The Chinese company 1More occupies a rather unique spot in the headphone industry. They strive to make high-quality audio products at a reasonable price that can compete with the more expensive competition. With the 1More Stylish True Wireless earbuds, they’ve once again managed to do just that.
These are the cheapest earbuds we’ve come across that support aptX and AAC Bluetooth codecs, and that’s not the only area where the 1More Stylish hold their own in more esteemed company. We spent a couple of weeks giving them a full work out and were rather pleased with the results.
So, let’s find out how well they did in our 1More Stylish True Wireless review…
(4.5 / 5)Contents
Design/Build
If you’re going to call your product ‘Stylish’, then it had better live up to its name. Fortunately, 1More have managed to design one of the most attractive true wireless earbuds we’ve come across in a while.
The smooth oval shape of the housings creates a minimalist and pretty unobtrusive look. They also have a relatively low profile, not sticking out as far as other designs. It is indeed a rather sleek and stylish look.
However, the housing materials are 100% plastic, which does give them a rather cheap feel when holding them. On the flip side, it also makes them very light and consequently, less likely to fall out of your ear if you can achieve a good seal (more on that later).
If you want to stand out from the crowd, the 1More Stylish comes in three colors aside from the standard black. Take your pick from gold, spearmint green, or rose pink to jazz things up a little.
The accompanying charging case also adds to the overall sleek aesthetic. It’s a compact egg-shaped design that is small enough to fit comfortably in most pockets. Strangely, in this day and age, charging the case is enabled via a micro-USB cable, which makes no sense in an era where the newest devices are generally USB-C compatible.
It’s a minor gripe, but something 1More need to pay attention to if they want to compete with the big boys.
Control Interface
Each 1More Stylish earbud has a single multi-function button that allows for play/pause, track selection, and call handling. When playback is stopped, two taps of the button will activate whichever personal voice assistant you prefer.
As of March 2023, a software update to the app means that you can now control volume via the earbuds too. It quickly becomes irritating to reach for the phone every time you want to change the volume, so this is a very welcome improvement.
Comfort & Fit
We can’t stress how important achieving a good seal is to the eventual sound quality of any earbud. The 1More Stylish earbuds come with four sets of silicone ear tips and three sets of ‘o-hooks’ which act like wings to help improve stability.
We have to say that it took a fair amount of experimentation to find the right combination of tip and wing. But once hit upon, a good seal and secure fit was achieved, and there were no problems with the earbuds coming loose, even when out running and very sweaty.
Audio performance and in particular, bass response was drastically improved once a solid seal had been created, so it’s really worth experimenting until you get it right.
Once tip and wing had been selected, comfort levels were excellent with no ear fatigue experienced even after hours of use. The fact they are so light really helps in this area too.
Battery Life
1More claim 6.5 hours of continuous playback at 50% volume on a full charge. We found this to be a generally accurate description during our testing. By industry standards, this is at the higher end of the scale and better than a lot of the more expensive competition.
For example, the 1More Stylish earbuds last a full 1.5 hours longer than the Apple AirPods and a good half an hour longer than the Samsung Galaxy earbuds, which is impressive when you take into account how much cheaper they are.
The charging case, once fully powered up, will supply an extra 24 hours of playback and also has a quick charge feature. And five minutes docked in the case will give the earbuds a full three hours of playback. Really handy for recharging on the go or when you’ve forgotten to charge overnight.
The case and the earbuds take around an hour to go from empty to fully charged, which is again, very competitive by industry standards.
Setup/Connectivity
Setup is a very straightforward process on both iOS and Android devices using the standard Bluetooth procedure. On removal from the case, the 1More Stylish earbuds go into pairing mode, and once paired with your device; there is no need to repeat the process.
Bluetooth 5.0 is standard, and both aptX and AAC codec support is included. This is unheard of for wireless earbuds in this price range and really goes to prove 1More’s commitment to providing high-quality audio at affordable prices.
Bluetooth range is stated at ten meters, but at around seven to eight, we started to experience hiccups even without any obstacles or walls in the way. However, whilst out and about with the phone in a pocket, connection only dropped out a handful of times over the course of a week.
Although mildly annoying, this is a level that most people will find acceptable, and when it did happen, the connection was re-established almost immediately. Not once did things get so bad that we had to resort to re-pairing the buds and phone.
If there is one area where the 1More Stylish fall down in terms of the competition, it’s with call handling. Recipients of my calls reported my voice sounding a little muddy at times, and on several occasions, I was asked to repeat myself. This isn’t a deal-breaker for us, but if you’re planning on using the 1More Stylish to field a lot of calls, then it’s something you’d need to consider.
Sound Quality
You can tell 1More care about audio performance. And Grammy-winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi has been given the responsibility of tuning all the headphones in 1More’s range, and he’s done a very nice job here.
It’s a clean and dynamic sound signature, leaning towards an emphasis on bass. Nicely balanced mids and the treble frequencies never feel overpowered by the deep and punchy bass. Audiophiles would probably look for a slightly more neutral frequency response, but for your average listener, it’s a fun sound full of energy and warmth.
1More are known for their excellent driver construction. The 7mm titanium composite drivers used here, although not quite able to replicate the performance of 1More’s legendary Triple Driver earphones, are certainly able to get the job done.
On first listening out of the box, the bass was almost too much. However, after a day or two, as the drivers burned in, the bass relaxed, leaving a tight attacking lower end that most will appreciate.
One thing we can certainly say is that the 1More Stylish have a far more satisfying sound profile than the original Apple Airpods. Yes, the Beats PowerBeats Pro have a more expansive sound with more bass, but they are in two completely different price brackets.
1More Stylish True Wireless Pros & Cons
Pros
- Best sound in their price range.
- aptX and AAC support.
- Long battery life.
- Light and comfortable.
- Compact and portable charging case.
Cons
- Plastic material feels cheap.
- Micro-USB charging.
- May have too much bass for some.
Want More Choices?
Not quite convinced about the 1More Stylish? We love them, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, then check out our comprehensive reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds, the Best Wireless Earbuds for Small Ears, the Best Headphones and Earbuds for Sleeping, the Most Durable Earbuds, or even the Best Bone Conduction Headphones on the market.
The Verdict
Whilst far from perfect, the 1More Stylish True Wireless Earbuds really do offer unbeatable value for money. Yes, there are true wireless earbuds that have superior audio performance. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3, for example, have a delightful sound profile but are three times the price.
For its price point, you will not find better sounding true wireless earbuds than the 1More Stylish. The inclusion of high-quality audio codecs really makes a difference to sound quality and is an unexpected bonus at this price.
Throw in an excellent battery length, a comfortable and secure fit (eventually), and a sleek, sophisticated look, and you have yourself quite the package. In fact, at their price point, the 1More Stylish True Wireless Earbuds are head and shoulders above the competition in almost every aspect.
If you’re looking for wireless buds that offer premium sound and a user-friendly interface, but don’t have a huge budget, these are the earbuds for you.
Happy listening.
