New AirPods Rivals promise sweet sound - at a much cheaper price

New AirPods Rivals promise sweet sound - at a much cheaper price

Wireless earbuds come at a cost. All but one pair of the 10 best wireless earbuds currently announced cost more than $100.

TCL hopes to make the list. The electronics maker just announced the MoveAudio S200 True Wireless Headphones, which TCL plans to sell for €99 when they ship worldwide later this month.

TCL said it plans to sell the MoveAudio S200 in the U.S. as well, but it is unclear if TCL plans to adjust the price to keep it below $100 for the U.S. market. (The €99 price tag is equivalent to about $117 at the current conversion rate.)

Even if the price were converted directly from €99, the MoveAudio S200 earphones are significantly less expensive than competing products. To put this difference into perspective, a pair of AirPods starts at €179, or $159 in the U.S.

TCL believes that the MoveAudio S200 earphones have more to offer than a low price tag. The earphones feature ENC noise reduction, which aims to filter out ambient sound. When making phone calls, you can focus on your voice using the four built-in microphones, which rely on beam-forming technology.

Battery life may be an area where the MoveAudio S200 struggles to match its higher-priced competitors; TCL promises 3.5 hours of battery life per use for the MoveAudio S200, which falls short of the AirPods' 5 hours. However, the MoveAudio S200's charging case can extend battery life to 23 hours.

Externally, there is not much to distinguish the MoveAudio S200 from many wireless earbuds, especially the new OnePlus Buds released earlier this summer. The cylindrical earbuds dangle; according to TCL, the earbuds have an IP54 rating to protect against dust, water, and sweat, and the super elliptical design is supposed to provide a comfortable fit.

The MoveAudio S200 is available in black, white, and teal. Whether the sound quality is as sharp as the teal color will be known when we have a chance to test the MoveAudio S200 later this fall.

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