Review of Xiaomi AirDots - inexpensive wireless Bluetooth headphones

$45 7.8/10 Vacuum Bluetooth headphones wireless Bluetooth headphones vacuum dynamic 2022 xiaomi

Xiaomi AirDots are completely wireless inexpensive in-ear Bluetooth headphones . Released in the company's traditional white color and laconic design with the subtitle Youth Edition. Completely wireless headphones are really aimed at young people, because they are part of a very trendy and even hype area of ​​the audio market, they look quite stylish and, most importantly, they are significantly cheaper than most competitors.

It’s even strange that Xiaomi waited about two years to release an answer to Apple AirPods. Usually, almost immediately after the release of a new device from Apple, the brave Chinese Xiaomi release the same one, only a little worse in quality, but several times cheaper. This style of competition is what made Xiaomi famous and in demand.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots packaging

• Xiaomi Mi Xiaomi AirDots, can be ordered on Aliexpress (save 10-20%)

pros:

• Price;
• Secure fit in the ear;
• Confident connection.

Minuses:

• Battery life;
• Quality of materials;
• Sound quality.

Characteristics, equipment

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Features:

• Emitter type: dynamic
• Resistance: 16 Ohm
• Frequency range: 20-20000 Hz
• Sensitivity: 106±3dB
• Membrane diameter: 7.2 mm
• Indication: LED
• Profile support: A2DP, AVRCP, Hands free, Headset
• Bluetooth version: 5.0
• Weight: 4.2g (each earphone)
• Case weight: 39 g.
• Dimensions: 23 x 14.5 x 13 mm
• Case dimensions: 62 x 42 x 26 mm
• Battery capacity (earphone): 40 mAh
• Battery capacity (case): 350 mAh
• Working time: about 4 hours
• Battery life in case: about 12 hours
• Charging time for headphones from the case: 30-40 minutes
• Case charging time: 1.5-2.5 hours
• Charger connector in the case: microUSB
• Price: from 43$

Equipment:

• Xiaomi AirDots headphones
• Charging case
• USB-microUSB charging cable
• 1 extra pair of ear pads
• Documentation

Kit contents

The product comes in a black case, which also acts as a charging station. Recharging is carried out via the microUSB connector, and the corresponding cable is included with the Redmi Xiaomi AirDots headphones.

The composition also includes a set of replaceable silicone ear pads of various sizes, so it is possible for each user to choose the best option depending on the anatomical features of the ear canal.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Unboxing

Xiaomi AirDots are packaged in a stylish but simple white cardboard box with a picture of the package on the front . Inside we see a separate case and headphones in a thick rubber holder. Also in the box there are warranty documents, brief instructions, a cardboard card with the frequency response (apparently, not for all markets), a charging cable for the case and a pair of replacement ear pads, the first pair is already put on. There is no adapter included, but the option from most smartphones will do.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots unboxing

Of course, it’s a pity that the charging interface is not USB-C, but the model is not top-end or even mid-priced. And two pairs of ear pads are not enough, because everyone’s ears are different, and we are already accustomed to at least three pairs in a set. But, again, the price...

Price. Where to buy cheaper?

Cost of AirDots 3 and AirDots 2

The average cost of Redmi AirDots 3 today is 2,777 rubles (the Pro version will cost more). AirDots 2 will cost 1,390 rubles. If we compare the prices and characteristics of these two types of headphones, we can safely say that Airdots 3 are worth the money, especially considering their advantages over the previous model.

Discount on Aliexpress

There is a discount on Redmi AirDots 3 on AliExpress. At the New Year's sale, these headphones will cost 2,171 rubles. Often stores with AliExpress offer free delivery to Russia.

Important information! New Year's sales on AliExpress last until Chinese New Year.

Discount on Ozone

On sale from Ozon you can get a 9% discount on Redmi AirDots 3.

Discount on Wildberries

Discount prices for Redmi AirDots 3 in the Wildberries online store start from 2,065 rubles.

Video: Is it worth buying AirDots 3

Appearance

Xiaomi AirDots are made of plastic and rubber, and the charging case is made of the same materials . Not "premium" but visually pleasing. There are no sharp corners or roughness.

The cover of the case is quite pleasant to the touch, but the design does not look very reliable. There is no click when closing, the lid is generally transparent (LEDs are visible on charging in low light - charge level indicators), there is a suspicion that the case is not very wear-resistant.

Materials

Taking the case out of the box, the first thing I noticed was the material from which the charging case and the headphones themselves were made. Tactilely, it is quite pleasant plastic, made for soft touch. But the cheapness is clearly felt. I don’t know how to explain this specifically, but if we rely solely on subjective sensations, then this is probably due to the weight of the entire structure and the fact that the case is almost hollow inside. This is what the analysis I found on the Internet showed. But all this ceases to be a minus when you remember the price of the headphones - $20-30. I think there are hardly any headphones on the market in the same price range with better quality materials. We will check this point in the future by comparing several different models. The hinge with the case opening mechanism also raises doubts. Let's see how everything will function after some more time of use. Hoping for the best.

Comfort and control

Xiaomi AirDots “sit” reliably in the “average” ear . The quality of fixation is achieved due to the ear pads and the shape of the case. There is no feeling that the headphones can get lost. When fitted correctly, they look pretty good and don’t stick out too much

Recommended for moderate headbangers and not very active athletes. You can shake your head to your favorite beat and go for a run in the morning.

Xiaomi AirDots use touch controls . Although, there is a suspicion that under the cover of the case there are simply sensitive buttons. On the other hand, it is quite easy to touch the control panel while taking the headphones out of the case and thus pause the music.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots in a case

During music playback mode:

• 1 touch – pause\start;
• 2 touches - next track;
• 3 touches - previous

In standby mode (no music playing):

• 1 touch - call voice assistant\answer call
• 2 taps - cancel incoming call

Pairing Xiaomi AirDots with a smartphone is quite simple . You need to take the headphones out of the case, they are automatically activated, and find them on the phone. After pairing, as soon as you take the headphones (or at least the right one) out of the case, they automatically connect with the last device (takes a couple of seconds), and when you put them in the case, the connection is broken and charging begins.

Interestingly, Xiaomi AirDots do not know how to pause when you take out the earbuds, unlike the same AirPods. But it is stated that they can work in mono earphone mode (right), and then the “lifetime” increases by a whole hour - up to 5. How much this is in demand is an open question.

How do TWS headphones work? Is there magic in this?

Of course, there is no magic in this technology. In this type of headphones, one of them, usually the right one, acts as the main one and performs the function of a repeater. In simple terms, it connects to the phone, takes audio data from it via a communication channel, buffers it (so that there is no delay) and transmits it to the left earphone. All. On some models, the main earphone function can be reassigned. Yes, everything is quite simple, but no less impressive. Agree, we could only dream about such gadgets before and enjoy them in science fiction films.

In ultra-cheap headphones from all sorts of no-name brands, of which there are hundreds, if not thousands, on AliExpress, not one earphone is attached to the smartphone, but two at once. The problem with this solution is that you need to constantly connect first one earphone, then the other. And the signal quality in such solutions leaves much to be desired. There is no need to talk about sound. I had similar ones, I’m ashamed to admit, but they were a pretty cheap copy of AirPods. I bought them for utilitarian purposes - running and cycling, but they did not cope with this task. When playing music, it was interrupted by the rattling of the driver inside the case, and they only lasted an hour and a half on the battery. Don't repeat my mistakes and don't waste your money. Let's talk about the heroes of today's review.

Microphone and connection quality

The quality of the Xiaomi AirDots microphone is surprisingly good . Recording from a smartphone is quite clean and understandable. But it’s worth considering that the headphones are not designed to work with a PC, or indeed with anything other than a smartphone.

Recording from a microphone on a computer turns out terrible (it is possible to record only in mono and the noises of hell appear from somewhere)…

The connection quality is decent . The declared range for Bluetooth 5.0 is 50 m, but this is provided that the source device also supports this version of the protocol. Most modern devices in the entry-level and mid-price range, for which Xiaomi AirDots are designed, support a maximum of Bluetooth 4.2. But this is enough for comfortable reception throughout the entire apartment (of medium size, again).

Xiaomi Mi AirDots in the ear

However, there is desynchronization of video and sound when watching, for example, Youtube . Sometimes it can be fixed, or at least improved, by resetting the headphones - holding both control panels for a long time at the same time.

In addition, support is announced for TWS - True Wireless Stereo - a mode when the headphones are connected to the source in parallel, and not in series, that is, both only receive the signal. However, here, again, you need a source that supports this function.

It's worth noting that there is no aptX support. Woe to wireless audiophiles...

What were the problems?

It might seem that these are some kind of ideal headphones - comfortable, sound good and, moreover, inexpensive. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. The device is not without its shortcomings. During testing I had one problem. How it all happened - I came home, turned on music on the computer, and minded my own business. I walked out of the room into the kitchen, while I put the right earphone next to the computer and left the left one in my ear. The left one lost contact. Upon returning, both headphones began to work separately. Trying to simply turn them off and on was unsuccessful. I had to do a factory reset. After that, there were no such difficulties in operation. But nevertheless, this is a very unpleasant moment.

Battery life

Xiaomi AirDots generally work as long as stated by the manufacturer. 3-4 hours from one charge , and considering that the case can “carry” 3 more full charging cycles, even active listening should be enough for a day.

The timing is far from the best. The completely wireless headphone segment for the personal audio market is still new, but on average such headphones last about 5 hours on a single charge, which is what users expect. However, if you remember the price and relatively fast charging from the case (about 30 minutes), you can close your eyes to the lost hour.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots on charge

Headphones, ease of use

Like the case, the headphones themselves are very small and light, weighing just 4.1 grams each. It’s inconvenient to remove the smooth Airdots housing from the case, but there is a small life hack: it’s much easier to do this by prying the earphone toward you rather than pulling it out with two fingers.

Despite their budget nature, in terms of design, Redmi Airdots are perhaps the best wireless headphones on the market. They are compact, look neat in the ears, and thanks to the black color of the case, they do not look like some kind of earplugs, which can be said about the white Galaxy Buds or a similar model under the Xiaomi brand.

The oval Airdots cases fit perfectly into the ear, where they are practically not felt and do not cause discomfort even with prolonged use. You can run or engage in any other physical activity without any problems in these headphones (they have IPX4 splash and sweat protection). But if you train within the city, especially for jogging, from a safety point of view, it is better to take wireless earbuds that do not have passive sound insulation and do not cut you off from what is happening around you.

Keep in mind that the fit in your ears and the sound character of Airdots, like any other in-ear headphones, is highly dependent on the ear pads used. Do not neglect to try on all the attachments included in the kit and choose the most suitable size for yourself. I use Airdots with ear pads from a completely different model of headphones, and they are the ones you can see in the photo.

Perhaps it’s worth mentioning one not-so-pleasant moment. I won’t appeal to “Xiaomi quality”; in the end, it’s my own fault, but after the first fall from shoulder height onto the primer, something came loose in the right earphone. Most likely the battery, which now makes annoying tapping noises inside during runs. You can disassemble the headphones to fix the problem - the case cover is fixed with latches that are opened with a pick. But with my main Honor FlyPods headphones, which after six months of use have already managed to fly in all possible ways, there were no such problems.

Sound quality

Xiaomi AirDots sound good for their price.

This concept has already become the leitmotif not only of the review, but also, perhaps, of most devices from Xiaomi. In fact, this is how they gained popularity.

You shouldn't expect clear and detailed sound. But the bass is quite noticeable, the mids are readable, and there are no very unpleasant distortions at the tops either.

Connection

To connect headphones you need to do the following. You put the headphones in the case, then take them out of it, start searching for a new Bluetooth device on your phone, find AirDots and connect. In principle, the procedure is not much different from the process of searching for any other headphones. But these are not AirPods, which connect easier and faster, as if by waving a magic wand. Here the headphones are connected to each other, such a pair is obtained, and then it establishes a connection with the phone. But AirPods work differently: each earphone communicates independently.

AirDots keep a good connection, although there are periodic glitches: when you listen to music, switch to the next track, and the headphones start stuttering out of the blue. Then you can simply switch to the next song.

If you watch videos on YouTube, there is also desynchronization of sound, a periodic phenomenon for Bluetooth headphones. How to overcome it? You can try resetting the headphones, but this doesn’t always help, so it’s easier to get used to it and not pay attention to it.