4 Details that make a Redmi Airdots 3 a HUGE Upgrade over the Redmi AirDots 2
/The Redmi AirDots 2 were a follow up to the original Redmi AirDots which were a big success for a variety of reasons. When the Redmi AirDots were first released there weren't many competitors to the Redmi AirDots. Now after the Redmi AirDots, Redmi Airdots 2, Redmi AirDots S, and the original Xiaomi AirDots we have a new TWS that builds on this. Today I wanted to cover 3 areas that the Redmi AirDots 3 are a significant improvement over the previous generations of Redmi AirDots. Before we jump into these 4 reasons if you want to purchase the Redmi AirDots 3 you can do so here:
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1: Xiaomi and Qualcomm, a match that should be made in heaven. The Redmi AirDots 3 utilize the newest Qualcomm TWS chipsets. The Qualcomm 3040 chipset give the Redmi AirDots 3 bluetooth 5.2 as well as APTX audio transmission which is a huge upgrade over the Redmi AirDots 2.
2: USB-C Charging: The Redmi AirDots line of true wireless headphones have always utilized micro USB as a charging connector. Finally the Redmi AirDots 3 have adopted the USB-C standard. Another big upgrade to the Redmi AirDots 3 has been the support of USB-C power delivery. A lot of products might support USB-C as a connector but more often than not a lot of these products don't support the USB-C power delivery protocol which can be a major pain in the butt for those of you trying to live in a USB-C everything world.
3: A smarter case: The case has always been a huge downfall of the Redmi AirDots along with the Xiaomi Mi AirDots. Not only have the charging pins of the Redmi AirDots been prone to breaking but the case of the Redmi AirDots, Redmi AirDots 2 and Redmi AirDots S has always just felt cheap and poorly constructed. Although the Redmi AirDots 3 don't have an amazingly constructed case the Redmi AirDots 3 do feature a case that has been significantly improved over the previous generations. The case also is finally a smart case which triggers an popup animation on Xiaomi devices.
4: In Ear Detection: The Redmi AirDots 3 feature in ear detection. Although the Redmi AirDots 3 don't feature playback controls somehow Redmi decided to include in ear detection. This works great but instead of the Redmi AirDots 3 featuring in ear detection I would have preferred them to have featured playback controls.
Tronsmart Onyx Ace: The best Earbuds you Have Never Heard Of
/With big name manufacturers putting no end to the release of expensive truly wireless earbuds, Xiaomi has gained attention for its Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE - but unfortunately, while they were cheap, they were not great. Now, with the release of the Tronsmart Onyx Ace, we finally have hope that consumers can get a solid listening experience without breaking the bank.
You may have never heard of Tronsmart, but upon first impressions with the Onyx Ace, you may feel like they’ve been in this game for a while. With a glossy finish, and a compact form factor, the Onyx Ace not only feels more premium than the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, but more substantial. Coming from an entirely plastic-made build, this is a very welcomed change that may make customers feel as if they have gotten their money’s worth.
But the premium design isn’t limited to the earbuds themselves, as the same rules apply to the case that will be keeping your earbuds powered and secured on the go. Not only does the Tronsmart deliver in the looks, even offering extremely affordable cases that give the product an extra bit of flair, but minor touches such as ta battery charge indicator goes a long way too.
Besides looking better, the Tronsmart Onyx Ace also delivers in the sound department. Upon letting our self-proclaimed audiophile friend test both, he surmised his experience the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE as “Something I’d thank you for giving me, but then instantly put in the sock drawer,” but the “lifelessness” he identified with the Air 2 SE is not a problem for the Tronsmart Onyx Ace. Delivering “Rich” and “distinct” sound, users can expect to fully enjoy their songs with less obvious compromises.
Yet even as the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE may seem clearly defeated, the Tronsmart Onyx Ace come for the last punch in the functionality department. With a full range of controls from playback, volume and voice assistant without the need of any apps, the Tronsmart Onyx Ace is perfect for just about anyone right out of the box. The same cannot be said with the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, which promises customisation through an app that to this day still does not exist.
With the release of the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, our hopes of having a cheap, equally capable pair of truly wireless earbuds as those made by bigger brands was nearly dead, but the Tronsmart Onyx Ace not only refills these hopes - it sets a new standard on how budget truly wireless earbuds should be.
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Xiaomi Mi Airdots in 2020: Worth Your Purchase?
/About a year ago, Xiaomi took its first stab at the truly wireless earbud market with the Xiaomi Mi Airdots, a journey that would bathe the company in controversy as well as set it on a direct path to becoming a sizeable player in this market space. Now, just a year later, I have bought myself the Xiaomi Mi Airdots at its lowest price yet, and despite having its flaws, I do not regret my purchase.
A Design that Hasn’t Aged Too Well
Upon first unboxing my earbuds, which I bought in the black colour, I found a minimal, stylish looking earbud and case. From the very first moment I saw it, I knew that this was a product that I was willing to use in public without the fear of it impacting my style, the same of which I cannot say of Xiaomi’s latest efforts, which all look too big and bulky in my opinion.
Despite looking like an expensive set of earbuds, the Xiaomi Mi Airdots unfortunately don’t feel very premium in the hand. In the age where many companies, Xiaomi included, have moved on to using more careful construction and more expensive materials, the plastic construction of this device feels very “first generation”. I knew from the very first touch, that this device would be one that would be prone to scratching in no time.
Yet another area where the design has not aged so well is in the case’s charging method. In the era where using a single USB C cable for all your products is possible, having to carry around a micro USB cable feels very outdated. What’s worse is that, at least in the “basic”edition that I purchased in Hong Kong, a charging cable was not included, and as I have tried to USB C all things, I had to purchase a new cable separately. Considering that this device is sold in many regions of the world where the micro USB charging method is still the standard, some users may not experience this same frustration, but it would certainly be nice to see a revision of this device that uses the USB C standard.
Overall, in terms of design, the Xiaomi Mi Airdots look stunning, featuring a minimal design language that would make anyone assume it is worth more than its cost. Unfortunately, it is once you touch it that the product starts to show its age, with a build quality that isn’t anything impressive, and a charging method that feels lacking when compared to modern offerings.
Functionality That Holds Up
But perhaps you don’t care for looks, and in terms of functionality, the Xiaomi Mi Airdots still hold up. In a market that is saturated with expensive earbuds full of customisation, companion apps and touch controls, the Mi Airdots keeps to the basics and just work. They are not impressive, but they are a no risk solution, and I adore that!
Take Xiaomi’s latest for example, the Mi Air 2 SE, it is a much better sounding pair of earbuds, but the price is way higher all thanks for the product’s ability to connect to a phone app, which at the time of our review did not even work. But with the Mi Airdots, that isn’t a concern - you’re buying them because they’ll connect to your phone and just work.
On the sound front, as I just stated, Xiaomi’s latest offerings will sound much better than this one, but for the casual user who just wants a cheap way to listen to music without the wires, I have no complaints. If what you’re looking for however is a great way to join voice calls, stay away from this product. The microphone quality is just terrible, and on most instances, the people who I was calling said they would rather have me use no microphone at all.
Another thing that is certainly worth mentioning is this product’s durability. When it was first released, Xiaomi received a lot of criticism because the earbuds would either physically break or stop working altogether. I am glad to say that neither of these issues have happened to me after roughly a month of very frequent usage. Perhaps I got lucky, or maybe the latest production units are built to a higher standard, but if my experience is anything to judge by, you should have a pleasurable experience using these earbuds for years to come.
Conclusion
What was originally Xiaomi’s decent but untrustworthy entry into the truly wireless earbud market has now become a cheap, accessible way to buy yourself a truly wireless set of earbuds. In a market full of extra features, the Xiaomi Mi Airdots strip down to the very basics, offering a pleasurable experience only hindered by the already outdated build quality. For its price, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this product to anyone simply looking to listen to some music on the go without the hassles that come with wires.
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Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE 24 Hour Review: A Sea Of Wonders, With One Big Problem
/The Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE is finally in our hands, and after 24 hours with it - we have mixed feelings about Xiaomi’s take on a more customisable pair of truly wireless earbuds. While it gets a lot right with its design and sound, one problem prevents it from truly reaching all it claims to be, and makes it hard to recommend.
Good Initial Impressions
Upon original unboxing, the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE doesn’t differ much from the Xiaomi Mi Air 2, and that is a good thing. The packaging is forward and straight to the point, including only the essentials: The earbuds, its case and a USB C cable. While the case itself has a plastic, almost cheap feel, the earbuds itself feel very nice to the hand.
Where its competition like the AirPods go for a short stem, cylindrical design, Xiaomi isn’t afraid to use a large stem with tons of flat surfaces. To the naked eye, this may give the Xiaomi Mi Air 2SE a more brute, industrial design, but upon using the earbud, its design suddenly starts to make sense. The flat edges in specific, allow your finger to instantly identify where to press in order to use touch controls - a wonderful feature that eliminates the awkwardness of mindlessly tapping your earbud hoping for results.
Pairing the earbuds was also a fairly straightforward process. Despite missing the feature from its brother, the Mi Air 2, which would show an AirPods like menu, the Mi Air 2 SE simply uses the good old Bluetooth pairing process. When you’re finally ready to listen, you’ll find a great sounding pair of earbuds, which deliver great performance in almost any genre we could throw at it. We think this sound signature is bound to attract and please more consumers.
For those who see themselves making many calls while wearing these earbuds, our first impressions on this regard are also strong. We did a test while giving an online English lesson, and all students reported that they could hear us very clearly. We will be testing this more outdoors in the upcoming days.
From default, the touch controls are rather limited, and that’s where our biggest issue with this device comes into play..
One Problem
Everything we have said about the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE to this point seems fantastic, but it goes wrong in the one area it is supposed to shine in. In Xiaomi’s product page, the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE is claimed to be a highly customisable pair of earbuds, using Xiaomi’s own MI AI app in order to make the most of the earbud’s touch controls. Unfortunately, a lot is wrong with this app.
Firstly, the Xiaomi Mi AI app is completely in mandarin, making it impossible for anyone who imports the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE and doesn’t speak mandarin to use. Another equally heartbreaking comment is that besides the ability to view your earbud’s and its case’s battery, the current version of the MI AI app doesn’t offer any other ability, even once you have gotten through the language barrier.
What this means is that by paying the full price, you’re not getting the full experience that is advertised. By saving money on a cheaper pair of earbuds, you may get similar audio quality and not be charged extra for features that as of this time, simply don’t work. It is important to keep in mind however that Xiaomi plans to realise this model of earbuds on other territories as the Poco buds, which may include an updated version of the Xiaomi Mi AI that truly delivers on the features it promises.
While the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE is a product full of potential, it has one problem that makes it hard to recommend. For those who don’t need the customisation features it falsely advertises however, the Xiaomi Air 2 SE features a clever design and great sound for an excellent price.
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Why YOU Shouldn't Buy Truly Wireless Earbuds Right Now
/You shouldn’t buy truly wireless headphones right now. As much as that statement hurts coming from a truly wireless headphone fanatic, recent development in this industry have unfortunately led this to be the case.
Released a few months ago, the Qualcom 3020 chip set aimed to bring a slew of features that significantly improves the usability of truly wireless headphones:
A much improved mono mode, allowing both sets of truly wireless earbuds to connect individually;
Improved call noise reduction, allowing for your truly wireless calls to be more practical and lastly;
Improved latency, making sure that smartphone gamers or heavy media viewers can use their truly wireless earbuds without missing in on the action!
If this list doesn’t sound especially useful or worth waiting, then go on and purchase a pair of truly wireless earbuds - you can find lots of older pairs on the cheap! But if you’re like us, and could see these set of features impacting the usability of your truly wireless earbuds, then we have some unfortunate news for you: Only a very select few truly wireless earbud producers have brought this latest technology to market, one of our favourite implementations yet being the Haylou GT1 Plus.
What this means for you, the consumer, is that unless you’re informed in what pairs of truly wireless earbuds contain this new technology, buying a pair of truly wireless earbuds right at this moment may include outdated technology that will not give you the best experience possible - simply wait a few months and soon enough, like truly wireless earbuds themselves, this once limited technology will be available at the hands of many for a very fair price!
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