As the Camon 15 launch came and went, something came along it, that being the TECNO HiPods 2. The HiPods H2 mark the brands first foray into the wireless earbud space, much like most of the smartphone brands. But in typical TECNO fashion, they offer so much for less as we are yet to see.
Also Read: TECNO partners with MTN to launch the Camon 15. Checkout the price, specs and where to buy
We weren’t prepared for what awaited us. At least we can attest to the quirkiness of first-gen products only for TECNO to surprise us with the true wireless HiPods H2 earbuds.
What about the TECNO HiPods
TECNO HiPods is a line of smart earbuds from the smartphone vendor, offering a wireless audio experience to users across both Android and surprisingly iOS. However, TECNO says they work best with their own line of smartphones.
We have only had one week with the Hipods H2 so this more of first impressions kinda outlook with the earbuds but not necessarily a review. Just like most wireless earbuds, the box comes packed with earbuds for both the right and left ear, a portable charging pod, a micro-USB cable, and additional earcaps for the varying ear sizes.
HiPod H2 Specifications
- Model: H2
- Name: Hipods-H2
- Weight: 55.8g mm
- Dimension:58*58*29.6mm
- Battery specification:541011# 43mAh *2
- Playing time：about 4.5 hours(maximum volume) about 6 hours(60% volume)
- Standby time：about 30 hours
- Charging time：<2 hours
- Charging current: 35mA
- Voice prompt：prompt tone
- Connection: Bluetooth V5.0
- Noise Cancelling: Environmental Noise Cancellation
- IPX4 Waterproof
Real-world experience
There is more to gadgets than a spec sheet. We thus took the Hipods H2 for spin but before we even get to the finishing line, I must admit I was impressed not just with the sound quality but also the ease of use.
The HiPods connect via Bluetooth on any Android or iOS device. We used an iPhone and they paired just fine without any hiccups but I’d recommend an Android device or TECNO’s own line of smartphones for the best experience.
Double-tap either pod to play or pause media, tap the right pod to increase the volume and the left one to reduce it whereas a triple-tap on the right pod shifts to the next song or any media you’re playing.
Also Read: TECNO launches the Camon 16 series with free data from MTN Uganda
What about answering calls? With an incoming call, you only have to double either pod. I, however, struggled to trigger the voice assistant with the repeated tapping of the touch panel. This could have been an OS-level feature currently not available on iOS devices but either way, most of the functionality worked fine.
The HiPods support Bluetooth V5.0. However, I wasn’t able to enjoy certain benefits that come with the standard like listening to duo audio channels, and similarly, I struggled to use them on my laptop even after seamless pairing.
Audio Quality
The audio quality is good to say the least. A surprise given its a first for TECNO and also for the UGX 110,000 price the HiPods are going for. The HiPods H2 come with Environmental Noise Cancelling which also worked fine by refining the audio experience by avoiding intrusive jitter from the outside for an immersive audio experience. Still, a win for the bucks. Much as TECNO is fronting these for their stereo, the base is equally fine.
Battery Life
TECNO promise 6 hours of playback and 24hours of unstoppable music of charging with the provided charging pod. I must say I used these for a full week minus ever charging them and all went well. Did TECNO lowkey underpromise and ended up overdelivering? I guess, we now know but the experience could be different based on the device and use cases.
My average day involves constant calls, average music streaming, podcast/YouTube sessions later in the night and they never disappointed on the battery.
Last thoughts
Did we just forget water resistance? Well, the HiPods are IPX4 water-resistant. This means they could do away with splashes, spills, and the like but we must admit we never put this to a test.
However, based on what the TECNO HiPods bring to the table and the going price, I’d highly recommend them for any budget cautious buyer since they offer a good audio experience for a price that doesn’t break the bank.
