Anker PowerConf H500 Review - High Quality Headset for "Work From Anywhere"

Meet the Anker PowerConf H500

At a glance

In this "work anywhere" era where flexibility and mobility are at the top of everyone's gadget requirements, wireless headsets have transitioned from a nice-to-have to a complete necessity in every workspace. Though there is a high demand and quite several options, one does not need to "break the bank" to get their hands on an amazing wireless headset.

The Anker PowerConf H500 is a wireless headset a great option in that regard. It is designed to be used in flexible work environments, providing many amazing features without pushing your budget.

Unboxing/Accessories

Carry Case, Documents, USB Dongle with Type-C Adapter, Charging Stand, and the PowerConf H500

The PowerConf H500 comes in a hefty box the PowerConf H500 Headset displayed on the front, A features brief at the back, and Anker logos on the sides.

Inside, you would get the Headphones, Carrying Case, Warranty and User Guide Documentation, Charging Stand, USB-C Cable, USB-A Donggle, and a USB-A to USB-C Adapter. A wall charger is not included.

Build Quality/Design

Very Solid all-around build. Knob controls are on the left and the boom mic is on the right.

The PowerConf H500 comes in a Matte Black Color. The body features a rounded on-ear design and weighs around 6 and a half ounces. It is built on a sturdy plastic material, leatherette padding for the foams, and a metal frame. The Anker Logo can be found on each earpiece and the Power Conf H500 Label is on each frame. The toggle knob on the left side is also made of plastic but does not feel light. This is good given that the knob serves as a button as well. The boom is slender with LED lights running from its stem to the tip.

Functional buttons rest on the rim of the earphones. On the left side, is the transparency button, and on the right side are the Bluetooth buttons, power/Bluetooth LED light, and mute button. a Type-C port, Charging panels, and stand connectors are on the right-side earpiece as well.

The charging stand is built on the same but thicker matte plastic material. The charging LED light is the same as the one on the boom mic. It has a simple cable locking mechanism that fixes the USB-C Charging Cable in place. There is a slotted panel that keeps the headset charging panel in place.

The carrying case is sturdy and fully foamed with a compartment for the USB attachments.

Comfort/Isolation

As mentioned, the whole thing weighs about 6 and a half ounces which puts it in the middle ground in comparison to other headsets. It still is on the lighter side of the spectrum though. Take note that this features an on-ear design meaning the earphones rest on top of your ears and may take a toll on the comfort scale with prolonged use. More so if you are wearing glasses. This is a known and common concern for all on-ear-designed headphones and The device does circumvent these aspects with great padding and a flexible frame that balances it out.

Knob and Cushions

From a usage standpoint, As long as you are not on it for more than 4 hours straight the on-ear discomfort would not really be an issue.

The knob controller takes a bit of getting used to since its actions do not involve a full rotation of the knob. However, what I like to highlight is that you don't hear/feel too much of the button feedback when using it. I was initially worried as the controls weren't touch-driven. It is safe to say that those worries have been forgotten.

The boom mic's length is long enough that it rests an inch away from your cheeks which in itself is a good noise-canceling and voice-channeling design. It also features great noise-canceling software that isolates the wearer's voice more than the ambient ones. While using the PowerConf H500 in some settings (Office, Home, Coffee Shops), It was not able to fully remove ambient noise.

The PowerConnf H500 has great noise-canceling for the price range

It was able to reduce the ambient sounds to a minimum while also maintaining the voice audio quality. This is an amazing feat as this level of isolation is something I would expect from a device on a higher range. It is suggested to use the USB dongle for better connectivity.

It is very comfortable for an on-ear headset

The PowerConf H500 also features a transparency mode. The transparency features allow ambient noise to come in while the headphones are still on. The alleviates the uncomfortable congested feeling when using a noise-canceling headset for a long duration of time. This also solves the problem of people talking to you with your headset on. By using the transparency mode, you don't have to remove the headset to talk to some in person. Problem Solved!

Sound Quality

The device features a 40 mm ear speaker and though you can use the PowerConf H500 to listen to your favorite playlist or podcasts, it should not be expected to battle with other audio juggernaut brands. This Headset is meant and designed as a professional workspace device.

The audio quality is better than what I expected but not something that can be considered great

Features

3 ways to mute

the muted indicator on the mic

The PowerConf H500 offers different ways to mute the mic.

using the Mute button
moving the boom mic to the upward position
Lift the right-side earpiece away from your ear for 2 seconds.

There will be a voice prompt stating you are muted or unmuted when doing these actions. While trying this out, it was observed that the Mute indicators on some apps (like messenger/zoom) do not toggle when doing the above actions but your headset is muted.

LED Lighting

The LED lights on the headsets flash red when you are on a call. This serves as a do-not-disturb flag for people around you.

A busy/Do not Disturb light lets colleagues know you're on a call

There is also an LED light on the mic that lets you know if you are muted or not.

AnkerWork App and Other Features

The AnkerWork App can be downloaded on both your mobile phone and computer. It gives you access to some configuration as well as updating the device firmware. There is also a transcribing service which is a paid feature but has a free 2 months for new users.

AnkerWork App Interface

Some work laptops have restrictions on the type of 3rd party apps you can install on your machines. A workaround is to install it on a personal device if you want to maximize the functionalities of the App. It is important to note that the App is not a requirement for you to use the device.

Aside from the Transparency Mode button which allows ambient noise to be heard, The PowerConf H500 also features a knob-type controller for volume (rotation) and playback controls (button press). Take note that the knob does not rotate a full circle.

Battery

It is advertised and rated that the PowerConf H500 lasts up to 24 hours of talk-time with transparency mode off. Of course, different things like volume, audio configurations, and connectivity, play a part in how much battery is consumed.

Given the fit-for-purpose aspect that this is a "Conferencing" headset more than an all-around one, the battery rating is more than one needs. using this device for entertainment as well as work may lead to greater drainage.

the charging dock

The charging dock/stand plays a good role in this as instead of putting your earphones down when you take a break, you can put them on the stand where it gets charged. It has been advertised that charging the device around 5-10 mins gives you 3 hours of usage which is a great thing and something expected from a brand like Anker.

The charging dock led light turns blue when there is power running through it. The headset led light would blink blue while charging. Once the battery is full, the headset holds the blue LED light color.

Without the charging stand, the headset can be charged via USB-C Directly.

Verdict

The Anker PowerConf H500 is an amazing headset. The mic's noise-canceling in itself is worth every buck. It offers a lot of features like the transparency mode and muting configurations that makes thing a lot easier and more comfortable when you are in several straight meetings.

The battery and audio output is a bit average but the fast charging, noise-canceling, App features, and comfort makes up for it well. The premium look of the whole headset is a major bonus.

Pros: Great Mic noise-canceling Feature, Fast Charging, App offers good configuration

Cons: Average audio quality, On-ear design poses concerns under prolonged usage.

Specs

Product Type: Bluetooth Headset

Wearing Style: On-Ear

Bluetooth Range: 10 m

Driver: 40 mm

Weight: 182.2 g

Color: Black

Meeting Record & Transcription: Yes (including 600 min of free transcription time)

ANC: No

Microphone Technology: VoiceShield™—detect and eliminate background noise

Connection: Bluetooth 5.0/USB-A Bluetooth Dongle

Connected Devices: 2 Devices Simultaneously

Computer Software/App: AnkerWork Computer Software/App

Battery Life (Talk): 24h (Transparency Off)

Battery Life (Music): 35h (Transparency Off)

Charging time: 1h 40min

Charging Stand: Yes

Busy Light: Yes

Call Control: Yes

Prompt Voice: Yes

Sidetone: Yes

Fast Charge: 5min Charge for 3h of Talktime

Price: Php 8,495