Shokz' new OpenDots Air aren't flashy, but after a month of testing I can confidently say they're the best clip-style open earbuds for most people

Date:
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Shokz OpenDots Air miss some flashy features of their flagship siblings, but the low price and reliability makes them a solid buy

FULL STORY ======================================================================Shokz OpenDots Air: Two-minute review I've long pointed to the flagship Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds in the clip-style category, so I'll admit that I watched the release of the brand's budget-grade option with trepidation.

All too often, a brand's wallet-friendly earbuds tend to fit poorly, cut too many features, completely miss the mark sonically, or launch at a price point that doesn't make sense. But I'm happy to report that the Shokz OpenDots Air side-step those issues. In fact, for most buyers, this pair just makes so
much more sense than its sibling, the Shokz OpenDots 2 . That's despite the set you're here to read about being an inferior model, on paper. Latest
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Like the numbered OpenDots, the Air uses dual 11.8mm drivers; you're only going to be able to hear a difference in sound quality if you really need Dolby Atmos or some of the unique Shokz features (which, I'm guessing, most people don't).

The OpenDots Air take a largely similar design too, which means they're just as reliable in your ear on long runs or gym sessions. Now and then, I did
find them to pinch a little, which I take to be the fault of a few design tweaks, but it was nothing that stopped me using them.

There's more: the battery life is great, the carry case is nice and small and the connection was reliable. But some carry-overs are a little less
desirable: like other OpenDots, the touch controls are finicky to use. And while Shokz offered some of the best-sounding open earbuds last year, the Air (and 2) launch to a much more competitive market.

What sets the OpenDots Air apart from the 2-suffixed set, making them a
better buy, is the price; you can get them for roughly 25% less. For most buyers, I'd say that you should save your money and buy the Air... unless any of the other fantastic cuff-style buds (which typically do undercut any of Shokz' options) pique your interest. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals,
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After all, the Shokz premium is still in play, even with its more affordable buds. Shokz OpenDots Air review: Price and release date (Image credit:
Future) Launched on June 4, 2026 Sells for $129.95 / 129.99 / AU$219 Cheaper alternative to OpenDots 2 The Shokz OpenDots Air were released on June 4, 2026, alongside the OpenDots 2. That was about 10 months after the original OpenDots One became available.

You can buy the earbuds for $129.95 / 129.99 / AU$219, so they're markedly cheaper than the $199.95 / 179.99 / AU$339 OpenDots 2. The original OpenDots One also went for that price, though a year on they're easy to find at around $150 / 150 / AU$239 (and even less during sales).

Note also the flagship Shokz OpenFit Pro , (more 'traditional' shell-like
open earbuds) which include noise reduction and launched in January 2026, at the significant cost of $249.95 / 219 / AU$399.

I'll continue to refer to the OpenDots Air as affordable cuff-style buds, but that's only in comparison to the OpenDots 2 and the other Shokz options
listed above. Remember, Shokz is a class-leader in this category, and you pay for that. You can easily find great alternatives for even cheaper (we've even listed a few at the bottom of this review). Shokz OpenDots Air review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Drivers

2x 11.8mm

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case)

Weight

6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1

Frequency response

100Hz-40kHz

Waterproofing

IP55 Shokz OpenDots Air review: Features (Image credit: Future) You'll get 9 hours of listening; 36 with case EQ has four presets, 5-band custom mode App is pretty light on features You're getting 9 hours of battery life with the Shokz OpenDots Air; at least, that's the cited listening time, and from my testing, I have no cause to doubt it. That's a hair below the OpenDots One / 2's 10 hours, but the difference is negligible, and it's still a solid
battery life.

The case rounds that figure up to 36 hours of listening, including recharges. That's more in line with industry standards.

As with most open earbuds, there's no noise cancellation here. It's a shame, because Shokz is one of the few companies to offer ANC-adjacent tech in open-ears (the OpenFit Pro have 'noise reduction', but we tested it and it's the same thing), and I find it's even more useful in earbuds of the like. (Image credit: Future) While the OpenDots Air aren't as featured-packed as many other earbuds, downloading the Shokz app lets you play around with what there is.

Possibly the best reason to download the app is the equalizer; there are four presets (standard, vocal enhancement, bass enhancement and an audio leakage reduction mode), as well as a simplistic five-band custom EQ which lets you create your own mix.

The app also lets you turn on Multipoint Pairing, change what the touch controls do, turn on (or off) microphone noise cancellation in calls, and
turn on (or off) wear detection.

Admittedly, the list is a little svelte. Beyond review purposes, I only
opened the app a single time, and that was to double-check I hadn't accidentally turned gesture controls off (I hadn't, more on that later). Features score: 3.5/5 Shokz OpenDots Air review: Design (Image credit:
Future) Svelte carry case Attractive blue marbled design Not designed to
stick in the ear They aint called clip-on buds for nothing the OpenDots Air are clip-shaped earbuds with a C-shaped band joining a rounded earbud with an ovoid counterweight. The 'dot' goes in your ear-well, the 'egg' sits just behind it, looping around the lower part of the helix.

The earbuds weigh 6.3g each, with silicone and plastic making up the casework of the earpiece. I tested them at the gym, on cycles and on runs (and in other, less-intensive settings) and never had a fit issue; thats a benefit of this form factor, and Ive never had a wobbly clipper.

However I did find that the Air could pinch a little during longer wear sessions, and I was surprised by the relief I felt at removing them after an hour-plus run. On the topic of criticisms, the buds technically have touch controls, but I could barely get them to pick up my touch. You have to be incredibly precise to find the right spot, and I quickly gave up on using them. At this level, it's not a deal-breaker in this type of design (at least not yet), but it's my job to notice. (Image credit: Future) You can buy the earbuds in black or purple, a choice which carries over to the charging case. Theyre IP55 protected, which means theyre safe from dust and jets of water, but you shouldnt take them swimming.

The charging case is lighter than most Ive seen, tipping the scales to the tune of 37.3g thats without the buds, and youre looking at a total package thats under 50g. Its nice and small too, and I really appreciate case like this thats lightweight and portable like this: it disappeared in my pockets with no problem.

The simplicity extends to the ports and buttons; youre getting a USB-C port but no wireless charging, unlike the OpenDots 2, and intriguingly no
Bluetooth pairing override. I dont recall the last time I saw an earbud case without this hope-you-dont-need-it feature, but Shokz apparently thinks you dont need it at all. Design score: 4.5/5 Shokz OpenDots Air: Sound quality (Image credit: Future) Dual 11.8mm drivers Well-defined treble and bass Some premium features missing Shokz has found an audio set-up it likes and has stuck with it. As with the OpenDots One and OpenDots 2, the OpenDots Air have two custom 11.8mm drivers providing the music. The company is coy on what
each of these drivers are actually handling, but Im guessing at least one is tuned towards low-end, given how much "Bassphere" is mentioned in marketing.

(Whats Bassphere? Um, a marketing word, by the sounds of it, and Shokz is quite light on specifics. I've done my due journalistic diligence in trying
to dig through the fluff to get granular on Bassphere, but have been unsuccessful. It seems to be what the company refers to as its two-driver system.)

The OpenDots Air do miss some features of their pricier stablemates. Theres
no Dolby Atmos tuning, for one, and it lacks a few other Shokz-designed features, including MirrorPitch (which aims the sound into your ear) and Bassphere 2.0 (like 1.0, but designed to reduce distortion which could arise from the two-driver system).

Okay, Ive been dancing around the topic; how do the Shokz OpenDots Air actually sound? Theyre rather good, for open-ears theyre not quite on par with the higher-end OpenDots, or some varied rivals, but I enjoyed listening to music with them. (Image credit: Future) Its clear to my ear that one of
the drivers is dialled into the low end, giving bass a clear scooping distinction thats often missing in open-ears. Songs like Brian Kelleys Beach Cowboy or Kasabians Superpowers offer clean low-end that sit comfortably
below higher-frequency sounds, without blowing it out.

The lack of support for better-than-vanilla codecs such as LDAC, or seemingly any higher-quality streaming, means audiophiles might not find these an enjoyable listen. I cant pretend theyre on par with standard in-ear earbuds costing this much, including ones which are geared towards sports users. But for fitness-first listeners who need their ear canals free to hear traffic, theyre all you need.

Naturally, when youre out and about, the bass will struggle a little bit it has a harder time cutting through surrounding noise than treble does. Thats par for the course for this kind of earbud, but it bears repeating for those not familiar with the form factor. Sound quality: 4/5 Shokz OpenDots Air review: Value (Image credit: Future) Great value for money compared to Shokz roster Other cufflinks undercut these If youre comparing the OpenDots Air solely to the OpenDots 2, they're great value: youre basically getting the same earbuds for a sizeable discount. I see the Air being the better buy for most people, out of the two.

But when you look at the wider earbuds market, my recommendation gets a bit more muted. Ive tested plenty of pairs of clip-style earbuds that hover at,
or below, the /$100 mark, which perform basically the same as the OpenDots
Air do. If youre not married to buying Shokz buds, then youll find a few different money-saving alternatives below. Value: 4/5 Should I buy the Shokz OpenDots Air? Swipe to scroll horizontally Shokz OpenDots Air score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The battery life is great, but beyond it, there aren't many features.

3.5/5

Design

Both the buds and the case are lightweight and reliable to use.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Despite some missing features, the audio quality will tick exercisers' boxes.

4/5

Value

They're the best OpenDots for your money, though some rivals will draw your gaze.

4/5 Buy them if

You need workout buds Between the reliable build, the simple and pleasing sound mix and the lightweight chassis, these are great running, cycling or
gym companions.

You're tempted by the other OpenDots I don't mean to downplay the strengths of Shokz' other buds, but these are the best cuff-style options it sells.

You need a case that disappears I kept losing the OpenDots Air's case in my bag pockets, that's how small it was. Dont buy them if

You have sensitive ears While these fit well 99% of the time, now and then
my ears grew achy, and people with sensitive ears may have a bad time with them.

You're on a budget If you've been drawn to the Air as a budget pair of open-ears, I'm sorry that you had to discover that they're only budget by Shokz standards. Shokz OpenDots Air review: Also consider The open earbuds market is incredibly competitive. Here are some others that I've tested and would recommend. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0

Shokz OpenDots Air

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Soundpeats Clip1

Drivers

2x 11.8mm

2x 11.8mm

12mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

No

Battery life (ANC on)

9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case)

10 hours (buds), 40 hours (case)

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (case)

Weight

6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case)

5.6g (buds), 52g (case)

5g (buds), 55.5g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IP55

IP54

IPX5

Shokz OpenDots One This older pair matches the Air in most departments, and beat them in one or two. You can find them for only a hair more than the Air now, and sometimes for even less. Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review

Soundpeats Clip1 For a much more affordable alternative, the Soundpeats
Clip1 offer a solid build, some great audio features and great value for your money. If you're not committed to Shokz, it's well worth checking them out. Read our full Soundpeats Clip1 review How I tested the Shokz OpenDots Air (Image credit: Future) Tested for one month Paired with Android phone for Spotify, streaming and games Used during multiple kinds of activities I used the Shokz OpenDots Air for roughly a month to write this review. This ensured they underwent some extensive testing.

This testing included countless runs, several cycles, many gym sessions,
loads of walks around my neighborhood, plays on various kinds of public transport, a house move, and a trip to a surf town during a holiday.

During this time, the buds were paired to my Android smartphone. They got
most of their use through Spotify, but I also used them for calls, watching some YouTube videos and playing games.

I've tested gadgets for TechRadar since early 2019. Since that time I've reviewed countless earbuds, including loads of open-style ones and the Shokz OpenDots One. First reviewed in July 2026 Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee Shokz OpenDots Air: Price Comparison No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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