PRODUCT REVIEW: Anker SoundCore Liberty Neo BT Earbuds
(Making Water - Hans Zimmer)
That's a long bloody name, isn't it? 'Anker SoundCore Liberty Neo'? It helps when you understand that SoundCore is Anker's brand of audio equipment, but still... With a name like that, you'd expect that the product in question would be quite a thing, wouldn't you? If we're being honest, they darn well better be, because they're competing against one of the biggest names in electronics today:
Apple.
"But Steve," you cry, "Lots of people make bluetooth earbuds. Apple doesn't own the market on that." This is true, but that's not all that Anker is going here. They're going after a few things:
- Small, sleek, sexy packaging.
- A case capable of charging the earbuds
- Earbuds themselves that fit well, have good audio, and a host of other functions
- Earbuds that are, above all, easy to use.
When you specify these four items, there's really only one single product that Anker could possibly have its crosshairs set on, and that's the Apple AirPods. Most people that set their sights on dethroning an Apple product can, at best, be said to have tied them. The greatest victories fall into the realm of, "It comes down to preference." Is that where Anker ended up with the SoundCore Liberty Neo?
THE SHORT VERSION:
Yep.
THE LONG VERSION:
First, let's establish that the "It comes down to preference" category is not a loss for anyone when it comes to stepping into the ring with the fruit vendor from Cupertino. Getting out of that ring alive is frequently an accomplishment all its own, and Anker does that soundly. This won't surprise anyone who has been paying attention to Anker over the last five years. They've repeatedly established themselves as the Go To tech vendor for smaller gadgets that are great bang for the buck. The Liberty Neo is no exception. As I mentioned earlier, it's primary foe in the sales war is Apple's AirPods, so there'll be comparisons throughout this review. Think of this as more of a Versus article than strictly a review.
First, the device itself, which you can check out on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCGZK3B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TWsCDbTC2DK3G
PRICE
You'll notice one thing right away, and that's the price. $50. Yes, you're reading that right. That's ONE THIRD the cost of a set of AirPods, which earns the Neo first blood in this comparison. You could buy three sets of these babies for the average retail cost of a set of AirPods. Is there a reason they're so much cheaper? Yes and no. Read on.
CASE
The Liberty Neo comes in an elongated clambshell case that looks like a hotdog bun from space. The case looks good, but anyone who owns a pair of AirPods will notice how much larger the case is right away. It's not just that it's larger either; the shape is awkward. In contrast, the case for the AirPods will fit in the change pocket of most pairs of blue jeans. I found this handy photo in an Anker forum post that illustrates this perfectly:
On the left are the AirPods. On the right, the Neo. From a size perspective, the AirPods are a much more manageable size, which is a point for Apple. Here's a weird thing though: The AirPod case is noticeably heavier to me.
Opening the Neo's case will cause three lights on the front of the case to illuminate, showing you what the battery status of the case is right away. No need to look at your phone. That's a big plus for the Neo. Nestled within the case are the two earbuds, and right away, you can see that they're shaped differently than AirPods. That different shape is what's responsible for the longer case, but it's not without good reason. Apple gets points for size, but Anker gets points for doing something good with their additional girth. Read on!
THE BUDS
I mentioned weight above, and will do so here as well, briefly. The Neo buds weigh a tiny bit more than the AirPod buds, but once they're in your ear, you won't notice the difference at all.
The Neo earbuds each have a tiny little LED indicator on them showing power and charging states, and they also have a lovely physical button on them to control various functions like multimedia, phone calls, and interfacing with a device's virtual assistant - think Google Assistant or Siri. The shape feels bulky in your hands compared to AirPods right up until you put them in your ear. Then everything just sort of feels...right. I wondered why Anker had chosen to shape them the way they did, but as soon as I put them in, I immediately thought, "Oh. That's why." Bonus, Anker ships the Neo with a variety of Earwigs -- those changeable silicon fittings that go into the ear -- so you can customize the fit to your body. One of the largest complains about AirPods is their tendency to fall out of your ear or move around if you're doing anything other than sitting still. The Neo buds? They aren't going ANYWHERE. They feel better in your ear, they rest comfortably against the inner curve of the ear itself, and their silicon makes an excellent noise seal against the world. No question here, Anker wins the question of Form. Now let's talk functionality, albeit a little backwards.
FUNCTION
Instead of listing off the things the Neo -can- do, let's talk about the things it can't do compared to the AirPods. It's a short, telling list:
- The business of auto-pairing to Apple devices? For obvious reasons, that's not here. Apple has the advantage here because it's their product and their device, so they can fiddle with things that no one else can.
- The Neo doesn't have touch controls. I don't see this as a bad thing, as mechanical buttons are more precise and reliable.
- The Neo still charges using a MicroUSB cable. On one hand, there's a lot of stuff out there that uses Micro. On the other, a device like this really should have used USB-C.
That's... pretty much it. Now, here's a list of the things the Neo -can- do that AirPods can't:
- Anyone with AirPods will have noticed that over the last few updates to iOS, the Bluetooth detection for AirPods has kind of gone to shit. If you don't pull them both out of the package quickly enough, only one of them will start up. Often, it takes a long time for the Apple device to move audio over to them. You don't have this problem with the Neo. Open the case, and BOOM, they turn on. Because they power up as individual buds, each one hooks up on its own to the phone, meaning you never get out of sync situations with them.
- Anker touts a nearly unbreakable connection with their Neo buds. They're not lying. Go out of the room with AirPods and anyone on the phone will tell you that your audio starts to suffer. Listening to music? Same thing. This is absolutely not the case with the Neo. I was blown away by how strong and clear their connection was.
- Apple AirPods don't like water. At all. Period. Check the forums on the internet and you'll see horror stories about people losing AirPods to the rain or to sweat. This is doubly problematic because they tend to get kind of funky on the inside, and not being able to rinse them out is sort of problematic. In contrast, the Neo buds are rated for workouts and even rinsing under the water to clean them. Curiously, there seems to be some confusion about their actual IPX rating; some sources say that it's IPX5, which would make sense with what you're being told on their website. Some sites like Anker's Amazon sales page say that they're rated IPX7. IPX5 makes more sense here, as that's the designation for light, direct streams of water. IPX7 is reserved for devices that are waterproof up to one meter for 30 minutes. I wouldn't go swimming with these bad buys, but their site says you should absolutely be able to rinse them off in the sink.
AUDIO
The Neo buds sound better than the AirPods. The End.
More? Fine, fine. There's more room for hardware inside of the Neo, and they're Bluetooth 5 capable. Their form makes a better seal in the ear, so you get better sound. Apple's AirPods and EarPods have never been accused of having really jaw-dropping sound. Not bad certainly, but not jaw-dropping. The Neo buds just sound better. More highs, more lows, sharper and more robust bass. The End. Again. I mean it this time.
What does all of this mean? Has Anker made an AirPod killer? Not at all. If anything, the Liberty Neo serves to showcase how absolutely incredible an invention the AirPods are. Think about all of the you can do from AirPods. Think about how small they are, what kind of battery life they have, and the quality that you get out of them. "Why should we consider the Neo buds then, Steve?" Good question. These will be great options for the following use cases:
- If you don't already have a good pair of BT earbuds. This is a no-brainer.
- If you won't be moving around between multiple Apple devices with your earbuds.
- If you want something for exercise or use in wet environments.
- If you've got a bit of money to spare and you're absolutely sick of waiting for your AirPods to work.
- If you're considering upgrading from AirPods to AirPod 2s.
Anker has done an insane job here, and the SoundCore Liberty Neo buds are absolutely worth considering for anyone in the market, and at the price point, it's impossible to simply not consider them as a viable option.
That's a long bloody name, isn't it? 'Anker SoundCore Liberty Neo'? It helps when you understand that SoundCore is Anker's brand of audio equipment, but still... With a name like that, you'd expect that the product in question would be quite a thing, wouldn't you? If we're being honest, they darn well better be, because they're competing against one of the biggest names in electronics today:
Apple.
"But Steve," you cry, "Lots of people make bluetooth earbuds. Apple doesn't own the market on that." This is true, but that's not all that Anker is going here. They're going after a few things:
- Small, sleek, sexy packaging.
- A case capable of charging the earbuds
- Earbuds themselves that fit well, have good audio, and a host of other functions
- Earbuds that are, above all, easy to use.
When you specify these four items, there's really only one single product that Anker could possibly have its crosshairs set on, and that's the Apple AirPods. Most people that set their sights on dethroning an Apple product can, at best, be said to have tied them. The greatest victories fall into the realm of, "It comes down to preference." Is that where Anker ended up with the SoundCore Liberty Neo?
THE SHORT VERSION:
Yep.
THE LONG VERSION:
First, let's establish that the "It comes down to preference" category is not a loss for anyone when it comes to stepping into the ring with the fruit vendor from Cupertino. Getting out of that ring alive is frequently an accomplishment all its own, and Anker does that soundly. This won't surprise anyone who has been paying attention to Anker over the last five years. They've repeatedly established themselves as the Go To tech vendor for smaller gadgets that are great bang for the buck. The Liberty Neo is no exception. As I mentioned earlier, it's primary foe in the sales war is Apple's AirPods, so there'll be comparisons throughout this review. Think of this as more of a Versus article than strictly a review.
First, the device itself, which you can check out on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCGZK3B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TWsCDbTC2DK3G
PRICE
You'll notice one thing right away, and that's the price. $50. Yes, you're reading that right. That's ONE THIRD the cost of a set of AirPods, which earns the Neo first blood in this comparison. You could buy three sets of these babies for the average retail cost of a set of AirPods. Is there a reason they're so much cheaper? Yes and no. Read on.
CASE
The Liberty Neo comes in an elongated clambshell case that looks like a hotdog bun from space. The case looks good, but anyone who owns a pair of AirPods will notice how much larger the case is right away. It's not just that it's larger either; the shape is awkward. In contrast, the case for the AirPods will fit in the change pocket of most pairs of blue jeans. I found this handy photo in an Anker forum post that illustrates this perfectly:
On the left are the AirPods. On the right, the Neo. From a size perspective, the AirPods are a much more manageable size, which is a point for Apple. Here's a weird thing though: The AirPod case is noticeably heavier to me.
Opening the Neo's case will cause three lights on the front of the case to illuminate, showing you what the battery status of the case is right away. No need to look at your phone. That's a big plus for the Neo. Nestled within the case are the two earbuds, and right away, you can see that they're shaped differently than AirPods. That different shape is what's responsible for the longer case, but it's not without good reason. Apple gets points for size, but Anker gets points for doing something good with their additional girth. Read on!
THE BUDS
I mentioned weight above, and will do so here as well, briefly. The Neo buds weigh a tiny bit more than the AirPod buds, but once they're in your ear, you won't notice the difference at all.
The Neo earbuds each have a tiny little LED indicator on them showing power and charging states, and they also have a lovely physical button on them to control various functions like multimedia, phone calls, and interfacing with a device's virtual assistant - think Google Assistant or Siri. The shape feels bulky in your hands compared to AirPods right up until you put them in your ear. Then everything just sort of feels...right. I wondered why Anker had chosen to shape them the way they did, but as soon as I put them in, I immediately thought, "Oh. That's why." Bonus, Anker ships the Neo with a variety of Earwigs -- those changeable silicon fittings that go into the ear -- so you can customize the fit to your body. One of the largest complains about AirPods is their tendency to fall out of your ear or move around if you're doing anything other than sitting still. The Neo buds? They aren't going ANYWHERE. They feel better in your ear, they rest comfortably against the inner curve of the ear itself, and their silicon makes an excellent noise seal against the world. No question here, Anker wins the question of Form. Now let's talk functionality, albeit a little backwards.
FUNCTION
Instead of listing off the things the Neo -can- do, let's talk about the things it can't do compared to the AirPods. It's a short, telling list:
- The business of auto-pairing to Apple devices? For obvious reasons, that's not here. Apple has the advantage here because it's their product and their device, so they can fiddle with things that no one else can.
- The Neo doesn't have touch controls. I don't see this as a bad thing, as mechanical buttons are more precise and reliable.
- The Neo still charges using a MicroUSB cable. On one hand, there's a lot of stuff out there that uses Micro. On the other, a device like this really should have used USB-C.
That's... pretty much it. Now, here's a list of the things the Neo -can- do that AirPods can't:
- Anyone with AirPods will have noticed that over the last few updates to iOS, the Bluetooth detection for AirPods has kind of gone to shit. If you don't pull them both out of the package quickly enough, only one of them will start up. Often, it takes a long time for the Apple device to move audio over to them. You don't have this problem with the Neo. Open the case, and BOOM, they turn on. Because they power up as individual buds, each one hooks up on its own to the phone, meaning you never get out of sync situations with them.
- Anker touts a nearly unbreakable connection with their Neo buds. They're not lying. Go out of the room with AirPods and anyone on the phone will tell you that your audio starts to suffer. Listening to music? Same thing. This is absolutely not the case with the Neo. I was blown away by how strong and clear their connection was.
- Apple AirPods don't like water. At all. Period. Check the forums on the internet and you'll see horror stories about people losing AirPods to the rain or to sweat. This is doubly problematic because they tend to get kind of funky on the inside, and not being able to rinse them out is sort of problematic. In contrast, the Neo buds are rated for workouts and even rinsing under the water to clean them. Curiously, there seems to be some confusion about their actual IPX rating; some sources say that it's IPX5, which would make sense with what you're being told on their website. Some sites like Anker's Amazon sales page say that they're rated IPX7. IPX5 makes more sense here, as that's the designation for light, direct streams of water. IPX7 is reserved for devices that are waterproof up to one meter for 30 minutes. I wouldn't go swimming with these bad buys, but their site says you should absolutely be able to rinse them off in the sink.
AUDIO
The Neo buds sound better than the AirPods. The End.
More? Fine, fine. There's more room for hardware inside of the Neo, and they're Bluetooth 5 capable. Their form makes a better seal in the ear, so you get better sound. Apple's AirPods and EarPods have never been accused of having really jaw-dropping sound. Not bad certainly, but not jaw-dropping. The Neo buds just sound better. More highs, more lows, sharper and more robust bass. The End. Again. I mean it this time.
What does all of this mean? Has Anker made an AirPod killer? Not at all. If anything, the Liberty Neo serves to showcase how absolutely incredible an invention the AirPods are. Think about all of the you can do from AirPods. Think about how small they are, what kind of battery life they have, and the quality that you get out of them. "Why should we consider the Neo buds then, Steve?" Good question. These will be great options for the following use cases:
- If you don't already have a good pair of BT earbuds. This is a no-brainer.
- If you won't be moving around between multiple Apple devices with your earbuds.
- If you want something for exercise or use in wet environments.
- If you've got a bit of money to spare and you're absolutely sick of waiting for your AirPods to work.
- If you're considering upgrading from AirPods to AirPod 2s.
Anker has done an insane job here, and the SoundCore Liberty Neo buds are absolutely worth considering for anyone in the market, and at the price point, it's impossible to simply not consider them as a viable option.
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