Shokz OpenDots ONE review: Outer limits

Shokz doesn’t make your run-of-the-mill earbuds. Instead of the familiar silicon tips that isolate your eardrum from the outside world, the company aims to leave your eardrums free to hear the world around you. This always comes with a mix of benefits and drawbacks, and it's really just up to you to decide if it's something you're into.

As for how the OpenDots ONE compare to other open-ear buds, it's a mixed bag. A particular spanner in the works is that Shokz released the identically priced and already-established OpenFit 2+ at the same time, meaning this new kid on the block has work cut out for it.

At $339, the OpenDots ONE are asking a lot. Not only is it the same price as a sister product that has a more-established design, but it's also in close competition with some of the best buds on the market, such as the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Given open-ear buds tend to have poorer audio quality than the alternative, your premium dollars are going towards the unique look of the OpenDots ONE, plus excellent battery life and good comfort.

You can already pick up a pair from Amazon, Shokz's website and JB Hi-Fi, or you can wait till July 31 for availability from Harvey Norman and additional retailers.

Shokz's design philosophy can be summarised by two characteristics: unimpeded eardrums and a snug fit for exercise that doesn't compromise on comfort. The OpenDots ONE are no different, but do represent an entirely new form factor for the company. Rather than wrapping over and behind the ear, the OpenDots ONE clip onto the lower, outer ear, but do so without placing any meaningful force on the ear itself.

It’s definitely eye-catching and comfortable for long stints, but it’s not as functional or comfortable as the OpenFit 2+. It’s also only available in black and light grey, which feels limited for a product that hangs its hat on a unique physical design.

One advantage they have against the behind-and-over form factor is you can clip and unclip them one-handed with less hassle. They’re also easier to remove from the case – which itself is much smaller thanks to their more compact shape. But it's not all positive.

One big hurdle Shokz has failed to clear here is with the limited and finicky playback controls.

There are only two actions, though strangely one has two ways to activate it. Play/pause and Answer/end call are done by double-tapping part of the bridging cable between the two sides of each bud. This hasn’t been implemented well, often failing to register commands.

The same command can be given by double pinching the top and bottom of the battery piece. This does work well, but I feel a triple-pinch could be added to widen the range of commands. And if Shokz is able to get the cable tap commands working reliably, there'd be room for skip forward and back commands on each bud, which would seriously improve the playback experience.

The second action is Volume up/down (right/left bud) and Reject a call, which you activate with a long touch.

But, no matter tap command you give, your bud will start to shift position over time and need readjusting. It mightn't sound like a hassle, but it’s not something I expect to see from a $339 product, nor a problem other Shokz earbuds share.

The simple fact is a tight seal is necessary for good audio quality, with the sole exception of whatever sorcery Apple packed into the Apple AirPods 4 – and even then, that gap is minuscule compared to the OpenDots ONE's. As such, all Shokz's products struggle to compete in terms of audio quality.

If all you want is the best-sounding pair of buds on the market, stop right here and go check out the Apple AirPods Pro 2 or Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. But if you like the sound of an open-ear set of buds that let you hear the surrounding world while also providing passable audio, stick around. Because despite clipping to your outer ear and directing sound inwards from a distance, the OpenDots ONE are on par with some of the better mid-range earbuds out there.

While you can certainly enjoy some of your favourite jams, they’re tuned too far toward bass and there’s only so much the equaliser settings can do. But with that over-tuning comes an impressive amount of sub-bass for any earbud, let alone an open-ear one. Mids and vocals come through pretty well, if a tad warm and two-dimensional.

There’s no sibilance, nor tinniness from higher tones. But the higher frequencies are far too quiet compared to the rest.

Overall, the audio is impressive for this type of earbud. But I want to be crystal clear: “for this type of earbud” is doing some heavy lifting in that sentence.

And of course, there’s no active noise cancellation (ANC) or ambient mode, not that you need the latter with an unimpeded eardrum.

Battery life is stellar. Shokz claims a good 10 hours of playback per charge, and up to 40 if you include the case. This sounds about right, based on our testing.

It’s honestly hard to wear them down. And while the company doesn’t provide stats on charging, I extended playback by well over an hour after popping a near-dead bud back in the case for about ten minutes. That's fairly standard for buds in this price range, but it's good to see Shokz didn't cut corners here.

It's hard to compare open-ear buds like the OpenDots ONE to closed-in designs like the AirPods Pro 2 and Pixel Buds Pro 2 because they prioritise opposing things. As far as sound quality and noise cancellation go, no Shokz product will fit the bill. The OpenDots ONE do surprisingly well, but are still bound by the confines of physics.

If you want comfort, the ability to hear the world around you (without using an ambient sound mode), and a secure, comfortable fit for active pursuits, Shokz has you covered. All you really need to do is choose between the OpenDots ONE and the identically priced (and same-day released) OpenFit 2+.

For my money, the latter is slightly better in every measure, but not by a significant amount. So, if you dig the new look of the OpenDots ONE, go ahead and pick up a pair in black or grey. If you'd prefer an even more comfortable fit, slightly better battery life, slightly better (albeit slightly quieter) audio, and far superior playback controls, the OpenFit 2+ is my recommendation.