This Mi Bluetooth Headset mini earbud looks like something from a pack of Redmi AirDots or Mi Airdots. But it uses Bluetooth 4.1 instead of 5.0, has only one earpiece instead of two, and there is no charging case. Instead of the $15 and $29 price tags that the respective Airdots cost, the Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud costs just about $10.
Xiaomi seems set on selling its Airdots earbuds at every price point possible in the budget market. Whatever your budget, there is a Xiaomi Airdots earbud for you.
It is time to have a look at the gadget itself. The Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud arrived in this simple pack, with the model name, LYEJ05LM, listed on the back side of the case.
Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud quick specs
Here are the key specifications and features of the Mi Bluetooth Headset mini earbud:
- Model LYEJ05LM.
- Bluetooth Standard: 4.1
- Bluetooth Profiles: HFP, A2DP, HSP, AVRCP
- Battery Type and Capacity: Li-ion 40 mAh battery
- Charging time: 1 hour
- Operating Range: 10 metres.
- IPX4 water resistance.
In The Box
- the Mi Bluetooth Headset mini earbud.
- charging dock.
- user manual
- two soft eartips
After taking the earphone out of the pack, I inserted it into the charging dock, which I plugged into a wall socket to charge. The charging dock is magnetic: when you insert the earphone into its slot there, it stays put and won’t fall out. Which is cool. It turned out that I had no need to charge it. The battery was already fully charged, and the headset was ready for use.
Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud in use
This mini earphone is as versatile as any Bluetooth headset can be. It supports music playback from your smartphone. Not like I use my Bluetooth headsets for that much, but it is nice to have the feature.
The Mi Bluetooth Headset mini earbud has only one button on it, and that is the controller for everything you want to do – pair, answer call, reject call, end call, skip music tracks, etc. Because it supports all four Bluetooth profiles (HFP, A2DP, HSP, and AVRCP), you have no need to worry about what it is capable of. It has everything covered.
I pressed and held the button to power it and held it till the LED light began to flash. On my smartphone, I scanned for and found it. It was labelled “Mi Bluetooth Headset mini”. A tap, and pairing was quick and done. It displayed a notice that says, “Connected for calls and audio, 100% battery remaining.”
I slid it into my ear and it was a perfect fit. Checking myself out in a mirror, it did not seem like I had a headset on. It is quite compact and fits into the ear without a fuss. Here is how the Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud compares in size with the Jabra Talk5 BT2406:
At the end of the day, audio and call quality override every other factor when it comes to Bluetooth headsets. So how does this Airdots mini fare?
It performs very well. Audio quality is solid, with adequate bass to ensure that calls come in clear and crisp and music playback is enjoyable. During calls, the persons at the other end could hear one well, suggesting that the microphone is solid as well.
I haven’t put the IPX4 water resistance to the test. An IPX4 rating means that a gadget is protected from water splashes and drops. In this case, sweat would qualify. So, you can wear the earbud during your workout without fear that it will get damaged. At least, that is what the manufacturer says. Do not quote me just yet. Like I said, I haven’t put that to test.
The Mi Bluetooth Headset mini earbud is easy to like: it is sleek, compact, comfortable, and performs well. Battery life is good too, though Bluetooth 5 would have given it even greater longevity. But then, everything comes at a cost. For the price, this is a good deal.
Price and Where To Buy
The Xiaomi Mini In-Ear Single Bluetooth earbud costs about ₦4,000 (rougly $11) in Nigeria and is available on the Jumia website. It is also on sale on Amazon, GearBest and other online retail sites.
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