Xiaomi Airdots: review, opinions and price of the Xiaomi Mi Airdots

The verdict is more or less unanimous: the Xiaomi Airdots are wireless earphones that stand their ground in the face of their most direct competitors from Apple.

For a fraction of the price of the Airpods , you can enjoy a product that offers a series of features and characteristics that have made it one of the best bargains in mid-range wireless headphones.

In this Culturasonora review, we'll try to shed some light on this collective madness.

Design

Xiaomi Airdots are made with love. It isn't always the case that significant price differences are explained by the quality of a product. Both the case and the earbuds are made of a soft-touch plastic that feels very pleasant to the touch.

It's definitely different from the hard plastic of Apple's Airpods, but they certainly offer an interesting alternative. The earbuds themselves have very subtle little rubber terminations that add a touch of elegance and style.

The cover of the case, which is also the charging base, is slightly translucent, so you can see when the Airdots are charging. This is a pretty cool yet useful feature worth noting.

The box has magnets that hold the Airdots together when charging or storing, and that make them fit perfectly when the lid is closed. We tested them by throwing a backpack with the case and other stuff inside it into the air, and the earbuds stayed in place.

In terms of size, they are a bit smaller than their Apple counterparts, quite a minor detail in our view, but one that may make all the difference for some users. Their design is sober and simple: they are not made to show off, but to go unnoticed while delivering their full sound quality.

Xiaomi Airdots: Convenience

The Xiaomi Airdots have IPX5 technology for water and sweat resistance, a feature we appreciate, and that adds to its other virtues. This way, we can rest assured while using the earphones at the gym or on a morning jog, that they will not break down.

There are no special details in their design that make them easier to insert in the ear, but we found they fit perfectly. Some users report that they can be a little loose, but this was not our experience. Each cup weighs just 4 grams in size, quite inconspicuous, and we quickly forgot we were wearing them.

Functionalities

Xiaomi Airdots feature sensitive touch controls. Pressing once or twice launches Google Assistant or play/pause, respectively.

It's a really cool on/off system that works without buttons, simply by swiping your finger on the earphones for a few seconds. Once in operation, they pair up fairly quickly and are ready to use.

The Xiaomi Airdots can connect with any Bluetooth device such as laptops, smartphones, desktops, tablets, and MP3 players such as Fiio, X1, Shanling or a Walkman.

They work with Bluetooth 5.0, which allows you to enjoy features such as less signal distortion and better sound quality.

When you take the Airdots out of the case, they automatically connect to the last available device, and when you put them back in the box, the reverse process is executed.

This kind of details make all the difference, and deliver a user experience that we rarely see in headphones in this price range.

One negative aspect may be the fact that we have no volume control and no possibility to fast forward or rewind tracks directly from the earphones. Its small size was made possible by the removal of these controls, although you can always control these aspects from your player.

Sound quality of the Xiaomi Airdots

You can percieve the Xiaomi Mi Airdots' great sound quality from the moment you pair them with your playback device. They don't have the bass power and quality that the Sony WF1000X has, but for the huge price difference between the two, it's not noticeable at all.

The internal 7.2mm drivers deliver deep bass and a very pleasant and versatile warm sound. They feature a technology called TrueWireless Stereo, which delivers what it promises: true stereo sound in wireless headphones.

Having a quality microphone is also important, as we will not only use the headphones for entertainment, but also for answering calls and such. Voice playback quality is average and, due to the very small size of the Airdots, a bit of echo is sometimes picked up.

Your voice will come through loud and clear enough to be well received, but it might be risky to use them for very important business meetings conducted via teleconference.

Battery and charging system

The Xiaomi Mi Airdots promise four hours of playback after a full charge, although this is variable depending on playback volume. In real conditions, these four hours can be reduced to approximately three and a half hours.

Faster recharging would be desirable: it takes between 45 minutes and one hour. Not a bad figure, but if you're used to the fast charging options of the latest products on the market, it feels a bit slow.

The charging cable is included from the factory, and is a standard micro-USB. It's true that a USB-C cable would have been preferable, but one wonders if it would have affected the price too much to consider.

The charging station is included and, as mentioned above, has magnets that attract the headphones and hold them in place, doubling as a storage case.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Airdots have revolutionized the wireless headphone market since their release. Thanks to the high quality they offer in all aspects, their rival their competitors' products, up to five times pricier.

You can access the features of Apple's very popular wireless headphones at a fraction of the price. If you don't have a special soft spot for a prticular brand, and simply want quality and performance, the Airdots are definitely worth a try.

You will be amazed at the level of manufacturing that Chinese companies like Xiaomi have achieved, at costs that sometimes seem impossible. Interested? Find the best prices on Amazon.

We also recommend you check out the new Xiaomi Airdots Pro 2, an upgrade that features several improvements. Likewise, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 3 Pro, Tronsmart Apollo Bold, realme Buds Air 3 and the Huawei Freebuds 4i. In our review of the best Energy Sistem headphones, you can also find good options.

Xiaomi Airdots technical features