Shokz OpenDots: six months with the Chinese version, with OpenDots ONE buying context

Shokz OpenDots: six months of honest experience

I bought the interstellar white version of Shokz OpenDots at the end of March for ¥1,100 and used it for more than six months. During this year’s Singles’ Day promotion, the official JD store was selling it for just over ¥800. I also noticed that soft mist pink and twilight purple had been added, which made me, as an existing owner, genuinely envious.

My biggest impressions of these earbuds come down to two things: they are so comfortable that I forget I am wearing them, and they sound much better than I expected from open-ear earbuds.

1. Comfort—truly comfortable!

   I initially did not choose Shokz’s bone-conduction model because trying it on showed me that it clamped my head, which is less friendly to people who wear glasses. The OpenDots clip-on design weighs only 6.5 grams per earbud. It puts virtually no pressure on my ear, while still having enough presence to remind me that it is there. The asymmetrical curved ear hook is especially clever: no matter how much I shake my head, it does not fall off, and I have never worried about losing it while running or cycling.

2. Sound quality—the biggest surprise!

   This is why I completely abandoned my AirPods Pro. These earbuds completely disprove the idea that open-ear earbuds are only good for making sound. Their sound quality can compete with in-ear earbuds at the same price, and the highs, mids, and lows are all strong. The playlist shown here lets you test vocals, instruments, and electronic music from different angles. Remember to turn on Dolby Audio in the app—the effect immediately moves up a level. Sound leakage is also controlled much better than with bone-conduction headphones, so I do not worry about using them in the office; if I really need it, there is also a privacy mode.

3. Other highlights and minor shortcomings

   · Battery life: the stated figures are 10/40 hours, and they are reliable. Unless you are doing a 100-kilometre trail event, that should be enough.

   · Appearance: the matte finish and understated colours do not stand out in commuting or office settings. The logo has avoided the “gear enthusiast” look, and the earbuds look better than many sports headphones.

   · Connection: Bluetooth is stable. The earbuds connect when I put them on and pause automatically when I take them off. They identify the left and right earbuds automatically, and putting them back into the case for a magnetic click is very satisfying.

But I also have to mention the drawbacks

· Controls are ordinary: the touch controls cannot match the physical buttons on bone-conduction headphones, but once I got used to them, they were adequate.

· Occasional glitches: this happened twice in six months. I was wearing the earbuds during a call, but the audio switched back to the phone’s earpiece. I suspect it was a software bug.

· Cases are hard to find: compared with AirPods, there are far fewer attractive protective-case options.

Who should buy it

· People who wear glasses, find bone-conduction headphones too tight, or feel pressure and soreness from in-ear earbuds.

· People who enjoy sports, except for swimming and activities where headphones must have built-in storage.

· People who expect good sound quality from open-ear earbuds. You can compare them in person with Huawei and Bose models, and there are also reviews on Bilibili.

In one sentence: if you are looking for open-ear earbuds that are comfortable to wear, strong in appearance and sound quality, and secure during exercise, OpenDots is definitely one that can satisfy you.