SoundPeats Air4 wireless earphones review

Comfort is a big thing when it comes to wireless earbuds. If you’re planning on wearing something for a few hours at a time, you want to forget it’s there. It’s where a lot of earphones struggle, particularly over-ear or half-in models. The SoundPeats Air4 wireless earphones fall into the latter category, but manage to remain comfortable over long periods.

I’ve never been much of a fan of this design though. In-ear headphones tend to stay in easier, while bone-conducting phones on a neck band will more or less handle you rolling down a hill. But the Air4 earphones do a pretty good job of staying in and staying comfortable.

Not only that, but the sound quality is exceptionally good. They boast hybrid active noise canceling technology, which isn’t the same as true ANC. Being half-in your ears, they don’t muffle sound as much as over-ear cups or fully in-ear buds, but they will soften external noise and provide clear, crisp output. You can adjust the sound quality if your device supports aptX, though be aware that not every device does. You won’t necessarily need to tweak anything though, as the sound is good across the board.

Whether listening to music, podcasts, or gaming, the sound is great. There’s a dedicated game mode option that reduces Bluetooth latency, which is particularly useful when playing on a Steamdeck as I notice lag on that device more often than on others. It’s worth noting that the Air4 earphones have great battery life, pushing close to 6 hours from a full charge, while the case should hold power and keep them going for around 26 hours. I haven’t tested that to the minute, but I’ve been pretty impressed with the battery life so far.

The Air4 earphones also perform well on calls. The other speaker sounds clear, and they do a decent job of filtering out most of the white noise. Incidentally, you can have these connected to multiple Bluetooth devices, which isn’t as common as you’d expect. It means you can switch between using these for a handheld gaming device and your phone with minimum fuss. You’ll have to turn off the Bluetooth connection on one of the devices, but you don’t need to re-pair them when you turn the Bluetooth back on.

If there’s a downside here, it’s that I’m used to using 1More Aero earbuds that automatically pause when I take one out. It’s situational of course, and it may not matter to you, but it’s a feature I was used to and noticed by its absence.

But that’s a minor complaint, and my only other is that the Soundpeats Air4 earphones might not be the best option for high-level activity. That being said, for the £49.99 pricetag the sound quality is very decent and the extra features set them apart from similar, more expensive options.