Update: …and our winner is @KJ_Mack, thanks to all that entered!
Anker first announced its Zolo lineup last June with a successful Kickstarter campaign that saw its Liberty wireless earbuds raise over $2.8 million. After going through the manufacturing process, these AirPod competitors are now available for purchase at an affordable $99.99.
We’ve partnered with Anker to giveaway a pair of its truly wireless earphones, offering our readers a chance to cut the cord on their next workout. Head below for a brief hands-on look and to learn how you can win these earphones for yourself.
Value and features |
Anker’s ZOLO line is made to deliver quality audio at an attractive price point. In fact, ZOLO Liberty earphones are almost 40% less than Apple’s in-house AirPods. You won’t find a W1 chip here for instant pairing with your iPhone, but the value aspect will outweigh that feature for some.
ZOLO Liberty sports an impressive 24-hours of playback when using the integrated charging case. An internal battery supplies around 3.5-hours at a time which will outlast most workout sessions. Anker uses its ‘PUSH AND GO’ fast pairing system to get your earphones connected in a timely fashion. Ultimately, I found this to be much like a traditional Bluetooth pairing process, but it did work as advertised.
Anker includes the usual right and left earbuds, along with a nice charging case with integrated LED indicators on the outside. MicroUSB charging and three different eartips round out the list of included accessories in the box. Anker’s usual 12-month warranty is present, as well.
Fit and Finish |
Like all truly wireless earbuds, be it Apple’s own, Jaybird or any other pair we’ve featured here, the fit of Anker’s Liberty is going to be different for each user. I found the smallest eartips to fit the best for my ears, but it certainly took some trial and error. I recommend using the “GripFit” jackets to keep each earbud in place while in use.
Overall, I’d rate the comfort level somewhere below Apple’s own AirPods and in-line with Jaybird’s Run series. Wireless earbuds are a tricky proposition, as they just don’t work for every ear canal. Anker’s inclusion of various eartips are certainly helpful in this regard.
Conclusion and Giveaway |
Anker’s Zolo line certainly offers appeal for the value-focused. Under $100, and even less with various promotions, is an attractive price point for those after a truly wireless experience. The audio quality isn’t quite on par with your Bose or AirPod systems, but during workouts, I find that to be the least of my worries. Are they comfortable? Yes. Do they stay in? Yes. Those are often priorities while on the treadmill, and Anker certainly delivers.
We’ve partnered with Anker to giveaway a pair of its ZOLO Liberty Wireless Earbuds. Simply share this post on Twitter or Facebook and we’ll announce a winner next Friday, February 2nd.
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