TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
4.5 STARS - For just about 30 dollars, the Haylou MoriPods gives you everything you could want from AirPods-like earbuds: good battery life, balanced sound, and natural sounding calls.
Haylou MoriPods specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX Adaptive and AAC codec
IPX4 waterproof (light rain and dust resistant)
5+ hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with USB-C cable
$35 - check price on AliExpress
Below this Haylou MoriPods review, you will find comparisons between the Haylou MoriPods vs SoundPEATS TrueAir 2, Fiil CC2, QCY T12, and Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE.
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Design, comfort and battery life
Haylou's MoriPods are available in black, blue, and white. In the tested white version, it has a clean look. The compact charging case is rounded on the sides and shows a little Haylou label. Once you charge it fully for around two hours via the USB-C port on the bottom, the case can recharge the earbuds four times fully before needing new power itself.
While there aren't LED lights to indicate the charging status on the case, you'll find them on the oval top part of the earbuds stems that come into view when you open the lid.
The half-in-ears earbuds have a typical AirPods-like mound that hangs easily and comfortably into your ears while still delivering a secure enough fit. They even stay in during rapid shake tests, and the MoriPods offer an IPX4-waterproof rating, making them resistant to light rain and dust. The best feature is its battery life: the MoriPods last a little over 5 hours on a single charge. That's a score above average for affordable half-in-ears and around 1,5 to 2 hours longer than previous cheap earphones from Haylou and its sister brand QCY.
The stems on the earbuds are slightly longer than most half-in-ears, although they don't strike as bulky as the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE. Rest assured, especially the blue edition has a neat design touch. As the upper part of the earbuds' stem is matte and the lower part is shiny, the MoriPods separates itself from so many (fake) AirPods clones.
Connectivity and controls
The MoriPods doesn't have an automatic pause function that triggers when you take an earbud out. That's a good thing, as the implementation on previous Haylou earbuds like the Haylou T19 has been cumbersome.
This time around, you only touch the upper part of the stem to activate the different functions. It triggers very easy, with a convenient control scheme:
Tap L or R once to play/ pause music
Tap R twice to skip a track
Tap L twice to return a song
Tap L or R three times to activate the voice assistant
Hold L or R to shut down the earbuds manually
Unfortunately, it's not possible to change the volume from the earbuds themselves.
Connectivity on the MoriPods is strong, with a reliable Bluetooth connection up to 10 meters away from your device, also keeping its signal in areas crowded with wireless signals and when you're walking or cycling. You can also listen to one earbud while you're charging the other, and revert to stereo listening seamlessly when you picked the charged bud up again.
Calling and video quality
Is the MoriPods an AirPods alternative when it comes to phone calls? Well, yes! Especially in quieter (indoor) areas, taking a phone call feels natural. In crowded/ outdoor scenarios, almost all surrounding noises are reduced well. Wind noise and sudden bright sounds like scooters are the exceptions to this rule, however. They can affect your otherwise loud and bright voice.
The MoriPods also handles video calls well. In Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other services, your voice may appear a bit thin at times but also clear and loud enough.
Watching videos is a flawless experience with the MoriPods. Synchronization between audio and video is perfect on both iPhone and Android, including the challenging YouTube app. There is a noticeable delay in sound effects when playing video games - as almost always.
Also read: The best AirPods-like earbuds under $50
Sound quality of Haylou MoriPods: Clear
Will $30 also get you a good-sounding AirPods alternative? Well, yes - the Haylou MoriPods combines a controlled bass with lots of clarity.
Like other AirPods-like design earphones, the MoriPods is not a bass monster. Sideways-aiming earphone speakers always have a hard time giving the fullest and deepest bass experience. That said, the MoriPods still packs a nice punch. There's a gentle mid-bass slam that's powerful enough to give modern genres like pop, dance, and electronic music its uplifting character. In acoustic songs, drums have enough impact, and bass guitars can show some lovely texture in easy-going songs.
Still, Haylou's specialty is treble, and it shows this time as well. The MoriPods makes music sound clear and airy. It puts vocals forward with plenty of power, and brighter sounding instruments like violins, trumpets, and cymbals are represented naturally. As lower-mid tones aren't very pronounced, the sound is on the brighter side, and you may need to get used to it coming from bass-heavy speakers or headphones - but it's not too bright.
Upper-mids and highs are controlled enough to prevent harshness in the music, but as often the case with treble-focused sound, music can strike a little thin on the highest volumes. It's not likely you'll turn the volume all the way up, though. This Haylou can go extremely loud on both Android and iPhone.
Happily, it's not necessary to turn up the volume up to enjoy the above-average level of detail the MoriPods presents. Apart from the clear and prominent vocals, there's good separation between the different frequencies and instruments, with effects and instruments coming from your left and right.
The Haylou MoriPods are balanced and clear-sounding wireless earphones, with just enough bass and solid vocal presence.
Haylou MoriPods comparisons
Haylou MoriPods vs SoundPEATS TrueAir2
The TrueAir 2 is Scarbir.com's top recommendation for everyone seeking cheap AirPods alternatives, but it finds a strong competitor in the MoriPods. The Haylou is better at handling indoor phone calls and video calls, two aspects where the SoundPEATS could be better. The TrueAir 2 handles outdoor calls better. Soundwise, the TrueAir 2 is likely to be the bigger crowd-pleaser with a stronger bass punch and a warmer sound, as its puts its effort on the lower-mids rather than Haylou's highs. The MoriPods sounds slightly clearer, with more control over (upper-mid and higher) vocals.
Haylou MoriPods vs QCY T12
Haylou's sister brand QCY also has a brand new AirPods-like offering in its lineup: the QCY T12. It's more affordable than the MoriPods, but looks and feels cheaper and sounds less accurate as well. The T12 has fuller lows, with stronger but less precise bass and boosted lower mid-tones, making the sound warmer. Mid-tones are not nearly as clear and natural as on the MoriPods: tonality on the QCY can sometimes be off. The MoriPods has a clearer, more balanced sound with tighter bass.
No QCY T12 review yet - $20 on AliExpress
Haylou MoriPods vs Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE
The Mi Air 2 SE has a comparable sound character to the Haylou, with decent bass and most of its presence in the upper-mids and highs. The MoriPods does have slightly more power in the bass and lower mids, giving music a bit more body. The Xiaomi is airier, but the Haylou has better instrument separation and placement. The MoriPods takes the lead in features and design, too: it boasts better call quality (especially for video calls) and doesn't seem as bulky in your ears as the Xiaomi.
Haylou MoriPods vs Fiil CC2
The Fiil CC2 is more expensive than the MoriPods and has a much more distinctive design, but it doesn't offer the same straightforward ease of use as the Haylou. The MoriPods has more controls, its 5 hours battery life is achieved without battery-saving shutdowns, and it makes your voice sound a lot clearer in video calls. The CC2 has a more pronounced bass and retrieves more detail in the (upper)mid-tones. It can sound a little sharper than the Haylou, yet it often sounds more immersive as well.
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Verdict
The Haylou MoriPods gives you everything you could want from AirPods-like earbuds: good battery life, balanced sound, and natural sounding calls. A great offering for its budget.
4.5 stars - great
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