TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
4.5 STARS - With good comfort and excellent sound quality, the SoundPEATS TrueDot is a pocket-size winner among cheap true wireless earphones.
Specs of the SoundPEATS TrueDot:
Bluetooth 5.0 with Realtek-chipset and AAC codec
IPX4 water proof (sweat and light rain resistant)
4 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 6 sets of ear tips and micro-USB cable
$25 on Amazon US, Amazon Europe or AliExpress - check current price!
Below this SoundPEATS TrueDot review you will find comparisons between the SoundPEATS TrueDot vs QCY T5, Alien Secret Predator QCC010, Fiil T1X, Bomaker Sifi, and Tronsmart Spunky Beat.
Update March 10, 2020: It seems there also is a different version of the SoundPEATS TrueDot with a Qualcomm QCC3020 chipset, delivering AptX codec. That model has volume controls and should be better in handling video on iPhone. Please inform the seller which version they have.
Update January 2021: As the quality of new TWS wireless earbuds keeps improving and there are more and more great models on the market, the overall score for this model has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars
Design, comfort and battery life
The SoundPEATS TrueDot offers just the thing many people want from their wireless earbuds: great portability. The charging case is among the tiniest on the market, measuring only 6,3 x 3 x 2,6 centimeters, a size comparable with the beloved Haylou GT1 and Bomaker Sifi. Happily, the 310 mAh case is still capable of recharging the earpieces three times before needing a recharge itself. While very simple in design, the case does feel sturdy enough.
The earpieces have the same dark grey-black duotone as the case. They fill up the case real good, but happily, the same can't be said when they're in your ears. The TrueDots have a bean shape and size, similar to other compact earpieces such as the QCY QS2 and - again - the Haylou GT1.
The earbuds feel comfortable in your ears, filling up inner-ears nicely, but without being too present. If they still are too big for you vertically or horizontally, you can also 'hang' them in your ears. It looks a bit weird, but the TrueDots will stay in fine. When playing music on moderate volume, the SoundPEATS TrueDot gives you around 4 hours of playing time before needing a recharge. That's a fair amount, considering the size.
Connectivity and controls
You control the SoundPEATS TrueDot by touching the sides of the earpieces. The touch panels respond well to your touch. With two taps on the right bud, you play or pause the music, or take a call. Two touches on the left surface activate the voice assistant on your phone. Hold the right bud two seconds to skip to the next song, hold the left one to return a track. There's always a beep to let you know when you've held the button long enough.
It isn't possible to change the volume, but at least, the touch controls are one of the most reliable seen up to this price.
Connectivity on the TrueDot is robust as well. It holds its Bluetooth 5.0 connection up to ten meters and keeps stable in areas more crowded with wireless signals. The earpieces also pair and connect quickly to your device.
Calling and watching movies with TrueDot
Watching videos is a great experience with the SoundPEATS TrueDot, with a spacious sound, solid bass, and plenty of individual details when watching a show or a movie. The audio synchronizes perfectly with video-apps on both iPhone and Android - except for the YouTube-app on the iPhone, which misses lipsync. When you're playing games, there's also a noticeable delay in the sound.
The call quality of the TrueDot is a surprise, especially considering the price and size. Indoors, other voices are reduced strong enough, with your own voice sounding much louder and clearer than the ones around you.
When you're outside, there's plenty of volume and clarity in your voice. Wind and traffic noises are suppressed well, although other voices are put through clear. The TrueDot sometimes has a soft crackle on the line, but it won't prevent you from making long phone calls with these.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $25
Sound quality of SoundPEATS TrueDot
Make sure you switch to the highest sound quality setting on your music streaming service, twist the earpieces in so that you hear the bass, and select the AAC codec on your Android Bluetooth settings: the SoundPEATS TrueDot is a wireless earbud of detail.
The TrueDot has an excellent soundstage, with musical details coming from in front, the left, and right of you. On acoustic genres such as jazz, blues, and classical pieces, instruments such as drums, guitars, cellos, trumpets, saxophones, and piano can easily be separated and placed around you. They sound natural, but still with a pleasant warm undertone.
It doesn't end there either. In dance, hip-hop, and pop songs, there's plenty of room for different electronic layers. Details, especially drums and cymbals, keep coming from your left and right. On top of the instruments and electronics, vocals are pushed forward. Female and higher-pitched male singers take center stage.
The lows are another part of the music that enjoys some emphasis. The bass comes with impressive depth: it sounds deep, the sub-bass manages to rumble in your ears when asked for, and it has a steady but controlled kick ready for more uplifting songs. Only in the most crowded parts, the bass area can sound a little too full. Overall, it's outstanding.
What's more, is that the dynamics on the SoundPEATS TrueDot are fantastic. Even when it all comes together in musical compositions, the bass, warmth-providing lower-mids, vocals, and instruments still stand, without one frequency pushing away the other. The SoundPEATS TrueDot is a treat.
Selected comparisons
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs Bomaker Sifi
The $40 Bomaker Sifi is a competitor to the TrueDot in price, size of both the case and the earpieces AND sound quality. Both are among the best wireless earbuds under $50 and even $100. The Sifi has a more mid-centric sound, with more emphasis on upper-mids. On high instruments like violins and cymbals, it offers even more detail, but the Sifi also sounds harsher in challenging songs. The TrueDot is more friendly -it's warmer with more emphasis on lower-mids. Want even more detail? Choose Sifi. Want a more friendly listen? Go for the TrueDot.
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs Fiil T1X
The $40 to $75 Fiil T1X (depending on which country you can order from), has thicker mids than the TrueDot. It offers more weight in the lows, like darker electronic tones, which makes it sound fuller. Mid-instruments like guitars also sound 'fatter' than they do on the TrueDot. The SoundPEATS offers more air in the sound, with a bigger soundstage - although both earphones have excellent instrument placement.
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs Haylou GT1 Plus
It totally looks like the Haylou GT1 Plus and SoundPEATS TrueDot come from the same manufacturing line. The charging case is almost the same, and so are the inner-parts of the earpieces. It's good to know they sound different - with the TrueDot having an advantage.
The TrueDot delivers a more dynamic sound, with more extended highs and a bigger, more layered bass section. It has a wider soundstage with more precise instrument placement, and instrument tonality is more natural. The GT1 Plus sounds more balanced and a bit brighter, doing vocals a favour.
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs Tronsmart Spunky Beat
The $25 Tronsmart Spunky Beat sounds somewhat tinny in comparison to the TrueDot. It has a sweet bass and steady bass thump but has less bass and lower-mids weight than the TrueDot. Upper-mids and highs are more extended, but also make the Spunky Beat overly bright in comparison to the TrueDot. The Spunky Beat may disappear just a bit more in your ears, but the controls on the TrueDot are way better.
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs Alien Secret QCC010
The $30 Alien Secret Predator QCC010 sounds spacier than the TrueDot with its expansive soundstage. When the highs kick in, it can seem harsher than the TrueDots, however. The TrueDots sounds cleaner, delivers more bass depth, and fuller lower-mids, making the Alien Secret look a bit hollow in comparison.
Alien Secret Predator QCC010 review
SoundPEATS TrueDot vs QCY T5
The $25 QCY T5 is another wireless earphone that sounds warm and balanced. It is a bit brighter than the TrueDot, with more emphasis on vocals and higher notes. It does control its highs better, however. The TrueDot has more bass presence and depth and offers better instrument placement within its soundstage. Dynamics on the TrueDot are also better, with better definition in both the lows and highs when songs become crowded.
Verdict
With good comfort and excellent sound quality, the SoundPEATS TrueDot is a pocket-size winner among cheap true wireless earphones.
4.5 stars - Great
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I bought the SoundPEATS TrueDot myself for testing and review purposes. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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