What it’s essential know
- Shokz introduced the OpenFit 2 wi-fi open-ear earbuds at CES 2025 on Tuesday.
- The OpenFit 2 have 11 hours of battery per cost, twin low- and high-frequency drivers in every earbud, and IP55 water resistance.
- The brand new earbuds are 1g heavier however have improved Bluetooth, tweaked earhooks, and a brand new bodily button for controls.
Shokz introduced the successor to my favourite wi-fi earbuds at CES 2025 on Tuesday, however it took me three days to see the information. Although I am out of the loop, I made a decision to cowl the announcement late. I am simply that enthusiastic about it.
Ever since I reviewed the Shokz OpenFit wi-fi earbuds in late 2023, I’ve deserted my previous earbuds and worn them nearly completely. Over a 12 months of carrying them for coaching runs, hikes, and races, I’ve grown dependent upon their open-ear match for holding my situational consciousness and letting my eardrums chill out, whereas acknowledging some annoying flaws with them over time.
Now it seems to be just like the Shokz OpenFit 2 will repair most (if not all) of my complaints with the first-gen earbuds.
Like the unique OpenFit and the cheaper OpenFit Air, the OpenFit 2 has a silicone earhook that lets the speaker sit immediately over your ear, directing sound inside whereas leaving it open to listen to your environment. It is a good different to bone conduction headphones (just like the Shokz OpenRun Professional 2) should you’re not a fan of them.
Sadly, the Shokz OpenFit have a comparatively common battery life, finicky contact controls that steadily result in dropped telephone calls, and softer sound in comparison with in-ear earbuds. In addition they generally refuse to cost and keep linked to your telephone whereas within the charging case, or die in the event that they sit too lengthy with out the case being charged.
I am ready to listen to again from a Shokz rep if that infamous charging connector problem has been mounted, because the OpenFit 2 charging case has the identical look and 48-hour capability as the primary technology. However on each different entrance, the OpenFit 2 ought to be a significant enchancment.
It jumps from 7 to 11 hours of streaming per cost, with a 270-day standby time in-case as a substitute of 10 days. They’ve added a bodily button with single-, double-, and triple-click shortcuts like pausing music or answering telephone calls; now the touchpad solely controls quantity and your voice assistant, which is a aid.
Most significantly for audiophiles, it provides two drivers as a substitute of 1, concentrating on lows and highs, with a bigger bass driver than earlier than and “OpenBass 2.0” tech to “improve dynamic low-frequency vibrations immediately into your ear.”
I personally felt the OpenFit had good-enough audio high quality with the bass enhance EQ setting, and cared extra in regards to the eardrum consolation and unimpeded consciousness than excellent encompass sound. The OpenFit 2 will present a beautiful little enhance for first-gen followers, however in all probability will not fulfill those that desire exercise earbuds with a correct seal and synthetic transparency modes for richer sound, just like the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic Gen 2.
Different new upgrades embrace a redesigned versatile earhook that is purported to “guarantee a safe match” with new, softer silicone than earlier than, together with a leap from IP54 to IP55 water resistance (dealing with water jets as a substitute of splashes) and new Bluetooth 5.4 help for triple the vary away out of your telephone.
I intend to evaluate the Shokz OpenFit 2 quickly and see in the event that they ship on the corporate’s promised enhancements. However think about me fairly optimistic, just because the upgrades appear to immediately handle many first-gen customers’ complaints, together with mine.
Keep conscious and within the zone
The brand new model of my favourite wi-fi exercise earbuds preserve the identical DirectPitch audio design that blasts the sound into your ears whereas holding them unimpeded, much like bone conduction earbuds however with extra conventional speaker audio. This model prices the identical however lasts longer, hits a louder and deeper sound, and might stand up to extra water and sweat.
