TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
THREE STARS - With the G1, the Hongkong based earphone manufacturer Havit has one of the most affordable truly wireless earphones for sports purposes. The same brand also has another, even cheaper option, however. How good is the Havit I93?
Specs of the Havit I93:
Bluetooth 5.0
IPX5 water proof (sweat and rain resistant)
3,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 8 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips, 3 sizes rubber rings and a micro-USB cable
$30 on AliExpress and Amazon Europe/ UK - check current price!
Design, charging and comfort
You can't talk about the Havit I93 without mentioning the huge charging case. The charger is designed as a big, plastic pebble and offers 2200mAh of power. It's waterproof too, as there are plastic flaps to cover all the openings. You can plug a micro-USB cable into it to charge it, but there's also an option to plug in a regular USB-cable to use the Havit I93 as a power bank.
Whenever you use the box only for charging up your earphones, it should be able to recharge both earpieces 8,5 times fully! However - just like the more expensive Havit G1, the I93 charging case seems to be losing battery strength by itself pretty quick - you'll probably have to recharge it before you can use it that many. Every full recharge provides the earpieces 3,5 hours of battery life.
The earpieces are IPX5 waterproof and consist of a mixture of plastic and rubber. The outside is plastic, with a button in the top center and a small light underneath it. On the inner part, you can not only exchange one of the three ear tips to get the best seal, but also one of the three rubbers with a ring on top of them. The ring will go in the top of your ear, to provide a secure, tight fit. Once they're full of sweat, you can easily take them off and water them.
Just like on the Havit G1, the rubber rings make the earpieces quite big. The I93 feels 'full' in your ear, but they will not fall out.
Connectivity and controls
The Bluetooth 5.0 connection of the Havit I93 is pretty reliable. It may have a few audio dips in areas crowded with wireless signals, but overall it holds a stable connection up to ten meters from your device.
Controlling the Havit I93 isn't the most pleasant thing to do, as the buttons require a hard press. You'll press the pieces fiercely against your ear with every press. It isn't much of a problem with playing and pausing, which is done by a single touch, but the other options are less comfortable.
Long pressing the right button for 2 seconds skips a song, long-pressing the left one, returns a track. A double click activates the voice assistant on your device. It isn't possible to change the volume on the earpieces.
Calling and watching movies on Havit I93
Just like on the Havit G1, watching videos on the Havit I93 works pretty good on iPhone. Not only do lips sync on services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, the audio and video also synchronize well on the YouTube app, which is a rarity on affordable wireless earbuds. On Android, your mileage may vary per device, but the audio-video synchronization should be stable if your device supports Bluetooth 5.0.
The same goes for calls. The call quality on the Havit I93 is a pleasant surprise. Your voice comes through a bit tinny, yet clear and loud. It is troubled by loud outside noises though, such as a bus passing by. You will hear the other end of the line in stereo and clear as well.
Sound quality of Havit I93: a bit muffled
When it comes to the sound quality of the Havit I93, don't expect this pair to excel. It is suitable for sports like running and working out, though.
The bass on the I93 is a bit muffled. It lacks detail, which can make bass slams and pumps a bit bloated. On sporty competitors such as the Tronsmart Encore Spunky Buds, the bass is much heavier, and it can carry the music to lift you up. On the Cowin KY02 (which you can equip with sporty, winged tips), it has a firmer kick.
The lower mids also sound a bit muddy. Bass guitars, drums, and darker tones in electronic music genres don't resolve a lot of detail. From there on up, the Havit I93 fares better. Mid tones such as guitars and male vocals sound pretty clear, and the same goes for upper mids like female vocals. Highs roll off pretty soon: this isn't a bright sounding truly wireless earphone.
Detail others than the specific frequencies aren't top-notch either. The soundstage is average - music isn't very closeby, also not very far away from you, and instruments can hardly be localized within that space around you.
Still, it all doesn't mean too much when you're sporting, running, or working out. When you move fast and have a high heartbeat, you'll notice details in music way less than usual. If you sport with these, the Havit I93 is sufficient. For critical listening, you may want to turn to another pair of earphones.
Verdict
The Havit I93 is a good pair of ultra-affordable true wireless earphones for sporting. The sound quality is sufficient for sports purposes, it has a good tight fit, and it's even perfectly doable to take a phone call during your workout.
Three STARS - worth considering
Buy Havit I93/ check current price:
Buy Havit I93 on Amazon Europe (Germany)
I bought the Havit I93 myself, to test and review. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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