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WIRED Recommends Shokz OpenDots 2 as Top Open Earbuds
Developing
In Short: WIRED has named the Shokz OpenDots 2 as the top open earbuds, highlighting their superior comfort and functionality.
WIRED has named the Shokz OpenDots 2 as the top open earbuds, highlighting their superior comfort and functionality.
According to WIRED, the Shokz OpenDots 2 are everything one would want in open earbuds, offering a comfortable fit and clear audio.
The brand recently introduced the Shokz OpenDots Air and Shokz OpenFit Air 2, which may influence future recommendations.
WIRED also mentions the Soundcore Aeroclip 2 and Aeroclip 2 Pro, which are currently undergoing testing.
Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds, launched in 2024, are also noted for their comfort and innovative design.
Open earbuds, unlike traditional in-ear variants, rest on the ear and allow outside sound to pass through naturally, making them ideal for activities like running or biking.
These earbuds are designed to be supremely comfortable, with some testers forgetting they were wearing them.
The Shokz OpenDots 2 and other models have an IP57 dust and waterproof rating, comparable to premium earbuds like Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
WIRED recommends having a pair of noise-canceling earbuds but also loves open earbuds for specific use cases.
For more headphone recommendations, WIRED offers guides to the Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Workout Headphones, and Best Wireless Headphones.
Background
WIRED recommends the Shokz OpenDots 2 for their comfort and functionality.
What's confirmed
- When you want to listen to music or a podcast, but need to keep your head on a swivel, open-ear headphones are a best-of-both-worlds solution.
- Open-ear headphones and earbuds ditch silicone ear tips and other noise-canceling features, allowing you to listen to podcasts and music while maintaining your situational awareness.
- The best open-ear headphones position their audio drivers close to the ears to make sure you can hear their output clearly, even with the outside world pouring in.
- I personally would take a pair of open-ear buds over bone-conduction headphones any day of the week, though, as the sound quality is far better when the sound come from a speaker.
- Until recently, both options were considered fairly niche, but a recent flurry of interest has led leading brands like Bose, JBL, and Soundcore to enter make their own open-ear headphones, expanding the category with feature-packed options in various form factors at many price points.
- To find the best open-ear headphones in this big new open-ear world, I spent over a month testing earbuds nonstop.
- The Soundcore AeroFit Pro is stylish, comfortable, durable, and delivers great sound.
What's still developing
- Style aside, they are excellent for anyone who finds traditional earbuds uncomfortable or wants full environmental awareness for activities like running, biking, or even just doing chores around the house.
- They're clip-ons that wrap around the earlobe, with the speaker end resting at the ear canal opening and the other end behind the ear.