Sudio now has a wide variety of true wireless earbuds in its catalogue, except for a pair of open-fit earbuds. Enter the Sudio Nio. Sudio Nio piggybacks the ever so popular AirPods design to create a pair of headphones to attract people, and retailing at just S$129, making it super competitive and a great entry product.
Unboxing
The Sudio Nio comes in five different colors – sand, black, white, green, and aurora. The unit in this review is the sand colour which I think will be a popular colour among the ladies. In the box, you’ll find the following:
- Sudio Nio earbuds
- Charging case
- Ear wings x4 (XS, S, M, L)
- USB-C cable
- Documentations
Every Sudio purchase comes with 12-months international warranty with your guarantee card and a valid proof of purchase. And if you join Sudio Sphere, you can get an extended warranty totalling 18 months!
Tech specs
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Audio codec supported | SBC |
| Charging time | 1.5 hours |
| Music play time | 5.5 hours |
| Water resistance rating | IPX4 |
| Weight |
Build quality and design
The Sudio Nio are essentially designed like Apple’s AirPods. This means Sudio Nio has a stem and are a pair of open-fit earbuds. Sudio did manage to one up Apple by giving the Nio a IPX4 water resistance rating. So some sweat and rain shouldn’t be causing any harm to the Sudio Nio. The earbuds are made of plastic and have a glossy and smooth finish which differs from most Sudio earbuds I’ve tested so far.
As for the charging case, it is also similar to Apple’s AirPods and opens via a top flap. The hinge has less resistance so it closes with a quieter snap vs the AirPods. The case itself is pretty small so it should fit your jeans pocket easily. It can feel a little bulgy if your jeans has a tight fit. There is a battery indicator on the case which will turn orange if you have less than 25% of battery left.
Sudio also sells a leather case for their Nio which is made from Apple skin. When purchasing the Sudio Nio, you can add this is for 50% off at S$18.50. The case is good if you want to protect the glossy surface of the charging case. However, I do find that the case dislodges from the leather sleeve when you open and close the case.
As for controls, the Sudio Nio utilises touch controls as there isn’t space for physical buttons. A single tap for play/pause, two taps for skipping of tracks, and three taps for volume change. I found that the touch controls are rather sensitive and do myself accidentally triggering them when adjusting the earphones in my ear. It would be better if Sudio utilise a double tap as a default to prevent accidental touches.
Battery life
You can get around 5.5 hours of playtime on a full charge. This is about the about standard for most true wireless earbuds in today’s market. And looking at the size of Sudio Nio, I’d say that this amount of battery life is expected. Sudio states that you can get up to a total of 20 hours with the case, so this should be sufficient to last a week or two depending on your mileage.
There is no word on any quick charge feature, something we’ve seen on Sudio Fem. Charging the Nio from flat to full takes 1.5 hours in the case. Charging is done via USB-C.
Fit
The fit of the Sudio Nio would be a hit or miss, just like the AirPods – you either like it or hate it. You can use the EarPods as a benchmark for fit. If that fits you well, the Sudio Nio should have no issue staying in your eyes.
The Sudio Nio does stay well in my ear with or without the silicon ear wings – the ear buds nestles in comfortably in my ears. The smallest size of ear wings actually does not have a ‘wing’, it is just a silicon housing to wrap over the earbuds. I found that to be the best ear wing to use if you require a tighter fit. If the Sudio Nio fits your ears well then it should be a rather comfortable wear for long periods of use since the earbuds itself are really lightweight.
Pairing and connectivity
Pairing the Sudio Nio to your phone is fairly straightforward. Press and hold on the button located at the base of the case to trigger pairing mode. The name ‘Sudio Nio’ should appear in your phone’s Bluetooth settings. The earbuds are seen as one unit in your Bluetooth settings.
With Bluetooth 5.0, the connection was stable and I barely experienced any audio dropouts. And if you want to use just one earbud, you can use either side of the earbuds. As for audio-video sync, I did not experience any lag while watching from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11.
Sound quality
To start off, the sound you will get will differ depending on whether you use the silicon ear wings. Adding the silicon ear wings creates a better seal with your ear canal – I found this allows the Sudio Nio to offer warmer sound, with bass sounding more full.
Also, take note that the fit of the Sudio Nio will define how you perceive the audio signature. Personally, the Sudio Nio provides a comfortable and light fit, it stays in my ears well but does not have a snug fit nor tight seal unlike in-ear earbuds. Despite being a pair of open-fit earbuds, the Sudio Nio do offer some weight and depth to its bass response. If AirPods have bass that are considered non-existent to you, then you should definitely feel a difference here.
As for mids and highs, the Sudio Nio does a decent job in reproducing them. Mids can sometimes sound a little laid back on bass heavy tracks while highs are decently balanced. The overall sound signature is like a bass boosted AirPods sound, with a warm overtone to it.
Microphone quality
The microphone of the Sudio Nio is pretty good at isolating my voice, and delivers good clarity as well. Audio output sounds is clean and clear, no harshness and retains some depth for a fuller sound. When external noise was introduced, Sudio Nio was able to cancel out a lot of the noise and able to isolate my voice properly without causing weird distortions that some other earbuds do.
Sudio Nio‘s microphone is one of the better ones I’ve tested to date, thanks to its stem. The Huawei FreeBuds Pro comes close, but the Sudio Nio does a better job cancelling out noises.
Conclusion
The Sudio Nio is Sudio’s version of its open-fit earbuds, and it has done a pretty good job at it. Sound quality is decent, and if you prefer more bass then the Nio will appeal more than the AirPods would. Microphone is also a key strength of the Sudio Nio. With five colours to choose from, the Sudio Nio is a great entry device for anyone looking for a pair of open-fit earbuds.
Where to buy
You can purchase the Sudio direct from Sudio. Enjoy 15% off by using the code TECHJIO at checkout, meaning you only pay S$110!
15% off promo code
Also, get a FREE Sudio Andrea Maack tote bag pouch with every purchase! Get this good deal now if you want, don’t say bojio!