Forget Airpods – I'm buying these cheap spatial audio headphones on Black Friday

(Image credit: 1MORE)

Recently, I've been offered a chance to try 1MORE's Aero headphones. I spend a lot of time testing the best running headphones and the best wireless headphones so I don't get too excited every time I come across new buds. However, the 1MORE Aero was different, as it offers spatial audio for all smartphone users; I had to try to find out if the buds were any good, especially knowing that they were less than half-price of the Airpods Pro.

They are even cheaper on Black Friday, thanks to a voucher, knocking $20/£20 off the usual price of the buds. With it, you can buy the 1MORE Aero for $89.99 in the US and £79.99 in the UK (at Amazon). Sure, they are cheap, but are the headphones any good? Would I recommend them as an Airpod alternative for Android users? What other features does the 1MORE Aero have, apart from spatial audio?

For headphones that cost this much (as in, very cheap), the 1MORE Aero has a very decent sound profile; music comes through the 10mm drivers. I enjoyed listening to podcasts and videos the most, thanks to the spatial audio feature, which created a more immersive sound environment, making me think I was in the cinema, although I was only watching a Netflix movie on my phone.

Active noise cancelling performance is also pretty good – the QuietMax ANC technology is said to provide up to 42dB of noise-cancelling, and it really does filter out noise well. Plus, there is the Smart Loudness Technology, which, in theory, allows you to enhance the sound without increasing the volume too much, but I couldn't tell the difference, no matter how much I cranked this feature up in the app.

Should you get the 1MORE Aero on Black Friday? There isn't much to criticise at this price point. The Aero isn't as sexy as the Apple Airpods Pro, nor does the mic sound as clear as the Jabra Elite 5, but I will probably get one, as it's just so affordable (I sent back the review unit already, sadly). Impulse buy cheap, in fact! It would make a good Christmas present for someone who likes watching movies on the go. Like me.

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Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator for T3.com and T3 Magazine, where he works as Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, action cameras, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019.

His work has also appeared on TechRadar and Fit&Well, and he has collaborated with creators such as Garage Gym Reviews. Matt has served as a judge for multiple industry awards, including the ESSNAwards. When he isn’t running, cycling or testing new kit, he’s usually roaming the countryside with a camera or experimenting with new audio and video gear.