Shokz launches its smallest open earbuds yet, and I'm ready to hear this one out despite the high price

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These very light earbuds have long battery life and some clever features

A young woman with dark hair in a ponytail, a dark red top and an Shokz OpenDots ONE earbud in her left ear cuddles a dog. They are in what appears to be a garden on a sunny day and the dog is licking its own nose.
(Image credit: Shokz)
  • Shokz OpenDots ONE weight just 0.23oz per earbud
  • Interchangeable left/right earbuds, and 10-hour battery life
  • $199 (about £149 / AU$309), available now

Shokz has launched its smallest open-ear wireless buds yet, the OpenDots ONE. Weighing just 0.23 ounces (just over 6g) per bud they're extremely light, and their clip-on design should ensure they stay put even when you're active, despite they being smaller and not having the wrapround design of the Shokz that top our list of the best open earbuds.

The clip-on section is made from a nickel-titanium arch that Shokz says feels gentle but stays secure on all ear sizes. It's enclosed in soft silicone for comfort and the earbuds are interchangeable: simply stick them in whichever ear you like and they'll work out which bud is in which ear and adjust the stereo accordingly.

A young man with very short black hair wearing an oatmeal colored sweater is sat at a desk, staring intently at an Apple laptop while wearing a Shokz OpenDots ONE earbud. He must be very bored because the laptop is showing the lock screen.

(Image credit: Shokz)

Shokz OpenDots ONE: pricing and key features

The buds are powered by custom 11.8mm drivers with Shokz' Bassphere design for a strong low end. There are four EQ modes and what Shokz calls DirectPitch Audio, which is designed to minimize sound leakage despite the buds not being directly in your ear canal.

There are two microphones for calls, and AI noise reduction for clarity when you're speaking to someone – though there's no active noise cancellation here.

The battery life is up to 10 hours on a single charge and a total of 40 hours from the lightweight charging case. The buds are IP54 water and sweat resistant, and they have multipoint so you can connect to two devices simultaneously for easy switching.

So far the launch is US-only, with availability from today (April 29th). The recommended retail price is $199 (about £149 / AU$309, though there's no confirmation of a launch in other countries yet).

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Carrie Marshall
Carrie Marshall
Contributor

Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind.

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