With many audio brands transitioning into the modern world of everything Bluetooth and wireless, Bang & Olufsen is not an exception. Having been a very reputable company since 1925, their ability to release high quality products is proven which is why we are so pumped to be reviewing the Bang & Olufsen E8 3rd Generation. If you want to know the Pros and Cons of this pair, just keep on reading.
The Beoplay E8 3rd Generation is the newest version of Bang & Olufsen’s truly wireless earphones and because of that, it boasts of modern features such as transparency mode, up to 35 hours of playtime, and Bluetooth 5.1. This shows that even though Bang & Olufsen is already established in the industry, they’re still pushing limits and delivering above and beyond on their products.
That being said, we will take a closer look on the Beoplay E8 3rd Generation and determine what they’re truly made of in reality. Starting off with the good things about this pair, here are the Pros that we found.
Pros
Compact and portable. Compared to its predecessors, the E8 3rd Generation is way lighter weighing 5.8g – to be precise, it’s 17% smaller than the previous E8s. Now while this may not seem like a significant amount, it’s definitely been more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. Aside from its weight, it also comes with four different sizes of silicon tips (XS, S, M,L) and one pair of ComplyTM tips (M) which makes it possible for you to customize and get the best fit possible. It comes in numerous colors as well including a cute baby pink and a bright green which is always fun compared to the black and white pairs we see a lot.
Great Battery Life. Another upgrade that the E8 3rd Generation got was its battery life. It’s capable of seven hours of playtime with four charges in the case (which totals to roughly 35 hours of battery life). While this is slowly becoming standard juice in the wireless earbuds market, it’s a huge improvement from the four hours (with three recharges in the case) that the previous version was capable of. Bang & Olufsen actually claims that the battery is 119% better on this model which we think is pretty cool.
Great Sound Quality. With Bang & Olufsen being such an established brand, it’s no surprise that they were able to deliver great sound quality on the E8 3rd Generation. Listening to classical music is a wonderful experience with the details of different instruments being heard clearly and in contrast, hip hop and EDM tracks translate well with a crisp bass. If you’re someone who has a diverse music taste, you definitely shouldn’t fret as this model will be able to give justice to all your favorite tracks.
Now even though the Beoplay E8 3rd Generation sounds amazing, as promised, we will also be taking a look at its limitations – or the things you should consider before taking the plunge with this one. No pair is perfect including this model so here are the Cons that we found for the E8 3rd Generation.
Cons
Slow Wireless Charging. While it’s great that this pair offers wireless charging – especially if you have a smartphone that does too, it takes too long to recharge using this feature. It takes a full two hours to charge the case wirelessly which to be fair, isn’t such a long time if you’re looking to charge your earbuds overnight. But if you’re someone who is constantly on-the-go (or someone who’s not as patient), it’s simply too much time to wait. You’d be better off recharging using the case’s USB-C port.
Too Much Sensitivity on the Controls. As with most earbuds, the E8 3rd Generation offers tap function or touch sensitive controls which is always handy as you won’t need to use your device to configure your music. That being said though, we found that the E8 3rd Generation is too touch sensitive which is a pain since instead of it being a source of convenience, it’s become a source of frustration. This is especially evident as it has double and triple tap functions which is quite a pain to use.
Too Expensive. Priced at $349.99, it’s simply too expensive for what you get – and don’t get. While this model has most modern features that other wireless earbuds have, it lacks active noise cancellation. This is disappointing because aside from the fact that ambient noise would constantly leak in while you’re listening to your favorite songs – at roughly 350 dollars, you would expect to get the full package. In our opinion, you’re paying twice of what the price of these should be.
With Bang & Olufsen setting the bar high throughout the years with their high quality products, we won’t be surprised should you be compelled to get this pair. It has a lot of great features – and improvements from its predecessors – that make it a great daily option. After all, they were marketed as a lifestyle pair designed for everyday life which shows with their portability, long-lasting battery life, and solid sound quality.
Although, their too high price point despite some limitations that they have is definitely something to consider as the wireless earbuds market keeps expanding. We think that there are loads of great pairs out there with similar – or even better features – for a better price. Ultimately, whatever you decide, we are sure that the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 3rd Generation is definitely a strong contender in the wireless earbud scene and is a brand to keep your eye out for should you need any other audio products. With that ends our review, and we hope to have helped you with your decision and with your earbud hunting journey.
