Shoks OpenDots 2 review: Comfortable, stable, long-lasting open-ear buds that arent just for fitness

Date:
Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:59:37 +0000

Description:
The Shokz OpenDots 2 are top-of-the-range open clip-on earbuds that deliver a stable, if perhaps not quite secure, fit and excellent sound.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Shokz OpenDots 2: One Minute Review Shokz, the company specializing in bone conduction and open-ear buds, returns to the clip-on form factor with the Shokz OpenDots 2. Its worth noting that the OpenDots 2 are one of two pairs released at the same time: they arrive alongside the cheaper Shokz OpenDots Air, which are missing a few features like wireless charging, waterproofing and bone conduction mics.

The clip-on earbud form factor offers both pros and cons. On the one hand,
the shape is light and comfortable to wear day-to-day, and doesnt interfere with glasses in the same way an over-ear hook might. They look almost jewellery-like, with my testing pair sporting a metal-and-pearl off-white sheen, sitting like a helix piercing over my ears. On the other hand, theyre much less stable than over-ear hooks, with some brands being very wobbly or prone to dislodging. While the OpenDots 2, like most clip-on headphones with big drivers at the back, do suffer from being easily dislodged by the accidental brush of a hand or a hood (youll want to take extra care during commutes if youre crammed into someones armpit on the train), they tend to stay in when left alone. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

You might think that without a seal around your ear canal the OpenDots 2
might come up short on sound, and compared to market leaders like Apple s AirPods thats largely true. However, for open-ear headphones, the sound quality is excellent, with powerful bass despite the lack of a seal, and very little leakage. A dedicated Private equalizer mode also reportedly works to reduce leakage, although during my tests, even on Standard my office colleagues couldnt hear any sound leakage at all, even when I had the volume turned up to Spinal-Tap-11 levels. Other EQ modes in the Shokz app include Vocal and Bass, and a Smart EQ option also exists, with users taken through six A or B comparisons to find their optimal EQ mode.

Battery life is strong, with Shokz citing up to 40 hours from a full charge
of the case. Wireless charging takes 3.5 hours, and a full wired USB-C charge takes two hours.

The launch of the OpenDots 2 sees Shokz attempting to push its way into a crowded category. One Shokz representative told me the company was hoping to eventually replace AirPods, and while I cant see that happening anytime soon, the OpenDots 2 are probably the strongest clip-on earbuds Ive ever tried; certainly in terms of sound quality, theyre up there with the Bose Ultra
Opens while surpassing them in the fit stakes. Theyre high-quality, durable, attractive-looking, and stable when left alone just be careful when pulling your hood down. Shokz OpenDots 2: Specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally

Component

Shokz OpenDots 2

Drivers

Bassphere 2.0 acoustics + dual 11.8 mm drivers

Battery life

Buds 10 hours, with case 40 hours

Weight

6.4g per earbud

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1 multipoint

Waterproofing

IP55 Shokz OpenDots 2: Price and availability (Image credit: Future) $199.95 in the US 179.99 in the UK AU$339 in Australia The Shokz OpenDots 2 cost $199.95 in the US, 179.99 in the UK, and AU$339 in Australia. Thats not
cheap, and comparable to the cost of AirPods 4 with ANC ($179 / 179 / AU$299)
and the OpenDots 2 arent as versatile, considering that theyre effectively always in transparency mode due to their design. If most people are going to drop this sort of money on a pair of wireless earbuds, its likely to be on a set that can both block out noise entirely and allow it to filter through
when needed. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
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That being said, theyre not badly pitched (sorry) in value, being cheaper
than the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which cost $299 / 299 / AU$449.95, at launch, and of similar quality. If youre looking for cheaper options, the Shokz OpenDots Air are available at $129.95 / 129.99 / A$219, or you could
opt for the Huawei Freeclip series. Value score: 3.5/5 Shokz OpenDots 2: Design Clamshell case Comfortable fit Some instability if knocked The Shokz OpenDots 2 are designed in a similar way to most clip-on earbuds now: theres
a battery cylinder at the back featuring sensors with a tactile button, a driver designed to hover over the ear, and a band connecting the two, and gripping the device to the ears helix. In the case of the OpenDots 2, the speaker is in fact a sphere with two 11.8mm drivers facing inwards towards each other, creating a ball of sound, and a hole from which the sound is projected towards the eardrum.

From an aesthetics standpoint, the OpenDots 2 look very similar to the Bose Ultra Opens, right down to the mix of plastics and metallics on the buds and the clamshell case. Thats not a bad thing; they look very premium, and are extremely comfortable to wear. As a glasses wearer, I experienced none of the chafing or earache over-ear hooks give me, even when wearing the OpenDots 2 for long periods or during sweaty workouts. As mentioned, they can be knocked loose easily, and theres no getting around this, as its simply a design issue with almost all clip-ons. Pulling a hood back immediately risks pulling out your expensive earbuds and sending them clattering to the floor.

The controls are intuitive you can pause, play, adjust volume or cycle through tracks by pinching the barrels or tapping the bridges of the earbuds. The OpenDots 2 pack IP55 waterproofing, meaning they can withstand sweat,
rain and dust but are unlikely to survive prolonged submersion or high-pressure washing. The case isn't waterproof either, so dont leave them
in your pocket and put them in the washing machine! Design score: 4.5/5 Shokz OpenDots 2: Features (Image credit: Future) Four EQ modes Multipoint connectivity Custom EQs to tailor sound to your liking Despite being focused on open-ear products, Shokz is clearly working on sound and pitching the OpenDots 2 at everyday audiophiles rather than athletes. With four equalizer modes Standard, Bass, Vocal and Private plus a Custom EQ option, youre able to tweak the sound to suit your needs and preferences.

After going through the custom EQ setup, which asks you six times to choose between two different versions of the same track, I noticed only a very minor difference to Standard, with slightly more powerful bass and clearer mids. This probably speaks to the quality of Shokz already excellent sound mixing, particularly on an open-ear bud.

Multipoint connectivity allows for two devices to connect via Bluetooth simultaneously, and Ive been switching seamlessly between my phone and laptop with no issues. The option to use wireless charging is nice too. AI-powered call noise reduction with dual bone-conduction and air conduction microphones makes calls sound nice and clear.

The OpenDots 2 are not packed with features such as live translation and
heart rate sensing like Apples AirPods Pro 3, but theyre certainly not bad
for the price. Features score: 4/5 Shokz OpenDots 2: Performance (Image credit: Future) Great sound Stable fit, apart from on contact Good battery life The sound delivered by the Shokz OpenDots 2 is excellent, considering that these are open-ear headphones: theyre meaty and bassy, with minimal leakage even at higher volumes. In the office, I wore them comfortably all
day while using my laptop, transitioning to my phone when I left the office, and only removing them to show curious colleagues, or pausing via a tap to have a conversation. Most outside sounds were blocked in a way that they
arent with bone conduction headphones, as you have a driver sitting right
over the top of your ear canal pumping vibrations down to your eardrum, whereas with the likes of the OpenRun Pro 2 your canal is left truly open.

However, while on a 10K run I kept my headphones on a low-to-middle volume, and I was still able to hear the bells of passing bikes and the occasional twitter of birds, so the open-ear design still does its job admirably. On my very sweaty run, the buds didnt feel like they were pendulously wobbling, and I was able to pound the pavement and even shake my head without being afraid that they would dislodge. Only a nudge of my hand would cause them to come loose.

I find the OpenDots' listed battery stats to be largely accurate: Ive been using these headphones for the better part of a week as I write this review, and only now is the case at 10% battery, with the buds themselves still on a full charge, and good for a further 10 hours. Performance score: 4.5/5 Shokz OpenDots 2: Scorecard Swipe to scroll horizontally

Category

Comment

Score

Value

Expensive considering youre locked into the open-ear form factor.

3.5

Design

Attractive, well-designed, light, intuitive.

4.5

Features

Enough for a premium headphone to get on with.

4

Performance

Great sound, good battery life, solid fit.

4.5 Shokz OpenDots 2: Should I buy? Buy it if... Youre certain about open-ear

Want to have conversations, work out and listen to tunes without blocking the sound around you? Be sure before you buy, as theres no noise cancellation option here. You want multipoint connectivity

You can bounce from your laptop, to your phone, to having a quick
conversation with a colleague, all without removing your earbuds. You care about sound

Shokz has gone the extra mile to make an open-ear headphone for audiophiles here. Don't buy it if... You want one set of headphones for everything

Using these in the gym or on the plane wont be the best experience, as youll be unable to shut out ambient noise. You wear hoods a lot

Any time your hands or a hood make contact with your ears you run the risk of these earbuds falling off. Also consider Apple AirPods 4 with ANC

The option of a transparency mode makes the AirPods more of a do-it-all bud.

Read our full Apple AirPods 4 with ANC review Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Serious athletes might prefer a set of over-ear bone conduction headphones for
greater awareness and stability.

Read our full Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review How I tested I wore the Shokz OpenDots 2 for a week in different scenarios. I used them on my commute, in work, on a 10K run, in the gym, and even while sleeping, making use of the custom EQ functionality, asking colleagues if they could hear the audio I was listening to at various volumes, and testing their multipoint connectivity features. First reviewed: June 2026 Shokz OpenDots 2: Price Comparison No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/fitness-headphones/shoks-opendots-2-r eview-comfortable-stable-long-lasting-open-ear-buds-that-arent-just-for-fitnes s


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