Amazfit Up review: Budget-friendly open ear buds with a surprisingly good fit

Amazfit Up: One-minute review

The Amazfit Up earbuds feature an open-ear design, making them a great choice for those who want to stay aware of their surroundings while listening to music. This makes them particularly popular for fitness enthusiasts, outdoor runners, and anyone who struggles with traditional in-ear or over-ear designs.

But these earbuds take a different approach. While many of the best open-ear headphones rely on ear hooks that go over the top of your ear or neckbands for stability, the Amazfit Up earbuds "clip" onto the edge of the ear instead. This isn’t unique to Amazfit – other brands, most notably the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, have used a similar design, along with various budget-friendly alternatives.

However, the Amazfit Up buds could be a game-changer for those who find ear-hook designs uncomfortable, especially if you have thick hair or wear glasses (I’ve personally had trouble with them for both of these reasons).

Another key selling point is price. Amazfit, owned by Zepp Health, is known for its budget-friendly fitness smartwatches, like the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro, which we praised for covering the basics at an affordable price – though not without its drawbacks. The Amazfit Up follow a similar pattern.

Open-ear earbuds can be pricey, with brands like Shokz and Bose offering premium options that require a serious investment. And since open-ear listening isn’t for everyone, spending that much can feel like a gamble. The Amazfit Up buds offer a more affordable entry point, though, as with most budget-friendly devices, compromises are inevitable.

Read on to find out what I thought after three weeks of testing the Amazfit Up – and whether budget-friendly buds can deliver without cutting too many corners.

Amazfit Up: Price and release date

• Priced at $49.99 / £44.99
• Released in late 2024
• Cheap compared to rivals – but competition is mounting

The Amazfit Up earbuds launched in late 2024 with a price tag of $49.99 / £44.99. At the time of writing, there’s no official pricing or release date for Australia.

This price makes them an incredibly budget-friendly option – not just among open-ear designs but among wireless earbuds in general, even compared to those in our best budget wireless earbuds guide.

For context, our current top pick for open-ear earbuds, the Shokz OpenFit, cost $179.95 / £179.99 / AU$289, making them significantly more expensive. While the Shokz model does have a more premium build and better sound quality, fit is subjective. Personally, I found the Amazfit Up more comfortable for my ears, making them an outstanding value prospect.

Some other earbuds with a similar clip-on design – where the buds attach to the edge of the ear rather than sitting in, over, or around it – are priced much higher. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which we rated highly in our review, are often considered the gold standard for clip-on earbuds but come at a steep $299 / £299 / AU$449.95. The Huawei Free Clip, another alternative, is also pricier at $212.37 / £169.99.

That said, the market for affordable clip-on earbuds is growing. Models like the JLab Flex Open and Anker Soundcore C30i are priced similarly to the Amazfit Up, offering more competition in the budget open-ear space.

So while the Amazfit Up is a strong contender at this price point, it’s not the only budget-friendly option. However, considering what it offers, it stands out as a great value – though it’s worth keeping an eye on the increasing competition in this space.

Amazfit Up: Specifications

Amazfit Up: Design

• A clip-on design
• Incredibly comfortable and light
• Exterior looks a little cheap

The Amazfit Up earbuds feature an open-ear design often described as “clip-on.” While this term is becoming more common, I find it a little misleading since there’s no clamping or tight pressure involved.

Each earbud consists of a main housing that sits behind your ear, connected by a small curved band to a spherical speaker that rests lightly in your ear’s concha, just above – but not touching – your ear canal. While this design isn’t unique, it’s a clever take on open-ear audio, allowing sound to play close to your ears while keeping your ear canals free for situational awareness.

Unlike many earbuds that create pressure points over time, these distribute their lightweight 5g-per-bud so evenly that I barely noticed them, even after hours of wear. In fact, they’re some of the lightest, most comfortable earbuds I’ve tested – and I’ve tested a lot. That’s rare for me to say, as I usually experience some level of discomfort with most headphones. After wearing these for a while, everything else felt heavy in comparison.

For me, this design wasn’t just more comfortable – it was also far more practical. The area behind my ear, where many other open-ear buds sit, is already occupied. If I’m not wearing contacts, my glasses rest there. I also have thick, long hair and often wear hats, especially when running. This is why ear-hook designs tend to get in the way for me, and why the Amazfit Up felt like such a great fit.

For everyday use, they were ideal for walking and light jogging. While I wouldn’t trust them for intense activities like sprinting or inversions during yoga, they stayed more secure than I expected during running, especially compared to ear-hook designs.

Visually, they’re… fine. The textured design isn’t particularly sleek or premium-looking. A friend pointed out that they resemble a 1990s Star Trek: The Next Generation gadget, and I can’t unsee it now – especially with the small red light and ridged details adding to the sci-fi aesthetic. That said, once they’re on, all you really see is the sleek black band, which I actually loved.

The earbuds are IPX4-rated, meaning they can withstand light splashes, sweat, and rain. That’s fine for casual workouts, but some fitness-focused earbuds offer better water resistance, so it’s something to consider if you plan to use them in tougher conditions.

The charging case is compact and functional, but feels a bit flimsy. While it does the job, it doesn’t seem particularly durable, so it’s worth handling with care.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Amazfit Up: Features

• Multi-point connectivity
• Connects with the Amazfit line of smartwatches
• 24 hours battery in total: 6 from the buds, 18 from the case

The Amazfit Up earbuds come with a decent range of features, though there are some gaps. One of the most notable omissions is the lack of an app, which is frustrating for those who like customization options. However, they do support voice assistants, including Zepp Flow and other phone-based assistants.

For controls, Amazfit has opted for actual buttons positioned behind the ear. I really appreciated this, especially for fitness use. A tactile button makes a huge difference – especially when your hands are sweaty, cold, or tired. These buttons allow you to adjust volume, play and pause music, skip tracks, answer or reject calls, and wake up your voice assistant. There are multiple input methods – single, double, and triple-taps, as well as a press-and-hold gesture. While the positioning behind the ear isn’t the most intuitive at first, I found the controls to be responsive once I got used to them.

One standout feature is multipoint connectivity, which is rare for budget buds and something even the Shokz OpenFit (our top open-ear pick) doesn’t offer. I connected the buds to two devices simultaneously, my Macbook Air and my iPhone, and the connection was seamless between them both.

Amazfit claims that the Up earbuds integrate well with Amazfit smartwatches, though I wasn’t able to test this firsthand. If you already own an Amazfit watch, this could be a nice bonus.

For calls and noise reduction, Amazfit advertises an “advanced AI algorithm” designed to reduce background noise, particularly wind. While I could still make calls outdoors, and they performed better than expected in windy conditions, the call quality was just okay – my voice sounded slightly muffled and distant according to the person I was calling. For casual use, they do the job, but if you rely on earbuds for frequent calls, you’ll likely want something with stronger microphone performance.

Battery life is decent but not outstanding. You get 6 hours per charge and a full 24 hours in total with the case too, which is lower than some competitors. For comparison, the Bose Ultra Open buds offer 7.5 hours per charge, while the Shokz OpenFit buds deliver 7 hours per charge and 28 hours total. So while the Amazfit Up holds its own, it’s not leading the pack.

• Features score: 3.5 / 5

Amazfit Up: Sound quality

• Decent clarity and crispness
• Volume and bass okay considering the design
• Only a little noise leakage

Open-ear earbuds aren’t designed for premium, immersive audio, especially at the budget end of the market. But I was pleasantly surprised by the way the Amazfit Up sounded – design and price considered.

Since they play audio just outside of your ear canal rather than sealing sound in, they naturally lack some punch, particularly in the bass. That said, there’s still enough low-end presence here to keep workouts energized, and I found the overall sound to be really enjoyable. Vocals come through well, instruments in the higher range are crisp, and the treble is clear – though occasionally a little on the sharp side. The soundstage has an expansive feel, making tracks sound open rather than compressed.

Compared to pricier alternatives like the Shokz OpenFit Air, the clarity isn’t quite as refined, but the difference isn’t huge, especially considering the price gap. Volume levels are decent here, though not the loudest. Then again, the whole point is you’re meant to be able to hear your surroundings, so what could be a negative with other designs is a plus here.

One thing I noticed was a slight vibration at times, which is common with this style of earbuds. Noise leakage is also expected, but in my testing, it was minimal. At about three feet away, people could detect a faint sound but couldn’t make out what was playing. Only those standing very close could actually hear the music, but even then, it wasn’t intrusive. So in the past, I wouldn’t have recommended this design to take from say a run to the office, but unless you’re used to strict silence, these can multi-task.

Ultimately, you’re not getting top-tier audio or ANC here, but that was never the point. Instead, for casual listening, workouts, and walks, the Amazfit Up buds deliver a surprisingly solid, well-balanced sound for the price.

• Sound quality: 3.5 / 5

Amazfit Up: value

• Excellent value for money
• Cheap compared to rivals – though there is competition
• A good way to try this design

The Amazfit Up earbuds offer excellent value for money, delivering a surprising combination of decent sound quality, excellent comfort, and good features at a budget-friendly price.

While open-ear designs typically come with compromises, the fit is a standout feature, making them far more comfortable – especially for those who struggle with ear-hook designs, many of which are significantly more expensive. They also seriously undercut premium clip-on competitors like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds while still offering a solid listening experience.

That said, the market for affordable clip-on earbuds is growing, with brands like JLab and Anker offering similar designs at comparable prices. While competition is likely to increase, the Amazfit Up still holds its own as one of the best budget-friendly open-ear options we've tested. If you’re looking for an alternative to ear hooks without spending a fortune, they’re well worth considering.

• Value: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Amazfit Up?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Amazfit Up: Also consider

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a good shout if you don’t have a budget to consider and you’re pretty convinced by the open ear form factor. They look sleek and deliver some excellent sound, all things considered. It does feel like a risk at this price though, so you’ve been warned.
Read our full Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review

How I tested the Amazfit Up

• Tested for three weeks
• Tested at home, in a cafe, at the gym and outside in all sorts of weather conditions

I used the Amazfit Up open ear buds for three weeks before writing this review, and that involved listening to music and watching streamed movies. This gave me a good opportunity to trial them in a range of different environments and all sorts of situations.

Throughout the testing period, I used the Amazfit Up alongside my iPhone 14 Pro via Bluetooth. Streaming was done via Spotify and Mubi.

I listened at home, whilst travelling on a train, working in a cafe, working out at the gym, running along the beach and in the countryside and walking outside in all sorts of weather conditions.

I've spent the past 12 years testing a wide range of headphones and earbuds, particularly those designed for fitness. I have a keen interest in tech that emphasizes comfort and user-friendly design.

• First reviewed in February 2025.

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