Even after a few hours I don’t mind the weight, and they work just fine with sunglasses and hats. They include a reflective neck strap that pops onto the arm end of each bud, but it isn’t particularly comfortable, and it’s stiff enough that those with larger necks will find it restrictive. Once I have them in the right spot they feel secure, so I don’t feel the need to deploy the strap even when working in the yard.

Battery life hasn’t been an issue at all, with Asus quoting the headset at 16 hours, with 48 additional hours in the charging case, with no mic and all the extra features turned off. I’m closer to 10 or 12 on a single charge with some calling mixed in, on a blend of USB-C and Bluetooth, and I haven’t felt like I need to do much besides occasionally keep the case topped off. One nifty feature is that the dongle actually works via pass-through while inside the charging case, so if you only have a single USB-C port available, you can charge and play on the low-latency connection at the same time. Instead of dedicated software, you control the headset through a web app while connected, which you have to do via USB-C the first time, and includes settings for a manual equalizer or presets, Phantom Bass, which you should always leave on in my opinion, and button functionality.

As I’ve been using these earbuds, I’ve been trying to figure out who exactly they’re for, and why you’d choose them over some of our other favorite open earbuds, especially given their relatively high price.

The real draw, I think, is the low-latency gaming connection, but if you aren’t planning on using that often, these probably aren’t all that appealing. PC and console owners might turn their nose up at the idea of a “serious” mobile gamer, but between handheld consoles like the Steam Deck and the rise in popularity of more involved mobile games like Destiny: Rising, there’s a growing market of folks catching a ranked round on their bus ride to work.