Small, practical and now found in almost every trouser or jacket pocket. In-ear headphones are in vogue and some manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon. So is Roccat with the Syn Buds Air – gaming in-ear headphones with seamless transitions between different platforms, aimed at gamers with an active lifestyle. Find out how good the comfort and convenience of the Syn Buds Air are in this review.
Specifications
| Comptability | Bluetooth® 5.1 enabled devices with Windows® 7, 8.1, 10, 11, macOS®, iOS®, Android™, Nintendo Switch™ |
| Control | Touch (Customizable) |
| Speaker Size | 6 mm with neodymium magnets |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Microphone design | Built-in dual microphones |
| Charging cable | USB-A to USB-C charging cable |
| Battery Life | 20 hours of battery life (5 hours Earbuds + 15 hours charging box) |
| Weather / dust protection | IPX4 |
| Extras | Companion app for Android and iOS®, silicone ear inserts in S, M & L |
| Price | € 112.09* |
Scope of delivery
- Stable packaging
- Compact scope of delivery
Delivered, the Syn Buds Air come in Roccat’s typical black and sturdy packaging. Within the packaging, a nice division has been made into three compartments, with three different silicone ear inserts at the top, the charging case including Earbuds in the middle and a USB-C charging cable at the bottom. Plastic has been omitted from the packaging itself, which we would have liked to see on the outside as well.
Design & Workmanship
- High quality workmanship
- Sleek & efficient appearance
The matte black Syn Air Buds charging box is visually based on Apple’s universally known Airpods Pro, but in a slightly more elongated shape. The design is simple and effective – on the front is a silver Roccat lettering and three small LEDs, which reflect the battery status of the charging box. The three LEDs represent the three complete charges (5 hours per) of the Earbuds that are still possible. A small notch helps open the cap, which also feels sturdy.
The earbuds follow the design completely. Out of the magnetic charging box, they make a high-quality impression. However, it is a bit of a shame that the charging contacts are at the bottom of the Earbuds and thus in the visible area. There is also a small hole for the microphone at the lower end. On the outward-facing side is the Roccat lion in silver – this is where you operate the touch controls. We also particularly like the included silicone ear inserts in S, M & L. Thus, there should be something suitable for everyone.
Companion app & features
- Modern look & easy setup
- Sufficient options
The Syn Buds Air companion app is used to control the Earbuds. Here you can not only adjust the sound for your own taste, but also still reassign the touch controls and bring the firmware up to date. The app itself is fluid and can be operated flawlessly.
Comfort
- Sits snugly with plenty of support
- Doesn’t feel “distracting”
When wearing the Syn Air Buds one thing is immediately noticeable, they fit snugly in our ears thanks to included silicone ear inserts while providing a decent amount of support. Roccat itself offers the Earbuds for gamers with a, sporty lifestyle – in our test, we were able to use them successfully accordingly. After a ring-fit session on the Switch, with a decent amount of movement, over to a relaxed round on the PC felt seamless and straightforward. Even with sweaty fingers, the touch controls were easy to control.
Sound & Recording Quality
- Treble accentuated sound
- Voice quality tinny
The most important part of the Syn Buds Air, the sound and recording quality, is unfortunately also the weak point of the Earbuds. Starting with the sound, this is very treble-heavy and deeper basses go down very much. In shooters, for example, we noticed that shots tended to overdrive and grenades sounded without a quality sound. We did not have these problems in story-based games, and the overall package fit better.
Having an equalizer in the app so that you can fine-tune your sound is a nice feature, but unfortunately the settings only remain active on the respective smartphone. Tracks with a lot of bass sound very good on the smartphone with bass-emphasized presets. But if you switch to the PC afterwards, the bass disappears again. Apart from that, the sound quality is in the mid-range.
The built-in dual microphones also only fulfill their purpose to a limited extent. On the smartphone, you have a sovereign sound thanks to the companion app, which you can at least work with. It sounds a bit tinny, but is not in the tragic range. It is different on the PC, where the situation worsens once again. The microphones emit such a reverberant and even stronger tinny sound that teammates might think you’re talking out of a can. Our recommendation here is to use a separate microphone.
Roccat Syn Buds Air: Conclusion
In summary, the Syn Buds Air are a through growing product, with clear strengths in the quality of workmanship and in addition some room for improvement in the sound and recording quality. To answer the question from the headline, the Syn Buds Air are successful in granting a smooth transition between his devices in everyday life. The connection remains stable and also establishes itself quite quickly. The battery life of 5 hours is granted and you can get through the day without problems with a total of four charges. We consider the price of about 90 Euros to be a bit too optimistic.
Roccat Syn Buds Air
Workmanship
Comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value for money
78/100
Good looks with a decent build quality characterize the Syn Buds Air. However, the sound and recording quality is not good for the price.
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