When the AirPods made their debut, Apple product users were peeved, but still purchased them en masse. While they were better than their wired predecessors which snagged and tangled, there were (and still are) many improvements needed to make them worth the lofty purchase. Apple had the market cornered on Bluetooth earbuds for iOS users, until Mobvoi put up the TicPods Free on Indiegogo, raising over $2.8 million.
Mobvoi has been known for taking ideas which bridge the gap between man and machine, and innovating them in a whole new way. Their creations go up for crowdfunding to let the people decide if it’s an idea worth supporting, and more recently, TicPods Free made the cut.
These are gesture-controlled Bluetooth earbuds that tout noise-isolation, ambient noise cancellation, in-ear detection, intuitive touch controls, voice assistant support, and fast charging coupled with a long battery life. After spending a few weeks with them, I can confidently say these $129.99 ear buds are worth the dough.
The Look
The Ticpods Free are available in Navy (deep blue), Lava (red), and Ice (white). They’re quite a bit larger than most wired in-ear buds, but it’s not enough to be a detriment. The ball of the bud is the “clunkiest” aspect, but seeing that this contains the tech which makes it so unique, this isn’t much of a qualm.
Along the outer stem is a series of slightly raised lines, which is where the touch-sensitive controls lie. On the interior are two gold dots; magnets that help the buds zip into place in their charging case. There are two sizes for the silicone tips to fit a variety of ear shapes. While the smaller size worked for me, I’ve seen laments in community forums calling for a third size.
The case that charges the buds mimic the overall design. Raised lines sit atop the matte plastic case, and the only textural difference is the interior rubberized top that makes contact with the stems. The lid stays propped once opened, and despite the hinge feeling a little flimsy, it doesn’t seem like it will snap easily. During charging and when opening the case, two dots on either side of the front logo light up green. If low on battery, they go red.
Performance
Do they live up to the hype? Mostly! The TicPods Free have made me like in-ear buds again. Their tap and swipe controls can be a bit finnicky at times, but still let me do what I need to without looking at my phone. The silicone tip fits flawlessly in my ears, and there was no point where it felt like they’d fall out. Even with vigorous exercise where I was putting that IPX5 water-resistance to work!
The audio quality was decent, but had a low maximum volume. Regardless, calls were always clear and never dropped unless I was physically out of range of my phone. The battery life lasted longer than I needed it to for daily use, and it worked flawlessly with Siri (it also works with Alexa, and Google Assistant).
Opening the case accidentally connected them to my phone a time or two without them being in my ears. This had me questioning why my phone’s audio wasn’t working, but you won’t often open the case without using them.
Rating
These earbuds get a solid 4.5 out of 5. They’re well-made, charge quickly, and do everything they advertise. The volume could’ve gone higher, another size silicone tip would be nice, and the touch controls are finicky, but they’re a solid option that’s cheaper than the Airpods.
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