Category: Accessories

OPPO has a strong portfolio in the mobile space, but gradually, the Chinese tech giant has shown its expertise with other consumer electronics goods as well. The brand has also forayed into the smart wearables segment and is presenting the audience with feature-rich fitness devices. The OPPO Watch Free is one of the recent fitness-oriented products by the company for the Indian masses that you can buy at around Rs. 5,999.

The OPPO Watch Free is a budget alternative for fitness enthusiasts. It is more of a fitness tracker than a full-fledged smartwatch. But it offers modern features that make it a top-notch fitness tracker in its segment. A big color touch screen along with dedicated fitness features such as a sleep monitor, SPo2, heart rate monitor, and multiple watch faces makes the Watch Free a feature-rich smart tracker.

But how useful is it for daily usage? Should you invest in the OPPO Watch Free for the long run? Or should you consider in some other affordable fitness tracker? We help you decide in this review article:

OPPO Watch Free Design And Display

The OPPO Watch Free doesn’t look like a standard fitness tracker. With its big rectangular dial and leather-textured silicone strap, the Oppo Watch Free looks like a mainstream smartwatch that you’ll love to flaunt. What impresses about the design more is the wearing comfort. Despite the soaring temperatures and a silicone strap, the OPPO Watch Free has been comfortable to wear all day long.

The strap lock is also of good quality and keeps the watch safe while you wear it. The lightweight design is what adds to the overall wearing comfort. No sweats in warmer conditions which is definitely a respite. Even if you wear the OPPO Watch Free while sleeping, you’ll hardly get a feel of it throughout the night.

Moving on to the display, the OPPO Watch Free sports a 1.4-inch display. This big-sized panel with touch support and color panel makes will definitely grab your attention. The touch response is super smooth which enhances the user experience throughout.  You can easily access all the features using touch gestures and also read the data from the watch itself. Overall, we found the OPPO Watch Free is designed practically and looks premium at a budget price point.

OPPO Watch Free Features And Performance

The OPPO Watch Free offers multiple features and tools for daily health tracking. If you swipe left from the watch screen, you’ll get multiple tabs including “Exercise”, “Exercise log”, Sleep, and Blood oxygen. If you swipe right from the main watch screen, you get the remaining health-oriented features such as heart rate, sleep monitor, and also Spo2 to monitor blood oxygen levels.

To access all the features, you will need to download and pair the watch with the OPPO HyeTap Health app from Google Play Store or Apple App store. The pairing process is easy, you need to make sure your phone’s Bluetooth is toggled on during the pairing process. Once the watch is paired, you can select from over 100+ watch faces and get all the fitness data on your screens.

The fitness tracker is accurate with health data and helps with easy monitoring of blood oxygen levels, sleep cycle, steps, and heart rate. For those wondering if the OPPO Watch Free comes with calling support? Well, this is a budget smart wearable that is fitness-oriented and is capable of displaying calls and message notifications. The calling feature is currently not supported on the OPPO Watch Free.

OPPO Watch Free Battery Backup

The OPPO Watch Free deliver high on battery backup. This fitness watch can last easily over a week on a single charge. The retail box ships with a supported charging cable (with magnetic plug) that you can use with a regular power brick.

If we speak of the charging time, it takes less than two hours for the OPPO Watch to get a full refuel. This longer battery backup is another factor that makes the OPPO Watch Free one practical fitness watch for daily usage.

OPPO Watch Free Verdict: Should You Buy Or Not?

The OPPO Watch Free is a complete package in terms of a fitness tracker. All the health-specific features including SpO2, heart rate, and sleep cycle makes it a necessity in our fast-paced lifestyle. It is a practical fitness watch that is targeted at a health-conscious audience. However, this is definitely is one of the must-have gadgets for health tracking if you have budget constraints but yet wouldn’t want to compromise on the features and quality.

Do share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can follow the GizNext Tech Enthusiast Telegram group and GizNext Tech Enthusiast WhatsApp group for all the latest news.

Key Highlights

• Price: Affordable, can be found for as low as Rs. 999
• Battery Life: Up to 25 hours of playtime on a single charge
• Audio: Strong bass and loud audio performance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth v5 for easy pairing with Android and iOS devices
• Comfort: Lightweight and ergonomically designed for long-term wear

Neckbands are ideal for masses using earphones for long hours to receive calls or listen to music. These wireless accessories have become popular, especially among fitness enthusiasts. And VingaJoy’s lightweight and sporty design neckband – CL-6320 (Rock Series) – is an ideal workout companion. It costs Rs. 2,999 and has a number of features for a good user experience. However, you can buy this wireless neckband for as low as Rs. 999 via online retail stores.The VigaJoy’s CL-6320 neckband is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. So let’s see how the neckband performs in day to day scenarios.

Also Read | OPPO Enco M32 Wireless Neckband Review: A Powerful Package Under Rs. 2,000

Pros	Cons
Strong bass and loud audio performance	Needs to be a bit loud for clear calls
Long battery life (up to 25 hours)	No advanced noise cancellation features
Affordable price (can be found for Rs. 999)	Slightly basic design and build quality

What’s Inside The Box?

The VingaJoy CL-6320 comes in protective retail packaging. Inside the box, you will find the basic accessories – a neckband, two extra pairs of ear tips, a USB cable, and a warranty card. This is all that you can expect in this kit.

Design

The neckband is lightweight and easy to fit. We got the Black color option of the VingaJoy Neckband for review, and it looks good. The right side of the neckband packs a USB-Type C charging port. The left edge of the neckband has the volume rockers, power key, and a small LED light.

Talking about its comfort and fit, the VingaJoy CL-6320 didn’t let me down. Its wearing comfort is at par with the competition. Its soft plastic material allows you to wear the neckband for longer hours. The neckband itself is ergonomically designed for a comfortable fit around the neck.

Audio Performance

The VingaJoy’s budget-friendly CL-6320 neckband is one of the most decent pairs in its segment. It allows users to enjoy rich and dynamic music experience. That’s with the snug fit earbuds design that blocks the surrounding noises passively. The VingaJoy CL-6320 neckband is loud and has a strong bass response. So if that’s what you are looking for, you won’t be let down.

The earphones are so loud that we preferred listening to them at a low volume. As for the calling experience, the earphones have clear sound quality. The overall audio output is decent.

Connectivity and Calling

The VingaJoy CL-6320 neckband can be switched-on by long-pressing the power button. The neckband then enters into pairing mode. It also has LEDs to show the pairing and connectivity status. When the neckband is powered on, a voice prompt confirms the pairing process and the battery level (high, medium, or low). The earphones operate on Bluetooth v5 and I had no trouble pairing them. The pairing process is standard as other wireless neckbands and speakers.

I also had a great experience in calling and receiving the calls from the CL-6320 neckband earphones. It smoothly pick-up the caller’s sound and convey it audibly. However, you need to be a bit loud to communicate with your caller which is a little disappointing.

Battery Backup

VingaJoy claims the CL-6320 neckband can deliver up to 25 hours of playtime on a single charge and 300 hours of standby time. While using the neckband, I found the backup to be approximately the same as the company claims. But that’s when you play music/audio at around 50- 60 percent volume levels.

A USB Type-C charging port is also provided on the neckband for charging. Below the USB Type-C point, you will also get a dedicated microSD card slot which is a welcome feature and is missing from modern days neckbands.

Also Read | Blaupunkt BE200 Budget Neckband Review: Got The Basics Right?

Verdict

All things considered, the VingaJoy CL-6320 neckband is an decent pair of Bluetooth earphones in its price range. Its good sound quality, strong wireless connectivity, and good battery backup make it a worth buy.

Mivi has established its name in the affordable digital accessories segment across India. The homegrown brand is rapidly expanding its audio product portfolio in the country with the launch of new speakers, wireless neckbands, and also soundbar. We recently covered the Mivi Octave 3 portable speaker review and now are sharing our feedback on two of Mivi’s recently launched wireless neckbands.

Mivi has introduced the ConquerX and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckbands for the Indian audience. Both these neckbands have been announced for the budget audience in the country. Both Mivi ConquerX and the Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband can be purchased at around Rs. 999 in the country via online retail stores. These latest budget neckbands by Mivi feature a basic design with hook-style earbuds. But is this wireless neckband suitable for daily usage or should you buy some other wireless neckband under Rs. 1500.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Cheap price tag
• Good battery backup
• Hefty bass at budget price

Cons:

• Dated microUSB port for charging
• Bulky earbuds
• Not comfortable for prolonged usage

Mivi Conquer X, Thunderbeats 2 Review: Design And Wearing Comfort

Mivi has launched the Conquer X and Thunderbearts 2 wireless earbuds with almost an identical design factor. Unlike most of the budget wireless neckbands where you get a thick neckband design, both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 feature a single wire design. It’s the control unit that is different on both neckbands. Even the earbuds are identical on both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband.

Both feature a large earbud with hook-style eartips for a snug fit design. Also, the earbuds offer a magnetic latch feature that saves them from accidentally falling off when not in use. The magnets aren’t super strong, but do a decent job in holding the earbuds together. It is worth mentioning that both new Mivi wireless neckband comes void of automatic power on/off or music play/pause feature with the magnetic latch. This is one of the useful options that is being offered by most of the affordable wireless neckbands in the market.

While both Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckbands offer a snug fit design with their hook-shaped ear tips, they are super comfortable to wear for a longer duration. The wearing comfort goes for a toss if you wear this pair for more than a few hours. Both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 come with IPX4 certification for dust and sweat resistivity.

Both wireless neckbands come with a bunch of physical keys for power on/off and volume adjustments. Using these control keys, you’ll also be able to answer calls and control music playback. The quality of the keys is not up to the mark. They are stiff to press and have an average built quality. Mivi has used the dated microUSB port on both Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband. Only the Thunderbeats 2 ships with a supported data cable. However, you get an extra set of eartips with both Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckbands that you can use later if you lose the default pair.

Mivi Conquer X, Thunderbeats 2 Review: Audio Performance

Coming to the audio delivery, the Mivi Conquer X and the Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband are equipped with a 6mm electro-dynamic drivers. Both neckbands come with HD Stereo sound support that helps with loud output. The bass offered by both Mivi wireless neckbands is on the hefty side. While the loud and heavy bass should have been in favor of the Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2, it somehow compromises the audio quality at the highest levels.

You will listen to the bass overpowering the remaining audio aspects such as treble and mids. Also, at the peak audio levels, the audio tends to muffle rather than maintain the clarity levels. Since both these Mivi wireless neckbands is entry-level devices, they come sans ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature. The audio leak issue is prevalent at peak volumes. Overall, the Mivi Conquer X and the Thunderbeats 2 are delivers loud audio with a hefty bass. Only if the audio clarity were on a higher level, then they would have made for the best pair under Rs. 1,000 in the country.  

Mivi Conquer X, Thunderbeats 2 Review: Battery Backup, Calling, Connectivity Experience

Both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 ship with Bluetooth v5.0 technology for wireless connectivity with smartphones and other compatible devices including tablets, laptops, and PCs. The connectivity range offered by both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckbands is 10 meters. You won’t experience any issues with the connectivity or pairing.

Also, if the connected device is within the 10m range, you will experience no issues with audio playback. To pair the Mivi Conquer X and the Thunderbeats 2 earbuds with any smartphone or other compatible device, you’ll have to press and hold the power key until the LED blinks. Head to the settings menu on your smartphones and select the Mivi Conquer X or Thunderbeats 2 earbuds to complete the pairing process.

Coming to the battery backup, both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband are said to deliver a 14 hours backup on a single charge. That’s what the company claims. However, this battery backup is when the audio or music is being played at around 50 percent volume levels. The battery backup on both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband significantly drops when you increase the audio levels beyond 60 percent.

It is worth mentioning that both Mivi wireless neckband uses a standard microUSB port for charging. It takes more than an hour for both Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 to get a full charge (from zero to 100 percent). You can use any standard Android charger to refuel the Mivi wireless neckbands.

Mivi Conquer X, Thunderbeats 2 Neckband Final Verdict: Worth Buying?

The Mivi Conquer X and Thunderbeats 2 wireless neckband have been targeted at entry-segment consumers in India. Both these neckbands are amongst the cheapest wireless earphones that you can buy in the country.

At an asking price of Rs. 999, you get a fully functional wireless audio wireless neckband that can be your occasional gaming or music companion, rather than being a daily driver. The wearing comfort isn’t super great and also the audio output is average; except for the bass which is on the hefty side and is the only impressive factor besides the powerful battery backup.

Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can follow the GizNext Tech Enthusiast Telegram group and GizNext Tech Enthusiast WhatsApp group for fresh technology updates.

India has seen a radical growth in the audio product market in the last decade. We have seen numerous audio tech brands and even smartphone OEMs introducing new wired and wireless headphones, speakers, and TWS earbuds. Of course, the market is all hype with the fully wireless earbuds or TWS products. Lava, the homegrown tech brand has been fairly active from the beginning of this year and has launched a new range of smartphones as well as TWS earbuds.

For the audience demanding quality TWS earbuds at budget prices, Lava had released the Probuds TWS earbuds series earlier. The Probuds 21 has been introduced as the latest wireless earbuds in this lineup with modern features such as Google Assistant support, sound isolation, and noise reduction technology.

The Lava Probuds 21 comes in India at an asking price of around Rs. 1,399. You can buy this budget wireless TWS earbuds via major online and offline retail stores in the country. But should you be investing in this budget TWS earbud? How good is its audio performance and battery backup? This review article will clear all your doubts and help you select the next best budget buy in the TWS segment.

Pros And Cons

Pros:

• Budget price point
• USB Type-C port and fast charging support
• Decent audio feedback

Cons:

• Bit bulky earbuds
• Audio not clear at peak levels

Lava Probuds 21 Review: How Well Is It Designed?

The Lava Probuds 21 TWS earbuds have a slightly bigger case and earbuds compared to the last year’s ProBuds 2 wireless earbuds. The oval-shaped case with a flat edge bottom adds to the classic appeal and also helps with its placement on the tabletop or any flat surface. You don’t have to worry about the case rolling down. Besides, the matte surface of the case feels premium to touch.

Flip open the case to see the large earbuds Contrary to a tiny or compact design, the earbuds are bulky with a big stem. Now, if you are a fan of audio accessories that aren’t prominently visible while using them then the Lava Probuds 21 might not be appealing to you. But if you are okay with a large-sized earbud and find them easy to wear then this could be a decent pair to consider.

The earbuds do offer a snug-fit form factor, but you’ll feel the heft while wearing them. That’s with the default eartips size. The Probuds 21 TWS earbuds retail box ships with additional ear tips and a USB Type-C cable. This budget TWS earbud also offers touch controls for power on/off, volume, and audio playback control.

It might take a while to get a hang of all the gestures, but the touch controls are not gimmicky. We found the Lava Probuds 21 TWS earbuds design to be practical for daily usage. However, the wearing comfort isn’t super great for prolonged usage. Lastly, the Probuds 21 TWS earbuds feature IPX7 certification that protects it from splash and dust.

Lava Probuds 21 Review: Audio Performance

Lava has packed the Probuds 21 TWS earbuds with 12mm dynamic drivers that produces ample punch in the audio. We have tested several budget TWS earbuds and the Probuds 21 seems to be a decent pair out of all. The audio delivery is fairly well here. While it’s not the most balanced sounding earbuds, the audio aspects doesn’t mismatch either.

You wouldn’t be disappointed if you are planning to buy the Probuds 21 solely for your daily music playback. The loud audio levels make it a perfect pair for the commute. But you might not be impressed with the clarity levels when you play audio at the loudest volumes. We found the sound output to be optimum at 60 – 70 percent.

The Lava Probuds 21 doesn’t come with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). However, this budget TWS earbud is integrated with in-house sound isolation and noise reduction technology that aids with passive noise cancellation. Besides, the snug fit rubber eartips also play a vital role in blocking the outside noises during music or audio playback.

What else impressed us? Well, that’s the minimum audio leak at peak levels. You can turn up the volume to the max without thinking twice if the person next to you might also jam along. That said for the music playback. Our experience using the Lava Probuds 21 TWS with gaming has been good. The Probuds 21 offers 75ms ultra-low latency for better audio feedback with gaming.

Lava Probuds 21 TWS Review: Pairing, Battery, Other Features

The Lava Probuds 21 TWS earbuds is equipped with Bluetooth v5.1 technology. This allows the earbuds to pair wirelessly with smartphones and other compatible devices such as laptops, tablets, PCs, and also smart TVs. The connectivity and pairing experience has been good. The pairing process is hassle-free. You don’t need to press any pairing key separately to initiate the connectivity processor.

Just take out the earbuds and you will see the LEDs blinking. That’s the indication that earbuds are in pairing mode. We experienced no issues while pairing the budget Lava earbuds with smartphones. The Bluetooth playback experience is also good. No intermittent audio while media playback.

Lava has used a 60mAh battery unit to drive the Probuds 21 TWS earbuds. The company claims an approx backup of up to 9 hours on a single charge. That’s with the extra juice offered by the charging case. Thankfully, the Lava Probuds TWS comes with fast charging support that refills the battery quickly. The Lava Probuds TWS earbuds also come with Google Assistant support which you can summon using the touch gesture on the earbuds.

Lava Probuds 21 TWS Final Verdict: Hit Or A Miss?

The Lava Probuds 21 TWS earbuds justify its budget price tag with their modern features such as Google Assistant support, fast charging, and touch-sensitive earbuds. This budget earbuds can easily beat the competition with its practical approach. It is designed practically in all aspects that will fit all your requirements at a budget price point.

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