Smartphone companies have started moving towards a 3.5mm headphone jack-free future, that has led to a surge in the sales of wireless earphones and smartphones. One particular sub-category that has grown exponentially, is the true wireless earphone category. Here at T3 India, we have seen our fair share of true wireless earphones at varying price points and the new one to join the fray is Hifiman’s TWS600.
Unlike the AirPods, the Hifiman TWS600 does not have a stem, which means it sits just like you’d have an earbud but it’s a tad larger than a regular earbud. The TWS600 is a blend of silver and translucent body with an action button to control media playback, volume and voice assistant. The idea to integrate a button is good but loses its importance once you realise pressing it actually pushes the TWS600 deep inside the ear canal. The earbuds are also IPX4 rated that gives it some resistance against dust and water. While we are fine with Hifiman’s approach to the earbuds’ design, we didn’t like how they designed the carry case.
The egg-shaped case matches the listening unit’s silver colour but using as our daily driver, we found the case to get scratched easily, even when kept in a bag. It’s a flip-out style case with a rubberised bottom surface for better grip on the surface and USB Type-C port at the back, adjacent to the hinge. Another thing missing is the battery indicator on the case, which means there’s no way of knowing the remaining battery life until you actually open the case. The ridge to open the case is small that makes it difficult to flip the case open with one hand. It may look like we are nitpicking here but it is something to take a look at considering it competes with the Apple AirPods and the ilk in the same price range. However, things get better once you open the case. The battery LED indicator is placed right in the middle with a docking area for the earbuds that start charging automatically, once they are adjusted to their correct position with the help of the integrated magnet.
Hifiman bundles a number of eartips to give you the perfect fit and after using it for weeks, we can safely say, the TWS600 have an excellent fit. You can use them during a run or a workout without any issues. The fit also helps with noise isolation, making it a good commuting companion.
As far as audio quality is concerned, the TWS600 does not disappoint. The audio is crisp with great-sounding mids and highs but underwhelming bass. The built-in mic performance is decent but the main highlight is the battery life that gives around 30-32 hours of listening time with a fully charged case. The TWS600 also touts long-range Bluetooth connectivity and while we couldn’t get the promised 150m (that depends on multiple factors), it was certainly better than other devices.
PRICE Rs. 11,999
RATING 4/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio performance, battery life
WE’D IMPROVE Charging case
THE LAST WORD TWS600 is one of the better sounding true wireless earphones with a good battery life and wireless range