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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a plug-and-play wired headset for the Poly desk phone already sitting on your desk, choose Global Teck Worldwide XS 825; if you need a USB headset built for Microsoft Teams and softphone work on a laptop, choose EPOS Impact 100. These two solve different problems, and the spec sheets make that split pretty obvious.
• Global Teck Worldwide XS 825 — biggest strength: it ships as a complete kit with the RJ-9 bottom cable, so it plugs straight into a Poly desk phone's headset port and works the moment you press the headset button.
• Global Teck Worldwide XS 825 — biggest trade-off: it's a corded telephone headset. If your team lives in softphones and laptops, this isn't the tool for that job.
• EPOS Impact 100 — biggest strength: it's Microsoft Teams certified with a dedicated Teams button, backlit in-line call controls and a USB-C connection plus a USB-A adapter, so it moves between laptops, desktops and mobile devices.
• EPOS Impact 100 — biggest trade-off: it's designed around UC and softphone use, so it isn't the pick for a legacy Poly desk phone with an RJ-9 headset port.
• Who each is for: Global Teck Worldwide XS 825 for offices standardized on Poly Edge, VVX, CCX or SoundPoint IP phones; EPOS Impact 100 for Teams-based teams, webinars and remote workers on USB devices.
The XS 825 is a wired, over-ear mono headset that exists to do one thing well: turn a Poly desk phone into a hands-free calling station without a setup project. It arrives as a bundle with the headset and the RJ-9 bottom cable in the box. Plug the cable into the headset port, press the headset button on the phone, and you're on the call. That's the whole installation.
The compatibility list is the real story here. It covers compatible SoundPoint IP, VVX, CCX, Edge V and Edge E VoIP desk phones, plus Edge B10, B20 and B30 models with RJ-9 headset ports. In practice, that means an office running a mix of Poly phone generations can standardize on one headset instead of chasing a different part number for every desk. If you've ever tried to equip a call center where half the phones are older VVX units and half are newer Edge models, you know how much that matters.
Buy it if your calls run through Poly desk phones and you want a durable, replaceable, all-day headset with a 2-year warranty that covers replacement if it breaks. Skip it if your team works primarily in Microsoft Teams, Zoom or another softphone on a laptop — the RJ-9 connection simply isn't built for that.
EPOS Impact 100: Who It's For
The EPOS Impact 100 is a different animal entirely. It's a single-ear, on-ear mono headset that connects over USB-C, with a USB-A adapter included so it also works on older laptops and desktops. That one detail tells you who it's for: people whose "phone" is a computer.
The headline feature is Microsoft Teams certification. There's a dedicated Teams button, plus notification alerts, which matters if your day is a stack of scheduled meetings, webinars and internal calls. The in-line controls are backlit and ergonomic, with volume, mute and Teams alerts within thumb reach — no digging through software menus mid-sentence to find mute.
Comfort gets real attention too. The soft silicone side support is designed for secure, all-day wear while keeping one ear open so you stay aware of what's happening around you. That single-ear openness is a deliberate choice, not a compromise. If you work in a shared space and need to hear a colleague walk up or a doorbell ring, a mono headset is the right call.
The boom microphone is flexible and noise-cancelling, aimed at busy offices, open-plan workspaces and remote work. The spec sheet lists active noise cancellation as the noise control method, a 40-ohm dynamic driver, 86 dB sensitivity and an 8 kHz frequency response — telephony-grade tuning rather than music-grade. The build is described as robust for extensive daily use, the enclosure combines leather and silicone, and it comes with a protective case, adapter, cable and user manual. Weight is listed at 51 grams. A 2-year manufacturer warranty applies.
Buy it if you're on Teams, hop between a laptop and a mobile device, and want one headset that follows you. Skip it if you need to connect to a traditional desk phone — there's no RJ-9 option here.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for Microsoft Teams workflows → EPOS Impact 100. Certified for Teams, with a dedicated Teams button and notification alerts.
• Best for softphone and laptop use → EPOS Impact 100. USB-C with an included USB-A adapter covers laptops, desktops and mobile devices.
• Best for mixed-generation office phone fleets → Global Teck Worldwide XS 825. One headset across multiple Poly phone generations simplifies procurement and spare parts.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → EPOS Impact 100. The single-ear design with silicone side support keeps one ear open.
• Best for noisy open-plan call floors → essentially a tie. Both use noise-cancelling boom microphones to keep keyboard noise and nearby chatter off the line.
• Best for call control at your fingertips → EPOS Impact 100. Backlit in-line buttons for volume, mute and Teams alerts.
• Best for a no-setup, ready-out-of-the-box desk phone fix → Global Teck Worldwide XS 825. Headset and RJ-9 cable ship together.
In my opinion, the deciding question isn't which headset is "better" — it's which phone you actually talk on. If your calls run through a Poly desk phone, I'd buy the Global Teck Worldwide XS 825. The kit is complete, the compatibility list is genuinely broad across Poly generations, the noise-cancelling mic targets exactly the environments these headsets live in, and the 2-year replacement coverage suits a fleet you don't want to babysit. If your calls run through Microsoft Teams on a laptop, I'd buy the EPOS Impact 100 instead — the Teams certification, USB-C plus USB-A flexibility and in-line controls make it the more useful tool for that day. Pick by connection type first, and the rest falls into place.
If your phone has an RJ-9 headset port, it's very likely covered. The list includes compatible SoundPoint IP, VVX, CCX, Edge V and Edge E VoIP phones, plus Edge B10, B20 and B30 models. Check your specific model against that list before ordering.
No. It connects over USB-C, with a USB-A adapter for older computers. It's designed for laptops, desktops, mobile devices and UC platforms like Microsoft Teams, not for RJ-9 desk phone headset ports.
Both are built around noise-cancelling boom microphones that filter out office noise before it reaches the caller. The EPOS Impact 100 lists active noise cancellation as its control method, while the Global Teck Worldwide XS 825 uses passive noise cancellation. For a typical open office, either will handle keyboard clatter and background conversation.
I don't quote prices here, and the spec sheets don't carry them. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page, then weigh it against what you're getting: a complete desk-phone kit on one side, versus a Teams-certified USB headset with adapter and case on the other.
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