Bose recently introduced the Sport Open Earbuds, a new addition to its ever-expanding line of headphones.
Designed for “running, training and outdoor adventures,” how does the Sport Open stack up against Bose’s 2020 Sport earphones? If you own an older pair, is it time to upgrade?
Ahead of our review of the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, we’ve compared the initial specs with the Sport earbuds and highlighted the key improvements below. Read on to find out what’s new and whether you think the buds will make the cut in our best workout headphones guide.
Don’t they sell training-specific pairs? Instead, check out our roundup of the best wireless earbuds.
Price and availability
THE The Bose Sport Open Earbuds will be available from October 15 and RRP $199 / £179.95.. Buds can be chosen between black, white smoke and limited edition Eucalyptus Green.
In comparison, the Bose Sport Earbuds are no longer available for purchase. However, the buds were priced the same as the new Sport Open Earbuds, with an RRP of £179.95.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds have an open-ear design
The biggest and most noticeable difference between the buds is their respective design. While the tips of the Sport Earbuds fit into the ear, the Sport Open Earbuds are bone conduction buds that use a C-arm cuff to wrap around the ear rather than in the canal.
If you’ve never worn an open earlobe before, the thought can be disheartening. Of course, open-ears don’t offer active noise cancellation by nature, but that’s not what they were designed to do. Instead, the buds allow you to stay aware of traffic, announcements and passers-by while still listening to music on the go.
That said, Bose explains that thanks to the Auto Volume feature, the buds automatically adjust the volume as ambient noise changes.
But what does all this mean in terms of sound quality? According to Bose, the Sport Open is equipped with the brand’s OpenAudio technology, which is designed to “deliver rich, personal sound” even in an open design. In addition, Bose SoundDesign digital sound processing promises balanced clarity and deep bass.
Bose Sport open-ear headphones are IP54 rated
Headphones designed for exercise must offer solid durability as they are exposed to sweat, rain and frequent drops. While the original Sport Earbuds are IPX4 rated, meaning the ears are protected against splashing water but not dust, the Sport Open Earbuds boast a higher IP54 rating.
IP54 means the buds are splashproof and dustproof. Additionally, the buds feature textured physical buttons that allow you to control the sound even if your fingers sweat during your workout. Bose also promises that thanks to the cuff design, the Sport Open Earbuds will stay in place during head shakes and even cartwheels.
We can’t promise to specifically verify the cartwheel claim, but we will report how safe the buds are after testing them.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds promise longer battery life
Although Bose claimed that the Sport Earbuds would get up to five hours of battery life per earbud, and 15 hours with the charging case, our tests actually showed a slightly lower figure of three to four hours. It’s not far, but it definitely means you’ll want to make sure the case is fully charged in case you get stuck.
Speaking of the case, the Sport Earbuds themselves don’t offer wireless charging. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s a shame that wireless charging is undoubtedly a convenient addition. In comparison, the Sport Open Earbuds come with a wireless charging case and store up to 22 hours of power.
Not only that, but the Sport Open Earbuds promise up to seven hours of battery life. Since the Sport Earbuds fell somewhat short of that promise, we’ll have to wait and see how the Sport Open performs.
Starting in October, the Sport Open Earbuds will include Google Find Hub and Alexa+
Bose said a planned firmware update following the release of the Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) will introduce new features. These include Google Find Hub, which lets you find your Buds if you lose them, and built-in Alexa+ for easy hands-free control. In comparison, the Sport Earbuds didn’t have built-in voice assistants, although you could easily use them through your paired phone or device.
Early judgment
As we have yet to review the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, we’ll refrain from making too strong a judgment until we get our hands on a pair. However, with an open-ear design that promises to stay aware of your surroundings without compromising sound quality, a longer battery life, and a stronger IP rating, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds look like a promising upgrade over the Sport Earbuds.
We’ll update this post after we review the Bose Sport open-back headphones.
