Bose has just unveiled the Sport Open Earbuds – a new addition to its ever-expanding headphones line-up.
Designed “for running, workouts and outdoor adventures”, how does the Sport Open measure up to Bose’s Sport Earbuds which launched back in 2020? If you own the older pair, is now the time to upgrade?
Ahead of our Bose Sport Open Earbuds review, we’ve compared its initial specs to the Sport Earbuds and highlighted the key upgrades below. Read on to see what’s new and whether you think the buds will enter our best workout headphones guide.
Not sold on a workout-specific pair? Check out our round-up of the best wireless earbuds instead.
Price and Availability
The Bose Sport Open Earbuds will launch from October 15, and have an RRP of $199 / £179.95. The buds will be available in a choice between Black, White Smoke and a limited-edition Eucalyptus Green.
In comparison, the Bose Sport Earbuds are no longer readily available to buy. However, the buds were priced the same as the new Sport Open Earbuds, with an RRP of £179.95.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds have an open-ear design
The biggest and most obvious difference between the buds is with their respective designs. While the Sport Earbuds have tips that plug into your ear, the Sport Open Earbuds are bone conducting buds that sport a C-arm cuff that wraps around the ear, rather than sitting inside the canal.
If you’ve never worn open-ear buds before then the thought might be off-putting. Sure, by their very nature, open-ears don’t offer active noise cancellation, but that’s not what they’re designed for. Instead, the buds allow you to remain aware of traffic, announcements and passers-by while still enabling you to listen to music on the go.
Even so, Bose explains that thanks to Auto Volume the buds will automatically adjust loudness as ambient noise changes.
But what does all of this mean for the sound quality? According to Bose, the Sport Open is equipped with the brand’s OpenAudio technology that’s engineered to “deliver rich, personal sound” even with the open design. In addition, Bose SoundDesign digital sound processing promises balanced clarity and deep bass levels too.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds are rated IP54
Earbuds that are designed for workouts need to offer a solid level of durability, as they’ll be exposed to sweat, rain and frequent tumbles too. While the original Sport Earbuds are IPX4 rated, which means the buds are protected from water splashes but not from dust, the Sport Open Earbuds boast a higher IP54 rating instead.
IP54 means the buds can withstand splashes of water and are dust-resistant too. In addition, there are textured physical buttons on the buds that allow you to control audio, even if your fingers are sweaty during a workout too. Bose also promises that thanks to its cuff design, the Sport Open Earbuds will stay in place throughout head shakes and even cartwheels.
We can’t promise that we’ll be able to specifically verify the cartwheel claim, but we’ll report back on how secure the buds are once we review them.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds promise longer battery life
Although Bose stated that the Sport Earbuds should see up to five hours of battery per earbud, and 15 hours with the charging case, our tests actually saw slightly lower figures of between three to four hours. It’s not far off, but definitely means you’ll need to make sure your case is fully charged in case you’re caught short.
Speaking of the case, the Sport Earbuds’ own doesn’t offer wireless charging. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a shame as wireless charging is undoubtedly a convenient addition. In comparison, the Sport Open Earbuds do have a wireless charging case and store 22 hours of power too.
Not only that, but the Sport Open Earbuds also promise up to seven hours of battery too. As the Sport Earbuds fell slightly short of this promise, we’ll have to wait and see how the Sport Open fare.
From October, the Sport Open Earbuds will include Google Find Hub and Alexa+
Bose has said that a planned firmware update that’ll follow the release of the Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) will introduce new features. These include Google Find Hub, which will allow you to locate the buds if you lose them, and built-in Alexa+ for easy hands-free controls. In comparison, the Sport Earbuds didn’t have any built-in voice assistants, although you could easily use one via your paired phone or device.
Early Verdict
As we’re yet to review the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, we’ll refrain from providing too conclusive a verdict until we get our hands on the pair. However, with an open-ear design that promises to keep you aware of your surroundings without disrupting audio quality, longer battery and a stronger IP rating, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds seem like a promising upgrade from the Sport Earbuds.
We’ll update this versus once we review the Bose Sport Open Earbuds.
