ACEFAST Crystal (2) T8 Earbuds Review

ACEFAST Crystal (2) T8 Earbuds Review.Transparent design has been a new trend in electronics ever since the Nothing gadgets exploded. The RedMagic 8 Pro we recently reviewed also had transparent elements built into its design, which definitely added something unique to the overall look of the phone.Since then, many brands have decided to jump on the bandwagon, and Acefast is one of them. In this review, we bring you the latest true wireless earbuds from Acefast inspired by the design of Nothing Ear(1). Let’s take a look at the Crystal (2) T8 model so you can decide whether to buy them as your next headphones.

Acefast Crystal (2) T8 Earbuds: First Impressions & Specs

While most modern smartphones look more and more similar to each other, headphone manufacturers are striving for authenticity, coming up with new trends and innovative designs. Being able to look inside your gadgets might be my favorite trend.Acefast Crystal (2) T8 is a TWS headset that will grab the attention of the people around you. These lightweight headphones are pleasing to the eye and pleasant to the touch. But once you get rid of the flashy design, you wonder if the content matches the look. Before we dive into the Acefast T8 review, here is the full list of specifications for these headphones:

Type: true wireless in-ear headphones
Weight: headset only 0.4 oz, 1.65 oz total (11g / 47g)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C
Audio codecs: SBC/AAC
Frequency range: 20Hz~20kHz
ANC: None
Driver: Aluminum Coaxial Moving Coil, 10mm Drivers, 6mm Dome Tweeters
Waterproof Rating: IPX4 (Splashproof)
Color options: Hot Black, Ice Blue, Mint Green, Lotus Pink, Alfalfa Purple, Moon White.
Battery: 45mAh headset battery + 480mAh charging case battery.
Price: $69.99 (discounted). ) on the Acefast website and $66.59 on Amazon

Design and Unpacking

The earphones come in six different color options – black, white, blue, green, pink and purple – all with transparent panels that reveal the inside of the charging case and earbuds. We had the blue version for testing.

What’s in the box

Here’s what you’ll find when you unpack your Acefast headphones:

Crystal T8 headphones by Acefast
charging case
USB-C cable
Silicone case + silicone strap
Four pairs of different size eartips + storage box
User’s manual

The charging case features a 3D digital LED display that shows the remaining battery percentage on the case and each earbud. When one of the earbuds is taken off the charger, only the other half of the display lights up. When you put the two earbuds back, the indicators on both sides of the display light up. All of this is most likely inspired by the design of Nothing Ear (1). However, what sets the Acefast earbuds apart is how the earbuds attach to the charging case – with magnets on each side. When the headphones are attached, they make a distinctive click. During testing, I often caught myself taking the headphones out of the case and putting them back in. I can only compare it to a spinner. If you’re as fidgety as me, you’ll love this. There are no buttons on the translucent body, and you can only control the earbuds using the touch controls on the earbuds themselves. This is a shame, as I feel a physical button that allows you to turn on the display and check the battery level would be a great addition. Currently, you need to take out one of the earbuds to turn on the display.Each earbud weighs 5.5 grams, and the total weight of the earbuds with the charging case is 47 grams. These aren’t the lightest headphones I’ve tested, but they’re definitely smaller and compact enough to carry in your jeans pocket. The body is made of plastic and feels solid and sleek. Headphones do not fall out of the case and remain there after you put them in. At the bottom of the charging case, you will find a Type-C charging port. The earbuds have white indicators that light up when charging or connecting.

The Accessories

Accessories are where the Acefast Crystal T8 shines. When you unpack the headphones, you will find three different compartments, each containing a separate add-on for your Crystal T8. You’ll find a silicone gel case to match your headphones, a lanyard strap, and extra silicone ear tips housed in a separate plastic container.While the extra accessories are nice, they mostly feel useless. The strap and protective silicone case are something I really liked as a child, so they can be a good addition if you give these headphones to a child. But the plastic box for storing the ear tips is completely useless and you can throw it away immediately after unpacking. The package also contains an additional booklet with all Acefast products and promo images. In general, it’s a good idea to think about unique accessories, but in this particular case, they don’t seem very well thought out.

Audio Quality & Features

In terms of listening, the Acefast T8 delivers pretty decent sound quality. Remember that these are not audiophile-grade headphones, but rather a basic headset for everyday listening.The headphones come with 10mm aluminum moving coil drivers and 6mm dome tweeters. The reproduced sound seems too bassy for my taste. The vocals are clear enough, the highs sound good, but the mids leave much to be desired. In general, I found that these headphones do not do well with a large number of musical instruments. However, pop tracks sound okay. The equalizer can be Acefast’s saving grace in terms of sound quality. However, there is no Acefast app or such feature.When it comes to phone calls, the Acefast T8 works great. Wireless headphones provide clear sound and no connection issues (tested on Android smartphone, iPhone, tablet and MacBook Air). Once you get past the exciting translucent design, the Crystal T8 drops a bit in terms of features. Only SBC and AAC audio codecs are available without Hi-Res Audio support. There is no wear detection/detection in the ears to pause and resume playback when you remove the headphones and put them back in. There is also a multi-point pairing. The lack of a smartphone app does not allow you to adjust the sound or update the device’s firmware to the latest version. Finally, there is no ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). Instead, these TWS earbuds have two microphones on each earbud to provide ENC noise cancellation.On a positive note, the earphones support the latest Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity standard – something missing from the Tribit FlyBuds C1 Pro I recently reviewed. And of course, the LED display on the charging case is one of my favorite features of the Acefast Crystal (2) T8. Whenever you take the headphones (or headphones) out of the case or put them back in, the display will light up for a few seconds to show the remaining battery power. It is very comfortable; you don’t have to dig into your device’s Bluetooth settings to find this information.

Controls & Overall Fit

I have odd ears and the fit of the headphones is extremely important to me. The Crystal T8 sits pretty well in your ears if you choose the right size silicone ear pads. However, I wouldn’t run or play sports in them as they fall out pretty quickly.Headphone controls disappointed me. The controls are located on the top of both earbuds, and the volume controls are the only ones I find very responsive. The rest – pausing a track, skipping songs, and answering calls – often took time to register, and I had to do them several times to get the headphones working.Having said that, I could be spoiled for having a physical control button on the headphones. So far, this is the only solution I’ve found that works 100% efficient when driving headphones.Because there’s no app that lets you remap controls, you’ll need to get used to the Acefast pattern, even if your previous headphones had a different control scheme.

Battery Life

The battery life of the Acefast T8 is impressive. Each earbud has a 45mAh battery and the charging case has a 480mAh battery. Crystal T8 worked for about 7 hours without recharging with continuous music playback and about 4-5 hours of talk time, which corresponds to the Acefast website. The charging case can extend your total listening time up to 30 hours. This is more than many competitors in the same price range offer.The headset comes with a rather short charging cable. A full charge from zero takes about 1.5 hours, with every 10 minutes of charging giving you two additional hours of use. There’s no wireless charging option, so you have to be near a power outlet to plug in the charging cable when the earbuds and case hit zero.

Should You Buy the Acefast Crystal (2) T8 Earbuds?

The Acefast Crystal T8 earbuds lack many of the features I’m used to as a TWS user, like ANC mode or a smartphone app. But while there are better Bluetooth headphones in the $100 price range, the Crystal T8 currently sells for $60-70, putting them in a different price bracket.As an entry-level headset, the Crystal T8 has many great features, including great battery life, a magnetic storage case with LED battery indicator, and of course, stunning translucent design elements that are sure to grab attention.