What are $30 AirPods copies worth compared to real AirPods? Here is the answer

Look at the photo above, do you see two pairs of Apple AirPods? Well no, one of them is a fake, a replica, a copy of AirPods. You can find them everywhere whether it's on Amazon or Gearbest and we bet you're wondering the same thing as us: what are they worth compared to the real AirPods? Can wireless headphones under 30 euros compete with those at 179 euros from Apple?

This question was itching and we wanted to know. We've tested a lot of wireless headphones before, but they all had different designs. None of them were an exact copy of AirPods. We have chosen a branded copy whose generic name is TWS i12. These look incredibly like AirPods, at least in the photos… Are they easy to use, comfortable? Answer in this versus fake AirPods vs original.

Ergonomics

We've always found EarPods, the wired headphones that come with iPhones, to be comfortable. The same goes for the AirPods, although the latter are a bit larger. But that's not true for everyone. Some people find them too big or too small. It all depends on the size of your ears. The TWS i12 and AirPods cases are physically identical and within a millimeter of the same size, the headphones themselves are also very similar to the originals, the mimicry seems perfect on this point, with a few details like this pairing LED present on the copies and the absence of a contact sensor.

Fonctionnalities

In terms of features, the AirPods easily outperform the TWS i12 which don't offer any of the advanced features of Apple headphones, including auto-pausing playback when you take one out of your ear.

We can do without this function, but certainly not the automatic connection. With AirPods, all you have to do is open the case and you're done: the headphones turn on and connect to your phone. On the TWS i12, the pairing procedure is less transparent and is closer to conventional Tru-wireless, you have to take the headphones out of the charging box and look for them in the Bluetooth menu of the smartphone. It's not the sea to drink, but once you have tasted the headphones with automatic connection, there is no going back.

The AirPods case charges via Lightning (or via a Qi wireless charger if you opt for the wireless charging case) and promises four full charges, or more than 24 hours of listening time in total. The TWS i12 case also uses a micro Lightning socket and allows three to four recharges, for approximately 9 hours of listening. While these copies of AirPods also feature touch controls for pausing, varying the volume, or switching between audio tracks, the reaction time/latency is noticeably greater than on the originals.

Outdoor performance

Although the TWS i12s use Bluetooth 5.0, they sometimes have some connectivity issues. Inside, if we just put our hand over one ear or the other, the sound would cut out sometimes. Worse still, when we ventured outside to go running with a beanie on, the cuts became more regular, so much so that we simply can't recommend them for runners.

We've had similar issues with other low-end Bluetooth headphones. Some of them just don't work well outdoors because your head gets in the way of the signal which has nothing to bounce back like when you're indoors. The AirPods don't have this problem, nor do most other wireless Bluetooth 5.0 headphones we've tested recently.

Audio quality

This is arguably the most important aspect and this is where we expected the i12 TWS to be the most disappointing. We won't say that the AirPods are the best performing headphones in the world, but they are well balanced, if a bit lacking in bass. So imagine our surprise to find that the TWS i12s sounded pretty good. Better than AirPods? All the same not. But decent overall? Yes. They don't have the range or detail that AirPods offer, but if you're just doing chores, sitting on a train listening to podcasts, etc. they will be more than enough, especially considering the price.

Verdict

Assuming you like the look of the AirPods, should you save $150 (!) and buy these copies instead? If these headphones are not fundamentally bad considering their price, the truth is that there are better options in this price range.

For example, Anker's $100 Soundcore Liberty Air delivers better bass thanks to its noise-isolating design. We also like the BlitzWolf BW-FYE1, sold for 40 euros on average, which are very comfortable wireless headphones and which offer the automatic connection and charging functions that we love.

Of course, we really appreciate the AirPods, which are very balanced headphones, but be aware that there are more efficient alternatives in audio and at lower prices, such as the Jabra Elite 65T.

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Source: Cnet.com