With the increasing number of smartphone manufacturers that are also exploring for the release of IoT devices, making HMD Global as the licensee of the Nokia smartphone brand is challenged to participate in expanding its wings. Throughout 2020, two TWS earphones were launched, one of which is the Nokia Power Earbuds Lite.
Yes, Nokia Power Earbuds Lite are TWS earphones which are the most affordable offering of the two. In contrast to smartphones, there is not much that each manufacturer can provide to make it different from the others. In other words, the differentiation offered by HMD through its newest TWS is arguably not much.
The underdog, as the name implies, is "power". Power here does not mean a loud sound output with a booming bass boom, but rather battery life. Compared to other TWS earphones in its class, HMD releases have a longer total usage life. A feature that is quite crucial for a typical accessory.
Design
In terms of appearance, of course you can't say that this TWS earphone is “really Nokia”, because it doesn't reflect Nokia at all. Overall, the Nokia Power Earbuds Lite's profile is modest. It doesn't look sleek nor attracts attention, but also positively.
The charging case is relatively small for a large battery capacity. Appearing in an inconspicuous color, the finishing uses a matte surface. Not slippery, but also a little difficult to clean from fingerprints. Its total weight is still quite light at 48 grams.
Nokia does not provide indicator lights on the outer body, only the Nokia logo on the front and a USB-C port on the back. When the lid is opened, you will be greeted with four indicator lights for the battery capacity, all white. The closing mechanism itself is quite strong, despite the plastic feel.
The earbud design itself is also very simple. Even though it looks big, when it is attached to the ear, it is not very visible when it is in use. Suitable for those of you who don't like models like the AirPods. Each earbud is equipped with an indicator light for the pairing process. The material is also plastic, with a custom eartip design. There are three size options to choose from.
To my ears, the earbud design makes the outside sound almost inaudible, as if it has an active noise cancellation feature. It can be considered a plus, but if it lingers, it makes my ears feel tired. This can be different for each person, yes. To be sure, it's still safe to use even if it's sweaty or rainy, thanks to IPX7 certification.
Features
Just like its simple appearance, the Nokia Power Earbuds Lite also doesn't have many features in it. On the official website, there is no information regarding the number of microphones in each earbud. But as far as I can see, there is only one and it is located at the bottom outside. Also there are no special features like noise-canceling for the phone.
And sure enough, when I use it to make voice calls, I often have to speak a little louder than when I use the Galaxy Buds Plus. But it's still more comfortable to communicate than the first version of the Galaxy Buds. In other words, it's okay, aka not special.
This device also does not support the Google Fast Pair protocol and seamless switching - it must be disconnected first before connecting to other devices. But at least, there is a wear detection feature that can stop the music when the device is removed to the ear.
Operation
Because there is no special application, users cannot set gesture shortcuts from each side of the earbud. But what I love about the Nokia Power Earbuds Lite is that it has quite a few shortcuts. There are four shortcuts in total, including controlling volume right from the earbuds.
Tap once on the left and right to play / pause music, meanwhile to decrease the volume you can tap the left earbud twice (or right twice to increase the sound). Triple tap to skip the song, meanwhile to call the Google assistant or Siri you can hold the two sides of the earbuds. It is quite complete, not many TWS earphones can provide this many shortcuts.
Supports Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, the quality of the connection to a smartphone is quite good. It can still be disturbed if the user passes through several tall buildings in the SCBD area, but it is also still at a normal level. There is also no problem if you want to use only the left or right earbuds.
A little note, during the life of two weeks, I experienced two glitches where the pitch of songs from Spotify slightly changed 1-2 levels. Occurs in a few seconds, then automatically returns to normal. Hopefully it only happens in the unit I reviewed.
Battery
This part is an advantage offered by HMD Global through the Nokia Power Earbuds Lite. The battery capacity is quite large - 60 mAh on each earbud, and 600 mAh on the charging case. Use the USB-C port, this device does not support wireless charger. However, charging does not take long, approximately one hour.
Then what about the durability? For single use, as claimed, it can take up to 5 hours. Classified as standard, indeed. However, the charging case can provide power back up to six times, aka the total time of up to 35 hours. So you don't need to charge it too often every week.
Audio Quality
For the sound output from the earbuds, you can say that it is quite good and powerful. For a device with a driver size of 6mm, yes, so it can't be compared to others that have bigger driver dimensions. Characteristics tend to be warm with a more dominant bass. So it will suit most people, unless you prioritize treble or clarity.
Listening to songs from Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys to pop like Ariana Grande is still suitable. The quality is still the same, whether I connect it to the Samsung Galaxy M51 or iPhone XR.
