Skullcandy have released several truly wireless earbuds in recent years, and the Skullcandy Push Ultra is their latest foray into this ever-growing market. Designed primarily with active users in mind, they come in at a relatively cheap price point.
Skullcandy are making a name for themselves as a manufacturer of affordable headphones with innovative designs and consistent functionality.
So how do the Push Ultra truly wireless earbuds live up to this reputation?
We put them through their paces to help you decide if they’re worth parting with your hard-earned cash. So, let’s see how they stack up in our in-depth Skullcandy Push Ultra Review…
(4 / 5)Contents
Design
The Skullcandy Push Ultra comes in three colors. Black, light blue, and vibrant yellow for the extroverts out there. They have an over-the-ear hook design to aid with stability whilst exercising. The hooks are pliable, so they can be comfortably positioned on any ear. The housings and hooks feature a silicone-like material.
Finding a fit…
The housing and buds are quite bulky. The earbuds themselves are one size fits all.
Strangely Scullcandy decided not to include a range of differently sized, interchangeable ear tips. The buds are not designed to create a seal and don’t sit very deeply in your ear canal. This isn’t ideal for keeping the outside world out, but more on that later.
Fortunately, the ear hooks keep them in place effectively without any major fatigue over extended listening sessions.
Portable protection…
The accompanying charging case is well built if a little on the large side. This is to accommodate the battery and larger size of the earbuds and the ear hooks. You’ll probably have to carry this in a bag unless you have cavernous pockets.
The sturdy build should provide good protection from any knocks or drops you encounter. On the downside, there are sporadic alignment problems with the charging port. So, you have to make double sure they are connected properly. Checking the LED charging light will let you know.
An IP67 dust and water resistance rating means the Skullcandy Push Ultra can be submerged in up to one meter of water for 20 minutes. We wouldn’t recommend putting this to the test. But heavy rain, excessive sweating, or cleaning under a tap will not cause these earbuds any problems.
Controls and Features
As with all truly wireless earbuds, the controls are mounted on the housings. The Skullcandy Push Ultra mirrors the controls on each bud. Plus/minus buttons on the side of the housing deal with the volume, and a two-second press handles track selection. We’re not huge fans of this set-up, as it can often result in skipping a track when you just wanted to adjust the volume.
There’s a multi-purpose button on the outer housing. A single tap controls play/pause and answers calls. Voice Assistants can be activated with three taps. Two taps and a long hold enables switching between three equalizer settings.
Generally, the controls are easy to use and very responsive.
Special feature…
A standout feature of the Push Ultra is the inclusion of Tile Tracking. All you have to do is download the Tile app and pair both earbuds. By pressing the “find” button on the screen, your earbuds will emit a loud chirping, which should help you find a lost bud pretty quickly.
Failing that, an onscreen circle that increases in size as you home-in on your lost bud can be used instead. If you mislaid your buds some distance away, the last known GPS location will be displayed on a map. All in all, this makes the Skullcandy Push Ultra very difficult to lose.
Handling calls on the Push Ultra isn’t the best experience. The microphone picks up quite a lot of background noise. Plus, the lack of a seal on the buds doesn’t help either. If you are making or receiving a lot of calls in noisy conditions, they are definitely not up to the job.
Connectivity
The Skullcandy Push Ultra uses Bluetooth 5.0 technology to connect to your listening device. Place both buds in the charging case to start the initial pairing. When both are removed at the same time, they enter pairing mode, and then you simply select ‘Push Ultra’ on your device.
It took a couple of attempts to get this right. But once achieved, they generally held a good connection, with only the occasional dropouts whilst out and about. Bluetooth range was good for up to 10 unobstructed meters before the connection started to falter.
Additionally, the Ultra’s can operate independently of one another. This is a feature not always found on other wireless earbuds. Return one to the case, and the other will continue working. The only issue with this is that you’ll have to go through the pairing process again.
App Support
The less said about this, the better. The Skullcandy Push Ultra support app has no real features worth talking about. It seems to exist purely for future firmware updates and the Tile feature.
You can see the current EQ setting but have no ability to change it via the app. Unfortunately, there is no manual control over the equalizer settings and some surround options.
Battery Life
The battery duration on a single charge was a little underwhelming at just over five hours. Skullcandy also failed to include an automatic turn-off timer, which is handy for those of us who forget to turn our headphones off regularly.
The good news is that the charging case carries an extra six full charges. A full charge only takes 20 minutes, which is exceptionally fast.
There is a USB-C charging port on the back of the case. This is good to see when so many others still opt for the micro ports. However, there is no cover for this port, so you have to make sure this stays clear of any water.
Sound Performance
So, moving on to what should be the most important consideration when investing in a new set of earbuds. The Skullcandy Push Ultra has adequate sound quality. Not surprising, since they are essentially exercising earbuds. Audiophiles are unlikely to be impressed.
As the buds don’t create a seal inside the ear canal, there is little in the way of noise isolation going on. Consequently, they let an awful lot of outside noise into the mix. Bass response also suffers as a result. In fact, it’s severely lacking.
Even on the preset with the heaviest bass, there’s a distinct lack of punch and body present in most tracks. When pushed further into the canal, you get a feel for how much more depth could be achieved with a different design.
Lacking in details…
The mid-range frequencies are reasonably well-tuned if a little muddy at times. Vocals can feel a little distant or pushed towards the back of the overall mix occasionally.
Treble frequencies don’t suffer as badly from the lack of a seal. And are probably reproduced more faithfully than the mids and bass. That being said, some of the finer details get lost in the mix.
Skullcandy Push Ultra Review Pros and Cons
Pros
- Stabilizing ear hooks.
- Tile tracking ability.
- Rapid charging.
- Ease of use.
- Relatively cheap.
Cons
- Average sound quality.
- Zero noise isolation.
- Featureless app support.
- Average battery length.
- Poor mic quality.
Looking for Something Else
Finding the right earbuds has never been easier. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Most Comfortable Earbuds, the Best Noise Isolating Earbuds, the Best Earbuds under 50 Dollars, and the Best Earbuds Under $100 you can buy.
Also, take a look at our reviews of the Best iPhone Earbuds, the Best True Wireless Earbuds, the Best Airpods Alternative, the Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds, and the Best Wireless Earbuds For Small Ears currently on the market in 2023.
Skullcandy Push Ultra Review Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a stable set of wireless workout earbuds that don’t block out ambient noise, then the Push Ultra offers sound quality that will be acceptable considering the relatively low price.
The pliable ear hooks keep the buds in place well, even during strenuous exercise. Standout features include the Tile tracking ability and the exceptionally speedy charge time.
Other than that, there isn’t anything particularly outstanding about the Skullcandy Push Ultra. And in all honesty, you could find better value elsewhere. To be honest, we would recommend taking a look at the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air or the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 earbuds for a more well-rounded experience.
Until next time, happy listening.
