Wired headphones are officially back in style, and leading their comeback are EarPods, Apple's cheapest headphones that used to come free with your iPhone.
Everyone from Bella Hadid to Kim Kardashian unboxed Apple's old but iconic headphones, which are also blown up all over TikTok again thanks to people defending their "vintage" aesthetic.
Yes, EarPods are considered retro now, and I feel old.
To feel temporarily famous, I decided to return to my unused pair of EarPods from my old iPhone 8 Plus and use them as my primary headphones for a week.
And while doing so came with some frustrations, I was ultimately surprised to find out how well these headphones hold up that you can still buy in 2022 for
MX$ 468 and
$19.99 USD
;
on Amazon.
Getting used to EarPods again was hard, at first
As someone who has used wireless headphones almost exclusively since 2018, adjusting to my old EarPods was difficult at first.
I didn't miss having to untangle my headphones every time I wanted to listen to some music.
The EarPods (
MX$ 468 and
$19.99) felt incredibly loose after years of enjoying the secure silicon fit of AirPods Pro (
MX$4,449 and
$169) and, more recently, the Beats Studio Buds (
MX$2,145 and
USD$99).
I desperately missed the active noise cancellation of those more expensive headphones, particularly when walking past a construction site or any noise while trying to work.
I was also frustrated that I couldn't charge my iPhone while listening to music, an issue I haven't had to worry about since Apple killed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 I bought in 2016.
How did I live like this for all those years?
Certainly, I often had to resist the urge to return to the convenience of my wireless Beats headphones.
But I was committed to actually living with the EarPods again (
MX$ 468 and
$19.99), and after a few days of use, I discovered some benefits of going back to basics.
The benefits of going back to the old school
You never have to charge EarPods, and they're harder to lose
Despite the drawbacks of EarPods, it feels great to go back to a pair of headphones that I never have to charge.
The Beats Fit Pro and Jabra Elite 4 Active I've been using recently have good battery life, but I still have to make sure I charge the case every few days if I don't want to end up with dead headphones.
It's nice to leave the apartment knowing my EarPods will just work, and I never have to deal with the pairing issues that occasionally come with wireless.
Also, I appreciate that the EarPods are much harder to lose.
Sound good for the price
Apple's wired headphones aren't going to impress any audiophile, but they sound perfectly good for the price.
MX$ 468 and
USD$19.99.
I definitely noticed a lack of bass and overall nuance compared to my Beats Fit Pro, particularly at higher volumes.
But they still did a perfectly good job of pumping out the bright guitars and vocals from my daily playlist while I was out on a ride or at home working.
Inline controls are great
I didn't realize how much I missed the EarPods' inline controls, which feel more comfortable and intuitive to use than the various taps, presses, and pinches I've been performing near my real ears for the last years. The ones on the EarPods let you control the volume (something even the AirPods Pro's in-ear controls can't do), and double-tapping to skip tracks or long-pressing to summon Siri still feels intuitive. Plus, that big inline button makes it so much easier to end a call.
The microphone is better than the most expensive headphones
There's a reason you see TikTokers everywhere holding the EarPods' long, rectangular mic module to their face while recording videos and voiceovers.
Microphone quality is surprisingly good for a cheap pair of headphones, and it sounded clearer and more consistent than the much more expensive Beats Fit Pro when I compared audio recordings of the two.
This is a major advantage of having an interference-free wired connection, as well as a microphone that is actually placed close to your mouth rather than pointed at it from your ear.
In conclusion
As much fun as I've had with my EarPods experiment, I'm really looking forward to getting back to my trusty wireless headphones.
I don't want to deal with wires in the year 2022, and I miss the more secure fit and noise-canceling capabilities of my Beats Fit Pro. Still, it was nice to be reminded of how good EarPods are for a cheap pair of headphones you might already own. Over there.
Apple's wired headphones sound good for the price, and their handy in-line controls and transparent mic give them an edge over much more expensive wireless headphones.
Plus, you'll never have to worry about running out of battery power, or worse, a lost hearing aid going missing.
I can't tell how much longer Apple's white wired headphones will be all over TikTok or in the ears of your favorite celebrity.
But I can say that they are still a very good pair of headphones for
MX$ 468 and
$19.99, whether you're on a tight budget or just want to be on trend.
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