soundcore C30i Earbuds Review
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Design
The newest trend in earbuds seems to be these earbuds that you can wear as an accessory… kind of like earrings. I think the trend started with the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and it’s not a bad idea. I’ve always been a fan of open-air earbuds like the AirPods as they allow you to hear what is going on around you and add a soundtrack to your day.
The Soundcore C30i follows this trend, although at less than a third of the cost of the Bose earbuds. To put these on, you start at the upper part of your ear where it’s thinner, and they twist it into place. These earbuds have tiny speakers that sit outside of your ear and point the sound directly at your ear canal. You may have to play around with them a little bit to get the best sound. They also come with plastic inserts that can make the fit a little tighter if they feel too loose.
Performance
As far as sound quality, the sound is very good, but as is common with these open-air earbuds, they are lacking in bass. It’s better than it was on the Soundcore Frames, but I think Soundcore did a better job with the bass on the AeroFit running earbuds. To be fair, the AeroFit earbuds are much larger than the c30i earbuds.
Like the AeroFit headphones, the C30i earbuds can be used for workouts as they have an IPX4 water resistance rating, meaning they are protected against water splashes and sweat. They’re very lightweight at just 5.7 grams each, and I can’t even really tell they’re there.
The C30i earbuds have a 3D Surround Sound option that provides some separation of your music and makes it feel like the sound is coming from different places around you. This is a cool feature, but I found if I’m walking outside and I’m listening to a new song, it can get a little confusing to determine if the sounds are coming from the headphones or from something else that’s outside near me.
The C30i earbuds also have multipoint connections, so you can pair them to your phone and your laptop at the same time. This lets you listen to something on your computer and automatically switches over to your phone if a call comes in.
The touch controls are on the back side of the earbuds, so you tap behind your ear to adjust the volume and play and pause your music. This unfortunately also makes it very easy to hit the button while adjusting the earbuds.
Microphone Sample
The microphones on the soundcore C30i headphones do a good job of picking up my voice and filtering out some of the background noise, but I find my voice sounds a little more robotic and distant compared to the iPhone’s built-in microphone. You can listen to the sample recordings below.
Battery Life
The earbuds last about 10 hours on a single charge, and the charging case provides an additional 2 charges for 30 hours total. And a quick 10-minute charge can get you up to 3 hours of playback when you’re in a pinch.
soundcore C30i vs Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
| soundcore C30i | Bose Ultra Open | |
| Type | Rigid (EarGrip inserts) | Soft |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Multipoint Pairing | ✅ | ❌ |
| Microphone for Phone Calls | 2 mics | Not Disclosed |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Spatial Audio | ✅ Fixed | ✅ Dynamic |
| Battery Life | 10 hours | 7.5 hours |
| Total Battery Life with Charging Case | 30 hours | 27 hours |
| Price (MSRP) | $69 | $299 |
Video Review
Our Verdict
The soundcore C30i earbuds may look like an earring accessory, but they deliver very good sound quality and still allow you to hear what is going on around you. As is common with open-air earbuds, they don't have a lot of bass, but they're more than adequate for music and podcasts. They have long battery life and can be paired to two devices simultaneously.
PROs
- Rigid design for stable fit
- Open-air so you can hear around you
- Multipoint connections
CONs
- Bass is somewhat weak
Hi, I'm Ryan! I've worked in the IT industry for over two decades and I love checking
out new gadgets, apps, and services that make our lives easier.