous. On my PS5 Pro, I experienced some wonderfully atmospheric and rich audio in Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, which really upped my immersion to brilliant heights.
Elsewhere, every punch of a Nazi’s face in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was fulsome and full of oomf, and gunfire in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, as well as Battlefield 6, were excellent, giving me the right balance of rich chaos, but punchy action and crisp gunfire audio. No matter what I played on either platform, the Drop + Epos PC38X really did excel, and I can’t sing its audio praises high enough.
As an everyday work headset, it also performed admirably, transporting my voice beautifully down the internet as well as giving me clear audio on calls and meetings, and also becoming a stalwart companion for a range of music and entertainment.
While that mic is chunky, it’s easy to use and doesn’t impact the comfort of the headset during use. I wore the headset for hours and hours at a time without ever feeling uncomfortable, and the mic being flip-to-mute at least makes for a convenient design.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this review, I’ve also been able to test the Drop + Epos PC38X with external sound cards. This enabled me to get even more out of the headset – so if you have the luxury of having one of these devices in your setup already, or fancy adding one, then know that it’s an ideal combination. Be it on PS5 or PC, adding an extra layer of excellence to augment the experience the Drop + Epos PC38X gave me was great – but I still defaulted to the out-of-the-box audio on more than one occasion away from the sound cards.
All in, however, you won’t need an external sound card at all with the Drop + Epos PC38X. If you can find it in 2026 and are after a top wired gaming headset with pedigree and sublime audio, then it won’t let you down.
Should I buy the Drop + Epos PC38X?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Drop + Epos PC38X review: Also consider…
Still not sold on the Drop + Epos PC38X? Here are two competitors that might hit the mark instead.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Drop + Epos PC38X |
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro |
Sennheiser HD 550 |
|
Price |
$199 / £180 / around AU$305 |
$279.99 / £249.99 / AU$565 |
$299.99 / $249.99 / AU$479 |
|
Weight |
8.9oz / 253g |
16.08oz / 456g |
8.35oz / 237g |
|
Drivers |
Size officially unspecified |
40mm |
38mm |
|
Compatibility |
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, mobile (where audio jack is present) |
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, mobile (where audio jack is present) |
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, mobile (where audio jack is present) |
|
Connection type |
3.5mm audio jack (2.5m 2 x 3.5mm cable, 1.5m 1 x 3.5mm cable) |
USB, 3.5mm audio jack |
3.5mm audio jack; 6ft / 1.8m cable (3.5 to 6.5mm adapter provided) |
|
Battery life |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Features |
Openback design, Bi-directional, flip-to-mute electret condenser mic, dynamic neodymium drivers |
40 mm Neodymium drivers, Bidirectional microphone polar pattern, ClearCast Gen 2 microphone, GameDac Gen 2 control panel |
38mm transducer, 150 Ω nominal impedance, 6Hz – 39.5kHz frequency response, synthetic velour ear pads |
|
Software |
N/A |
SteelSeries GG |
N/A |
How I tested the Drop + Epos PC38X
- Tested for around six months
- Used across multiple platforms and with multiple devices, including USB sound cards
- Compared performance across game types and against other headsets and headphones
I used the Drop + Epos PC38X on and off over a period of around six months, on PC and PS5, and for games, music, entertainment, and work. I was able to compare it to a bunch of other headphones and headsets to gauge its place in the market in 2026.
On my PS5 Pro, I used the PC38X set across games like Dying Light 2, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Enhanced, Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Ghost of Yotei, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Battlefield 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and more. I plugged it into both a DualSense Wireless Controller and a Creative Sound BlasterX G6 sound card during sessions as well.
When testing the headset on my old RTX 3090 gaming PC and my newer RTX 5070 gaming PC (provided by Acer), I dove into a host of games such as Frostpunk 2, Control, and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3, while also using the headset daily for music, entertainment, and daily work commitments and calls.
First reviewed July 2025-February 2026
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rob.dwiar@futurenet.com (Rob Dwiar)
