Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsAlmost all the features I wanted but I think I'll keep looking.
Reviewed in Canada on June 20, 2022
Prior to purchasing the P3s, I was using the Jabra 75t Active. After it got stolen in the office, I decided to shop around and somehow decided to buy this set. On paper, it sounds great. It has most of the things I was looking for such as ANC, transparency mode, being able to just use one earphone if needed, USB C, and wireless charging. What I was uncertain of was how it would sound and fit.
The packaging was decent. Everything felt clean and decent quality. The earpieces felt a little too slippery. The USB C cord that was included came with a velcro tie, which is a nice touch from Anker.
I downloaded the app and played around with the settings. The sound was okay but after a little tinkering, it was a lot better. I also updated the software to the latest version as of June 2022. Someone in the reviews stated something about the data the app collects. So check that out for yourself.
I took these out for a walk to try out the transparency mode and ANC. I felt the transparency mode didn't pick up the things I wanted it to pick up. I could barely hear my kids talking to me but it would pick up a breeze and play it back at a moderate volume. It also picked up my steps at a moderate volume, which made me think there was someone beside me multiple times. The ANC is there but comparing it to my long lost Jabras, it just wasn't enough to block out the sound. With some light music, I was able to hear muffled sounds from my office mates across the hall with doors closed.
The things I missed coming from Jabra. I wish it would pause when I took an earpiece out. Or when I place them back in to the charger, my phone plays a few extra seconds before it stops. A little annoying for podcasts but it's very minor. It could also be my personal phone.
I also miss having the ability for dual devices. At work I would use them to play podcast or listen to music on my phone, and would also use it for zoom or teams meetings on my work PC. It sucks to be disconnecting on one device, and reconnect on another just to use it. On my jabras, it was fairly seamless.
The battery life on this is phenomenal. I used it all day with about 2-3 hours (total) of online meetings and phone calls. I would leave it charging during lunch but I don't ever recall seeing a low battery in the week or so checking these out.
I did have a few issues. On a couple occasions, the right ear would sound empty. As in, it sounds like the person I'm talking to is really far away and almost whispering. This was on a work PC. On my personal phone, I would get the occasional "tinny" sound, bass is completely turned off, and quiet. For both instances, I had to quickly disconnect and reconnect.
Another issue I had was the fitting. I'm a medium ear size on my earphones I have used. I tried using all the sizes but I cannot seem to get it to fit right. I even made sure I inserted it right, and turned it slightly after inserting it. I found after a few minutes of walking, it would slip out slightly.
I really wanted to love these and they honestly sound great. I just wish there was either a software update to have dual devices, different ear tips, and a better transparency mode.
For now, I'm going to give these a 3/5 and continue my quest to look for alternatives.