Shokz OpenDots One

Introduction

After making its debut in the US earlier this year, Shokz has launched its OpenDot One in more countries, its answer to the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and the other clip-on buds trying to tag on Bose’s coattails.

Unlike many of Shokz’ sportier headphones, the OpenDots One are made for anyone that appreciates the idea of having a safer way to listen to their music, podcasts or take calls.

They’re doing that from a clip-on design that aims to look good and feel good to wear all the time. Clip-on earbuds below Bose’s effort have been hit and miss, but with Shokz having shown it can take on the competition and new open-ear form factors, I had high hopes for what the OpenDots One would bring to the table.

Price

As mentioned, the Shokz OpenDot One launched first in the US in April 2025. In the UK they’re priced at £179, cheaper than the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (£299) were at launch.

They’re more expensive than the Soundcore AeroClip (£129) and the Skullcandy Push 720 Open (£99.99), EarFun Clip (£79.99) and the Amazfit Up (£49.90)

In the Shokz range, that £179 price tag means they cost the same as the OpenFit 2+, are pricier than the OpenFit 2 (£169) and are double the price of the more exercise-friendly OpenFit Air (£94).

Design

• Clip-on earbuds
• Gesture and touch controls
• IP54 water and sweat resistant design

The OpenDots One are the first clip-on earbuds you could accidentally mistake for the Bose Ultra Open. I certainly have when I’ve had them nearby. You can pick them up in either grey (pictured) or black colours and they’re similar in stature, case size and even have a very similar barrel and earbud design.

Shokz uses what it calls its ‘JointArc’, a flexible titanium stem that connects the two key parts of the buds. There’s also silicone in key areas where the buds sit against the skin to make sure it’s keeping any harder materials away and causing any discomfort. It’s a nice added bonus you can also wear them on either ear, reducing the time it takes to get them on and get audio playing.

They’re light too. At 6.5g per earbud, they’re actually lighter than the Bose Ultra Open and that minimal weight means it’s easy to forget they’re clinging to your ears. The security of the fit in general has been spot on.

Shokz isn’t pitching these for workout use and as I found when things get sweaty, they have the habit of sliding around a little. It’s certainly not as bad as what I’ve experienced on other clip-on earbuds, but if you’re looking to use them for exercise, they’re better options in and outside of the Shokz range.

While perhaps not Shokz’ best options for workouts, they do carry an IP54 sweat and water resistant rating, with some strong protection against moisture. That doesn’t  apply to the very pocketable case, which has a flip-up lid that reveals the two magnetic charging points to drop the buds onto. There’s a USB-C charging port at the base and a pairing button around the back on an otherwise sleek, small place for those buds to live in.

Shokz manages to squeeze in some controls, which are built into the barrel and JointArc areas, letting you tap or pinch that Arc to perform functions like playing and pausing audio, skipping back and forward a track or handling and declining calls.

Helpfully, this can be customised in the Shokz app if you don’t like how they’re set up out of the box. I’m not a fan of touch controls, but these ones aren’t too bad. It’s more problematic when you need to deliver multiple taps as opposed to single taps to activate modes. Keep things simple and those controls are much more effective and useful.

Features

• Dolby Audio mode
• Up to 10 hours battery life

When Shokz decided to launch earbuds as well as its neckband-style headphones, it changed tact with the way it delivered that open-ear sound. Like the OpenFit 2+, OpenFit 2 and OpenFit Air, the OpenDots One uses air conduction, placing speakers in close proximity to your ears to channel sound into your ear canal without blocking them.

There’s two custom 11.8mm drivers to generate that OpenDots One sound along with what Shokz calls Basssphere Technology. That’s there to take care of the bass and Shokz says is equivalent to a larger 16mm driver. There’s also technology onboard to minimise sound leakage, which is an issue in general for open-ear headphones.

Download the Shokz app and you’ll find a series of EQ presets and custom EQ mode, alongside the ability to turn on a Dolby Audio mode for more immersive listening for music and video.

On the battery front, Shokz claims battery life is up to 10 hours and 40 hours in total with a fully charged case. That’s an hour less offered on the OpenFit 2 and 2+, and a good few hours less in overall battery life compared to Shokz other earbuds. Those are still really good numbers though. The Soundcore AeroClip offers 8 hours off a single charge and the Bose Ultra Open is anywhere from 4.5-7 hours depending on listening mode.

As I’ve found on other Shokz earbuds, that maximum battery number depends on how loud you listen to your audio. After an hour’s listening, I saw the battery drop by 10%. When it’s time to charge, there is a quick charge mode to give you 2 hours of listening time from a 10-minute charge. You also have the ability to drop the charging case on a wireless charging charger for added charging convenience.

If you’re turning to them for calls I’d say they don’t exactly live up to the crystal clear call quality that Shokz promises. There’re few examples of open-ear earbuds that really shine on this front. If you’re using them inside, then overall volume and clarity is acceptable. As soon as you head outside to do the same, it’s not quite the same story. I’d say there are other Shokz headphones that do a better job for taking calls.

In the app you’ll find some other features like the ability to turn on multipoint pairing to pair multiple devices at the same time. There’s a useful find my earbuds mode, which works for individual earbuds. A smart wear detection mode will alert you through a tone that the buds are connected and will pause audio when you take them off to preserve the battery.

Sound Quality

• Air conduction, open-ear sound

It’s all too often the case that open-ear earbuds, particularly the newer air conduction-based ones, overpromise and underdeliver. Thankfully, that’s not the case with the OpenDots One. These are up there with some of the best-sounding open-ear earbuds I’ve tested.

There’s balance, warmth and a versatility that should make it work for most of what you can throw at it. I’d still say the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds sits at the top in terms of finesse and providing an overall more detailed open-ear sound, but the OpenDots One put in a strong performance.

Keep the Dolby Audio mode off and I’d say that’s where you get the most balanced profile. On Van Morrisson’s Into the Mystic, there’s a pretty smooth midrange performance, grainy trebles and overall enjoyable open-ear sound.

Throwing something on a bit more bass heavy like Barrington Levy’s Here I Come or Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Sun is Shining and it’s more boomy, bassy sound than tight and snappy. On London Grammar’s Wasting My Young Years, it puts those haunting lead vocals firmly in the forefront.

Turning on the Dolby Audio mode has the effect of levelling up volume, especially when using them in louder environments. In some instances, it can introduce some imbalance. With the right audio and particularly swapping in using them for watching video, that’s where the mode feels most useful.

Should you buy it?

FAQs