The Shokz OpenDots One earbuds don’t feature left and right designations. You can use them in whichever ear you choose. | Image: Shokz

Shokz has launched what the company is calling its “smallest and lightest open earbuds to date.” The new OpenDots One clip onto the back of your ear instead of sitting entirely inside it. It’s a design that’s similar to what the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have helped popularize over the past year, but Shokz’ new open earbuds are not only cheaper, they’re also interchangeable, so you can stick them in whatever ear you want.

Bose launched its Ultra Open at a steep $299, and while they’re frequently on sale and have dropped to as low as $229, Shokz’ OpenDots One are debuting at $199.99 in grey or black through the company’s online store and Amazon.

Shokz was one of the earliest companies to pioneer open-style headphones that don’t passively block ambient sounds making them ideal for runners, cyclists, or anyone wanting more situational awareness or their environment. The company is probably best known for its headphones that use bone conduction to keep your ears entirely unobstructed, but in recent years it’s expanded to smaller offerings that hang an air conduction speaker in front of the ear canal.

The new OpenDots One use that latter approach, but instead of a wraparound ear hook, they utilize a U-shaped design made with a flexible nickel-titanium plate wrapped in soft silicon that securely clips onto the outer part of the ear. That positions the speaker just outside the ear canal so other sounds aren’t blocked.

Weighing in at 6.5 grams each, the OpenDots One are slightly heavier than Bose’s open earbuds but offer up to 10 hours of playback on their own, or up to 40 hours when paired with their charging case that supports wireless charging out of the box. Bose’s Ultra Open max out at 27 hours.

There’s no active noise cancellation given the OpenDots One prioritize hearing what’s going on around you, but they feature a dual driver design and four different EQ modes plus the ability to create your own customized sound profile through the Shokz mobile app. The most unique feature, which will appeal to those who frequently mix up their left and right earbuds, is that the OpenDots One are completely interchangeable, even in their charging case. When attached to your ears, the earbuds will automatically recognize which ear they’re both in, and will adjust the audio accordingly so you still hear a proper left and right stereo mix.

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