When talking about a product, the ‘price/performance ratio’ is always a topic that is difficult to balance. Some users often talk about it, but some users say that the high price/performance ratio will inevitably lead to a compromise in quality and function. Among the numerous brands, Xiaomi is naturally one of the most talkative brands in terms of ‘high-cost performance.’ This becomes obvious when we take a look at the latest Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition, which is priced at 99 yuan ($14).
Though it’s a sports earphone, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition has already proven a high-end audio accessory can be priced quite lowly. But when customers see a headphone that costs so less, they doubt whether it can meet their requirements. Moreover, they wonder whether it can be classified as a sports earphone. We are going to find out whether it can.
If you have seen its predecessor the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headset, so you will notice many familiar design elements. Honestly, both models come with the same style.
However, after the streamlined design, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition has removed the hard ear hook design to ensure the portability of the headset to the utmost extent.
This is also why this sports earphone can limit its weight to 13.6g, becoming the lightest Bluetooth sports earphone in the current Xiaomi family. Even if it is worn for a long time, the headphone will not cause too much trouble to the ear.
After removing the ear hook design, Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition has added a plastic ear brace similar to shark fins. Xiaomi said that the 58° tilt angle can better fit the auricle to ensure sports wear in time.
When we wear headphones for jogging or equipment exercise, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition can fit nicely on the ear and will not slip easily. If you feel uncomfortable, it also offers five additional rubber ear caps to replace.
The Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition also enriches the functionality of the line control to the maximum extent. With three simple buttons, you can adjust the volume, switch songs, connect/hang calls, etc. However, there is an interesting feature – the double-clicking will enable Xiaomi intelligent voice assistant. Yes! The same found on the various products such as the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, Xiaomi Yeelight Smart Assistant Speaker, Xiaomi Mi AI Mini Speaker, and so on. However, to use it you have to pair the headphone with a smartphone that supports this feature.
In the face of sweat erosion during exercise, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition also has IPX4 waterproof rating.
In terms of battery life, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition can maintain 11 hours of battery life at medium volume. In our test, it does not need to care too much about the headphone power problem, as it is enough to last for two or three days before the battery runs out.
After 2 hours of charging operation, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition can be resurrected in situ.
As for the internal hardware configuration, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition uses a 10mm strong magnetic moving coil unit, with a PET ultra-thin speaker diaphragm. Though it is not a high-end unit, it is enough for daily use.
After testing it, we can state the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition’s audio performance is quite satisfactory, but there are still some shortcomings when it comes to certain instruments’ performance.
But you guess during the exercise, no one will care about the tri-band phase of the flow. It’s more important that the electronic music is what you have to listen to when working out. In this sense, the 99 yuan Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition can provide a performance you need.
Though Xiaomi has been always known for its cost-effective products and a special attention to the price-over-performance ratio, the original version was priced at 150 yuan, which was a bit higher than expected. In this sense, the Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition should look more competitive with its lower price tag. We understand this is not the best Bluetooth headphone you may want, but it’s quite enough for average users or for those who don’t want to spend a fortune on a Bluetooth earphone.
Xiaomi Sports Bluetooth Headphones Youth Edition Review
- Design
- Audio Performance
- Hardware
- Battery
- Price