HP EncorePro (805H7AA#ABA)

A call center workhorse with a top-tier mic and a bottom-tier music experience. Buy it for the microphone, not the music.

The 28mm driver and ANC do a decent job for voice, but the real surprise is the microphone. A noise-cancelling, omni-directional boom mic at this price point that outperforms 88% of what we've tested? That's rare. The ANC itself is solid, around the 74th percentile, which helps in a busy office. But comfort is a problem. At 349g and with an on-ear, single-cup design, it lands in the 16th percentile for comfort. That's rough for all-day wear. Battery life is also just average at the 46th percentile, which is fine for a wired headset since it draws power over USB-C, but don't expect any wireless freedom here.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 and Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus are in a completely different league for music and comfort, but they're also stereo over-ears aimed at consumers, not call center workers. The Soundcore Life Q20 and TOZO HT3 are budget wireless options that sound better and cost less, but their mics can't touch the EncorePro's clarity. The JBL Tune 670NC is the closest competitor in spirit, a no-frills workhorse, but it's stereo and wireless. If you need a mono headset with a killer mic, none of these really compete. If you don't need mono, all of them are better choices.

At USD 102 to USD 123 across two US listings, this headset is a tough sell unless you specifically need a mono call center headset. The price spread is real, so shop around. Newegg has the better deal at the lower end of that range. But honestly, for the same money you could grab a decent stereo headset with better sound and comfort. The value here is entirely in the microphone, so if you're not on calls all day, skip it.

The HP EncorePro 805H7AA#ABA is a mono, USB-C call center headset wearing a gaming headset's clothes. It's built for one thing: clear voice calls in noisy offices. And on that front, the mic is genuinely impressive, landing in the 88th percentile of our database. But if you're hoping to listen to music or game with this thing, keep walking. The sound quality sits at a mediocre 46th percentile and music performance is the weakest area at 27.3 out of 100. This is a work tool, not a toy.

If you're looking for a headset to listen to music, game, or wear comfortably for hours, this isn't it. Go get a Soundcore Life Q20 or JBL Tune 670NC instead. They sound better, cost less, and won't leave your ear sore. The EncorePro is for one thing only: making your voice sound great on calls. If that's not your job, skip it.

The HP EncorePro 805H7AA#ABA is a specialist tool. Buy it if you spend your day on calls in a noisy environment and need your voice to cut through. The mic is the star here, and it's genuinely one of the best we've tested. But for anything else, music, gaming, even casual listening, this headset falls flat. It's uncomfortable for long sessions and the sound quality is mediocre at best. If you're not a call center agent or remote worker who lives on the phone, your money is better spent elsewhere.