At the OnePlus 6 launch event earlier this year in May, OnePlus announced the Bullets Wireless earphones – a great pair of wireless earphones with decent sound output, a nifty magnetic play/pause feature, and most importantly fast charging support. The Bullets Wireless earphones have now gone on sale in India, but while OnePlus claims that it covered all bases while designing the earphones, it does have a few shortcomings.
1. Jabra Elite 25E Bluetooth Wireless Earphones
Denmark-based Jabra, which is known for its wireless mobile headsets, takes the top spot on the list with its Elite 25E Bluetooth wireless earphones. Arguably the closest competitor to OnePlus’ Bullets Wireless earphones, the Jabra 25E is a feature-packed pair which addresses all of the Bullets Wireless’ shortcomings at an affordable price.
The Jabra 25E boasts of up to 13 hours of battery life on a single charge, it features a rugged design with IP54 weather resistance, heavy bass output, at just Rs. 3,366. On top of that, the Jabra 25E has great ambient noise isolation, a dedicated button to bring up the voice assistant of your choice and a vibration motor which is great for call/message alerts. The device has a decent build quality with flat tangle-free cables and easy-to-access clicky buttons. While the Jabra 25E might lack the magnetic controls and fast charging support, it more than makes up for it with the sound output and great battery life.
Another great pair of earphones which comes at a comparable price is the Skullcandy Method Bluetooth wireless sports earphones. If you’re familiar with Skullcandy’s offerings, you’ll know that the company is known for its bass-heavy earphones and the Method wireless is no exception. The device offers up to 9 hours of battery backup, sweat resistance (but no IP rating), a dedicated voice button to bring up the voice assistant of your choosing, and great fit which is perfect for people with an active lifestyle.
The Samsung Level U Bluetooth wireless are a great alternative if you’re looking for earphones that have great battery life and a durable design at an affordable price. Priced at Rs. 2,989, the Samsung Level U Bluetooth earphones boast of up to 11 hours of battery backup on a single charge, which is significantly more than that of the Bullets Wireless.
4. Sony C400 Wireless Earphones
Another great alternative for the OnePlus Bullets Wireless is the Sony C400 wireless behind-neck in-ear earphones which boast of up to 20 hours of battery backup on a single charge. While the device doesn’t really have the most appealing design out of the lot, it sure is functional. The left side of the neck band houses the power, volume, and play/pause buttons along with the microphone.
Another great option you can consider is the JBL E25BT Signature Sound wireless in-ear headphones. The earphones feature a light and comfortable design without a thick neck band which make them extremely comfortable to wear, especially while you’re working out. As with most JBL earphones, the E25BT Signature Sound offers great bass and clear highs, which is arguably better than that of the Bullets Wireless.
Even though Skullcandy’s Smokin’ Buds 2 are a bit older, they’re still capable enough to take a stand against the newly launched Bullets Wireless. Going along with Skullcandy’s signature style, the Smokin’ Buds 2 offers deep and punchy bass, far better than that of the Bullets Wireless. The earphones have a comfortable design with flat tangle-free cables and a neck band which keeps them in place while you’re working out.
Additionally, the lightweight neck band can also be adjusted or removed altogether, as per your preference, which gives it the most customizable fit out of the lot. Priced at Rs. 4,799, the Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds 2 are a bit more expensive than the Bullets Wireless, which might be a deal breaker for some of you. Battery wise, the Smokin’ Buds 2 match up to the Bullets Wireless’ performance, delivering up to 6 hours of playback on a single charge. I’d personally only recommend these earphones over the Bullets Wireless, if you’ve got a thing for bass heavy earphones.
If you’re not a big fan of the large neck band design, then the Sony MDR-XB50BS Extra Bass wireless earphones are a great alternative for the Bullets Wireless. The earphones have a lightweight and compact design, with all the controls, battery and ports crammed into the earbuds, which are connected by a thin flat wire. As the name suggests, the earphones perform great when it comes to the low end, delivering rich bass with decent highs and mids.
As mentioned earlier, Skullcandy offers some of the best bass heavy earphones in the market today and the Skullcandy Ink’d Bluetooth wireless earphones are no different. The earphones have a punchy sound with powerful bass, which the OnePlus Bullets Wireless lack, making it a formidable competitor.
SEE ALSO: OnePlus Bullets Wireless Review
