Do you like cheap workout buds that don't sound terrible? We, too, hence why we are all excited about Soundcore's latest release, the Sport X10. The new wireless headphones not only have more bass than ever before – at least according to Anker, Soundcore's parent company – but also have a unique ear hook design that's said to provide a more secure fit than ever before.
Soundcore is famous for producing great value for money running headphones. Its Soundcore Spirit X2 buds are featured near the top of our best running headphones roundup because they A) provide a secure fit, B) feature an excellent sound profile and C) have long battery life. That said, the Spirit X2 were released nearly two years ago – a lifetime in wearable years.
The Soundcore Sport X10 buds aim to replace the Spirit X2 by offering more features etc. but without increasing the RRP too much. Well, the new buds are expensive but cost less than half as much as premium workout headphones such as the Beats Powerbeats Pro which feature a similar ear hook design.
Soundcore Sport X10 – Price and release date
The Soundcore Sport X10 is available from today, 21 June 2022m in two colourways (Black and Oat White) for a recommended retail price of $79 in the US, £89 in the UK, €99 in Germany and Europe and $119 CAD in Canada. A red model is slated to be available in late July or early August.
The Sport X10 can be bought directly from Soundcore or via Amazon and other third-party retailers.
Soundcore Sport X10: Get hooked
The showstopper here is the unique rotating earhook design. We haven't had the chance to try them, but the way we imagine the mechanism – based on the pictures – is similar to how JOBY's GorillaPod works; you wrap the hooks around your ear, which then will provide a personalised fit.
The arms are covered with soft silicone material and hopefully are as soft to the touch as the Jabra Elite 7 Active. Despite the earhook design, which probably adds to the weight, the Sport X10 only weigh 4.4 grams per earbud – compare this with the Powerbeats Pro's 20 grams. Another good thing about the foldable hooks is that the case can be smaller; well, at least we hope it's smaller anyway.
The Sport X10 is said to deliver in spades in the bass department. This shouldn't surprise anyone, as Anker's buds are well-known for their bassy sound. The wireless headphones leverage 10mm dynamic drivers with BassUp technology to provide a "highly accurate, bass-forward sound profile", Soundcore says.
Thanks to the integration of AAC/SBC HD audio codec and high-sensitivity drivers, the Sport X10 are also said to produce an "immersive sound stage while achieving a balanced mix of deep bass and crisp highs." Bass EQ settings can be adjusted in the Soundcore app, where you'll also find 22 more EQ presets and a 9-band custom EQ settings.
The Sport X10 buds have IPX7 sweat and water resistance thanks to Anker's proprietary SweatGuard technology – in fact, you can rinse the headphones off under the tap after a workout. Neat.
As for battery life, the Sport X10 delivers up to eight hours of battery life from a single charge and up to 32 hours of playtime with the charging case. There is also fast charging: get 2 hours of playback after just 10 minutes of charging.
Soundcore's Sport X10 earbuds have six microphones as well as a wind noise reduction feature (located in the Soundcore app) to provide better call quality even when you're trying to conduct business calls in the middle of a hurricane. There is also a Transparency mode, in case you're interested.
