What that you must know
- Shokz introduced the OpenFit 2 wi-fi open-ear earbuds at CES 2025 on Tuesday.
- The OpenFit 2 have 11 hours of battery per cost, twin low- and high-frequency drivers in every earbud, and IP55 water resistance.
- The new earbuds are 1g heavier however have improved Bluetooth, tweaked earhooks, and a brand new bodily button for controls.
Shokz introduced the successor to my favourite wi-fi earbuds at CES 2025 on Tuesday, nevertheless it took me three days to see the information. Even although I’m out of the loop, I made a decision to cowl the announcement late. I’m simply that enthusiastic about it.
Ever since I reviewed the Shokz OpenFit wi-fi earbuds in late 2023, I’ve deserted my previous earbuds and worn them nearly completely. Over a yr of carrying them for coaching runs, hikes, and races, I’ve grown dependent upon their open-ear match for maintaining my situational consciousness and letting my eardrums calm down, whereas acknowledging some annoying flaws with them over time.
Now it seems just like the Shokz OpenFit 2 will repair most (if not all) of my complaints with the first-gen earbuds.
Like the unique OpenFit and the cheaper OpenFit Air, the OpenFit 2 has a silicone earhook that lets the speaker sit straight over your ear, directing sound inside whereas leaving it open to listen to your environment. It’s a pleasant various to bone conduction headphones (just like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2) when you’re not a fan of them.
Unfortunately, the Shokz OpenFit have a comparatively common battery life, finicky contact controls that incessantly result in dropped telephone calls, and softer sound in comparison with in-ear earbuds. They additionally generally refuse to cost and keep related to your telephone whereas within the charging case, or die in the event that they sit too lengthy with out the case being charged.
I’m ready to listen to again from a Shokz rep if that infamous charging connector concern has been mounted, because the OpenFit 2 charging case has the identical look and 48-hour capability as the primary era. But on each different entrance, the OpenFit 2 needs to be a significant enchancment.
It jumps from 7 to 11 hours of streaming per cost, with a 270-day standby time in-case as an alternative of 10 days. They’ve added a bodily button with single-, double-, and triple-click shortcuts like pausing music or answering telephone calls; now the touchpad solely controls quantity and your voice assistant, which is a aid.
Most importantly for audiophiles, it provides two drivers as an alternative of 1, focusing on lows and highs, with a bigger bass driver than earlier than and “OpenBass 2.0” tech to “improve dynamic low-frequency vibrations straight into your ear.”
I personally felt the OpenFit had good-enough audio high quality with the bass increase EQ setting, and cared extra concerning the eardrum consolation and unimpeded consciousness than excellent encompass sound. The OpenFit 2 will present a stunning little increase for first-gen followers, however in all probability will not fulfill those that favor exercise earbuds with a correct seal and synthetic transparency modes for richer sound, just like the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2.
Other new upgrades embrace a redesigned versatile earhook that is alleged to “guarantee a safe match” with new, softer silicone than earlier than, together with a soar from IP54 to IP55 water resistance (dealing with water jets as an alternative of splashes) and new Bluetooth 5.4 help for triple the vary away out of your telephone.
I intend to assessment the Shokz OpenFit 2 quickly and see in the event that they ship on the corporate’s promised enhancements. But take into account me fairly optimistic, just because the upgrades appear to straight tackle many first-gen customers’ complaints, together with mine.
Stay conscious and within the zone
The new model of my favourite wi-fi exercise earbuds hold the identical DirectPitch audio design that blasts the sound into your ears whereas maintaining them unimpeded, much like bone conduction earbuds however with extra conventional speaker audio. This model prices the identical however lasts longer, hits a louder and deeper sound, and might face up to extra water and sweat.
