Design: 4 / 5
Build Quality: 5 / 5
Functionality: 4 / 5
Sound Quality (in): 4.5 / 5
Sound Quality (out): 4 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
MSRP: $299.99 (CAD)
Overall: 4 / 5
Way back in 2008, there was a movie called Definitely, Maybe. In its opening seen, Ryan Reynolds was walking down the street, wearing a pair of truly wireless earbuds. Being a gadget junkie, I became obsessed with hunting down a pair, only to realise that they didn't exist. But even back then, Bluetooth was on the rise, and I knew that it was just a matter of time before something similar would come out. So when Platronics came out with the Backbeat Go, I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on a pair. While they were, "good enough", it really wasn't anything to write home about.
Fast forward another 5 years. Left, right, and centre, were truly wireless earbuds that were being launched. I threw up a little in my mouth when the Airpods came out. And I almost ran to the store to get the Sony WF-1000XM3 when I heard of its release. But, after learning my lesson with BackBeat Go, I decided to wait. Let's wait and see what the reviews look like. But... y'all ain't here to reminisce and ruminate on my past.
Y'all can read and watch any number of Youtube reviews, but you're here to look for the truth and the real deal. So here we go:
They are fantastic---ish. The sound quality is pretty awesome, and there isn't any discernible latency. They're great if you want to listen to classical music, and jazz, but they're a bit light on bass if you're into EDM and HipHop. There has been a complaint that neither headphone allows for volume control, but there's actually an easy workaround. Use the voice assistant. I have no issues with that at all.
They are comfortable---ish. Using the right tips, the headphones aren't likely to fall out of your ears, but for extended wear, they do start getting a bit uncomfortable as the tips are quite deep in your ear, and it's like you've stretched the canal out a bit. I'd say, keep it within an hour or so, and you're fine.
They are sexy---ish. They do look great, but if you're looking for that minimalist design, this one's on the large side.
This is a great gadget for commuters that listen to jazz, contemporary, classical, or podcasts. It's got top of the line ANC for buses and metros, they look sharp, and they sound great. You'll only need to charge them about once a week, and even with newer devices coming out, they still rank (to-date) as one of the best.
If you're looking for something to exercise with, I still think that you're better off with something with an over-ear loop so that on the off chance that it DOES pop out, you'll not be crawling around trying to retrieve them. They're also not IP rated, so you probably don't want it drenched in sweat.
Bottom line, there isn't a single bit of kit that I think is great for all users. But for the right user, this is still a fantastic device.
Cheers.
