In a world of Apple AirPods, the desire to upgrade your wireless headphones increases year on year, more so when makers like Apple cut out the 3.5mm headphone jack from their iPhone and iPad devices.
Thanks to advancements in Bluetooth technology, we now have an increase in low power, long range wireless headphones to choose from, all at various price ranges. Now in their 2nd generation, Apple’s wireless AirPod headphones are great, but to audiophiles out there they are not perfect, they also do not match certain ear types, resulting in simply falling out when exercising. But to the general public, they sound great and they have been carefully designed to fit a majority of ear shapes. The downside? They cost the Earth when you compare them to their more simpler wired brothers.
Today, the prices are falling on many capable Bluetooth headphones, some imitate Apple’s own AirPods – avoid these at all costs – yet there are more acceptable wireless headphones out there that also fall into the budget buying category. One of these headphones are the Anker SoundBuds Slim wireless workout headphones.
The SoundBuds Slim remind me of the Beats X wireless headphones that I also owned before swapping to Apple’s AirPods, but these retail much cheaper, at a mere $21.99 from Amazon. You might think that these earbuds being so cheap means that they sound awful, do not last long, loose their connection and come with limited features and accessories. Well, these in-ear earbuds compete in all of these areas, and retailing for $21.99, the SoundBuds Slim are an absolute steel for anyone seeking wireless earbuds on a budget.
Bundled with the headphones themselves are a pack of 4 pairs of in-ear tips of various sizes and 3 pairs of in-ear hooks of various sizes. Mix and machine any of these should give you the comfort and outside sound isolation you desire. A perfect fit will result in deep bass, and if you use a in-ear tip that’s too big or too small it will feel uncomfortable or the sound will not sound as good as they can be with a better fit.
10 hours of audio time is promised by Anker, and although i’ve yet to run out of my first charge whilst writing this review, I still have a fair few hours to go, words that can’t be easily said for the AirPods. Charging it done by simply connecting the bundled micro-USB cable into the port located on the in-line volume control that’s located on the neck lead that connecting both of the earbuds.
Although I do like the AirPods and their independant wireless earbuds, when it comes to working out or doing some kind of active sport, I prefer a neckband that connects the earbuds together. It feels like a much safer way to listen to audio whilst also being active.
Music audio playback sounds great in the SoundBud Slims. You have to consider the price when listening to these in-earbuds. For a tiny fraction of the cost of Apple’s AirPods, they are a pretty compelling purchase. I didn’t experience any dropouts and thanks to Bluetooth 5.0 the connection to my iPhone is quick. Bluetooth range is also better than the AirPods, with the Slims being able to penetrate through two solid concrete walls where the AirPods could not manage to break through and lost their connect.
The SoundBud Slims are really great. But if I were to nitpick, I found the tips and hooks didn’t quite give me the kind of perfect comfort as I had with my Beats X in-ear wireless headphones. I found that I had to twist them to create that seal between me and the outside world, whilst smaller tips were just a little too small to create a perfect soundstage. The earbuds themselves felt a little too build and a little heavy in the ear, where I could not imagin using for long periods without some discomfort.
I also found that streaming video from my 2018 MacBook Pro to the Slims had out of sync audio to what was on screen. Playing video on my iPhone was ok though, so be cautious if you want to use these with your MacBook and video, otherwise, audio from the MacBook had no problem.
If you’re working out, these are great for active use, and should you lose them down the gym, the cost to replace them will not be as heavy as more expensive wireless earbuds. If the Apple AirPods are simply out of reach, and you’re on a budget, the SoundBud Slims are certainly worth checking out.
Anker has made a name for itself by selling a host of budget mobile phone accessories that are relatively inexpensive but manage to avoid looking cheap. The same can be said for the SoundBuds Slim, an in-ear Bluetooth sports headphone that can be had for less than $30 [£20; AU$70] online.
The Good
The SoundBuds Slim are inexpensive but don't look or feel cheap; they fit and work reliably well with sound decent enough for their price; a carrying pouch is included and the buds adhere to each other magnetically.
The Bad
Bass is a little bloated [loose] and the treble has a touch of harshness, particularly at higher volumes; other online-only companies are selling virtually identical products.
The Bottom Line
The SoundBuds Slim Bluetooth earphones are hard to beat for the price, especially if you're not a stickler for sound quality.
Let me preface the design discussion by saying that this headphone may very well have come out of the same Chinese factory that makes very similar-looking wireless earphones for other online-only brands like TaoTronics, so it's hard to call these truly original or special.
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What you get in the box.
Sarah Tew/CNET
That caveat aside, the SoundBuds Slim earphones do have a simple elegance to them and seem sturdily built with metal housings and a fairly thick cord. They're also sweat resistant and come with a basic carrying pouch for storage. Battery life is rated at 7 hours at moderate volume levels, which is fairly decent for this type of headphone.
The most important thing for me was that they fit well and worked reliably with minimal Bluetooth hiccups. They come with four different-sized silicone eartips and three different-sized sports hooks to help lock the bud in place. The larger tips and hooks allowed me to get a secure, tight seal, which is crucial to maximizing sound quality.
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The buds adhere magnetically.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The cord may be a little short for some people but it was fine for me, and the buds are magnetic, so you can wear the earphones around your neck like a pendant when you're not listening to them. The USB charging port is in the inline remote, which is where the microphone for making calls also lives.