Shokz OpenDots Air review: Reliable, affordable, and the best open-back clip-on headphones for most people

Shokz OpenDots Air: Two-Minute Review

I’ve long named the flagship Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds in the clip-on style category, so I admit I watched the release of the brand’s budget option with trepidation.

Too often, headphones that fit a brand’s portfolio tend to fit poorly, remove too many features, completely miss the mark sonically, or launch at a price that doesn’t make sense. But I’m happy to report that the Shokz OpenDots Air avoids these problems.

In fact, for most buyers, this pair makes a lot more sense than its sibling, the Shokz OpenDots 2. That’s despite everything you’re here to read about being an inferior model, on paper.

Like the numbered OpenDots, the Air uses two 11.8mm drivers; you will only be able to hear a difference in sound quality if you Really I need Dolby Atmos or some of Shokz’s unique features (which I assume most people don’t).

The OpenDots Air also adopt a largely similar design, meaning they’re just as reliable in your ear during long runs or gym sessions. Occasionally I found them a little pinched, which I consider to be the fault of some design tweaks, but nothing stopped me from using them.

There’s more: the battery life is excellent, the carrying case is nice and small, and the connection is reliable. But some carryovers are a little less desirable: like other OpenDots, the touch controls are finicky to use. And while Shokz offered some of the best-performing open-back headphones last year, the Air (and 2) are entering a much more competitive market.

What sets the OpenDots Air apart from the 2 suffix set, making it a better buy, is the price; you can get them for about 25% less. For most buyers, I’d say you should save your money and buy the Air…unless one of the other fantastic cuff style heads (which generally undercut Shokz’s options) piques your interest.

After all, the premium Shokz is still in play, even with its more affordable buds.

Shokz OpenDots Air review: price and release date

• Launched June 4, 2026
• Sold for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219
• Cheaper alternative to OpenDots 2

The Shokz OpenDots Air were released on June 4, 2026, alongside the OpenDots 2. This was approximately 10 months after the original OpenDots One became available.

You can buy the headphones for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219, so they’re significantly cheaper than the $199.95 / £179.99 / AU$339 OpenDots 2. The original OpenDots One also went for that price, although a year later they’re easy to find at around $150 / £150 / AU$239 (and even less during sales).

Also note the flagship Shokz OpenFit Pro (more ‘traditional’ shell-shaped open earbuds) which include noise reduction and launching in January 2026, priced at a significant $249.95 / £219 / AU$399.

I will continue to call the OpenDots Air affordable armband style heads, but that is only in comparison to the OpenDots 2 and the other Shokz options listed above. Remember, Shokz is a leader in this category and you pay for it. You can easily find great alternatives for even less (we’ve even listed a few at the bottom of this review).

Shokz OpenDots Air review: features

• You will benefit from 9 hours of listening time; 36 with case
• The equalizer has four presets and a 5-band custom mode
• The application is quite light in functionality

You benefit from 9 hours of battery life with the Shokz OpenDots Air; at least, that’s the quoted listening time, and based on my tests, I have no reason to doubt it. That’s a hair below the 10 hours of the OpenDots One/2, but the difference is negligible and the battery life is still solid.

The case tops this figure with up to 36 hours of listening time, including recharges. This is more in line with industry standards.

As with most open-back headphones, there’s no noise cancellation here. It’s a shame, because Shokz is one of the few companies that offers ANC-adjacent technology in open ears (the OpenFit Pros have “noise cancelling,” but we tested it and it’s the same thing), and I find it even more useful in headphones of this type.

While the OpenDots Air aren’t as feature-rich as many other headphones, downloading the Shokz app lets you play around with what’s out there.

Perhaps the best reason to download the app is the equalizer; There are four presets (standard, vocal enhancement, bass enhancement, and audio leak reduction mode), as well as a simplistic five-band custom EQ that lets you create your own mix.

The app also lets you enable multi-point pairing, change the action of touch controls, enable (or disable) microphone noise cancellation during calls, and enable (or disable) wear detection.

Admittedly, the list is a bit thin. Beyond review purposes, I only opened the app once, and that was to check that I hadn’t accidentally disabled gesture controls (I hadn’t, we’ll get to that later).

• Features rating: 3.5/5

Shokz OpenDots Air Review: Design

• Slim carrying case
• Attractive blue marbled design
• Not designed to stick in the ear

They’re called clip-on headphones for a reason: the OpenDots Air are clip-on headphones with a C-shaped band connecting a rounded earpiece with an ovoid counterweight. The “dot” goes well in your ear, the “egg” is right behind it, looping around the bottom of the helix.

The earbuds weigh 6.3g each, with silicone and plastic making up the earbud housing. I’ve tested them at the gym, on bikes and runs (and in other less intensive settings) and never had any fit issues; This is a benefit of this form factor, and I’ve never had a wobbly trimmer.

However, I found that the Air could pinch a bit during longer wear sessions, and I was surprised by the relief I felt when taking them off after over an hour of running. About the reviews, the buds technically to have touch controls, but I could barely get them to sense my touch. You have to be incredibly precise to find the right spot, and I quickly gave up on using them. At this level, it’s not a deciding factor in this type of design (at least not yet), but it’s up to me to notice.

You can buy the earbuds in black or purple, a choice that carries over to the charging case. They are IP55 protected, which means they are safe from dust and jets of water, but you should not take them swimming.

The charging case is lighter than most I’ve seen, tipping the scales at 37.3g – that’s without the buds, and you’re looking at a total package of less than 50g. It’s nice and small too, and I really appreciate a case like this that’s lightweight and portable like this: it disappeared into my pockets with no problem.

The simplicity extends to ports and buttons; you get a USB-C port but no wireless charging, unlike the OpenDots 2, and oddly enough, no Bluetooth pairing replacement. I can’t remember the last time I saw an earphone case without this “I hope you don’t need it” feature, but Shokz apparently thinks you don’t need it at all.

• Design rating: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenDots Air: Sound quality

• Dual 11.8mm drivers
• Well-defined treble and bass
• Some premium features missing

Shokz found an audio setup he liked and stuck with it. As with the OpenDots One and OpenDots 2, the OpenDots Air has two custom 11.8mm drivers providing the music. The company is coy on what each of these drivers actually handles, but I’d guess at least one is geared toward the low end, given how much “Bassphere” is mentioned in the marketing.

(What is Bassphere? Uh, a marketing word, by the sound of it, and Shokz is pretty light on details. I did due journalistic diligence trying to dig through the fluff for details on Bassphere, but was unsuccessful. It appears to be what the company calls its dual-driver system.)

The OpenDots Air lack some features of their more expensive comrades. There’s no Dolby Atmos setting, for example, and it’s missing a few other Shokz-designed features, including MirrorPitch (which directs sound into your ear) and Bassphere 2.0 (like 1.0, but designed to reduce distortion that might result from the two-speaker system).

Okay, I danced around the subject; how does the Shokz OpenDots Air actually sound? They’re pretty good for open ears – they’re not quite up to the high-end OpenDots, or from some varied rivals, but I enjoyed listening to music with them.

It’s clear to my ear that one of the drivers is tuned in the low end, giving the bass a clear distinction that is often missing in open ears. Songs like Brian Kelley’s Beach cowboy or that of Kasabian Superpowers deliver clear bass that sits comfortably beneath higher frequency sounds, without blasting them.

The lack of support for better-than-vanilla codecs like LDAC, or seemingly any higher quality streaming, means audiophiles might not find these enjoyable listens. I can’t claim they’re on par with “standard” in-ear headphones costing this much, including those aimed at athletes. But for fitness-conscious listeners who need their ear canals to be clear to hear traffic, they’re all you need.

Naturally, when you’re on the move, bass will struggle a bit – it has a harder time cutting through surrounding noise than treble. This is normal for this type of earphone, but it bears repeating for those unfamiliar with the form factor.

• Sound quality: 4/5

Shokz OpenDots Air Review: Value

• Excellent value for money compared to the Shokz list
• Other cufflinks understate them

If you compare the OpenDots Air only to the OpenDots 2, they offer excellent value for money: you’re essentially getting the same headphones for a significant discount. I consider the Air to be the better buy for most people, out of the two.

But when you look at the broader headphone market, my recommendation becomes a little more muted. I’ve tested many pairs of clip-on headphones that are at or below the £/$100 mark, which perform basically the same as the OpenDots Air. If you’re not married to purchasing Shokz heads, below are some money-saving alternatives.

• Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Shokz OpenDots Air?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Shokz OpenDots Air review: also think

The open earphone market is incredibly competitive. Here are some others that I have tried and would recommend.

Drag to scroll horizontally

Header Cell – Column 0	Shokz OpenDots Air	Apple AirPods Pro 3	Clip1 by Soundpeats
Drivers	2×11.8mm	2×11.8mm	12mm
Active noise cancellation	No	No	No
Battery life (ANC on)	9 hours (buds), 36 hours (cases)	10 hours (buds), 40 hours (cases)	8 hours (buds), 32 hours (cases)
Weight	6.3 g (buds), 37.3 g (case)	5.6 g (buds), 52 g (case)	5g (buds), 55.5g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth6.1	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IP55	IP54	IPX5

How I tested the Shokz OpenDots Air

• Tested for a month
• Paired with an Android phone for Spotify, streaming and gaming
• Used during several types of activities

I used the Shokz OpenDots Air for about a month while writing this review. This ensured that they underwent extensive testing.

These tests included countless runs, multiple cycles, lots of gym sessions, lots of walks around my neighborhood, playing on different types of public transportation, moving house, and a trip to a surf town over the holidays.

Meanwhile, the headphones were paired with my Android smartphone. They were mainly used through Spotify, but I also used them for calling, watching YouTube videos, and playing games.

I’ve been testing gadgets for TechRadar since early 2019. Since then, I’ve reviewed countless headphones, including many open-style headphones and the Shokz OpenDots One.

• First revision in July 2026

• Read TechRadar Reviews Guarantee

Tom Bedford is an independent contributor to technology, entertainment and gaming. Beyond TechRadar, he has signed on to sites such as GamesRadar, Digital Trends, Android Police, TechAdvisor, WhattoWatch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022, he was part of the TechRadar team as an editor and then deputy editor of the mobile team.

Related

Ivan Mehta