TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
TWO STARS - Bluedio's fourth attempt at wireless earbuds still doesn't convince. The Bluedio Fi comes with an app and an automated pause function, but lacks in connectivity and sound quality.
Specs of the Bluedio Fi TWS:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX codec
5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sizes of ear tips and USB-C cable
$30-$35 on AliExpress or Amazon US/ Amazon UK - check current price!
Below this Bluedio Fi review you will find comparisons of the Bluedio Fi vs Haylou GT1 Plus and SoundPEATS TrueDot.
Design, comfort and battery life
The Bluedio Fi looks quite something, especially in pictures. The charging case looks to be made from brushed dark steel with a shiny steel lid on top.
Come closer, and you'll find out that it's all made from plastic, extremely prone to fingerprints and that the cover on the case is a bit shaky. There is a nice design touch though; as the text Fi lights up in the middle of the lid to indicate that the earpieces are charging.
Speaking of charging: the Bluedio Fi gets power via USB-C and can recharge the earpieces three times, before needing power itself. The earpieces itself deliver around 5 hours of playtime on a single charge. Only when you use ONE earpiece at a time, you may reach Bluedio's promised 10 hours. Still, five hours is still an average and very acceptable score in this price range.
The earbuds have the shape of a tear, which makes them fit comfortably in even tinier ears. The round touch panel has the same brushed effect of the case and handy Left and Right indicators, but overall the earpieces look a bit generic - unlike the case.
Connectivity and controls
The Bluedio Fi has a smart function that is rarely seen on low-budget wireless earphones. It automatically stops playing when you take one earpiece out - and then resumes again if you put it back in. It works surprisingly well. It's also possible to switch easily between listening to one and two earpieces.
Other touch controls are decent too. Play or pause music with a single tap on the round touch panel. Tap twice on the right bud to increase the volume, twice on the left one to decrease it. With three taps on the right bud, you advance a song - touch the left piece thrice to return a track. Holding a side for 2 seconds activates the voice assistant on your smartphone.
Unfortunately, connectivity on the Bluedio Fi isn't top-notch. There are occasions when the earpieces loose connection to your device for a slight second, resulting in a dip in the sound.
What's worse is that the earpieces don't always turn on and connect when you take them out of the case. You have to wait for the white lights on the earpieces to light up, but even when you do, one of the earpieces might not turn on until you try it again. Not very convenient when you want to commute.
Calling and watching movies with Bluedio Fi
Calling is doable on the Bluedio Fi. Sounds from your surroundings are reduced nicely, even traffic and construction work sound outside. They are replaced by an artificial silence that sounds relaxing enough to the other end of the line, especially since your voice sounds just about clear on top of it.
You, weirdly, may hear the person you're talking to with lots of cracks and little pauses.
The Bluedio Fi handles video well. Audio synchronizes perfectly with video on both Android and iPhone, even on the ever-so-challenging YouTube app. There is a delay in the sound when playing games, though.
App of the Bluedio Fi
The Bluedio Fi has a supportive app - unique for this price - which Bluedio recommends you to download and use to 'burn-in' the sound of your wireless earphones. What that means is: Bluedio offers white and pink noise tracks you should play for hours on end, to improve the sound of your earphones.
Let's put it this way, without trying to offend anyone: burning-in has not always proven to work. And when the sound of an earphone is plain lackluster out of itself - see the sound quality part of this review - there's little sense in spending hours on altering minor nuances in the sound - if any at all.
Apart from the burning-in, you can see some news messages, interact with other Bluedio customers, and play different ambient music tracks from the app (pictured) - but you'll need an account for all functions first. While the ambient sounds are a nice addition, it's not worth the trouble.
Also read: The best true wireless earphones under $50
Sound quality of Bluedio Fi: something wrong
This is the fourth review of a wireless earphone from Bluedio on this site, and with yet net another deception, it's clear that Bluedio just does something wrong.
Just like the T-Elf and T-Elf 2, the Bluedio Fi has an overdose of upper-mids and highs, at the cost of almost no bass and lower-mids. Normally, this sound signature is caused by using the wrong size of ear tips, but here, changing between the different sizes barely changes the sound.
The problem may not be in the sound tuning itself but in the setup of the nozzle and ear tips. The top-end of the nozzle is so short, that the rubber ear-tips may not go into your ear-canals deep enough to make you feel the bass and hear the lows.
Now, as this is a fit issue and your ear canals could be more shallow, your experience may be different. However, with nearly 120 wireless earphones tested on this site, only Bluedio products - the T-Elf, T-Elf 2 and this Fi - have this typical fit problem.
The result, then, is that the Bluedio Fi doesn't sound good. The bass has a light kick which you can hear, but never feel. There's a severe lack of lower-mids, which usually give music their warmth, punch, or smoothness. Here, they don't. Mids and highs do come clear, but they sound shallow, too light - or even mono. The sound is rather spacious, and instruments can be placed decently, but there's just so little dynamics in the sound, that it doesn't really matter. Vocals, both male and female, lack the nuances of better competitors, too.
The Bluedio Fi sound reminds of a 10 dollars mono bathroom-speaker - and that's not a good thing - especially since there are so many great alternatives for the same price. The Fi is a tiring listen.
Selected comparisons
Bluedio Fi vs SoundPEATS TrueDot
The $25 SoundPEATS TrueDot has a much more dynamic and warmer sound, with powerful bass, more details from the lowest to the highest tones, and better instrument separation and tonality. The punchy bass may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a much sweeter, allround and more detailed listen than the Bluedio. The Fi may be more comfortable to smaller ears, however.
Bluedio Fi vs Haylou GT1 Plus
When looking for a balanced sound, the $25 Haylou GT1 Plus is a much better choice than the Bluedio Fi. Mids and highs enjoy plenty of room on the Haylou and are more detailed and refined. The bass and lower frequencies support higher-pitched instruments and vocals nicely, making a more balanced sound than the Bluedio. Even though the GT1 Plus has minor connection problems, it still fares better than the Fi.
Verdict
While the auto-pause and play function and the addition of an app are nice gimmicks, the Bluedio Fi fails to convince in basic aspects such as the connectivity and sound quality.
TWO stars - Disappointing
Buy Bluedio Fi TWS/ check current price:
I bought the Bluedio Fi TWS myself for testing and review purposes. 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
Also read:
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