Content
- Technical specifications
- Positioning
- Contents of delivery
- Case appearance
- Headphone appearance
- About heart rate sensor
- About sound
- As a headset
- Working hours
- Impression
Technical specifications
- Driver diameter: 9mm
- Resistance: 16 Ohm
- Power: 400mW
- Frequency range: 20 – 20 Hz
- Codecs: mSBC, SBC, AAC
- Protection class: IP55
- Bluetooth: version 5.0 BLE
- Batteries: 55 mAh in headphones, 450 mAh in case
Positioning
Familiar to many from smartwatches, the Amazfit brand (Huami company) decided to try its hand at creating affordable devices for a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, even at CES 2020 (remember, before there were international presentations – this is when more than 1 people gather indoors), Amazfit showed headphones under the simple name PowerBuds. And now, almost six months later, they appear officially in Russia.
Positioning PowerBuds is a sports accessory with the ability to measure heart rate during sports: one of the headphones has a built-in PPG sensor (data acquisition using photoplethysmography). In addition, the device tracks the location in the auricle in order to stop or restart the playback of the song in time.
Of the original design features, it is worth highlighting the magnetic fastening of the temple temple. It is necessary to securely fix the earbuds during training. The decision is controversial, but unusual. I’ll tell you a little more in the corresponding section.
Pleasant features: touch control, work with voice assistants like Siri, Thru Mode, when you hear yourself and ambient sounds through headphones, and autonomy for about 7 – 8 hours.
Sales in Russia will begin on July 25 at a price of 8 rubles.
Contents of delivery
The package, in addition to the headphones themselves, includes a case for charging and storing them with a USB – USB Type-C cable, removable ears with a magnetic mount, 4 sets of silicone ear pads (SS, S, M, L) and a user manual.
Case appearance
It is an extremely compact barrel, flattened at the top and bottom. Made of semi-matt plastic. The official website presents three color options: Dynamic Black, Racing Yellow and Active White. Everything seems to be politically correct. The first color option flew into my review. Otherwise, the case remains gray, and the decorative dots change from gray to acid green.
The brand is written on the upper part, in the central part there is an indicator of the device operation, on the back there is USB-C for charging the case battery.
The case is relatively easily soiled, fingerprints quickly cover the plastic surface. Scratches and scuffs will also be noticeable.
There is a small gap on the front panel to open the case. The two halves are kept closed by magnets.
The upper half locks open, allowing you to freely pull the headphones out of the lower half. Inside you will find not only “ears”, but also removable earhooks. They are held in grooves by magnets in the inner area of the top cover.
On the bottom half there is a mechanical button for synchronizing headphones and a smartphone.
In general, a familiar case without any peculiarities.
Headphone appearance
They can be conditionally divided into three component parts: a unit with electronics and a battery, a unit with a membrane, a tube for sound output from ear pads. Looks futuristic, but it influenced the interaction with headphones. What I mean: the first and second blocks are rotated relative to each other at about 90 degrees, and the sound output tube looks to the side at a different angle. As a result, it becomes difficult to figure out exactly how to install headphones in the auricle. Even after several weeks of use, I get confused about the nesting angle. Yes, of course, there is an instruction, but picking up an accessory, you still take some time to think.
On the front side there is a pattern in the form of dots of different density. This design reminded me of the faceted eyes of insects. It seems to me that this effect is most noticeable only in black and red colors.
The headphones are held in the case again thanks to the magnetic holders. They are easily withdrawn and invested, they do not fall out by themselves.
Each earbud has a proximity sensor, microphone, two charging pads and a magnet for the earhook. It is a light flat plastic “stick” with a magnet at the end. Again, it is not always easy to figure out which way to attach the temple to the first time: there are no guides there.
PowerBuds sit well in the auricle, there is no discomfort. Even without a temple, they hold on without problems.
But with this very “twig” there are some nuances. The design, of course, is original, but the strength is questionable: the temple is attached only to a small magnet. It is necessary to put it on carefully, as at any moment the “twig” can “detach” from the headphones. Well, or the temple must be fastened after putting on the “ears”. In general, such a decision.
I will add that PowerBuds have an IP55 rating (only the headphones themselves, not the case). In this case, you can safely go in for sports without fear that sweat will disable the gadget. In addition, rain is also not a hindrance to Amazfit.
About heart rate sensor
It seems to me that in Amazfit PowerBuds this is the main feature, so it is worth talking about it in a separate section.
The PPG sensor uses a method of recording blood flow using an infrared or light source and a photoresistor or phototransistor. The sensor is located on the right earpiece and rests against the antigrass – a small cartilaginous protrusion on the outside of the ear.
In order to track your heart rate, you need to start any workout. The accuracy is pretty high. I compared with Amazfit bip. Plus or minus the same result.
PowerBuds headphones can be synchronized not only with a smartphone, but also with an Amazfit watch, for example, Stratos 3. In this case, it is the watch that will collect data. For me, this scheme is not entirely clear, since you purchased first of all headphones, and only then a device for tracking heart rate. That is, you are unlikely to be somewhere with headphones and a watch, but without a smartphone.
I did not find the forced heart rate measurement function in PowerBuds.
About sound
For the sound test, I had a first generation Apple iPhone SE. Yes, the first generation. I recently bought it to play with the baby and see what iOS 14. I will write about this on Android.Mobile-Review.com.
As services I used Yandex.Music, Spotify (oh, and he made a lot of noise lately) and a regular Apple player.
In short, Yandex was the worst of all. There is simply no sound. Next up is Spotify. Here you could already select an equalizer and adjust the sound. Well, of course, the native player turned out to be the best in sound quality.
Apple’s technique mainly works with the AAC codec. He was involved in the transmission of sound.
The sound here is extremely energetic, biting, I liked it. There are no overloads in frequencies, everything goes quite smoothly and without distortions in lows and high frequencies. Rock, metal and even something heavier sound cool. Instruments and voices are easily distinguishable. The scene is defined average.
A 10-band equalizer is built into the Amazfit app. It is quite possible to work with him. In this case, I added 32/62 Hz and slightly reduced 250-2000 Hz. It turned out very well.
I think PowerBuds sound poppy. That is, they are tuned to please everyone and everyone.
There is no active noise cancellation here, only passive. I can’t say anything special about him. In the train, you can hear the train, in the subway it is already necessary to turn the volume up by 100%.
As a headset
You hear the interlocutor loudly. The interlocutor hears you a little quieter, as if you were talking on the phone. Above average intelligibility. It seems that you are communicating on a headset (some headphones do not give this effect). The overall quality seemed average to me.
The microphone is located only in the left earpiece. A little strange solution, usually the right one is always leading, in addition, it contains a heart rate sensor. But this is probably why the microphones were smashed.
You will find an example of sound recording below (same operator on both ends).
Sample audio recording >>>
Working hours
Each earbud is equipped with a 55 mAh battery, with a 450 mAh battery in the case. At 70% volume, PowerBuds are enough for 6 hours of continuous music. You can count on about 5 hours, provided that Amazfit will be used as a headset.
The case allows you to charge the PowerBuds three more times. In the case, the headphones are charged in 1 hour. It takes about the same amount of time to recharge it.
Impression
Fancy TWS earbuds in terms of design and earhook attachment. They will be of interest primarily to those who monitor the heart rate during exercise. But by no means for professional athletes, since they have their own Pro-gadgets.
I liked the sound quality, the main thing is that there are no bends in frequencies. There are no obvious deviations, they sound clean. But as a headset – the solution is not the best.
Opening hours – no questions asked around 6 – 7 hours. Also one of the advantages is the support of voice assistants. For example, Siri responds instantly here.
I did not find TWS headphones with a heart rate sensor. Unless the Jabra Elite Sport model, which you really won’t see on sale. Therefore, Amazfit PowerBuds is a unique gizmo of its kind.
If you are not interested in heart rate tracking, then competitors are a dime a dozen: starting with JBL Tune 120/220 for 4 – 000 rubles and ending with Huawei FreeBuds 5i or Honor Magic Earbuds with active noise cancellation for 000 – 3 rubles.
Let me remind you that the price of Amazfit PowerBuds is 8 rubles, sales – from 000 July.
How relevant is heart rate measurement with headphones? Which TWS headphones do you use?
The author expresses gratitude to the Amazfit brand for the PowerBuds provided for the test.
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