Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds: Super Long Battery with HiFi Sound for Budget Buyers
Published on June 10, 2023, 5:48 p.m.
In the flooded market of true wireless earbuds, it can be challenging to find a solid budget option that doesn’t compromise too much on features and performance. The recently released Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds aims to fit that bill with its excellent battery life, great sound, and wallet-friendly price tag. Let’s take a closer look at what these value earbuds have to offer.
Overview
The Soundcore P20i true wireless earbuds are the latest budget-friendly offering from Soundcore, a sub-brand of the well-known tech company Anker. Available in black, blue or white color options, the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds delivers surprisingly premium specs like huge 10mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.3, and EQ customization via app - all for just $29.99.
Key Features:
- Massive 30-hour total battery life
- Powerful bass with 10mm drivers
- Customizable sound with 22 EQ presets
- IPX5 water-resistant
- AI-enhanced call clarity
Design and Comfort
The Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds have an understated, minimalist design with a compact and lightweight build. This makes them comfortable for prolonged listening. The pocketable charging case with an attached lanyard is a nice touch, allowing easy portability.
Powerful Bass with 10mm Oversized Drivers
The Soundcore P20i’s standout feature is its 10mm oversized drivers, significantly larger than the 6-8mm drivers found in many earbuds in this price range. This translates to a more dynamic and powerful sound, particularly in the low frequencies. Bassheads will appreciate the extra thump and rumble, while those who prefer a balanced sound can easily dial back the bass using the customizable EQ settings.
22 EQ Presets for Personalized Sound
The Soundcore app unlocks a world of audio customization with its 22 EQ presets. These presets are designed to enhance different music genres, from bass-heavy hip hop to vocal-focused acoustic tracks. You can even create and save your own custom EQ settings, ensuring your music always sounds exactly how you want it. This level of customization is rarely seen in budget earbuds and adds a lot of value to the P20i.
AI-Enhanced Calls for Crystal Clear Conversations
The Soundcore P20i incorporates dual microphones and AI algorithms to enhance call clarity. The AI works to isolate your voice from background noise, ensuring you come through loud and clear even in noisy environments. While not as advanced as the noise-cancelling technology found in more expensive earbuds, the P20i still delivers surprisingly good call quality for its price.
Noise Isolation
There is no active noise cancellation, but the in-ear seal does provide reasonable passive noise isolation that helps reduce ambient sounds. Volume can be cranked up to further mask background noise.
Single Earbud Mode for Extended Playtime and Awareness
The Soundcore P20i supports Single Earbud Mode, which allows you to use either earbud independently. This is useful if you want to stay aware of your surroundings or extend the total listening time. When you put one earbud back in the case, the other will automatically switch to mono mode, ensuring a seamless listening experience.
Bluetooth 5.3 for Stable Connectivity
The Soundcore P20i utilizes Bluetooth 5.3, the latest Bluetooth standard. This ensures a stable, low-latency connection for smooth audio playback and minimal lag. It also improves power efficiency, contributing to the earbuds’ impressive battery life. While some users have reported occasional connectivity issues, these seem to be the exception rather than the rule.
Customizable Controls for Personalized Use
The Soundcore app allows you to customize the touch controls on the P20i earbuds. You can assign different actions to single, double, and triple taps, as well as long presses. This allows you to tailor the controls to your specific preferences, making the earbuds even more user-friendly.
Find My Earbuds: Never Lose Your Buds Again
The Soundcore app’s “Find My Earbuds” feature is a lifesaver for those prone to misplacing their earbuds. If you can’t find one or both earbuds, the app can trigger a loud ringing sound from the earbuds, helping you locate them even if they’re hidden under a couch cushion or in a bag.
Massive 30-Hour Total Battery Life
The Soundcore P20i boasts an impressive 10 hours of playtime on a single charge. The charging case extends this to a total of 30 hours, enough for a week’s worth of commutes or several long-haul flights. This makes them ideal for frequent travelers or anyone who hates having to charge their earbuds constantly.
IPX5 Water-resistant for Worry-Free Workouts
With an IPX5 water-resistant rating, the Soundcore P20i can handle sweat and rain without missing a beat. This makes them a great choice for workouts, runs, and other outdoor activities. While you wouldn’t want to submerge them in water, they should have no problem surviving a sudden downpour or an intense gym session.
Use Cases:
The Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds are great for people who want wireless audio on a budget. Their marathon battery life makes them ideal for travel and commutes. The customizable sound and water resistance also make them a versatile choice for activities like working out, running errands, chilling at home or walking the dog.
User Feedback Analysis:
Overall, customer feedback on the Soundcore P20i earbuds is very positive, especially considering the ultra budget-friendly price. Users consistently praise the impressive battery life and great sound quality as the top highlights. Let’s take a closer look at what real-world experience reveals about the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds’s pros, cons and performance.
For audio, buyers describe the sound as powerful and balanced, with emphasis on the bass that many find quite pleasing. The large 10mm drivers deliver clear mids and highs well-suited for music listening across genres. Audiophiles note crisp detail retrieval making these great for podcasts and vocals. With loud max volumes, the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds provides immersive listening. EQ customization via the app earns acclaim for its versatility.
The marathon 30 hours of total battery life blows away owners, who can go days without charging. The quick charging is also convenient, providing 2 extra hours of playtime with just 10 minutes of charging. For such tiny earbuds, the longevity is mightily impressive.
Comfort and portability get high marks, with the lightweight Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds fitting securely during activities like exercising and commuting. The pocketable charging case is a welcome plus for on-the-go use.
In terms of downsides, connectivity stability is a mixed bag with some reporting intermittent Bluetooth dropouts. The touch controls take some practice to master for tasks like play/pause or answering calls. A common gripe is lack of volume controls on the earbuds themselves. Noise isolation could be better but is reasonable.
Overall, for the entry-level price, users feel the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds deliver fantastic value. The minor shortcomings are easy to overlook considering the remarkable battery life, great sound andbudget pricing. For an affordable introduction to true wireless listening, the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds ticks all the boxes.
Pros:
- Amazingly long 30-hour battery life
- Great bang for your buck
- Powerful sound with customizable EQ
- Bluetooth 5.3 enables stable connectivity
- Lightweight and comfortable design
Cons:
- No active noise cancellation
- Bluetooth can be spotty at times
- Touch controls may have a learning curve
Value:
For just $29.99, the impressive battery life, good sound and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity make the Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds a steal. They deliver great wireless audio and longevity at an ultra budget-friendly price point.
Conclusion and Future Improvements
The Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds offer an incredible value proposition for budget-minded consumers. They deliver exceptional battery life, good sound quality, and a range of features typically found in more expensive models. While they lack active noise cancellation and have minor connectivity issues, these are minor drawbacks considering the price.
In future iterations, Soundcore could consider adding active noise cancellation and improving the touch controls. However, as they stand, the P20i earbuds are a fantastic choice for anyone seeking affordable wireless audio without sacrificing performance.
Specifications:
- Drivers: 10mm
- Bluetooth version: 5.3
- Battery life: 10 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (with charging case)
- Charging time: 10 minutes (2 hours playtime)
- Water resistance: Yes (sweat and water resistant rating unknown)
- Active noise cancellation: No
- On-board controls: Tap for audio play/pause, unknown other controls
- Companion app: Yes for EQ customization
- Charging case: Yes, portable with integrated lanyard
What’s in the Box:
The Soundcore P20i true wireless earbuds include the earbuds themselves, the charging case with integrated lanyard, 3 sets of ear tips, a USB-C charging cable, and a quick start guide.