Skullcandy’s new Dime true wireless earbuds are compact, water-resistant, and incredibly cheap at just $25. They might not be the first true wireless earbuds at this price (you’ll find several on Amazon), but they’re the first from a big, well-known brand.
They’re available in four colors: Dark blue/green, light grey/blue, dark grey, and black.
“Offering stellar sound and unmatched simplicity at a price that makes it possible to throw a pair in every bag,” said Jeff Hutchings, Skullcandy’s chief product officer, in a press release, “Dime breaks down all barriers formerly associated with true wireless.”
At this price, the Dime aren’t exactly loaded with features, but with IPX4 water-resistance, 3.5 hours of playtime on a charge and a total of 12 hours when you include the charging case, they might just offer enough value to make them a very popular choice for folks looking for a barebones experience on a tight budget.
Skullcandy has eliminated virtually every technology we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, like wireless charging, touch-sensitive controls, wear sensors, active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, a mobile app for changing EQ or button functions, and it has even opted for the older Micro USB standard for charging the case, instead of the newer (and presumably more expensive) USB-C format.
But where the Dime lack bells and whistles, they make up for in simplicity. A single button on each earbud gives you access to every function needed, including volume and your phone’s voice assistant. You can use each earbud independently, and their charging case is incredibly compact — not much bigger than a modern car keyfob.
This means that the Dime’s appeal will come down to their sound quality. If they sound like $25 earbuds, that’s going to make them a hard sell. If, on the other hand, they sound like earbuds in the $50-$75 range, Skullcandy could have a huge hit on its hands.
It wasn’t that long ago that Skullcandy created a lot of brand awareness for itself by marketing super-affordable and slickly designed wired earbuds that graced the end-of-aisle displays at grocery stores. They were (and still are) total no-brainer purchases for folks who need a fast and cheap way to replace their shredded earbuds. With the Dime, Skullcandy appears to be poised to do the same for the true wireless earbud world.
Check out our hands-on review of the Skullcandy Dime.
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