Other How long did you Airpods last? Did you try any alternatives?

Renegade

Renegade

Staff member
Luminary
I have the Airpods Pro 1 and they are showing signs of dying in about 2 years and 9 months. Lasting about 2 hours on a single charge and the case is barely able to charge them fully. Might need replacement in 3-6 months. Only good thing was someone got it from the US at almost half the price.

I am fairly certain that I will not be buying the Airpods anymore. So which other TWS have you used with your iPhone and how has the experience been. I am leaning towards the cheapest One Plus buds with Active Noise Cancellation. Besides seamless connectivity with all Apple devices, I dont think I would be missing much.
 
I use a pair of OnePlus Buds Z2, and have had them since July 2022 with my iPhone SE 2020. I also use them for office meetings. They still provide more than 4 hours of calls on a single charge after 2.5 years and the charging case can go on for days. Straight out of the box, they sound muddy with the bloated bass, but after EQing with the included HeyMelody app, they sound miles better. The ANC is pretty decent as well. The only hindrance I’ve had with them is that the ANC keeps switching modes if you touch them to adjust the position in your ear. I’ve not been able to turn this option off.

They cost a fraction of the price of AirPods and frankly if I lose them tomorrow, I’d buy them again in a heartbeat.

Attaching the EQ settings if anyone is interested.
 

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@Renegade

I am an iPhone user so Airpods was always a natural choice but still I have never bought them, have not even experienced them ever. Having iPhone + iPad + Apple Watch, it is something I can benefit from but still haven't bought. The cost is simply prohibitive for me.
Also, my requirements in a TWS are that it needs to (preferably) have button controls (not touch). Also, if it possible, I need multipoint too.
I used Jabra Elite 65t before, then shifted to Jabra Elite 75t which I use even today. I am super satisfied with it and it has ANC and transparency too (ANC was later added through OTA update). I am actually unhappy that Jabra is moving out of TWS business as they make good TWS.
Just 2 weeks back, based on a comment by a TE user in TE Whatsapp Group, I bought the Anker Soundcore dot 3i which was an impulse buy but for Rs. 1300, it is pretty good with transparency and ANC (not as good as Jabra) modes and actual buttons instead of touch controls.
 
kewlboy9 said:
I use a pair of OnePlus Buds Z2, and have had them since July 2022 with my iPhone SE 2020. I also use them for office meetings. They still provide more than 4 hours of calls on a single charge after 2.5 years and the charging case can go on for days. Straight out of the box, they sound muddy with the bloated bass, but after EQing with the included HeyMelody app, they sound miles better. The ANC is pretty decent as well. The only hindrance I’ve had with them is that the ANC keeps switching modes if you touch them to adjust the position in your ear. I’ve not been able to turn this option off.
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do they have that app for ios as well?

@Renegade using oneplus buds 3 easily lasts me 4-5 hrs on a single charge from case
 
altair21 said:
All TWS last at max 3-4 years, you cant beat science, battery will die eventually, there's nothing you can do about it and why I am so hesitant sinking more than 10k on a tws
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Agree. Don't feel like spending 20K+ on TWS for slightly better experience but with knowledge that it will be useless in 3 years. You have a 10K threshold, mine is 5K.
 
I have both the lowest (Z2 ANC neckband) and highest (Buds 3 Pro) offering from Oneplus. The difference is there, but I can't say it is worth 5x the money.
If you have some other pair for critical music listening sessions, then go for the ANC buds/neckband. Though, if you are going for the neckband then I would suggest the Realme Neckabnd as I also used this and found it better than the Oneplus's neckband.
The sound output is quite similar in nord buds 2 and nord buds 2, go for the cheaper one.
 
raksrules said:
mine is 5K.
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Same here. My new threshold. Thats why I was asking about the One Plus Nord Buds which have ANC.

Sure I would love to watch movies in their glory but the Airpods Pro will last long enough for that while being used sparingly. Its the day to day office work which is a concern and I will need longer battery life in a few months time.
 
raksrules said:
Just 2 weeks back, based on a comment by a TE user in TE Whatsapp Group, I bought the Anker Soundcore dot 3i which was an impulse buy but for Rs. 1300, it is pretty good with transparency and ANC (not as good as Jabra) modes and actual buttons instead of touch controls.
Click to expand...
How good is the sound quality for music?
 
raksrules said:
I am not an audiophile and my usage of TWS is only for 1 hour every morning when I listen to mostly Bollywood or Punjabi music. I am satisfied with it for the price.
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Cool, I myself listen to English (Pop and Classical sometimes) and Punjabi music mostly. Will grab them since they are quite affordable. Even if they last 2 years, it would be great!
 
mahendrapatel said:
The only reason I am avoiding buying an iphone is because they I won't have any other option than to use their stupid toothbrush headphones.
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It's the opposite.

If you get AirPods then the best option is always an iPhone. But an iPhone can work with any BT headset. Course other companies also add certain specific features you only get if you use their phone
 
I'm always sticking with wired, high-quality sound, long-lasting, and reliable options. I don't understand why people prefer Bluetooth, even the costlier ones from brands like OnePlus and Oppo, when they can't match the sound quality of budget-level in-ear monitors (IEMs). I get that Bluetooth earbuds offer portability and a wire-free experience, but if we can minimize our mobile usage outside our homes, it would be a good trade-off.
 
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