OpenDots ONE – Shokz’s first clip on earbuds
Known for their open-ear, sport-focused headphones, Shokz are expanding their offerings with all-new clip-on earbuds – OpenDots ONE.
Shokz sells a range of open-ear headphones, such as the OpenFit 2 earbuds that hook around your ears and the OpenRun Pro 2 bone conduction headphones that wrap around your head. Now, Shokz are expanding their open-ear headphones with a new form-factor. OpenDots ONE are Shokz’s new flagship and their most expensive open earbuds yet, but still come in cheaper than Bose’s similarly shaped Ultra Open Earbuds. We’ve also seen a similar style recently from Motorola, with their Moto Buds Loop.
The introduction of OpenDots ONE represents an exciting evolution for Shokz. As our community has grown, we’ve seen more people using Shokz throughout everyday lives—from the gym to the office and everywhere in between. We’re committed to developing products that support this expanding lifestyle segment, and OpenDots ONE was designed for those moments.
Roger Zhang, Head of Product Innovation, Shokz
OpenDots ONE feature an U-shaped open design that clips around the edge of your ear, rather than going in like conventional earbuds, sitting on your temples like bone conduction headphones, or hooking around your ear like typical open earbuds. Open headphones help you stay aware of your surroundings, as well as providing additional comfort and hygiene, making them great for running and cycling while staying safe outside. Clips on earbuds have the added benefit of not getting in the way of glasses or hats as some hook-style earbuds do.
The OpenDots ONE are Shokz’s smallest and lightest open earbuds at just 6.5g per earbud. With the case, the earbuds weigh 52g. They are formed of a flexible nickel-titanium JointArc and soft silicone grip, which mold to your ear to help them stay in place during workouts. They are IP54 water resistant, protecting the earbuds against sweat, light rain and water splashes. The charging case itself is not water resistant.
The earbuds themselves are interchangeable. There is no left and right earbud, with both featuring the exact same design. Instead Dynamic Ear Detection automatically detect which ear they are placed on and adjust the audio accordingly to ensure your left earbud is playing the left side and vice versa. They can also be placed either way around in the charging case.
On the inside, the earbuds feature Bassphere technology and dual 11.8mm drivers. DirectPitch technology ensures a private listening experience, which helps rectify the common issue of sound leakage as with other open headphones. The earbuds also feature Dolby Audio. There are AI noise-cancelling mics with adaptive beamforming for clear calls.
Multipoint pairing means you can connect the earbuds to two devices simulateously for quick switching.
Controls are available by either tapping the arc or pinching the battery compartment with two fingers. Taps, double taps and holds can be configured to play/pause, answer/reject/hang up, volume up/down, skip forward/backward and activate the voice assistant.
The Shokz app can be used to customize the controls, enable multipoint, turn on Dolby Audio, adjust the EQ or ring them with ‘Find My Earbuds’. There are four built-in EQ presets, including Standard Mode, Vocal Mode, Bass Mode, and Private Mode, as well as two spots available for personalized EQs.
The OpenDots ONE are good for 10 hours of playtime on a single charge or 40 hours when paired with the case. They support USB-C or Qi wireless charging. A 10-minute Quick Charge will provide 2 hours of music. A USB-C to USB-C cable is included in the box.
Shokz OpenDots ONE are available on Amazon today in Black and Grey for $199.95.