TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - Especially renown for its affordable Bluetooth speaker offerings, Anker now takes the market of TWS true wireless earphones by storm. The medium-budget priced Anker Soundcore Life P2 is a real allrounder.
Anker Soundcore Life P2 specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX codec
IPX7 water proof (sweat, heavy rain and shower resistant)
7 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sets ear tips and a USB-C charging cable
$60 on AliExpress or Amazon US/ Europe/ Other Amazon stores - check current price!
Below this review you will find comparisons between the Anker Soundcore Life P2 vs SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE, QCY T5, Mpow T5/ M5 and Sabbat E12 Ultra.
Design, comfort and battery life
The charging case of the Anker Soundcore Life P2 is bigger than most of its competitors. You will feel it when you take it with you in your pants pocket. It looks good, though, with the Soundcore logo on top of the lid and the curved inside. The depth of the case ensures you can put bigger ear tips on the earpieces and leave them in the case.
That's a good thing on the Soundcore Life P2, because you may need different ear tips than the standard ones. The ear tips that come with the P2, are thinner than most and can wiggle in your ears. Don't expect a real tight, sport-proof fit on these. The earpieces are comfortable to wear, however. They are small and round on the inside, and the stems don't brush your cheeks. Happily, they also don't stick out of your ears too much.
The battery life of the Anker Soundcore Life P2 is top-notch, with up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge. The 700mAh case can recharge the pieces up to five times fully, and thanks to the USB-C support for fast charging, you can get an hour of listening time by just charging them 10 minutes (that is - if the case itself isn't empty).
Connectivity and controls on Anker Soundcore Life P2
The earpieces pair and connect fast, and will tell you their battery status in your ears, without taking too much time. The connectivity on the Soundcore Life P2 is stellar. They keep a stable connection north of ten meters, even through walls and in areas crowded with wireless signals. Furthermore, it's easy to swap between using 1 and 2 earpieces at all times.
The Life P2 has physical buttons, which you press on the exact spot you push the earpieces in your ears. Still, controlling them doesn't hurt, and is easy. The control scheme is logical. Press once to play or pause the music, press twice on the right bud to skip a song, and twice on the left one to return a song. With a long press, you activate the voice assistant of your smartphone. You can't change the volume on the earpieces, sadly.
Calling and watching movies
Products of Anker and Soundcore are known to be consumer-friendly. They're great allrounders for all its users, whether it's a Bluetooth speaker or - in this case - a true wireless earbud.
Synchronization between audio and video works perfect on Android, but also on iPhone - even on the always challenging YouTube-app. There is a noticeable audio delay when playing games, however.
The Life P2 puts your voice a through clear and loud when calling, whether you're in a quiet room or a busy place. When there are other people around you talking, the Life P2 still manages to pick up your voice specifically. The signal and quality remain when you take a walk with them.
The Soundcore Life P2 can be used outside for calling as well, although it's not as great. The earpieces try to reduce surrounding noises aggressively. It succeeds for traffic and voices around you, but your own voice is also reduced, and sounds somewhat distant and metallic. Overall, the call quality is great, however.
Sound quality of Anker Soundcore Life P2: bass-boosted
Anker describes the sound of the Life P2 extensively. The manufacturer states the graphene driver produces a broad soundstage with 'exceptional accuracy' and a bass boost of up to 43 percent.
The latter may indeed be true. The bass on the Anker Soundcore Life P2 is always present, with a fierce thump and a far from sub-bass rumble, when requested. That's not all, though. The bass also picks up the darkest tones from a song and intensifies them as bass tones. Take a Coldplay ballad, and what otherwise would be recognizable as bass-guitar riffs, now becomes a full, boosted bass line. Every song will sound warm and bassy on the Life P2. Bass lovers used to Beats-earphones or headphone may like this approach - not everyone will.
On top of the full bass frequencies and emphasized lower-mids (like drums and darker piano keystrokes), the upper-mids are still apparent. Guitars, violins, and male and female vocals get just enough room not to drown. The soundstage is decent, with good left-right stereo separation. The 'exceptional accuracy' Anker promises doesn't translate to the instrument placement, unfortunately - instead, instruments and vocals float a bit.
Think what you will of the abundance of bass and lower-mids; however; it does give the Anker Soundcore Life 2 a warm and smooth sound that works well for background and everyday listening. On higher volumes, too, it never becomes harsh or tiring. It may not be an audiophile dream, it will likely please many.
Anker Soundcore Life P2 comparisons
Anker Soundcore Life P2 vs SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE
The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE is another sturdy built pair of TWS with a great all-round set of qualities and darker sound signature. The TrueEngine SE bass thumps harder and offers more detail than on the Life P2. It's a more engaging sound than the Anker, but the P2 one sounds more friendly and balanced on lower volumes.
SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE review here
Anker Soundcore Life P2 vs QCY T5
The Anker Soundcore Life P2 looks more premium and has a longer battery life than the QCY T5, but QCY's stem-design wireless earphones offer better value for less money. They have a better call quality and a Gaming Mode that diminishes the audio delay while playing games. The QCY T5 sounds more natural, with more subtle bass and more clarity in instruments and vocals. The Anker sounds fuller.
Anker Soundcore Life P2 vs Sabbat E12 Ultra
The Soundcore Life P2 has a warmer, fuller sound than the Sabbat E12 Ultra. The bass on that much-praised earphone is actually quite comparable. However, the Life P2 has a bigger bass area, taking the lower-mids into the bass section as well. The Sabbat has more emphasis on vocals and higher frequencies, but can also sound a bit harsh with them. The Life P2 is a friendlier listen.
Anker Soundcore Life P2 vs Mpow T5/M5
The Mpow T5/M5 is another TWS with much emphasis on the bass and the lower-mids. It doesn't have the tightest bass section but still sounds more precise and detailed in the darker tones than the Soundcore Life P2. Soundstage and instrument placement on the Mpow is better, too. The Anker wins on practical aspects, such as battery life.
Verdict
Battery life, IPX7 water proof rating, comfort, call quality, audio-video synchronization: they're are all on point. The Anker Soundcore Life P2 is a solid, friendly-sounding allrounder for a neat price.
FOUR STARS - very good
Buy Anker Soundcore Life P2/ check current price:
Buy Anker Soundcore Life P2 on Amazon Europe (Germany)
I bought the Anker Soundcore Life P2 for testing and reviewing purposes myself. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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