Pau Gutierrez
Full detailed comparison of Soundpeats’ best-selling wireless earbuds
Apple’s AirPods arrived on the scene to much fanfare in 2016, and since then the market for wireless earbuds has exploded, along with cheaper alternatives offered by competitors such as Soundpeats.
Digital Walker, the country’s largest retailer of premium gadgets and accessories, recently sent two of the company’s flagship products, the Truefree 2 and Truengine 3SE, to #TeamOutOfTown for a review. Here’s what we (honestly) think:
First impressions
Full disclaimer: I’ve always been a little outdated when it comes to new technology trends—I bought an iPhone 6S Plus way back in 2018 when the talk of the town was the latest iPhone XRs and XSs. Now the rage is all about wireless earbuds and, thanks to my editor, Melo, I finally get to try them.
The Soundpeats boxes delivered to me a few days ago was a curiosity for someone who can’t quite let go of her wired cans. At the side of the sleek, simple packaging was a poster that said the units are designed “for urban sports,” so the first thing I did was to tilt and shake my head repeatedly (like a madman) to see if it would fall off. It didn’t.
The earphones felt a little heavier than I anticipated and looked well-built. The Truengine 3SE sports a retro-looking audio hardware that comes with a matte charging case while the Truefree 2 is more of a solid standard unit encased in an ABS plastic with a glossy finish.
I also have no complaints about sound quality and the rubber ear tips sit comfortably in my ears.
What’s in the box?
Inside the Truengine 3SE are 1 Soundpeats Truengine 3SE unit, 1 USB charging cable, 6 interchangeable ear tips, 1 charging case, and 1 user manual.
On the other hand, the Truefree 2 came with 1 Soundpeats Truefree 2 unit, 1 Type-C charging cable, 6 interchangeable ear tips, 1 charging case, and 1 user manual.
How to pair Soundpeats Wireless Earbuds
Take the earbuds out from the charging case. After this, the left LED will turn white, and the right LED will flash in red and white alternately with a voice prompt that says “Pairing” which indicates that the earbuds entered pairing mode.
Activate the Bluetooth in your device and choose your Soundpeats unit to connect. The right LED will stop flashing with a voice prompt “Connected”.
Full specification
| Truengine 3SE | Truefree 2 | |
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Common strengths
- Both the earbuds’ exclusively made ear fins offer a customized fit that prevents the earbuds from falling off
- Both have convenient LED battery life indicators on the headset and charging case
- Both offer instant pairing on either Android or IOS device
- Both offer nice sound quality and crystal-like treble performance
- Both offer strong, high-bitrate signal
- Both come in a compact charging case at only 1.03 inches wide, 0.84 inches deep, and 0.8 inches thick
- Both are lightweight at 3.2-3.98 ounces
- Both are IPX-rated to protect the earbuds against water and sweat damage
Common Weaknesses
- Poor noise isolation
- Limited color options
Reasons to choose the Truengine 3SE over the Truefree 2
Design
Featuring a retro-punk aesthetic that is given prominence by two round internals encased in transparent plastics and embossed gold logo accent, Truengine 3SE’s design looks and feels more mature than the Truefree 2.
Battery life
There’s about 6 hours playtime per charge in the Truengine 3SE compared to Truefree2’s 4 hours playtime per charge.
Control method
While the button control in the Truefree 2 is very intuitive, the sensitive touch control in the Truengine 3SE can effectively reduce the pain of wearing headphones
Sound quality
Powered by the latest QCC3020 chipset, the Truengine 3SE ensures low power consumption and stable connectivity at the same time. It also features dual dynamic drivers that are a combination of titanium-plated speaker and composite diaphragm speaker.
Reasons to choose the Truefree 2 over the Truengine 3SE
Cost
The Truefree 2 retails at a regular price of P2,990 while the Truengine 3SE retails at a regular price of P3,990.
IPX rating
The Truefree 2 sports an IPX7 rating, which means it can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes–making it truly a waterproof device perfect for extreme sports. Meanwhile, the Truengine 3SE has an IPX5 rating, which can resist a sustained, low-pressure exposure.
Verdict
The Truengine 3SE provides better wearing experience by upgrading the dual dynamic drivers and mic to offer superior sound, while Truefree 2’s built-in 6mm bio-compound diaphragm driver streams finely tuned sound with outstanding clarity and low distortion.
In essence, both Truengine 3SE and the Truefree 2 give you your money’s worth. The batteries are long-lasting and the sound quality of both earbuds is comparable to more expensive options in the market. What it really boils down to is your preference.
Price and Availability in the Philippines
The Soundpeats Truengine 3SE and Soundpeats Truefree 2 are available in select Digital Walker, Beyond the Box outlets nationwide. Get yours on sale for P1890 for the Truefree 2 and P2990 for the Truengine 3SE. For more information, visit HomeOffice.ph website.
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