Wyze, maker of $20 smartwatches and $30 video doorbells, has announced a new pair of wireless earbuds that include active noise cancellation and a Qi wireless charging case for only $60 (via Phandroid). They’re called the Wyze Buds Pro and come in at an incredibly low price when compared to the competition: you could buy four pairs of these for the price of Apple’s AirPods Pro, which have similar features.
For comparison: Anker’s $60 earbuds come without ANC or wireless charging (instead using Micro USB, where the Wyze buds also include a USB-C port).
Wyze’s announcement video takes a decidedly self-aware bent, but while it does mention the sweat resistance, transparency mode, and wind noise reduction, it doesn’t mention one of the funniest things about the product’s name: it’s called “Pro,” but there aren’t any Wyze Buds non-pros to compare them against (though Wyze does say a pair is coming).
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I may poke fun, but, on paper at least, these earbuds are competing way above their price. The SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Pro (what a name) from Anker and Echo Buds second-gen from Amazon are both considered to be budget picks for true-wireless earbuds with ANC, and those are in the $100+ price range. Amazon charges an extra $20 for a wireless charging case for the Echo Buds, something that Wyze includes. To add insult to injury for Amazon, the Wyze Buds Pro also have Alexa built in.
Of course, some of the most important functions of earbuds are how they sound and whether the ANC is actually any good. Given that we haven’t actually heard them yet, these earbuds haven’t proven themselves in either category. But if they end up being good, or even passable, they’ll be a solid deal for those who want all the fancy features without having to pay top dollar.
The Wyze Buds Pro are currently available for preorder, and Wyze says they will start shipping in July.
