The age of wires is coming to an end. The technology to make "true wireless" Bluetooth earbuds has gotten cheap enough that everyone is doing it. You can get a set of passable true wireless earbuds on Amazon for twenty or thirty bucks, but you might not like them very much. Likewise, there are obscenely expensive earbuds that aren't remotely worth the price. Right in the middle, we've got the TicPods Free. These true wireless earbuds don't cost too much at $130, but they punch above their weight.
It would be impossible to ignore the obvious AirPod resemblance. The TicPods are a little larger, though, and the silicone tips give you a better seal. AirPods just sort of sit next to your ear. The long stem design helps stabilize the earbuds, and they're also touch control surfaces. The TicPods fit reasonably well, and they're more comfortable to use for long periods compared to other earbuds that have wings that wedge them in your ear.
Touch controls are generally easier to use than physical buttons attached to tiny earbuds, but there are a few issues here. For one, a single-tap doesn't do anything on either stalk. A double-tap skips forward, and there's no control for skipping back. A long-press on the left pauses, and a long press on the right calls up your assistant app. Pausing is probably the most common way you interact with earbuds, and making it a long-press is awkward. I do like the swipe up and down for volume control, though.
Since these are earbuds, you probably care what they sound like. In a word: good. The overall sound quality is above average for true wireless earbuds, and there's very little audio lag. That's important because it means you can watch video without annoying sync issues. The mids and highs are both powerful and clear. Bass is a bit weaker, but it's still enough for most people.
Mobvoi promises 4 hours of battery per charge, and I actually got rather close to that. My earbuds last a bit over three and a half hours per charge. That's just what's in the earbuds, though The charging case has five or size more charges in it. The earbuds drop in and come out easily, and the case is compact enough to slip in a pocket. The only real issue here is the case charges of microUSB. It's time for accessories to move into the Type-C era.
The TicPods Free retail for $129.99, and they're absolutely worth the price.
