Another day, another true wireless earbud review. Today, it’s the X10 TWS Earbuds by a mysterious company called Aikela. I can’t find any info on Aikela, and the X10 is their only listing on Amazon, so the pressure is high. Competition is stiff at the $49.99 price point, so let’s see how they do.
Aikela X10 Review: TWS Bluetooth 5 Earbuds
In-the-Box
The X10 comes with a large charging case, USB-C cable, extra eartips, a multi-language manual, and a nylon drawstring carrying pouch.
The USB-C cable is a plus, but the eartips are on the flimsy side.
Design
The X10 have a below-average battery life of 3 hours, but the charging case packs a whopping 42 extra charges. The extra power comes at the cost of size; the case is thick, and about the size of my palm. Not very pocket friendly, but it can be used to power other devices like your phone. And with the amount of power it can store, you’ll have plenty of juice left over for the earbuds.
An IPX7 rating means you can immerse the earbuds in water, although you probably won’t need to. But it’s enough waterproofing to withstand any weather or workout conditions.
You can use the earbuds one at a time in mono mode, and you can pair them to 2 phones simultaneously. Also, these earbuds are NOT active noise-cancelling. The Bluetooth chip may reduce some ambient noise for phone calls, but almost all true wireless earbuds do that.
Controls
The X10 uses touch controls and suprisingly, they work great. The commands are intuitive; one tap for play/pause, two taps to skip, and hold for volume. I occasionally overshot my intended volume, but overall I was happy with the touch controls. They aren’t perfect, but for the price, Aikela does a better job than the competition.
Fit
The fit feels light and comfortable, but remains on the looser side. I typically find that earbuds that don’t include any stabilization are at risk of falling during a workout. And sadly, this is the case with the X10. Daily use and moderate exercise should be fine, but anything more intense, like HIIT or sprints, will probably knock them loose.
Sound
The X10 has a chunky-sounding bass that isn’t overpowering, and some high-end to balance things out. I didn’t love the midrange however. Instruments and voices can sound far away, or a little squished. The X10 also doesn’t get as loud as some of its competition, which is bad news for listeners who love to blast their music.
Overall the sound is relatively balanced, with decent bass. But it doesn’t compete with my longstanding favorites at this price: GeeKee and Strauss & Wagner.
Conclusion
The strongest selling point of the X10 may be the charging case. It holds a huge amount of power, and can be used as an extra battery for all of your devices. Plus the USB-C cable ensures you can recharge quickly.
Touch controls are handled well, the waterproofing is impressive, and while the sound didn’t blow me away, it wasn’t terrible either.
Pros-Â Useful quick-charging case, fluid controls, IPX7 waterproof
Cons-Â Only 3 hours per charge, okay sound quality
Find them on Amazon
Or, try Strauss & Wagner True Wireless Earbuds
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