Some time ago, I reviewed the iFrogz Airtime Truly Wireless Earbuds plus Charging Case. They surprised me. The small, inexpensive earbuds were not only comfortable and offered a secure fit, but they sounded pretty darn good. (Read my review.) The $69.99 iFrogz AIRTIME PRO True Wireless Earbuds offer a more AirPod-esque design, but are they worth the extra money?
The AIRTIME true wireless earbuds took me by surprise. At under $60, I didn’t expect much from them. After all, I’ve been using true wireless earbuds that range in price from $150 to over $250. How could a sub-$60 pair of earbuds come close? When I opened the box, my initial assumptions were reinforced. The battery case was made from light plastic, and the earbuds were small and plastic. Boy was I surprised when I tried them. The small size made them fit comfortably inside my ears. Their light weight meant I barely noticed they were there after a few minutes. The design kept them securely in my ears with no noticeable pressure being put on my ears. And they sounded surprisingly good. I was impressed.
When the AIRTIME PRO arrived, I hoped they would repeat the same magic as their smaller, slightly less expensive siblings.
Free your sound with truly wireless earbuds: Experience the true Sound of Freedom with AIRTIME PRO. Featuring a 20-hour battery life, these truly wireless earbuds have no wires to hold you back. Enjoy crystal-clear, hands-free calls through the integrated mic and full navigational control through tap sequences on both earbuds. The slim charging case stays charged, so you’re always ready to go, and the IPX-4 water resistance means AIRTIME PRO can stand up to light rain and sweat.
The iFrogz AIRTIME PRO comes in your choice of black, white, or blue. I was glad I received the black version for review. I think they look great and, were they white, I think they would look like they were trying to be an inexpensive version of Apple’s AirPods. More on that in a moment.
Inside the box, ear tips, you’ll find the AIRTIME PRO earbuds, a charging case, three sets of ear tips in small, medium, and large and a short USB-C charging cable.
The charging case has a clamshell design and opens to reveal the earbuds. On one side, there is a cover USB-C charging port — yay for USB-C!! On the front, there are four small LEDs that serve as charge indicators.
The case is made from fairly thin plastic, and it has a fairly cheap feel when compared to the charging case that comes with RHA, Jabra, and Master & Dynamics’s true wireless earbud offerings. Still, the case does its job, and its lightweight means it is comfortable to throw the earbuds in your pocket when you head out for the day. The combination of the earbuds and the case translate to twenty hours or more of playback time on the go.
The earbuds themselves take a design cue directly from Apple’s AirPods. While the AIRTIME were basically the portion of earbuds that go into your ear — I’m still amazed they were able to pack a battery, the necessary electronics and drivers into something so small — the AIRTIME Pro have a rather Apple-esque “stem.” The stem makes it easier to grab and adjust the earbuds. In addition, it lets iFrogz pack larger batteries inside.
Finally, the stem brings the microphone closer to your mouth, so calls sound better. I did find that calls were better with the AIRTIME PRO than the AIRTIME thanks to the addition of there stem.
The earbuds are IPX-4 rated so they can be used while working out. The earbud surface, which has the iFrogz logo, has capacitive controls so you can play/pause/skip or repeat tracks without taking the earbuds or your phone out. They also work to manage calls. I found the controls a bit challenging to learn and, even when I did; I found them a bit finicky. I should note, however, that that has been my experience with pretty much every pair of true wireless earbuds I have tried.
And while I like the larger design of the AIRTIME PRO as compared to the AIRTIME, I actually found the smaller AIRTIME to offer a more comfortable and secure fit. No, I haven’t had the AIRTIME PRO fall out while using them, but they don’t feel nearly as secure as their smaller siblings.
The AIRTIME PRO pack Bluetooth 5.0 inside so the earbuds maintain a stronger connection than some of the earlier models that had some variation of Bluetooth 4.0. It also means they are simple to pair. They have 5mm neodymium drivers and, the three different sizes of ear tips should allow everyone to get a tight seal when the earbuds are inserted. That’s an important aspect when it comes to audio quality. We’ll come back to that in a moment.
Features:
- CLEAR CALLS: Enjoy clear, hands-free phone calls through the integrated mic.
- AUTO PAIRING: Earbuds automatically enter pairing mode once removed from the charging case.
- CAPACITIVE TOUCH: Operate controls with light tap sequences.
- SWEAT RESISTANT: IPX-4 rated to withstand light rain or sweat.
- USB-C CHARGING: Replenish power to the slim charging case faster than before.
- ENHANCED WIRELESS CONNECTION: Upgraded to Bluetooth® 5.0 to strengthen your wireless connection.
- ERGONOMIC STEM DESIGN: Optimized in-ear design prevents ear fatigue.
- 5MM DRIVERS: Powerful 5mm neodymium drivers per ear.
One additional feature worth mentioning is the iFrogz “Earbud Tips for Life” program. As they explain it,
The Earbud Tips for Life limited lifetime warranty means if your earbud tips get worn or damaged, we will replace them.
That’s a nice added feature and something of a surprise considering how inexpensive the AIRTIME PRO are.
Before we talk about sound, let’s keep something in mind…
The Jabra Elite Active 65T are $189.99. The RHA TrueConnect earbuds are $169.95. And the Master & Dynamic MW07 are $299. At under $70, the AIRTIME PRO are less than half as expensive as the least expensive earbuds on this list. If you were expecting the AIRTIME PRO to sound as good as any of these other true wireless earbuds, plan to be disappointed. They don’t. I tried all four of these devices with the same song before starting this review. The AIRTIME PRO sound distinctly thinner than the others. There isn’t a huge amount of bass, and the definition is a bit lacking.
I am a fan of iFrogz products, but I have to admit these aren’t winning any audiophile awards. Here’s the thing, though — they aren’t targeted to audiophiles any more than Apple’s AirPods are. Full disclosure: Raina loves her AirPods, and I still can’t figure out why.
These earbuds are intended for people who want true wireless earbuds that get good battery life, are comfortable, and stay secure, deliver audio that is perfectly adequate. Viewed in that way… the AIRTIME PRO are a good value and they are ideal for students, travelers who tend to lose things, or for anyone who wants a pair of true wireless earbuds but doesn’t want to spend a fortune. I think I prefer the smaller AIRTIME, but for serious commuters, I suspect the AIRTIME PRO will be better. Check them out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Inexpensive; Three sets of ear tips and lifetime replacements; Battery case lets them deliver 20 hours of playback; “Stem” improves call quality; Easy to pair; Maintain a good connection
What Needs Improvement: Audio quality is not going to blow you away; I found they didn’t feel as secure as I would have liked