Shokz Has Perfected Open Earbuds for Half the Price of Bose

As a self-admitted fan of open-ear headphones, I’ve never loved the clip-on variety of these earbuds. I’ve definitely met some folks who swear by the $300 Bose Ultra Open earbuds, but they’ve never quite clicked with me the way other Bose audio has. I can never get the fit to be quite comfortable enough and as a result the sound is always a little distant, not quite satisfying. Same problem with the Sony competitors I’ve tried. Thus far, none of these attempts have satisfied my need for clear, transparent audio the way Shokz, makers of my favorite running headphones, has with its bone conduction technology.

It’s only fitting that Shokz itself is the one to crack the nut. The brand just released two new items in its OpenDots line; both feel like what was initially promised with the clip-on open-ear concept. After testing the OpenDots 2, I’ve walked away super impressed. In terms of sound, comfort, and price-point, these are hitting the sweet spot.

That said, I think it’s the OpenDots Air that is the better half of this pair that was released.

Of course, the OpenDots 2 has great controls, good comfort, and sound that’s worth writing home about. It’s still not enough to stand up to the noise of a jet engine or the NYC subway, but that’s not what this style of earbud is even about; in fact, that’s a good sign. These are an open-ear solution for when you want awareness of your surroundings and no uncomfortable buds sitting in your ear canal for long periods of time. There’s no noise cancelling, so yes, sound will make its way past the buds.

But unlike your AirPods, the buds are ear agnostic and so is the case, meaning you can wear them on whichever ear you want and (when in a hurry) can throw them into either side of the case to charge—a touch you don’t fully appreciate until you have it. It also means that you can switch them at will and the pinch volume control will still work contextually, regardless of which is on which side and what hand you’re using. Compared to other brands’ that are controlled on one side or the other, it’s a slick user experience. It’s then bolstered by some of the clearest, crispest Dolby audio to come through on a Shokz device yet.

What isn’t being said that loudly is that the OpenDots 2 get undercut by the cheaper, lighter counterpart. The OpenDots Air are the more revelatory pair because for $70 less, you’re only losing ancillary improvements like slightly better water resistance, faster fast charging, and technically better sound. Truth be told, though, most people aren’t going to find the lack of Dolby-enhanced audio that much of a problem. The OpenDots 2 are there for the audiophiles, but audiophiles will likely get different headphones for critical listening. I’d wager that 90 percent of the time, you’ll wear Shokz for a workout or a commute—during which you won’t appreciate every layer to a composition anyway. From what Shokz told me, and everything I can gather from those who’ve had time with the OpenDots Air, they are roughly on par in most real-life situations where background noise is seeping in.

For me, the selling point comes down to this: the OpenDots Air are the new entry-level, better than the previous generation for a lower price. On a specs level, the OpenDots Air are head and shoulders above the OpenDots One, and those launched at $200. It’s a bit of a no-brainer if you’ve followed the brand at all, but it’s hitting a price that I see especially appealing to newcomers who’ve wanted to try this style for a while, but never bit the bullet.

If you’re choosing between the OpenDots Two and OpenDots Air, both are as good as clip-style open earbuds get, but the choice should be clear at this point. Go with the Air and spend that extra $70 on a nice lunch or the new 007 video game.