The Earbuds 2 Lite are the latest wireless headphones from the Honor brand. Although they look a lot like Apple’s AirPods, they are much cheaper and have a longer battery life.
The headphones went on sale August 7. And to help you decide if they are right for you, I tested their comfort, functionality and most importantly their sound quality with the ANC.
These are the best true wireless headphones.
Design and build quality
The Honor Earbuds 2 Lite are available in white or black. They sent me the white variant, which is clearly inspired by Apple’s AirPods. Weighing 5.5g per bud, they are extremely light. Since each person has different ears, three sizes of ear pads are included in the box for the perfect fit.
I found them to be very comfortable and reasonably secure once the best fit tips were in place. The headphones don’t have buttons as everything is controlled via the touchpads.
Different pulse patterns are used to control ANC, audio pause / play, and track skip, a concept familiar if true wireless headphones have ever been used.
Touch controls are very sensitive and this can sometimes be detrimental. As I have long hair, I found the music accidentally paused when my ponytail or braid accidentally hit the headphones.
Unfortunately, these headphones don’t have an IP rating, so they (officially) don’t offer any protection against rain or sweat. In practice, they are likely to withstand a little humidity, but this is one of the reasons they are less expensive than some competitors.
The Honor Earbuds 2 Lite come with a matte shell that matches the color of the helmet. The case charges the helmet batteries and allows them to be stored safely. It weighs around 41 grams and measures 45.5 x 61.2 x 25.35mm, small enough to fit in a pocket if desired.
It has a USB-C port on the bottom for charging and a USB-C cable is included in the box. It does not support wireless charging.
Sound quality
The headphones come with “custom” 10mm drivers, but do not support the premium aptX codec when using Android phones or other devices. In the case of Apple devices, there is no license fee: removing aptX makes the Earbuds 2 Lite cheaper.
However, the sound quality is excellent. There is a good balance between highs, lows and mids, even when the volume is low.
The bass levels are not as powerful and punchy as the Sony WF-XB700. However, listening to electronic or rock music is still a pleasant experience. Personally, I think these headphones are the best for listening to podcasts or soft music like lo-fi.
One of the cool features, and one that is not expected at this price, is active noise cancellation. And it is quite effective. When you walk on a busy street, you can tell the difference when the ANC is on.
Background noise is conveniently attenuated, so you feel completely immersed in what you are listening to. Of course, there is already great sound insulation thanks to the blocking of the silicone tips.
You can turn off ANC completely, and there’s also a handy awareness mode that activates the microphones on the outside of the headset to allow noise to filter through. This way you can have conversations – like when ordering coffee – without having to take off the headphones.
It works pretty well if you listen to something like a podcast. However, if you are listening to music, the volume should be below 50% in order to hear what others are saying. The best thing, of course, is to pause what you’re listening to.
The instructions say the headphones are compatible with Huawei’s AI Life app, but I was unable to pair them with this app. This means that there is no way to adjust the equalizer or change any other settings.
We have already seen this with the first samples, and by the time they are released there should be no problem using them with the app.
The microphones work with an elegant DNN (Deep Neutral Network) and Dual Anti-Wind technology. This technology is designed to optimize voice calls even in bad weather. I made a call on a rainy and windy day and had no issues with lag or clarity.
Specifications and Features
The Honor EarBuds 2 Lite use Bluetooth 5.2 and are compatible with AAC and SBC. The latter is a bit disappointing, as aptX reportedly improved the sound quality a bit for Android users.
There are two microphones in each earpiece, used for ANC, phone calls, and outreach mode. Each cocoon contains a 55 mAh lithium-ion battery. The case has a 410 mAh battery.
Honor claims that the 2 Lite earbuds can last up to 32 hours, as long as the case is used between uses and the ANC or Awareness mode is not activated all the time.
These figures seem relatively accurate to me. I have used these headphones for days while working, using both ANC and Awareness modes, and even taking phone calls.
As long as I put them back in the case after each use, they lasted. This is by far the most impressive feature of these budget headphones.
They also charge very quickly: a full charge for the headphones takes about an hour, and an hour and a half for the charging case, and a ten-minute charge can give up to four hours of use.
There is also wear detection, so the mount stops when you remove a helmet. This is a very useful feature, as I didn’t have to worry about doing it manually, although if for some reason you want to put on and take off headphones frequently it can be annoying. However, it can be disabled in the AI Life app.
Pricing and availability
At the moment, prices for the headphones are only available in the EU, starting at 69.90 dollars (the price will vary from market to market). They launched worldwide on August 5 and can now be purchased on Ali Express.
These headphones are the best value for money that Honor has released so far, and they are very competitive against their rivals.
If you’re looking for similar options, there are the OnePlus Buds Z which cost about the same but have an IP55 rating, although touch controls are a bit limited.
For more options, you can check out our list of the best headphones. true in-ear wireless, and the best inexpensive headphones.
Verdict
The Honor EarBuds 2 Lite are a solid option for true wireless headphones if you don’t want to spend the money on ANC. Sound levels are good, they’re comfortable to carry, and most importantly, the battery life is amazing, longer than many flagship options.
The only downsides are the lack of an IP rating, the slightly sensitive touch controls, and the lack of support for aptX or HD codecs. However, at such a low price, they are forgivable.
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