Echo Buds vs Airpods
/Echo Buds vs Airpods? Which wireless earbuds are best for you? We help you sort through the noise and compare the New Echo Buds to popular Apple Airpod earbuds.
I was surprised to hear about the launch of the Echo Buds from Amazon as there are already a lot of wireless earbuds on the market.
When I started diving into the details of the Echo Buds I realized that these were way different than most of the cheap knock off devices on the market and were actually a real competitor to the Apple Airpods.
Echo Buds: The Niche They Serve
If you have an iPhone the obvious choice for wireless earbuds are Apple Airpods because of their native integration with the iPhone. But if you are an android user what wireless earbuds are you supposed to use? What are the Android equivalent wireless earbuds to Apple Airpods? And that’s where the Echo Buds come in.
I think the Echo Buds are the answer for high quality, completely wireless earbuds that work for Android users. On top of that they also work with the iPhone and Apple products. While Apple users have had the Airpods to choose from android users had limited wireless earbud choices. Many of which were either tethered, suffered from poor battery quality or had limited applications.
Echo Buds: The Features
The Echo Buds offer completely wireless and hands free use and calling the buds pair with your phone via bluetooth and don't have a tether so you can place them separately in each ear.
But what sets these earbuds apart is that they have Alexa built in and when paired with your phone have all the great features Alexa voice assistants are known for. You can make calls, ask questions and even control your smart home with voice commands through the ear buds.
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Smart Noise Filtering Tech
In addition to having Alexa built in which compatible with more devices and apps than Homekit (Airpods). These form fitting earbuds are packed with the latest sound technology.
No only do they provide superior sound quality in a small package but they are fitted with Bose active noise reduction technology which gives you custom adjustable settings to filter out background noise.
It's the same tech that is packed into full size high end Bose headphones that travelers rave about when flying to cut down on airplane noise. Having the power of Bose active noise reduction tech in your ear is a great feature and one not currently available on Apple Airpods.
I can see the noise reduction tech as being a huge benefit to workers who work in an open office plan to allow for better focus and when combined with Alexa could make you more efficient at your job.
A lot of companies are starting to promote Alexa in the workplace but having hundreds of Echo Dots that respond in an open office plan when someone says “Alexa” wasn't going to work out well.
The Alexa Ear Bud is the perfect solution to give you the edge at work, to discreetly listen to music, filter out noise and have that assistant you've always wanted to help you with your job.
The Echo Buds provide 5 hours of battery music listening or 4 hours of talk time on a single charge. But they also have a fast charge option where 15 minutes of charging will get you an additional 2 hours of music time.
The Echo Buds have significant standby time and the included charging case stores up to 20 extra hours of power and will charge the ear buds when inside. When comparing the battery life of the Echo Buds vs Apple Airpods you'll find that they offer very similar stats and the Airpods can play 5 hours of music or 3 hours of call time on a single charge.
Echo Buds vs Airpods Connectivity
Another feature that set's the Echo Buds apart is that not only do they connect to Alexa but you can also use them to connect to your iPhone to use Siri or Google Assistant making these earbuds cross compatible with the most popular voice assistants. The Apple airpods only connect to Siri for voice control and you lose some features when using the Airpods with an android device.
Echo Buds vs Airpods Comparison
Apple Airpods
Bluetooth Connectivity
Two Way Talk
5 Hour Battery Life
Works With Siri, does not work with other assistants
Does not have any built in noise reduction technology.
Echo Buds
Bluetooth Connectivity
Two Way Talk
5 Hour Battery Life
Works With Alexa, Siri & Google Assistant
Noise Isolation: Bose Active Noise Reduction Technology
Echo Buds Vs Airpods Summary
The Echo Buds hold their own at against the Airpods, and have several features that make them a compelling option for choosing wireless earbuds.
With a longer battery life, Bose noise cancelling tech, and Alexa built in and at a lower price point than Airpods the Echo Buds are a great option for wireless earbuds. They don't have the simple "Apple Look" of the Airpods which many Apple users enjoy but on the feature front they don't disappoint.
I see the Echo Buds as being a perfect wireless earbud option for Android users and good option for using noise canceling tech in the office without having a huge pair of headphones on. They are a little bit more discreet than the Airpods so if your workplace has a no headphones policy you're more likely to be able to get away this these as they will draw less attention.
Overall both the Echo Buds and Airpods are high quality wireless earbuds and the top two options for wireless earbuds. You can't go wrong with either and both will suit your needs for music playback and handsfree calling.
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