The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are good sports headphones, versatile enough for most uses. They have an above-average build quality that feels a lot more high-end than their price would suggest. They also have a decent sound with a lot bass, a comfortable and stable in-ear fit for the gym, and a better control scheme than the similarly designed Anker Soundbuds Curve. Unfortunately, like the Curve, they won't be the best choice for loud, noisy environments, watching movies, or gaming.
Our Verdict
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are decent for mixed usage and are versatile enough for most uses except home theater and gaming since they're Bluetooth-only headphones with fairly high latency. On the upside, they're a great option for sports, thanks to their stable, compact, and wireless ear-hook design. They also have a long 12hr battery life and a decent build quality that feels more premium than their price range. However, they don't feel as durable as some of the more expensive wireless in-ears we've tested since they have thin cables. Their sound quality has too much bass for more critical listeners but should be good enough for most listeners.
- Stable and portable design.
- Comfortable fit.
- Very low leakage.
- Mediocre-at-best noise isolation.
- Slightly thin audio cable.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are decent for neutral listening and have a slightly bass-heavy sound that'll overpower some instruments and vocals in the mid-range. However, the rest of their audio reproduction is fairly well balanced. Their mid-range is relatively flat, so instruments won't sound too forward or recessed, though they'll be a bit cluttered due to the emphasized bass range. They don't sound as sharp as other in-ears we've tested, and fans of bass will enjoy the added thump and rumble these headphones produce, especially while working out at the gym. Unfortunately, they have small closed earbuds that can't create a big, spacious soundstage. This means they won't be the best headphones for more neutral listeners but should sound good enough for most, especially if you like a little bass.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are decent headphones for commuting or traveling. They have mediocre isolation that isn't very good at reducing the rumble of a bus/train/plane engine but will reduce the chatter around you. They have a decent sound that's best suited for bass-heavy genres. They have excellent breathability, and there should be no issues wearing them for longer commutes.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are good headphones for sports and fitness use. They have an ear-hook design that's great for sports. Even during intense movements, they shouldn't fall off, but the seal isn't perfect; this means that the sound changes as they move, which isn't great for jogging. They're comfortable for longer workouts, and they breathe well. They're very compact headphones that are easy to carry around, but they're larger than true in-ears due to the ear-hooks. They produce a decent sound that's better suited for bass-heavy genres.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are decent headphones for office use. They have mediocre isolation but very good leakage performance. You can listen to your music at higher volumes without bothering your coworkers, and they have a comfortable in-ear fit and a long battery life that'll easily last a typical workday.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are sub-par headphones for gaming. They're comfortable, and you can wear them for long gaming sessions without getting too hot. They produce decent sound with exaggerated bass, which can be good for some games. You can only use them wirelessly, and they have too much latency. They have a mediocre in-line mic that works for gaming but won't provide the best vocals. You can't use them with any gaming consoles without a special adapter.
As the Anker SoundCore Spirit X are wireless headphones, they can't be used for wired gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 14, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jun 19, 2018: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X are decently versatile wireless sports headphones. They have a stable and sweatproof ear-hook design with additional stability fins. They also have a long 12hr battery life and an above-average sound quality that packs a lot of bass. They're lightweight, portable, and surprisingly well-designed for their budget price. Unfortunately, although they're stable, the earbud tips do tend to slip out of your ear canals from time to time, which can be a bit annoying. They also have relatively thin cables that don't look as durable as the rest of the design, and they aren't as customizable as other headphones.
See our recommendations for the best wireless earbuds under $50 and the best cheap wireless earbuds.
The Jaybird X2 Wireless are a better sports headphone and headset overall than the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless. The Jaybird have a more isolating in-ear fit, that's better for noisy environments and commuting, and a slightly more portable design since they do not have ear-hooks like the Anker. The Anker, on the other hand, are a bit more stable thanks to those ear hooks and have a longer battery life with a more comfortable in-ear fit than the Jaybird.
The Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless are better in-ear headphones overall when compared to the Anker SoundBuds Sport. The Spirit X have better sound quality, a more stable and durable design for sports, and they're a lot more sweatproof than the Sports. The Spirit X also have a better control scheme and a much longer battery life that lasts more than twice as long as the Sport. On the other hand, the Sport are a bit more portable and have a better noise-isolating in-ear fit, so they're more suitable for noisy environments and commuting.
The Anker SoundBuds Curve 2017 and the Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless are practically the same headphones, with very slight differences. The Spirit X are slightly better due to their higher sweat and water resistance, and their in-line remote offers better tactile feedback. You also get a cinch for easier cable management. If you have a Bluetooth 5.0 source, you might get better wireless range and connection stability with the Spirit X. On the other hand, the Curve have lower latency, support the aptX codec, and are even more affordable. These two headphones are great budget options, but if you don’t really care for the additional sweat resistance, the Curve will satisfy most users.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air are more versatile than the Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless. The truly wireless design of the Liberty Air gets rid of the cable and has a more portable design. Fans of bass may prefer the sound profile of the Spirit X, but the Liberty Air has better overall sound quality. The fit of the Liberty Air is also better for isolating ambient noise than the Spirit X. However, the Spirit X have a longer battery life, and their ear-hook design is very stable for sports. With the Spirit X, you also get a nice in-line remote with volume controls, and they are rated IPX7, while the Liberty Air is rated IPX5 for sweat and water resistance.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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