HMD's Amped Buds in-ears sport a unique, hidden trick

HMD Amped Buds — (Image credit: HMD Global)

Quick Summary

HMD's new earbuds could give you a crucial battery boost right when you need it.

The buds offer up to 1,600mAh of wireless charge – perfect to get your phone to the end of the day.

With MWC 2025 well underway, there's already a wide array of new technology to sink your teeth into. The show – which takes place in Barcelona each year – has already seen the launch of new devices like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra this year.

It comes from the new HMD Amped Buds. Those are wireless earbuds with a charging case which can top up the juice for any compatible wireless-charging phone.

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I was certainly skeptical when I first heard about this. After all, the case for a pair of wireless earbuds has a relatively small battery inside – you'd be lucky to get one-tenth of the power found in a phone battery.

That's not the case here, though. The Amped Buds come complete with a 1,600mAh power rating, which is around 30% of the average phone battery. A 30% charge is certainly not to be scoffed at, either. Say, for example, you're on the last train home and trying to arrange a lift back from the station – that little extra juice could be the difference between a smooth journey and being stranded.

I'm also buoyed by the wording of the launch. That suggests that any device that is "wireless-charging compatible" will be able to make use of the feature. It's something which is becoming a rarer sight these days – too often, key features are locked into specific ecosystems rather than being freely opened to the market at large.

Don't think the specs of the buds themselves are made to suffer as a consequence. You can expect an astounding 95 hours of power reserve from these dainty in-ears – which is significantly more than just about anything else on the market.

The swivelling design is something cool and different, too – though we'll leave any further analysis until we've given them a go in person.

Sam Cross is an award-winning journalist, with nine years of experience in the media industry. His work can be found in publications as diverse as Oracle Time, Metro and Last Word on Sports.

Here at T3, Sam is best known as the brand’s go-to guy for all things luxurious – from exquisite watches to fine fragrances; the latest performance vehicles to intricate audio equipment, and more.

He’s often found travelling around the world to test new launches, complete with high-end backpacks and suitcases in tow. And when he’s not adding to his air miles, Sam can be found in front of a video camera, bringing his distinctive brand of storytelling to T3’s social media channels.

Sam also loves all things analogue including listening to music on vinyl or cassette, and photography on vintage film cameras.