With the new Shokz OpenFit Air open-ear headphones, the manufacturer is offering a cheaper alternative to the previous OpenFit model. In our test, the headphones scored highly in terms of comfort, but the sound was noticeably lacking.
Technical data
| The product | OpenFit Air |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Maximum operating range | 10m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 6 hours, 28 hours in total with charging case; (varies depending on volume level and audio content) |
| Charging time | 2 hours (for charging case headphones via USB-C) |
| Size of charging case (H x W x D) | 29 mm × 69 mm × 67 mm |
| Weight | 8.7 g per earbud; 74 g charging case & earbud |
| Most important functions | Multipoint; IP54 |
| Price | € 139.00 * |
Shokz OpenFit Air: Simple design meets high comfort
- pleasantly soft and comfortable
- simple, sporty design
The design of the Shokz OpenFit Air is reminiscent of most open-ear headphones. This model also combines an elongated, kidney-shaped base with a soft, rubberized ear hook that allows the earphones to be placed over the ear and easily twisted in.
Compared to the OpenFit, the base has a slightly curved shape, which makes the earphones even more comfortable to wear. The outside features the manufacturer’s logo, under which the touch sensors for operation are located. There are two microphones for telephony at the top and bottom.
The rubberized earpiece on the new Air model is also slightly thinner, which should significantly improve wearing comfort, especially for spectacle wearers. In general, the comfortable fit is perhaps the greatest strength of the Shokz OpenFit Air. As they are positioned in front of the ear, the ear canal remains free – there is no pressure even when worn for long periods.
At the same time, the earpieces are pleasantly soft and robust, and feature rounded edges so that wearing the earphones for several hours is no problem. At the same time, the earbuds still sit comfortably firmly so that they do not lose their grip during fast movements. The earphones are light enough to be placed behind the ear with one hand.
Nevertheless, it has to be said that Huawei offers significantly more comfort with the FreeClip (our test). Both when wearing with and without glasses, as well as when inserting them. In general, the Huawei model is clearly ahead in all respects.
Features and operation of the Shokz OpenFit Air
- Bluetooth 5.2 without high-resolution codecs
- simple but reliable operation
- clear app; with a limited range of functions and benefits
In terms of features, the Shokz OpenFit Air are well equipped. They use the Bluetooth 5.2 standard and achieve a decent range of around 10 meters to the audio source until dropouts occur.
In terms of codecs, only standard fare is offered: SBC and AAC are on board, but unfortunately high-resolution audio codecs are not. At least the Air are capable of Bluetooth multipoint for pairing with two audio devices at the same time, but unfortunately there is no wear detection or mono mode.
The earphones are also IP54-certified, while the case is not waterproof. But that’s where the features end. This is of course perfectly adequate for everyday use, but by no means outstanding.
Operation is kept extremely simple. A double tap on the touch surfaces skips to the next song (right) or starts and pauses playback (left), holding down decreases or increases the volume. However, I found that tapping too hard on the sensors can be quite uncomfortable.
The controls can be minimally adjusted in the companion app, but there aren’t really many options to choose from here.
Keyword companion app: We can also cover the Shokz app in two sentences. The scope is very limited. Apart from the option to customize the controls, you can only activate or deactivate Multipoint.
Four EQ presets (standard, conversation, bass and treble) make it possible to influence the sound. However, the standard mode delivers the best sound.
Battery life of the Shokz OpenFit Air
- up to 6 hours runtime; 28 hours with charging case
- Fast Charge (10 minutes for 2 hours of playback)
The battery life of the Shokz OpenFit Air is at a good level. Up to six hours of music playback are possible on a single charge, with the charging case adding a further 22 hours for a total of 28 hours.
This is a good figure, but by no means outstanding. At least there is Fast Charge, which charges the earphones for two hours of music playback in 10 minutes. Charging the case and earphones takes around two hours, while the OpenFit Air are fully charged again in the case in one hour.
Audio and microphone quality
The Shokz OpenFit Air have one major problem. And that is the aforementioned Huawei FreeClip. The Huawei model is not only noticeably more comfortable to wear, but also plays several leagues above the Shokz earbuds in terms of audio quality.
However, this does not mean that the OpenFit Air sound bad. Not at all. To counteract the open design, comparatively large drivers are used, which provide the earphones with an astonishingly full and warm sound, combined with a sufficient maximum volume.
Of course, the open-ear headphones can hardly reproduce bass frequencies, which is simply due to the design. In the mid frequencies, on the other hand, where most instruments and vocals are found, the earphones are very well positioned and certainly know how to please.
Unfortunately, the high frequencies quickly become unpleasantly sharp, forcing you to reduce the volume. However, the OpenFit Air doesn’t even come close to the impressive sound of Huawei’s FreeClip. They simply offer significantly more detail and airiness across the entire sound spectrum.
The OpenFit Air delivers a really good sound, but of course it can’t keep up with good in-ear headphones. But the ears remain free.
Audiophile users will not be happy here, but the sound is absolutely sufficient for comfortable side listening. At least in quiet environments, as the sound quality drops noticeably the louder the surroundings are due to the open design.
In my opinion, the EQ presets tend to reduce the audio quality, as the already exaggerated highs only come out of the earphones even more unpleasantly. The bass preset, on the other hand, places the mids too much in the background, resulting in a sound that is too narrow and lacking in detail – without improving the bass response.
Microphone quality
Shokz provides the OpenFit Air with a total of four microphones, two per earphone. Thanks to Qualcomm’s cVc 8.0 technology, these electronically suppress background noise and are said to be able to block out 96.5 percent of the surrounding acoustics.
The microphone quality is generally quite good, but of course the earphones are more suitable for indoor use, as it is difficult to hear the other person on the phone when the outside noise increases. Even if this noise is really well compensated for on our side.
Shokz OpenFit Air microphone test recording:
Microphone test recording Huawei FreeClip:
Microphone test recording Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4:
Here, the OpenSit Air even ranked ahead of the Huawei earphones, where the AI-supported functions intervene too much and make the microphone acoustics seem unnatural.
Shokz OpenFit Air test: Conclusion
The biggest plus point of the Shokz OpenFit Air is undoubtedly the attractive price-performance ratio. However, the new open-ear headphones are also more comfortable to wear than the more expensive OpenFit thanks to their adapted shape and soft earpieces.
In terms of sound, the earphones deliver a very pleasing sound, which of course lacks bass due to its design. Unfortunately, at high volumes, which the earphones absolutely need, the treble quickly becomes unpleasantly sharp.
On the other hand, the ears remain free, which has a positive effect on wearing comfort. However, the competition, especially the Huawei Freeclip, is noticeably better positioned here.
However, they only develop their full potential indoors, as external noise penetrates too far into the ears. Although this is (safer), it noticeably reduces the audio and microphone quality.
Shokz OpenFit Air
Workmanship
Comfort
Sound Quality
Microphone Quality
Features
Value For Money
87/100
The Shokz OpenFit Air score points with excellent wearing comfort, good sound and decent battery life at an extremely attractive price. The competition may offer more, but they are also more expensive.
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