I was skeptical of clip-on earbuds, but Soundpeats' latest pair made me a believer

Earlier this year, I reviewed the Soundpeats Pearl Clip Pro earbuds and was converted to the form factor. Prior to that, I was hesitant to switch from bone-conducting earbuds to the new form factor. Little did I know what I was missing in terms of sound and comfort.

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That’s right, the new clip-on open-ear earbud form factor is far superior to the bone-conducting type in just about every way, while also being less inexpensive. The Pearl Clip earbuds aren’t exactly high-end, running just $50 on Amazon, but they aren’t even the brand’s cheapest pair of earbuds. 

I wanted to see what their even cheaper model sounded like. So I got ahold of Soundpeats’ budget pair: the Pop Clip open-ear clip-on earbuds, which only cost $40.

There’s only a $10 difference between these two clip-on earbuds, but there’s a lot going on here. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two: 

The Pearl Clip Pro features better drivers, are made of slightly better materials, and produce better audio. The question then becomes, is saving $10 worth it? In my opinion, not really. 

Essentially, it boils down to sound quality vs. playtime. If you want higher-quality sound, go with the Pearl Clip Pro. If you want longer battery life, go with the Pop Clip. The good news is that, either way, both of these clip-on earbuds perform well.

My experience

Pairing the Pop Clip earbuds with my Pixel 9 Pro was seamless, and once connected, I pulled up Spotify and started my jams. It didn’t take long for me to realize the sound from the Pop Clip earbuds was inferior to the Pearl Clip Pro. That’s not to say the sound is bad; it’s not. But two things stuck out: they lacked depth and refinement in the low end. 

The highs were nice and crisp, almost too much so (given the lack of bass), and the mids weren’t at all harsh. But having that depth at the bottom was pretty glaring. I say that with a sort of asterisk because when I’m running, my ears aren’t exactly concerned with soundstage or dynamics. 

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I just want to hear my music but still be aware of ambient sound, and in that respect, the Pop Clips are great. I can play music at a decent level, while still being able to hear everything around me. 

There are certain genres that are better suited for these earbuds, such as pop, classic rock, 80s, podcasts, and YouTube videos. If you venture into the realms of metal, hip-hop, EDM, techno, breakbeat, or funk, you’re going to find that lack of well-defined bass to be a problem. 

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In the end, these clip-on earbuds do a good job of filling your ears with sound you can hear when you’re out being active. And with decent battery life and all-day comfort, anyone on a tight budget would do well with these.

As for me, I’ll stick with the Pearl Clip Pros because I need a bit more depth and dimension to my music, even when I’m out pounding the pavement.

ZDNET’s buying advice

This is simple: If you want a pair of earbuds that you can wear for extended periods while being active, and care more about battery life than sound, the Pop Clip earbuds are a great option. At only $40, you won’t find a better pair of earbuds in this form factor. As long as you don’t expect high-end resolution and a well-defined kick, you’ll be perfectly happy with these.

If you want a little richer audio, go with Soundpeats slightly higher-end clip-on earbuds, the Pearl Clip Pro, which sound better than their $50 price tag would suggest. 

Soundpeats Pop Clip open-ear earbuds specs

• 10.8mm dual-magnet dynamic driver
• PU + LCP composite diaphragm
• Clearer treble, brighter, less bass impact
• 8h earbuds + 22h case (30h total)
• 4.73g
• Physical button controls
• Bidirectional wind noise cancellation
• Movie Mode, Dynamic EQ, Find My Earbuds
• IPX5
• 15-min quick charge = 3h playtime