Credit: Supplied by Xiaomi
- Xiaomi launched the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones Pro in India.
- The headset offers IPX5 support and active noise cancellation.
- Xiaomi has also launched a new portable Bluetooth speaker.
In recent times, neckband headphones have been left in the background compared to real wireless headphones and premium over-the-ear headphones, but they still offer a great balance between price and battery life. Xiaomi had already launched its Mi Neckband Bluetooth headset last year, but it is increasing a lot with the recently announced Pro model.
Xiaomi India has unveiled the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Pro headphones, which feature a number of improvements over last year’s product. For starters, the Pro variant offers active noise cancellation (ANC), with the company saying that its solution is capable of reducing noise by 25 decibels.
The Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones Pro also features an IPX5 rating, making it splash and sweat proof. This was missing from last year’s model, so you can rest easy if you get caught in the rain or exercise.
What else should you expect?
The new headset also offers up to 20 hours of playback compared to the standard model rated for up to eight hours in length. It is important to note, however, that the resistance of the Pro variant is based on the 50% volume, while the nominal reproduction of the standard model was based on the 80% volume. There is also no word on the playing time of the Pro model with ANC enabled. In addition, the new headset has a slightly larger battery compared to the old one (150mAh versus 140mAh).
Other notable features include voice assistant support via the phone assistant, low latency audio and a 10 mm bass driver. Another noteworthy feature (although not in a good way) is microUSB charging, which is a little disappointing in 2021. Fortunately, the price makes up for the choice of loading port.
Expect to pay Rs 1,799 (~ $ 25) for Mi Neckband Bluetooth Pro headphones. This puts you below the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z, although the two devices share the same claimed battery life and the same IP rating. The Xiaomi device meets the ANC, however, which does not exist in the OnePlus headphones. Meanwhile, the OnePlus gadget offers fast charging (ten minutes of charging provides ten hours of playback), while the Xiaomi accessory takes up to 1.5 hours to fully charge.
This is not the only product that Xiaomi announced today, as the company also unveiled the Mi portable Bluetooth speaker (seen above). This gadget contains 16 W audio, the ability to pair two of these speakers for stereo sound, and voice assistant support via your phone’s assistant.
The speaker also offers an IPX7 water resistance rating, allowing it to be immersed in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. And you get up to 13 hours of resistance on paper, with loading taking place via a USB-C port.
The Mi portable Bluetooth speaker sells for Rs 2,499 (~ $ 35) and will be available in black and blue color options.
How important is active noise cancellation for you in a Bluetooth headset? Let us know by participating in the poll below!
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