TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
THREE STARS - The SoundPEATS H2 sounds great, but does too many things below average. Near the end of 2021, we've come to expect more from wireless earbuds in the 50 to 100 dollars price range.
SoundPEATS H2 specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AptX Adaptive codec
5 hours playtime on a single charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with four ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$80 - Check price on Amazon US, Amazon Germany, other Amazon stores or AliExpress
Below this SoundPEATS H2 review, you will find comparisons of the SoundPEATS H2 vs SoundPEATS H1, Soundcore Life P3, Earfun Air Pro 2, and Edifier X3s.
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Design, comfort and battery life
The SoundPEATS H2 is the direct successor to the highly praised SoundPEATS H1. In reality, it looks more like the successor of the SoundPEATS Sonic with its silver-metallic and rosé gold appearance. The charging case that can recharge the earbuds three times fully is entirely made from shiny plastic but wears it well - it doesn't look too cheap. It's compact and sturdy, and on the front are three LED-lights that handily indicate the remaining battery.
SoundPEATS follows the popular stem-design earbuds with an oval part that goes into your ears. This is a recipe for success: the oval shape goes in your ears diagonally and can reside there comfortably for hours. The buds feel light yet snug enough. They look the part too: the light-grey plastic can go for metal from a distance, and the brand logo on top of the stems looks pretty neat.
Sadly, there is no waterproof rating for the H2. But that's not its biggest problem. That's the battery life: the SoundPEATS H2 only reaches up to 5 hours of playtime on a single charge. That's a score competitors reach with ANC active noise cancelling - but that feature is absent on the H2. It's an underwhelming score in the 50 to 100 dollars price range.
Controls and connectivity
The SoundPEATS H2 has the same convenient control scheme as other earbuds from the brand. The responsitivity is off, unfortunately. Even after days of using the earbuds, it's hard to locate the touch panel, and even when you have the right place, commands are often not picked up the right way. It can be hard to pause these earbuds (you'll change the volume SO many times!), let alone activate or stop the game mode.
Double-tap L or R to play/pause music
Tap R to increase the volume
Tap L to decrease volume
Hold R to skip a song
Hold L to return a song
Triple-tap R to activate the voice assistant
Triple-tap L to (de)activate the gaming mode
Other connectivity is not without faults as well. The earbuds regularly have trouble connecting to your device when you take them out the case, and you'll have to pair them manually from your Bluetooth list to get a connection.
The Bluetooth signal remains stable up to 9-10 meters away from your device. You can also switch between charging one earbud and listen to the other, to listen to both earbuds - and the other way around. Music doesn't automatically pause when you take a bud out.
Calling and watching movies
Phone calls with the SoundPEATS H2 are doable, but it depends on your surroundings. Your voice is clear and loud and sounds fairly natural too. Wind noise is audible but doesn't interfere with calls too much. Unfortunately, other background noises do. Chatter or traffic can melt together with your voice. It's unfortunate that the H2 doesn't have Elevoc's noise reduction technology it offers in the SoundPEATS Mini.
The same goes for video calls like Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings: your voice is loud and clear, fairly natural too - but please take your call in quiet areas: background noises come through clearly.
Watching videos is flawless on Android and iPhone, with perfect synchronization between audio and video. The game mode is hard to activate due to the H2's controls, but helps to reduce the delay in sound effects somewhat. There's still some delay - the sound effect always triggers later than the action you see on screen.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $50
Sound quality of SoundPEATS H2: Tighter
The SoundPEATS H2 is the immediate successor to the SoundPEATS H1, highly praised for its sound quality. The H2 tightens things up a little bit.
The H2 has a steady mid-bass that can provide a strong slam to dance and hip-hop songs asking for it, but also a more gentle thump in pieces that don't push the bass out of itself. The sub-bass adds good depth to the lows; it sounds full and rumbles controlled yet deep - like in James Blake's wonderful test track Limit to Your Love.
Lower-mids are boosted and give the H2 a warm tonality. Drums have a sweet impact, and lower male vocals are full-bodied, while these voices are still clear and outweigh instruments around them. Things can get a little dense in electronic bass-heavy tracks, sometimes resulting in a sloppy mid-bass that loses some of its tightness.
Happily, SoundPEATS addressed the sharpness of mids and highs that could occur on the H1 and the SoundPEATS Sonic. Center-mids like guitars and piano play, and upper mid-tones (violins, trumpets, many singers) are controlled well. Female and higher male vocals are prominent and sound clear - although they can appear a bit thin or metallic in combination with upper-mid instruments. Guitars still don't have the most natural tonality, and cymbals and claps can still be a little splashy, but not so much that the H2 is tiring to listen to. There's plenty of warmth and bassy entertainment to counter for it.
Most of all, the H2 is more precise than the predecessor. It centers vocals clearer in front of you and directs instrumental details more precise to your left and right. While this is technically a good thing, it makes the H2 lose the stadium-like sense of soundstage, a bit of the openness and floatiness of the H1, which puts vocals more in the center of a 360 stage.
The H1 offers something special the H2 can't quite grasp - but you get a more controlled, balanced sound in return. The H2 isn't without its rough edges, but you can throw any genre at it - it will all sound pleasant.
SoundPEATS H2 comparisons
SoundPEATS H2 vs SoundPEATS H1: Which is better?
The release of the SoundPEATS H2 doesn't rule out the SoundPEATS H1. The H1 has a stadium-like sound with a big soundstage and vocals and instruments coming from everywhere, compared to a more precise but smaller stage of the H2. The H1 has more bass depth, with a harder-hitting mid-bass and heavier rumbling sub-bass, while the H2 has a more textured bass. The H2 controls upper-mids and highs better, the H1 can get a little harsh on top. While the H2 may be more comfortable, the predecessor has better touch controls and twice the battery life.
SoundPEATS H1 review ($80)
SoundPEATS H2 vs Soundcore Life P3
The Soundcore Life P3 is one of the strongest competitors in the 50-100 dollars price range. It has slightly better call quality, longer battery life, extensive app support with sleep sounds to relax to, and plenty of equalizers for the same money. Not to mention it also has solid ANC active noise cancelling! The Life P3 has a thicker sound, with stronger boosted lower-mids, heavier mid-bass, and deeper and rumblier sub-bass. The H2 has clearer center-mids and upper-mids, but they can also be a little harsher than on the P3. The Soundcore sounds airier and positions instruments better around you. The Life P3 goes a long way in making the SoundPEATS H2 feel so bare bones.
Soundcore Life P3 review ($80)
SoundPEATS H2 vs Earfun Air Pro 2
The Earfun Air Pro 2 is another strong competitor to the SoundPEATS H2. It has a warmer and darker sound than the H2, with longer-lasting mid-bass strikes and further emphasized lower mid-tones. The H2 presents upper-mids clearer and extends highs further, which makes vocals and cymbals sound brighter and gives them more details. The SoundPEATS also has more bass texture and an airier sound. The Earfun sounds bad in comparison - but it's more a background-listening approach than the more pronounced sound of the SoundPEATS. The Air Pro 2 wins on features, though: it has ANC active noise cancelling, a Transparency mode, better call quality, up to 2 hours longer battery life, and an IPX5 waterproof rating.
Earfun Air Pro 2 review ($60)
SoundPEATS H2 vs Edifier X3s
Seeking ultimate value for money, the $40 Edifier X3s offers 8 hours battery life per charge, IPX55 waterproof rating, better call quality, better controls, and a fantastic gaming mode. The SoundPEATS H2 sounds fuller than the X3s, with more mid-bass body, deeper sub-bass, and elevated lower-mids that also give the H2 a warmer sound. The X3s releases upper-mids and highs more, and it can be a bit bright as a result of it, but it does provide more vocal nuances and airiness, whereas the H2 sounds thinner and more metallic in these regions. While the X3s performs better performance-to-price-wise, the added lows make the SoundPEATS more entertaining. But is it worth twice the price while losing so much functionality?
Edifier X3s review ($40)
Verdict
The SoundPEATS H2 is a little sign of the times in a rapidly developing market - and that's excellent news for us, consumers. The H2 sounds great, but lacks in controls, connection, and features. At this price point, that means you can get even better alternatives.
THREE stars - Worth considering
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I received the SoundPEATS H2 from the manufacturer to test and review, and also bought it myself. My reviews are unsponsored and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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