If you’re in the market for a pair of wireless earbuds, you’ve probably noticed the intense competition. Almost every brand involved in the tech space has something to offer, not to mention numerous specialized brands. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but the truth is, there are many people who aren’t interested in the nuances; they just want a pair of earbuds that sound good, don’t break too quickly, and don’t break the bank. And if it comes from a trusted name, even better. Well, meet the Nokia Go Earbuds 2. Today, we’ll find out if they’re worth buying and what to expect.
Specifications
- Type: TWS, sn-ear
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Speakers: neodymium, 10 mm
- Support for surround sound 2.0
- Support for SBC codecs
- Audio codecs: ENC
- Headphones operating time: listening – up to 20 hours of work, charging time – up to 2 hours
- Battery capacity: headphones – 30 mAh each, case – 300 mAh
- Protection against water: IPX4
- There is a low latency mode (game and video mode)
- Charging: wired (USB Type-C)
- Wireless network range: 10 m (in the absence of obstacles)
- Headphone dimensions: 17.0 × 33.0 × 15.5 mm, weight 4 g each
- Case dimensions: 23×43×53 mm, weight 26 g
- Control: touch screen
Package contents and price
The headphones arrived for review in both white and black colors, but the box they came in was all white. Everything was done quite well. Inside, there’s a charging case with the earbuds, a USB Type-C charging cable (by the way, the color matches the case), a warranty card, and a short user manual. No surprises, as they say.
Their recommended retail price on marketplaces is currently around $38. However, you can find them for as low as $28 if you’re willing to look around. It’s quite affordable and should make them a really attractive option for most people. The manufacturer’s warranty on them is also fairly standard – 1 year.
Nokia Go Earbuds 2 design
If you’re looking for something small and convenient, you’re in luck because the manufacturer has done everything to ensure that the Nokia Go Earbuds 2 don’t fall out of your ears, don’t press or irritate, even after long periods of wear. They are truly compact and comfortable, mostly due to their weight of just 4 grams each.
Read also: Nokia Go Earbuds 2 Pro TWS headset review
The case feels a bit too lightweight for my liking; I might have preferred to feel it a bit more in my hand, although it doesn’t affect the battery size – it’s actually large and long-lasting. The pebble-shaped case may be slightly bulkier than others, but it still fits easily in your pocket.
Of course, you can choose from two colors that will harmoniously complement any outfit. I still couldn’t decide which one I liked more, although the number of photos of the white pair in this review speaks for itself.
I’ll mention separately about the length of the earbud stem—it’s not too long, but it’s wide enough and responsive to touch so you won’t miss any calls and can quickly skip tracks. It’s also quite convenient to remove them from the case, and the gentle magnetic attraction neatly pulls the earbuds back in.
Read also: Nokia G42 5G Smartphone Review
Battery life
If we believe the manufacturer, the earbuds can last for 20 hours of continuous music playback, and a 10-minute charge provides 2 hours of listening time. I’ll say that after 4 days of active use, I only had to charge them once, and I consider this more than satisfactory endurance for such a modest cost. However, actual endurance may vary from user to user.
I’ll mention separately that the low latency mode and phone calls significantly drain the earbuds’ battery, but that’s to be expected. There’s no wireless charging, although it’s expected for this segment. Nokia Go Earbuds 2 aren’t rich in features, but they cover all the basics.
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Nokia Go Earbuds 2 sound
Connecting these earbuds to your phone is very simple and quick – you just need to pair them with your phone via Bluetooth – and that’s it. There’s no dedicated app, which means no equalizer, although (spoiler alert!) the earbuds performed well even without it.
So, it’s time to move on to the most important aspect – sound quality. I selected these tracks for testing: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, The Death of Peace of Mind by Bad Omens, Krip by Go_A, and The Walls by Chase Atlantic. These are quite complex compositions, demanding clear mid, low, and high frequencies. And the Nokia earbuds handled them well. The sound quality is acceptable; there’s not much to write home about – it’s certainly not the best sound you’ll find, but it’s decent. Perhaps a bit more pronounced low frequencies would be nice, but that’s just my personal feeling. However, all of this is more than compensated by the volume! They’re really loud, and for me, that’s a big plus in our busy and noisy world.
Noise cancellation – again – is quite decent for its price category. The claimed ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) codec should filter out external noises during calls with the headset and provide high-quality voice transmission using the built-in earbud microphones. As for complete silence, well, no, but it does provide a sufficient level of noise cancellation to make the world around you a bit quieter.
These earbuds are also equipped with IPX4 water resistance, like most models of sports earbuds and watches. This level ensures protection of the device’s internal components from direct splashes of water and dirt (but they shouldn’t be submerged in water or used while swimming), which is a nice bonus, although I haven’t personally tested it.
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Control
Upon first opening, the earbuds pleasantly flash blue and red LEDs, while the case only flashes when the battery level is low. I’ll mention separately that there’s no support for a second device, but that was expected. By the way, in these earbuds, the microphone will work in the leading earbud, i.e., the one you take out of the case first.
Also, among the interesting features, to reset the earbuds to factory settings, you need to press and hold the touch panel on both earbuds simultaneously for 5 seconds until the LED flashes blue and red 3 times, after which they will turn off. The gaming and video mode is activated by holding down the touch area of the L earbud for 2 seconds.
As for the general controls, they are managed by the right earbud. A 3-second hold turns them on, while a 7-second hold turns them off. A single press starts or pauses music playback and answers calls, a double press places the call on hold, a triple press on the touch panel initiates voice input, and a double press during music playback slightly fast-forwards the track in the case of the right earbud, and slightly rewinds in the case of the left. Adjusting the volume up or down can be done by sliding up or down on the touch panel, respectively. Everything is quite easy and intuitive, with acceptable response speed; there shouldn’t be any questions arising.
Read also: OPPO Enco Air3 Pro Review: Mid-budget TWS Earbuds with Premium Sound
Conclusions
Yes, I might have liked a bit more control via an app and a bit more bass in these earbuds, but the absence of an equalizer or full noise cancellation during calls is balanced by the ease and convenience of wearing them; even after several hours, there was no discomfort in the ears.
Overall, the Nokia Go Earbuds 2 are an attractive product at an attractive price. The company has set a fairly high standard with these earbuds. Although they lack high-tech features like active noise cancellation and wireless charging, I believe that at this price point, they are one of those rare products that offer a good balance of price and quality. Furthermore, the excellent battery life is another reason why many people who are always on the go might want to consider purchasing the Nokia Go Earbuds 2.
Read also:
- Nokia Go Earbuds+ TWS-201 review
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