Cutting the cord on earphones now comes in below $100, as Skullcandy offers a pint-sized pair.
Not sure how to adapt to the world of truly wireless earphones and their often expensive cost? There might be a fix on the way, and it aims to keep prices low.
While wireless earphones can vary in price wildly, Skullcandy is looking to the world of truly wireless earphones with a new pair, arriving in a price that may seem out of kilter for the category.
Priced a little like the name, the Skullcandy Dime are made to be small and inexpensive, coming in at $69.95, which is a fair sight more than the ten US cents the name refers to even at the typical Australian currency conversion. However they’re still less expensive than most name-brand truly wireless earphones, with the sub-$100 Bluetooth earphone category often delivering corded Bluetooth earphones from big brands, but not truly wireless options.
You can, of course, find plenty of mediocre no-name brand wireless earphones, often in the AirPods clone category, but Skullcandy’s effort is a little different, delivering up to 12 hours of battery life in the box with 3.5 hours in use, plus a smidgen of sweat resistance with an IPX4 slight water resistance rating.
The Dime earphones include microphones and controls to let you change tracks and adjust volume, and they use in-earphone tips for a level of isolation, though these are not noise cancelling earphones by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, they’re designed to offer wireless sound at a sub-$100 cost, and feel like they’re very much geared at those who might be considering the Beats Flex, which is Beats’ similarly priced corded Bluetooth option.
“Despite being the fastest growing segment in stereo headphones, true wireless earbuds still account for less than half of the market,” said Jeff Hutchings, Chief Product Officer of Skullcandy.
“Our all-new Dime True Wireless Earbuds are intent on changing that,” he said. “Offering stellar sound and unmatched simplicity at a price that makes it possible to throw a pair in every bag, Dime breaks down all barriers formerly associated with true wireless.”
Compared to other Skullcandy earphones, such as the Indy ANC we recently reviewed, you may find some things missing here, such as a long battery life and tracking using the Tile network.
However, the inexpensive price might just win people over, as might the size, which sees the earphones take up roughly the same amount length as the fob fob a car key.
You’ll find the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless Earbuds across Australia now, priced at $69.95 locally.
