Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro review: new Apple AirPods clones are out — and they are better than before

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro: specs

First, let's look at the key specs of the Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro earbuds.

	Xiaomi Mi Airdots Pro Binaural TWS Bluetooth Earphones Wireless Earbuds - WHITE
	$119.38

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro design: white, lightweight and very similar to AirPods

Xiaomi have often been criticized for treading way too close to Apple products' design — and the Mi AirDots Pro, just like the original AirDots, won't offer much of a defence to that claim. Both earbuds look very similar to Apple's AirPods — and, let's admit it, even the names are pretty close. With that, the AirDots do a bit of a better job at having their own distinct look.

One thing remains unchanged: the Mi AirDots Pro are true wireless earbuds, which means that you will not see any wires attached and won't need any cords to either charge the earbuds or connect them to each other. This comes with obvious benefits as you will have more freedom of movement during a workout and your style won't be cramped by wires stretching over your clothing. Potential drawbacks? Battery life and sound performance.

The earbuds are very lightweight, at only 5.8 grams apiece. The come with pointed silicone tips — which is one of the difference with the previous model that is meant to provide better noise cancellation. The earbuds are only available in the classic white and come a dedicated charging case of the same color.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro: more touch controls

Just like the original AirDots, the Pro version offers you several options for touch controls — many more than Apple's AirPods do:

● To call or hang up; pause or play — light touch the earbud twice

● To turn noise reduction on or off — long press the earbud

● For binaural play/pause — light touch the right earbud twice

●​ To wake up the voice assistant — light touch the left earbud twice

Once you have connected the AirDots Pro to a device, they will reconnect automatically every time it is available — so you won't have to hook them up manually again. The earbuds will also automatically disconnect after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro performance: better noise cancellation

The buds feature 7mm neodymium iron boron drivers and titanium-plated diaphragm for improved frequency response. There is also ANC active noise cancellation onboard, which comes in especially handy with handsfree phone calls. This is a step ahead from the Original AirDots that did not have this feature with phone call quality lacking quite a bit in comparison.

With that, extensive noise cancellation can be a downside in certain situations: as it tends to block out the outside world, it is best to exercise extra caution when wearing them in a busy area, crossing the road, etc.

The Mi AirDots Pro are IPX4 waterproof, which does not give them extensive water protection that will let you swim with the AirDots on — but they can definitely handle a few splashes and a jog in the rain.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro: up to 10 hours of battery life

One of the main concerns with the Mi AirDots was the short battery life — and the Mi AirDots Pro do slightly better in this department. The earbuds come equipped with 40mAh Li-ion batteries and, on a full charge, can last for up to 3 hours. When the earbuds are out of juice, you can simply place them in the charging case for about an hour and they will back to a 100%. The case will extend the earbuds' battery life to up to 10 hours.

Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro: the verdict

We are not yet sure about the exact price the Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro will be available for — but we do expect them to be a bit more expensive than the original AirDots. Naturally, even that price won't come close to that of the AirPods — and you will be able to enjoy all the upgrades on a budget.

The Mi AirDots are a very decent piece of audio equipment. They do have their drawbacks and we would definitely have loved to see more improvements in battery life  but, all things considered, Xiaomi continue to offer very interesting AirPods alternatives — and, let's be honest, we need them.