Whether you love music or play mobile games, Bluetooth earbuds are the only must-have accessory for enjoying audio anywhere. With so many options on the market these days, you can get something to suit any budget. Our advice is not to skimp on audio quality, so don’t cheap out on the price.
Astrum has been around for over a decade and has built a solid reputation in the peripherals, cables, and parts market, and now, they’re targeting earbuds with the Astrum XZ Pro active noise-cancelling buds.
To be quite honest, I did not expect much from the Astrum XZ Pro earbuds, but as soon as I pulled out the metal casing in which the buds are housed, I knew these guys meant business.
Weighing over 350g together, the Astrum XZ Pro buds and battery housing are the most premium-feeling buds I’ve tested yet—there’s just something special about the cold feel of metal when you pick it up. The case opens and closes with a satisfying snap, and the buds sit very securely in the housing. However, they are not as easy to remove with one quick action as I’m used to with the other buds I’ve reviewed to date; this is mainly due to the orientation of the buds in the case, but it is not a big issue.
The Astrum XZ Pro buds feel comfortable in the ear, and they come with ear tips of various sizes to suit every ear. The box also includes a USB-C charging cable.
The Bluetooth setup is pretty straightforward, and you can pair the Astrum XZ Pro buds with up to two devices at the same time, such as your PC and your smartphone or portable gaming device.
Each earbud features two microphones and a touch-sensitive area for switching modes, adjusting volume, or managing phone calls. There are three audio modes you can choose from: Music mode, ANC mode, and Transparency mode. The latter allows for some external sound passthrough while you are wearing the buds, and Music mode aims to optimise your music listening experience. My favourite mode, though, is the Active Noise Cancelling mode; not only does it bring out more bass in your audio, but it also blocks out external sound for a more immersive experience. This is also best for mobile gaming; with the ANC mode enabled, the Astrum XZ Pro earbuds deliver punchy sound with high fidelity to help you hear when the enemy is approaching.
In terms of loudness, the Astrum XZ Pro earbuds offer plenty of range, and for some music, you may even hear the bass vibration when pushing the volume to the maximum. No matter the music style you enjoy, it seems the Astrum XZ Pro earbuds will deliver a very good audio experience all around. I also loved that these buds have a dust and waterproof rating of IPX4. This means that you can use them in light rain, and they’ll manage all your sweat if you are the active type.
When it comes to battery life, you’ll get around 5 hours with ANC enabled and about 2 hours more with ANC turned off. To charge your buds, they will take about 2 hours from flat to full. After two weeks of casual use, I’ve not yet had to charge the case battery, so overall, an impressive performance from Astrum.