Shokz OpenFit Pro: two hours testing noise reduction in the office and on a bike

I wanted to try whether the open-ear headphones’ noise reduction was actually useful.

I tried them in the store, and they seemed fine.

Now I’m riding home to see whether they still work in that situation.

No advertising—this is my own account.

No coordinated cheerleading.

No, I’m going to rant about it.

A note before anyone criticizes

I have used Xiaomi’s open-ear headphones for a long time, including both generations. For noise-cancelling headphones, I have used Sony’s noise-cancelling earbuds and the XM3, so I will compare this experience with Xiaomi’s open-ear headphones and Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones.

All the results are mainly based on my personal experience. I am not trying to disparage any product. If you feel differently, please trust your own experience instead of attacking the products. Respect different opinions.

March 13 — edit 2

Purchase feedback

The store purchase came with the original wireless charger, listed at 199 yuan, and a 430 stainless-steel bottle, which people really seem to like as a gift. There was also a map check-in and positive review promotion offering a choice of swimming goggles, a water bottle, or a waterproof backpack. I chose the backpack because the young store employee said that even if I did not carry it directly, I could put dirty clothes in it and then place it inside my everyday backpack. That successfully convinced me; when I go out to see a concert, I can also put it in my suitcase.

Two-hour headphone-use feedback

Unboxing and case feel

The packaging feels like the best I have seen so far: a black, matte-finish rigid box that looks quite expensive. But if replacing it with an ordinary paper box could lower the price, I would prefer that.

The charging case has more weight than Xiaomi’s, and this model supports wireless charging. That may also be why it is heavier.

Fit, while wearing glasses: I did not feel any obvious pressure where the headphones and glasses compete for space. There was some up-and-down movement, which may simply be unfamiliarity. Putting them on was occasionally awkward, but this did not affect wearing them. Shokz has separately added a soft silicone ear-hook support this time. As for its purpose, I did not feel any practical effect or even notice it, so I cannot say that it provided meaningful support.

Noise filtering, or noise reduction

When I first turned them on, I had not installed the app in the store. I did not notice obvious noise filtering while speaking with the employee or listening to the surrounding environment. The employee said that the app needed to be set up first, so I rode my electric bike home wearing them as they were. With a full-face helmet, the pressure on my right ear was obvious, just as with Xiaomi’s headphones, and I did not feel that the riding wind noise was reduced. After I got home, I downloaded the app and set noise reduction to its maximum level. When I rode again the next morning, I still did not feel that the wind noise had been reduced.

In the office, I could clearly feel noise reduction, although I could still hear people’s voices and their voices sounded higher-pitched. The balance between sound quality and noise reduction did not feel as good as Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones. P.S. The store employee repeatedly confirmed that the headphones could connect to a computer over Bluetooth, but I just tested it and they could not. See Figure 2; the same computer connected to the XM3.

My main reason for buying these headphones was to use noise reduction while avoiding the stuffy, enclosed feeling of wearing over-ear headphones for long periods. My main intended settings are the office and high-speed trains. I will test them tomorrow on the high-speed train to Shanghai, in the quiet carriage.

I will post updates in the comments section. Questions and discussion are welcome.