Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds with USB-C Connector review: sadly, these live up to their nominal price tag

Why you tin spot TechRadar We walk hours testing each merchandise aliases work we review, truthful you tin beryllium judge you’re buying nan best. Find retired much astir really we test.

Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector: Two-minute review

The Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector are spectacularly unspectacular. For a brace of inexpensive wired earbuds, they do everything you’d expect – thing more, thing less: audio that’s mean astatine best, a basal yet decently applicable creation and a lightweight feel.

So, of course, it’s worthy starting pinch a disclaimer. These earbuds person a very debased database value of conscionable $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95. As a result, it’s unreasonable to expect great audio from these buds – moreover if Belkin itself insists that they connection “superior sound quality” (spoiler alert, they don’t). And possibly unsurprisingly, nan wide listening acquisition you get from nan Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector – which will here-on beryllium known arsenic nan Belkin SoundForm USB-C – isn’t a bully one.

The cardinal rumor present is that audio is often beautiful tinny. When I compared them to nan Skullcandy Set USB-C – which beryllium connected our database of nan best wired earbuds – I recovered nan Belkin buds to connection little clarity and instruments often sounded inauthentic. For instance, erstwhile I tuned into Holy, Holy by Geordie Greep pinch nan Belkin buds, bass was rather muddy, nan choppy guitar lacked sharpness and nan usually theatrical, showstopping vocals couldn’t find their defined, satisfying position successful nan wide mix. Percussion successful nan treble wave scope would often sound rather grating astatine higher volumes too, making for a beautiful unimpressive listening experience.

I should say, though, that if you’re not excessively picky connected sound value and conscionable want inexpensive buds, these tin surely do nan job. There were nary horrible method hiccups for illustration audio cutting out, debased measurement levels aliases compatibility issues pinch devices. Sure, a deficiency of instrumental separation and constrictive soundstage tin time off euphony sounding beautiful restricted, but bass has a decent (albeit not booming) footwear and treble – though sometimes grating – tin beryllium agleam erstwhile listening to much upbeat tracks.

However, immoderate sonic shortcomings could admittedly beryllium rather frustrating, moreover if you’re a much casual listener. When listening to Rains again by Solji, nan vocalist’s precocious notes came done successful a alternatively brash manner, which was a small uncomfortable connected nan ear. On a somewhat different note, I recovered cablegram sound to beryllium beautiful salient pinch nan SoundForm USB-C. This is accentuated erstwhile you’re connected nan spell aliases moving astir a adjacent bit, making these acold from perfect if you request immoderate buds for workouts aliases walks. In fairness, however, cablegram sound is beautiful emblematic pinch wired earbuds and you often person to scatter a spot much rate to debar this – pricier models for illustration nan Shure AONIC 3 are beautiful competent successful tempering nan issue.

Other than cablegram noise, I had very fewer problems pinch nan Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector’s design. The attached controller, though a small connected nan chunky side, is responsive, useful good and has measurement controls, arsenic good arsenic a play/pause fastener that tin besides beryllium utilized to return calls aliases skip songs. The existent USB-C connector is decent too, didn’t protrude retired of nan larboard erstwhile utilizing a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and isn’t excessively ample erstwhile holding nan instrumentality in-hand. To headdress that off, these person a pleasingly comfortable in-ear feel. Unlike a batch of inexpensive buds, I ne'er felt that these were falling retired of my ears, moreover erstwhile listening for aggregate hours consecutively. Belkin besides includes a action of different sized receptor tips, truthful nary matter your receptor size you tin shape a beautiful tight seal for use.

On nan taxable of fit, it’s important to get a beardown seal erstwhile utilizing nan SoundForm USB-C. As wired buds; they’re not going to connection progressive sound cancellation and alternatively trust connected passive sound isolation for banishing outer noise. I utilized nan medium-sized receptor tips and recovered passive sound isolation to beryllium rather good. I could still perceive immoderate outer noises specified arsenic typing pinch measurement astatine astir 60-70%, but this was beautiful dulled. For nan value you pay, I decidedly felt that nan value of sound isolation was supra average.

If you’re concerned astir nan SoundForm USB-C accruing harm erstwhile stepping successful nan rain, you tin remainder assured. These person an IPX5 waterproof rating, meaning they tin past nonstop interaction pinch h2o jets – truthful moreover if it’s raining cats and dogs you should beryllium bully here. Alas, this is wherever my praise meets its bitter end.

That’s because it’s clip to talk astir nan existent look of these buds. In my view, these aren’t astatine each easy connected nan eye. Sure, nan rounded style of nan buds is decent and beautiful practical, positive nan Pink and Blue colour options (available successful nan US and Australia) are rather appealing, but that’s astir it. The buds themselves look very plasticky and nan glossy exterior only really accentuates that. In addition, nan ligament is flat, alternatively than rounded, making for a not-so-elegant appearance. Beyond that, I recovered nan ligament to kink beautiful easily, truthful don’t expect highest durability. The “tangle-free” declare is besides an exaggeration – I found, for illustration astir wired buds, nan SoundForm USB-C could get successful a twist aft pocketing them aliases placing them into tight spaces.

Finally, a connection connected nan inbuilt mic, which Belkin says tin connection “clear” telephone quality. But it can’t. I tried making a sound signaling and I won’t dress it up – nan results were poor. My sound sounded beautiful tinny and location was an audible hiss coming passim nan recording. When making a telephone call, my sound was clear capable to perceive connected nan different extremity of nan line, but it wasn’t peculiarly cleanable and location was fixed too. So, if you want an upgrade connected your phone’s inbuilt mic, don’t expect to beryllium satisfied by what nan SoundForm USB-C person to offer.

So, contempt nan debased price-point of nan Belkin SoundForm USB-C are they really worthy considering? In my view, no. There are decidedly immoderate positives present – sound isolation is beautiful good, you get a comfortable fresh and nan IPX5 waterproof standing is simply a bully touch. But arsenic always, what matters astir is sound and these buds don’t fare good successful this department. Overall audio is beautiful tinny, constrictive and treble tin get rather grating too. On apical of that, mic value is disappointing and nan buds’ creation lacks finesse. Sure, these person an ultra-low value and are wholly functional, but you’ll surely find amended value from competitors successful our guideline to nan best inexpensive headphones.

Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector review: Price and merchandise date

• $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95
• Launched successful 2019

The Belkin SoundForm USB-C earbuds released successful 2019, truthful they’re not nan freshest connected nan market, but will activity perfectly good pinch immoderate modern handset aliases instrumentality pinch USB-C. On Amazon UK they’re only disposable successful Black and White, though Amazon US and Australia person them successful much enticing Pink and Blue options.

These wired buds person a database value of $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95, meaning they’re a super-cheap option. This is simply a beautiful competitory abstraction – location are immoderate bully options from nan likes of Skullcandy and Final, truthful make judge to measure alternatives earlier snapping these up.

Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector review: Specs

Should you bargain nan Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector?

Buy them if...

Don't bargain them if...

Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector review: Also consider

Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector review: How I tested

• Tested complete nan people of aggregate weeks
• Used successful nan office, while connected walks and astatine home
• Predominantly tested utilizing Tidal connected nan Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

I put nan Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds pinch USB-C Connector to nan trial complete nan people of aggregate weeks. I predominantly utilized them while listening to euphony connected Tidal pinch nan Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I besides played tunes connected Spotify and watched video contented via YouTube. I utilized nan buds successful an agency situation and while retired connected walks adjacent engaged roads to proceedings their sound isolation capabilities, but besides astatine location for much zoned-in listening sessions.

When listening to tunes I played tracks from nan TechRadar testing playlist, which contains tracks from a assortment of genres, though I besides spent hours blasting bangers from my individual library. When appropriate, I pitted these buds against nan likewise priced Skullcandy Set USB-C, to comparison audio quality, comfortableness and creation choices, among different things.

• First reviewed: November 2024
• Read much astir how we test