With the removal of headphone ports proceeding apace on mobile devices, the only answer is to go wireless. Offering a bunch of options for Bluetooth earphones is UGREEN, whose latest release is the HiTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds.
Offering stereo playback, voice assistant integration, and an EQ switch, these lightweight earbuds could be the answer if you want portable, wireless audio without compromising on quality.
What's in the Box?
The earbuds ship in a smart black box, complete with a complete specification breakdown on the back.
On opening, you'll find a compact collection of kit. There's a multi-language user manual hidden in a box in the lid, a USB-C cable for charging, and four sizes of silicone ear tips (extra small, small, medium, and large). Finally, there are the UGREEN HiTune X5 earbuds, sitting safely inside the smooth charging case. The earbuds each sit on a pair of unobtrusive pogo pins for charging.
UGREEN HiTune X5 Earbuds Specs
The HiTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds WS108 have Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, with HSP, HFP, AVRCP and A2DP profiles for the necessary headset, handsfree, and remote-control features. The earbuds use the Qualcomm aptX, AAC, and SBC codecs.
Bluetooth operates at 2400Mhz—2483.5Mhz, with a range of 10 meters, making these earbuds ideal for watching TV or gaming.
In the charging case is a USB-C charging port for 5V input, and a lithium-polymer battery. Fully charging the earbuds should take 1.5 hours, whereas charging the case to full should take 2 hours. The specified operating time for the buds is 7 hours on a single charge. Meanwhile, the charging case holds four charges, potentially giving you a total of 28 hours of playback if used without recharging the case.
Pairing the Earbuds
Opening the UGREEN branded charging case initiates a pleasing blink from the white LEDs.
This indicates that the earbuds are ready to pair. All you need to do is grab your phone (or tablet, computer, or another compatible device) and start a Bluetooth search. Within seconds, the UGREEN HiTune X5 Earbuds should have connected.
The connection will remain active until the earbuds are replaced in the charging case. At this stage, they will disconnect and begin recharging from the battery in the case. Should you need to connect the earbuds to a new device in the vicinity of the original connection, you can disable Bluetooth on the first device or use the reset button on the back of the case with the earbuds present. This will remove the previous connection profile and make them ready to connect again. It's a useful feature that makes Bluetooth discovery far simpler.
How to Control the UGREEN HiTune X5 Earbuds
Both earbuds have touch-sensitive panels for easy control. This means it is possible to remotely skip tracks, change volume, and so on.
- Play/pause is a single tap on either earbud
- Skipping to the next track requires three taps on the right; playing the previous track needs three taps on the left.
- Increase volume with two taps on the right, decrease with two taps on the left.
- Normal and gaming modes can be toggled by tapping either earbud four times.
- Calls can be answered with a single tap on either earbud or declined with two taps.
- Long-tapping the left or right earbud will activate your voice assistant.
In practice, these controls are straightforward. Unfortunately, they respond better to firm taps rather than the fleeting swipe you might be used to from your phone or tablet.
Great—But How Do the UGREEN HiTune X5 Earbuds Sound?
You have three main ways to enjoy audio with these earbuds: music, movies and games, and voice calls.
Music
We tested the earbuds with music from YouTube, Amazon Music, and locally stored audio. As expected, there was little noticeable difference, with strong tones and a good mix throughout. Naturally, the source audio plays a huge part in this, but where audio was known to be of good quality, this shone through when played on the earbuds.
Movies and Games
The UGREEN HiTune X5 earbuds are an excellent way to watch TV and movies on your phone. The sound quality is good, all-encompassing, and immersive.
The EQ switch feature has a small impact here, but unless you're looking for a very specific audio dimension, you'll probably carry on without it.
There is also a gaming mode. It is 70ms low-latency and perfect for all types of games.
Voice Calls
Voice is voice, but over the past few years, we've become used to improved audio over telephone and VoIP calls. With the UGREEN HiTune X5 earbuds, you can expect good call clarity thanks to the CVC and ENC (combined, they reduce ambient noise by a massive 91 percent). However, while perfect for calls, these earbuds aren't suitable for podcasting or game streaming. They should be fine for Zoom meetings, however.
Battery Life, Comfort, and General Usage
Battery life is a surprise with the UGREEN HiTune X5 earbuds. They're supposed to last seven hours and apparently do so, repeatedly.
While the nature of battery life means this will no doubt decrease through repeated recharging over time, it was nevertheless pleasing to enjoy the full duration.
The design of the UGREEN HiTune X5 earbuds attempts to balance usability and comfort. We've all used or seen earbuds that appear far too small to pick up, especially for those of us with larger hands. These earbuds are greppable enough to insert and remove them relatively quickly. Whether their size and design will make them easier to find down the side of a sofa cushion, however, remains to be seen.
However, thanks to the choice of ear tips, the UGREEN HitTune X5 earbuds are comfortable, don't feel heavy in the ear, and don't shake loose when you're moving.
UGREEN HiTune X5 Earbuds: Sound Good and Easy to Use
In a saturated earbud market, it's easy to end up choosing a product that doesn't deliver. Whether on sound quality, compatibility, ease of use, weight, and comfort, earbuds vary across the board. You can potentially spend 100s of dollars on top-end earbuds and end up with something that falls out of your left ear repeatedly, doesn't connect, or sounds terrible.
The UGREEN HitTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds appear to fix all of these problems. They're comfortable, look unobtrusive, and have good battery life. Better still, they're easy to pick up. The touch controls might not be the most responsive around, but they sound great.
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