Skullcandy Dime review: seriously cheap TWS buds worth considering

If you’ve landed on this Skullcandy Dime review then you must be on a tight budget. While these aren’t going to compare to the best true wireless earbuds you can buy, for this price they are some of the best budget wireless earbuds - you won’t really find super cheap wire-free headphones with more to offer. 

Skullcandy has long since ruled the cheap headphone market, they’re well-known stocking fillers and a name that we know and trust. The Skullcandy Dime buds are no different, they've got a unique style and they're convenient. Don't expect to be blown away though because these are budget headphones through and through. 

Anyone willing to spend a little extra for something slightly more sophisticated should look towards the Nokia BH-205 Lite Earbuds. They are a safer choice because they sound better and have longer battery life. 

Skullcandy Dime review: price and availability 

Available from $20 in the US, £25 in the UK and AU$63 in Australia, the Skullcandy Dime true wireless earbuds are super cheap. Be sure to check the widgets on this page to see where you can buy them. 

Backed by Skullcandy’s Fearless Use Promise, if you lose or break any part of the Skullcandy Dime, you can purchase replacement buds and cases separately.

Skullcandy Dime review: design and fit

The Skullcandy Dime buds come in four colourways: black, dark blue and green, light grey and blue or in plain grey. From the get-go, they look like cheap true wireless earbuds. They're made from plastic and rubber with a matching plastic charging case. The lid of the case does feel a little flimsy, I would be worried about it breaking over time.

With a short dangling stem and rounded bud, the earphones' shape imitates the Apple AirPods Pro but in a much smaller, cheaper way. The lid of the case has two long holes you can see the stem and the Skullcandy logo through. It seems like a risky design, you'll have to be careful not to get the case wet.

The case itself is tiny, weighing just 32g and measuring 6.22 x 3.89 cm. It even has a handle to clip it to your keys. If you’re looking for TWS buds that are compact and easy to take with you then these will be a safe bet. 

In the box, there are three sizes of silicone ear tips. Because the buds are so light they are actually quite comfortable to wear. They didn’t feel as secure as other in-ear headphones so they won't be a good choice for workouts. If you did use them for exercise they are IPX4 sweat and water-resistant which means they will be able to withstand intense exercise routines as well as a bit of light rain.

To control the music, there are buttons integrated into the rubber stem. You can pause or play the music, skip through tracks, call your smartphone’s voice assistant and answer or reject calls as well as turn the buds on or off. Outside of pausing and playing the music, the commands are pretty difficult to remember, like press twice on the left bud to turn the volume down. To use them, you’ll have to push the bud further into your ear which isn’t ideal especially considering the buttons are a bit stiff. I personally found it easier to just use my phone to control the music.

You’ll get 3.5 hours of music from a single charge, that’s very low so bear that in mind if you plan to use the Skullcandy Dime headphones on long journeys or throughout the workday. The case does give you an extra 12 hours of juice which is okay. To recharge them, there’s a small Mini USB cable in the box.

Skullcandy Dime review: performance and features

For this price, the sound performance is fine. It’s balanced and has plenty of focus on the low-end. Vocals come across surprisingly clear and while they do sound like budget buds, I was impressed at their performance when the volume was about halfway up. When you crank the volume up all the way, you start to notice some of the issues with the audio quality. At times it could sound a little empty and even occasionally tinny. Then again, if you’re only spending $20 on true wireless earbuds you really can’t expect to be knocked off your feet.

Because they are in-ear true wireless buds, they have pretty good noise isolation. It doesn’t cut out sound completely like headphones with active noise cancellation but they definitely dull distracting outside noise. 

With Bluetooth 5 connectivity, they were super easy to get up and running whether you wanted to use just one bud or both of them. They connected immediately without any hassle and it didn’t drop, even when I walked away from my phone. 

Each bud has one microphone on the stem. When I made calls with them, the person on the other end noted how clear and loud I came across. There’s no app to speak of here, but you wouldn’t expect there to be in this price range. 

Skullcandy Dime review: verdict

While the Skullcandy Dime true wireless buds are far from perfect, they are fantastic value for money. 

You won’t get much battery life, and the design feels very cheap but they do deliver reliable connectivity, a comfortable fit and a very compact case that will easily fit into your pocket. 

If you’re on a very tight budget, these true wireless earbuds offer better sound quality than you would expect. These are a fantastic buy and would make a good gift as well. 

Skullcandy Dime review: also consider 

You might be disappointed to see that these aren’t the best choice for exercise, if that’s the case then consider the JAM Audio TWS Athlete. They are more expensive but they are still pretty cheap. While they may not look as discreet, the flexible ear hook does a good job of keeping them secure. It makes them comfortable to wear during workouts, and they’re sweat resistant too. 

If you’re the type to use your headphones for hours on end, the Creative Outlier Air V2 are a better choice. You get 12 hours of battery from a single charge, boosted to 34 hours with the case. They sound good too, but they are slightly more expensive than the Skullcandy Dime earbuds.

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