I’ve tested hundreds of wireless earbuds, and while some of them have stuck around as favorites—like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Master & Dynamic’s MW09—as an iPhone and Mac user, I keep returning to Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. From their top-notch active noise canceling (ANC) to their seamless integration with Apple’s device ecosystem, they’ve long been a no-brainer choice for everything from flights to phone calls.
But lately, I’ve been reaching for something else: the Shokz OpenDots One. These open-ear earbuds are, in many ways, the opposite of the AirPods Pro 2. And yet, that’s exactly why I find them so appealing. I haven’t abandoned the AirPods Pro, but these days, they spend more time in their case than in my ears.
What Are Open-Ear Earbuds?
Traditional in-earwireless earbudslike theAirPods Prouse silicone tips to create a seal against the opening of your ear canal. Without that seal, sound quality and ANC would both suffer. Open-ear earbuds, by contrast, sit just outside the entrance of your ear canal. With some models, there can be a gap of several millimeters.
As the name suggests, they’re designed to let sound in—precisely the thing that sealed designs try to avoid. This makes open-ears ideal for anyone who wants to stay aware of their surroundings—whether you’re working from home, taking the dog for a walk, or trying not to miss a delivery.
Shokz, a company best known for its bone-conduction headphones, makes two styles of open-ear earbuds: the earhook-basedOpenFit AirandOpenFit 2, and the newer clip-styleOpenDots One.
It’s All About All-Day Wear
The OpenDots One have several advantages over the AirPods Pro, but the one that has made the biggest difference to me is comfort.
I use wireless earbuds a lot. From the time I wake up and head to the gym to making dinner in the evening, they’re a big part of my day. With fully-closed designs like the AirPods Pro, pressure inevitably builds up and fatigue sets in. Sometimes the close contact with my skin creates an itch that makes me want to rip them out.
Open-ears like the OpenDots One are so light and comfy, they barely register once they’re on. Most of the time, I forget I’m wearing them. As someone who wears prescription glasses for computer use, the clip style—which wraps around the side of my ear instead of going over the top—is preferable to the earhook design.
With a nearly 10-hour battery life, you can wear them all day without a recharge—something you can’t say for the AirPods Pro 2, which top out at 6 hours per charge.
Shokz OpenDots One
The Shokz OpenDots One leave your inner ear open to your surroundings while immersing you in your audio.
Brilliant for Calls and Immersive Sound
The OpenDots One are great for calls. When indoors, they proved just as good at picking up my voice as the AirPods Pro. However, their superpower is letting you hear your own voice. The AirPods Pro’s transparency feature is incredible—better than any other wireless earbuds. But nothing beats hearing your own voice—and those of others—directly.
It’s far more natural. You know how so many people like to hold their phone in front of them in speakerphone mode? With the OpenDots One, you get that exact experience without annoying everyone around you.
They’re surprisingly good for music too, especially indoors. Bass response isn’t as powerful as on sealed earbuds, but neither is it devoid of punch. In fact, of all the open-ear earbuds I’ve tried, the OpenDots One are among the best for low-end oomph.
With some judicious adjustments to make sure the speaker pods are correctly positioned, the OpenDots One deliver clear, well-balanced sound that works with just about every genre (hip-hop and EDM fans may disagree). Another benefit: open-ear earbuds naturally create a widersoundstagethan their closed or semi-closed counterparts, and the OpenDots One are no exception.
I Still Love My AirPods Pro
No, I haven’t given up my AirPods Pro–far from it.
For their many strengths, open-ear earbuds won’t block any noise. It’s not just that they don’t have ANC—they also lack passive noise isolation. If I need to concentrate in a noisy location, drown out the drone of jet engines, or have a chance of hearing my podcasts while walking through urban construction zones, the AirPods Pro still win, hands down.
Their hearing health features, like the ability to monitor for loud sounds while in transparency mode, are some of the best in the industry. I was even surprised to see that Apple’s hearing test produced an audiogram that was nearly identical to the one made by my audiologist.
Then there are the extras.Apple’s spatial audiomight not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s uncanny how well it works for FaceTime and movies, especially when connected to an Apple TV. The overall sound quality is significantly better than that of even the best open-ear headphones. Plus, being able to trigger Siri hands-free with just my voice can come in very handy.
So, the OpenDots One haven’t replaced my AirPods Pro, but for much of my day, they’ve become my preferred option, giving me all-day comfort and convenience.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
The AirPods Pro 2nd Generation are the great earbuds. They offer excellent sound quality, lots of juice, best-in-class ANC, and terrific transparency mode.
I appreciate that not everyone can afford to own both the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and the Shokz OpenDots One. I’m lucky that, in my line of work, these devices come with the territory. But if you think you might also benefit from a hybrid approach to earbuds, you can create an AirPods Pro/OpenDots One setup for yourself for much less money.
Brands likeEarFun,Soundcore,1More, andEdifierall make great earbuds in both open- and closed-designs for around $100. Browse their offerings and see if you’re ready to go open-ear, at least some of the time.
