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Shokz OpenDots Air: Two-minute review
I’ve long pointed to the flagship Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds in the clip-style category, so I’ll admit that I watched the release of the brand’s budget-grade option with trepidation.
All too often, a brand’s wallet-friendly earbuds tend to fit poorly, cut too many features, completely miss the mark sonically, or launch at a price point that doesn’t make sense. But I’m happy to report that the Shokz OpenDots Air side-step those issues.
In fact, for most buyers, this pair just makes so much more sense than its sibling, the Shokz OpenDots 2. That’s despite the set you’re here to read about being an inferior model, on paper.
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Like the numbered OpenDots, the Air uses dual 11.8mm drivers; you’re only going to be able to hear a difference in sound quality if you really need Dolby Atmos or some of the unique Shokz features (which, I’m guessing, most people don’t).
The OpenDots Air take a largely similar design too, which means they’re just as reliable in your ear on long runs or gym sessions. Now and then, I did find them to pinch a little, which I take to be the fault of a few design tweaks, but it was nothing that stopped me using them.
There’s more: the battery life is great, the carry case is nice and small and the connection was reliable. But some carry-overs are a little less desirable: like other OpenDots, the touch controls are finicky to use. And while Shokz offered some of the best-sounding open earbuds last year, the Air (and 2) launch to a much more competitive market.
What sets the OpenDots Air apart from the 2-suffixed set, making them a better buy, is the price; you can get them for roughly 25% less. For most buyers, I’d say that you should save your money and buy the Air… unless any of the other fantastic cuff-style buds (which typically do undercut any of Shokz’ options) pique your interest.
After all, the Shokz premium is still in play, even with its more affordable buds.
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Price and release date
- Launched on June 4, 2026
- Sells for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219
- Cheaper alternative to OpenDots 2
The Shokz OpenDots Air were released on June 4, 2026, alongside the OpenDots 2. That was about 10 months after the original OpenDots One became available.
You can buy the earbuds for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219, so they’re markedly cheaper than the $199.95 / £179.99 / AU$339 OpenDots 2. The original OpenDots One also went for that price, though a year on they’re easy to find at around $150 / £150 / AU$239 (and even less during sales).
Note also the flagship Shokz OpenFit Pro, (more ‘traditional’ shell-like open earbuds) which include noise reduction and launched in January 2026, at the significant cost of $249.95 / £219 / AU$399.
I’ll continue to refer to the OpenDots Air as affordable cuff-style buds, but that’s only in comparison to the OpenDots 2 and the other Shokz options listed above. Remember, Shokz is a class-leader in this category, and you pay for that. You can easily find great alternatives for even cheaper (we’ve even listed a few at the bottom of this review).
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Specs
|
Drivers |
2x 11.8mm |
|
Active noise cancellation |
No |
|
Battery life |
9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case) |
|
Weight |
6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case) |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 6.1 |
|
Frequency response |
100Hz-40kHz |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Features
- You’ll get 9 hours of listening; 36 with case
- EQ has four presets, 5-band custom mode
- App is pretty light on features
You’re getting 9 hours of battery life with the Shokz OpenDots Air; at least, that’s the cited listening time, and from my testing, I have no cause to doubt it. That’s a hair below the OpenDots One / 2’s 10 hours, but the difference is negligible, and it’s still a solid battery life.
The case rounds that figure up to 36 hours of listening, including recharges. That’s more in line with industry standards.
As with most open earbuds, there’s no noise cancellation here. It’s a shame, because Shokz is one of the few companies to offer ANC-adjacent tech in open-ears (the OpenFit Pro have ‘noise reduction’, but we tested it and it’s the same thing), and I find it’s even more useful in earbuds of the like.
While the OpenDots Air aren’t as featured-packed as many other earbuds, downloading the Shokz app lets you play around with what there is.
Possibly the best reason to download the app is the equalizer; there are four presets (standard, vocal enhancement, bass enhancement and an audio leakage reduction mode), as well as a simplistic five-band custom EQ which lets you create your own mix.
The app also lets you turn on Multipoint Pairing, change what the touch controls do, turn on (or off) microphone noise cancellation in calls, and turn on (or off) wear detection.
Admittedly, the list is a little svelte. Beyond review purposes, I only opened the app a single time, and that was to double-check I hadn’t accidentally turned gesture controls off (I hadn’t, more on that later).
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Design
- Svelte carry case
- Attractive blue marbled design
- Not designed to stick in the ear
They ain’t called clip-on buds for nothing – the OpenDots Air are clip-shaped earbuds with a C-shaped band joining a rounded earbud with an ovoid counterweight. The ‘dot’ goes in your ear-well, the ‘egg’ sits just behind it, looping around the lower part of the helix.
The earbuds weigh 6.3g each, with silicone and plastic making up the casework of the earpiece. I tested them at the gym, on cycles and on runs (and in other, less-intensive settings) and never had a fit issue; that’s a benefit of this form factor, and I’ve never had a wobbly clipper.
However I did find that the Air could pinch a little during longer wear sessions, and I was surprised by the relief I felt at removing them after an hour-plus run. On the topic of criticisms, the buds technically have touch controls, but I could barely get them to pick up my touch. You have to be incredibly precise to find the right spot, and I quickly gave up on using them. At this level, it’s not a deal-breaker in this type of design (at least not yet), but it’s my job to notice.
You can buy the earbuds in black or purple, a choice which carries over to the charging case. They’re IP55 protected, which means they’re safe from dust and jets of water, but you shouldn’t take them swimming.
The charging case is lighter than most I’ve seen, tipping the scales to the tune of 37.3g — that’s without the buds, and you’re looking at a total package that’s under 50g. It’s nice and small too, and I really appreciate case like this that’s lightweight and portable like this: it disappeared in my pockets with no problem.
The simplicity extends to the ports and buttons; you’re getting a USB-C port but no wireless charging, unlike the OpenDots 2, and intriguingly no Bluetooth pairing override. I don’t recall the last time I saw an earbud case without this ‘hope-you-don’t-need-it’ feature, but Shokz apparently thinks you don’t need it at all.
Shokz OpenDots Air: Sound quality
- Dual 11.8mm drivers
- Well-defined treble and bass
- Some premium features missing
Shokz has found an audio set-up it likes and has stuck with it. As with the OpenDots One and OpenDots 2, the OpenDots Air have two custom 11.8mm drivers providing the music. The company is coy on what each of these drivers are actually handling, but I’m guessing at least one is tuned towards low-end, given how much “Bassphere” is mentioned in marketing.
(What’s Bassphere? Um, a marketing word, by the sounds of it, and Shokz is quite light on specifics. I’ve done my due journalistic diligence in trying to dig through the fluff to get granular on Bassphere, but have been unsuccessful. It seems to be what the company refers to as its two-driver system.)
The OpenDots Air do miss some features of their pricier stablemates. There’s no Dolby Atmos tuning, for one, and it lacks a few other Shokz-designed features, including MirrorPitch (which aims the sound into your ear) and Bassphere 2.0 (like 1.0, but designed to reduce distortion which could arise from the two-driver system).
Okay, I’ve been dancing around the topic; how do the Shokz OpenDots Air actually sound? They’re rather good, for open-ears — they’re not quite on par with the higher-end OpenDots, or some varied rivals, but I enjoyed listening to music with them.
It’s clear to my ear that one of the drivers is dialled into the low end, giving bass a clear scooping distinction that’s often missing in open-ears. Songs like Brian Kelley’s Beach Cowboy or Kasabian’s Superpowers offer clean low-end that sit comfortably below higher-frequency sounds, without blowing it out.
The lack of support for better-than-vanilla codecs such as LDAC, or seemingly any higher-quality streaming, means audiophiles might not find these an enjoyable listen. I can’t pretend they’re on par with ‘standard’ in-ear earbuds costing this much, including ones which are geared towards sports users. But for fitness-first listeners who need their ear canals free to hear traffic, they’re all you need.
Naturally, when you’re out and about, the bass will struggle a little bit — it has a harder time cutting through surrounding noise than treble does. That’s par for the course for this kind of earbud, but it bears repeating for those not familiar with the form factor.
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Value
- Great value for money compared to Shokz roster
- Other cufflinks undercut these
If you’re comparing the OpenDots Air solely to the OpenDots 2, they’re great value: you’re basically getting the same earbuds for a sizeable discount. I see the Air being the better buy for most people, out of the two.
But when you look at the wider earbuds market, my recommendation gets a bit more muted. I’ve tested plenty of pairs of clip-style earbuds that hover at, or below, the £/$100 mark, which perform basically the same as the OpenDots Air do. If you’re not married to buying Shokz buds, then you’ll find a few different money-saving alternatives below.
Should I buy the Shokz OpenDots Air?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Features |
The battery life is great, but beyond it, there aren’t many features. |
3.5/5 |
|
Design |
Both the buds and the case are lightweight and reliable to use. |
4.5/5 |
|
Sound quality |
Despite some missing features, the audio quality will tick exercisers’ boxes. |
4/5 |
|
Value |
They’re the best OpenDots for your money, though some rivals will draw your gaze. |
4/5 |
Buy them if…
Don’t buy them if…
Shokz OpenDots Air review: Also consider
The open earbuds market is incredibly competitive. Here are some others that I’ve tested and would recommend.
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Shokz OpenDots Air |
Apple AirPods Pro 3 |
Soundpeats Clip1 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Drivers |
2x 11.8mm |
2x 11.8mm |
12mm |
|
Active noise cancellation |
No |
No |
No |
|
Battery life (ANC on) |
9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case) |
10 hours (buds), 40 hours (case) |
8 hours (buds), 32 hours (case) |
|
Weight |
6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case) |
5.6g (buds), 52g (case) |
5g (buds), 55.5g (case) |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 6.1 |
Bluetooth 5.4 |
Bluetooth 5.4 |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
IP54 |
IPX5 |
How I tested the Shokz OpenDots Air
- Tested for one month
- Paired with Android phone for Spotify, streaming and games
- Used during multiple kinds of activities
I used the Shokz OpenDots Air for roughly a month to write this review. This ensured they underwent some extensive testing.
This testing included countless runs, several cycles, many gym sessions, loads of walks around my neighborhood, plays on various kinds of public transport, a house move, and a trip to a surf town during a holiday.
During this time, the buds were paired to my Android smartphone. They got most of their use through Spotify, but I also used them for calls, watching some YouTube videos and playing games.
I’ve tested gadgets for TechRadar since early 2019. Since that time I’ve reviewed countless earbuds, including loads of open-style ones and the Shokz OpenDots One.
- First reviewed in July 2026
Read the full article here
