15% off EarFun Free True Wireless Earbuds | Amazon | Clip Coupon
I’m up to my ears (HAHA) in true wireless earbuds, and I’m feeling a little déjà vu. Initially, I was unmoved when offered the chance to test the EarFun Free, an entry-level pair from a budding (HAha-OK, I’ll stop) audio brand that seems intent on becoming a budget audio mainstay.
I looked at these buds with indifference when I first took them out of the box, mostly because they share appearances with many of the generics in its price range and I figured to be in for another passable-yet-forgettable experience. But the EarFun Free took me by surprise.
- 30-hour Total Battery
- Charge 10 Minutes for Two Hours Listening
- Wireless Charging Case
- Dual 6mm Graphene Drivers
- MEMS Noise-Cancelling Microphones
- Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity
- Single Earbud Mode
- IPX7 Water Resistance
- Volume Control
- Virtual Assistant Access
First, the audio drivers: They’re much more powerful than I expected. Inside are dual 6mm graphene drivers that will satisfy the wax right off your eardrums, which alone isn’t a feat by today’s true wireless standard, but considering how many companies targeting this market segment get this wrong, it’s worth a good basket full of brownie points over here. There’s little audio distortion at the highest volumes (and these things can get loud), though bass can overpower the more nuanced features of a track the more you step up.
But the thing that really caught my eye is that the frumpy charging case packs a wireless charging contact. Again, nothing revolutionary in this field, but noteworthy for the price bracket, especially given how newer options at higher price points still shun the tech.
That’s a grave sin in my book with how short the USB cables that ship with some of these buds are, EarFun Free included. It’d be annoying save for the miles of USB-C cables already entangling me on the daily, and I know that wouldn’t be a world-ending scenario, but I love that I can just plop the case down on a Qi pad and forget the wire altogether.
I’m also floored by how much utility you get with its tap controls …
- Single Tap for Play/Pause
- Double Tap Left/Right for Volume Down/Volume Up
- Triple Tap Left/Right for Previous/Next Track
- Hold for Voice Assistant Outside Call
- Hold to Hang Up Within Call
… even with the increased rate of accidental pauses I’ve had. I’ve been able to cut down on those with practice, but gesture timing is something EarFun needs to address in future products.
Everything else about the EarFun Free is par for the course. I didn’t have any notable connection or pairing issues, the advertised Bluetooth 5.0 range was accurate enough that I never felt compelled to keep my smartphone pocketed moving about the house, and their twist-lock fit keeps them securely betrothed to my lobes.
I can’t guarantee that last point will be true for everyone as we’re all unique in make and model, but for me, these fit much better than the golf tee design popularized by the Apple AirPods. You’ll find extra tip sizes in the box if the default disagrees with your waxy canals.
At $50, the EarFun Free don’t make an ear-shattering statement, but it disrupts at least one piece of the true wireless world from a sheer price-performance standpoint, and that’s enough to recommend them in a minefield of duds.