November 6th 2025

Hands-On with the New EPOS IMPACT 500

Here at Best4Systems HQ in Worthing, West Sussex, we’re daily users of Microsoft Teams, with much of our team using it to communicate as they split their time between home and the office. So when EPOS reached out and asked if we’d like to try the IMPACT 500 headset, a brand new Teams-certified headset with hybrid ANC and an option to go dongle-free (pending an upcoming firmware update), we were obviously excited and jumped at the opportunity.

EPOS say “The IMPACT 500 is the first EPOS headset designed to support native Bluetooth® connectivity for Microsoft Teams. For anyone using Microsoft Teams, high-quality audio is essential for staying productive throughout the day. Teams users expect clear voice transmission, seamless device switching, fewer distractions and tools that support productivity—no matter where they’re working—here’s where the EPOS IMPACT 500 comes into play.“

So, what exactly is a Native Bluetooth headset, and how good is the new EPOS IMPACT 500?

View the IMPACT 500 Product Range

Native Bluetooth refers to the headset (or other device) that connects directly to your laptop or PC’s built-in Bluetooth without needing a USB dongle.

The IMPACT 500 has been tested and certified by Microsoft under the Teams Certification Programme, ensuring full Teams functionality—including call controls, mute sync and the dedicated Teams button—even when using native Bluetooth directly to your PC or laptop.

Historically, connecting a Bluetooth headset directly via Bluetooth could result in unstable audio and loss of call controls… those days are no more!

Ready to use in seconds…

Unboxing and using the IMPACT 500 is a breeze; in the sustainable, plastic-free packaging you’ll find the headset, a charging cable, USB-C/A dongle (if you choose the dongle variant), a carry pouch and some helpful user documents.

The build quality is on par with that of the top-end IMPACT 1000 series—sleek matt black look, soft ear cushions, a padded headband and a boom arm that rotates 290° so it can be worn on either side of your head.

The audio quality for both calls and music is excellent, but it’s the hybrid ANC and EPOS BrainAdapt™ technology that really bring everything together in the IMPACT 500. The ability to block out ambient office noise, keyboard clatter and background conversations creates the focus and quiet needed to stay productive throughout the day.

Order the IMPACT 500 Here

Performance Highlights

Reasons to choose the EPOS IMPACT 500

Download the Fact Sheet

Seamless Microsoft Teams Certified Calls

With a pending software release, you’ll be able to utilise the headset’s native Bluetooth with Microsoft Teams for dongle-free calls, freeing up your available USB ports and simplifying connectivity.

Professional Battery Performance

We ran the battery flat and charged it to full, which took roughly an hour and 30 minutes—from that single charge we got an incredible talk time of 36 hours and 80+ hours of listening time. On average, we’ve needed to charge the headset once a week.

Talk-Through Mode

As important as blocking out distractions is, being able to quickly communicate with colleagues is sometimes necessary—on the earcup without the boom arm there is a button that allows you to turn the ANC on and off with a “push and hold”—a short push enables Talk-Through mode so you can hear your surroundings and speak to colleagues with effortless interaction.

Unmatched Voice Clarity

EPOS AI™ and expertly tuned microphones work together to remove unwanted background noise for clearer communication. The beamforming mics scan your working space 32,000 times per second, finding and stopping background noise while protecting your natural voice sound.

IMPACT 500 Variants | FAQs | Comparethe IMPACT Range

Available Models

EPOS IMPACT 500 – With BTD800c USB Dongle

Consider choosing with dongle if:

– You are on daily video calls and meetings.
– You work in an office with a lot of interference from other wireless devices.
– You want Teams/Zoom buttons to work flawlessly.
– You rely on the BLF feature.

View Full Product Spec

EPOS IMPACT 500 – Without Dongle

Consider a dongle-free setup if:

– You mainly connect to smartphones or tablets.
– Your PC or laptop is running Bluetooth version 5.x or higher.
– You use your USB ports for other devices.
– You’re prone to losing the USB dongle.

Hands-On with the New EPOS IMPACT 500