Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Soundcore’s first open-ear earbuds come with an optional neckband

Man wearing Soundcore AeroFit Pro in Electric Purple with the optional neckband.
Soundcore’s AeroFit Pro in Electric Purple with the optional neckband Soundcore

The open-ear earbuds landscape has been growing like crazy over the last 12 months, so it’s great to see that Anker’s Soundcore brand has decided to throw its hat into the ring with two new models: the $130 AeroFit and the $170 AeroFit Pro. Both are available in black starting November 1 from and Amazon, with three additional color options coming toward the end of 2023.

Both AeroFit models are based on an open-ear design that lets you stay perfectly aware of your surroundings. Instead of a speaker that sits in your ear like with the Apple AirPods, or seals your ear canal like the AirPods Pro, the AeroFit place speakers just outside your ears.

Woman wearing the Soundcore AeroFit Pro in Frost White.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro in Frost White Soundcore

They use a flexible titanium alloy wire wrapped in an ultrasoft silicone rubber to curve around the top of your ear, which keeps them anchored in place.

The Soundcore AeroFit is the entry-level model with 14mm titanium-coated drivers and touch controls on each earbud. Battery life is rated at 11 hours per charge, a number that bumps up to 42 hours when you include their charging case. A 10-minute fast charge will give you an additional four hours of playtime.

The AeroFit are also the best choice for folks who need top-notch water protection as they carry an essentially waterproof IPX7 rating. You can configure the EQ and control customization using the Soundcore companion app and the earbuds are compatible with Bluetooth Multipoint for two simultaneous device connections.

Soundcore AeroFit in midnight black.
Soundcore AeroFit in midnight black Soundcore

The AeroFit Pro take a slightly different approach to both design and features. Their most innovative aspect is the included adjustable neckband that attaches to the bottom of the earbud earhooks. Most open-ear earbuds come in one of two styles — individual earbuds, or buds that are permanently connected via a (typically) non-adjustable neckband. The AeroFit Pro’s hybrid approach could be the best of all worlds.

Woman wearing the Soundcore AeroFit in Soft Pink.
Soundcore AeroFit in Soft Pink Soundcore

The Pro also gets hi-res audio support thanks to LDAC Bluetooth codec compatibility, plus a built-in spatial audio feature with head tracking. They use larger, 16.2mm titanium-coated drivers, and they have a bigger battery capacity: a claimed 14 hours per charge, with 46 hours total when you include the case, though these numbers will decline when using the LDAC codec. Like the AeroFit, they can fast-charge, with 10 minutes getting you 5.5 extra hours.

The AeroFit Pro aren’t quite as robust as their sibling, with only an IPX5 rating for water resistance, but that might be partially due to their controls — the Pro use a set of physical buttons, which some folks may find easier to use.

Soundcore AeroFit Pro in Aqua Blue.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro in Aqua Blue Soundcore

With these specs, the only things we can say might be missing are wireless charging and wear sensors, though the industry has yet to establish either of these as must-haves for open-ear earbuds.

The AeroFit and AeroFit Pro go up against some big names — 1More, Shokz, Sony, Oladance, and Cleer Audio all have excellent open-ear earbuds models to choose from. We’ll let you know how the Soundcore AeroFit stand up to the competition as soon as we have a chance to try them out.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like…
The ultimate guide to Dolby Atmos: what it is and how to get the best possible sound
A Marantz AV 10 receiver displaying Dolby Atmos text on front panel.

Dolby Atmos is the most immersive version of surround sound you can get at home. Though it took some time to catch on, the format is now everywhere, from movie theaters to Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, as well as the world's streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Disney+.

But what, exactly, is Dolby Atmos? How is it different from other kinds of surround sound? And perhaps most importantly: If you decide you want to experience Atmos at home, how can you make sure that's exactly what you're getting? Dolby Atmos can be awesome, but getting it is (unfortunately) a bit more complicated than simply buying a TV or a soundbar with the Dolby Atmos logo on the box.

Read more
Best headphone deals: Save on Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, and more
Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones seen in black.

There's an overwhelming number of headphone deals out there, but we're here to help you wade through all of them to get the absolute top offers. We've collected the most amazing bargains on headphones made by popular brands such as Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, and more, so you don't have to look anywhere else. Once you've made the decision on what to buy, you should proceed with the transaction as soon as possible because we're not sure how much time is remaining on these discounts.
Best Bose headphone deals

Bose spearheaded the development of active noise cancellation, so you'll enjoy the latest form of the technology on most models of Bose headphones. Combined with premium sound quality, Bose headphones command high prices, so you're going to want to take advantage of these Bose headphone deals to get some savings along the way. We don't know when these offers will get taken down, so shop them now while they're still up.

Read more
The best wireless headphones for 2023 from Bose, Sony, 1More and more
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Earcup/logo close-up.

Wires are so old school, especially when it comes to headphones. Unless you're an audiophile who must have the peak possible hi-res sound quality that, with a few exceptions, can only be achieved with a set of wired headphones, then getting yourself a pair of the best wireless headphones is an absolute must. Don't misunderstand us: wireless headphones sound fantastic, and they're packed with features such as active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency modes for hearing the outside world the way you want to, excellent call quality, Bluetooth multipoint connectivity and more.

We're always looking for the best wireless headphones, and we also take comfort, audio quality, and battery life seriously. For this roundup, we're focusing on wireless headphones of the over-ear variety. For the best wireless earbuds, we've got a roundup of those, too.

Read more