Mpow MDots True Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed Feb 22, 2021 at 07:39am
Writing modified Mar 02, 2022 at 04:32pm
Tested using Methodology v1.5 
Mpow MDots True Wireless

Track

0.0
Neutral Sound 
0.0
Commute/Travel 
0.0
Sports/Fitness 
0.0
Office 
0.0
Wireless Gaming 
0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Calls 

Track

 0

The Mpow MDots True Wireless are basic truly wireless headphones. They're reasonably sturdy, decently comfortable, and offer a bass-heavy sound profile that's well-suited for genres like EDM or hip-hop. They also do a good job of filtering out ambient noise. Unfortunately, they lack any sort of sound customization features, have a very short battery life, and deliver a sub-par overall microphone performance.

Our Verdict

0.0
Neutral Sound 

The Mpow MDots are alright for neutral sound. Their default sound profile is quite bass-heavy, which should please listeners who crave a little more thump and rumble in their listening experience, but this can also clutter and muddy vocals and lead instruments. This isn't helped by their underemphasized treble response that results in a lack of clarity in some mixes. They also lack any sort of sound customization options, like built-in EQ presets, and have a small, closed-off soundstage.

Pros
  • Consistent audio delivery.
Cons
  • No sound customization options.
0.0
Commute/Travel 

The Mpow MDots are decent for commuting and traveling. They're very portable, feel decently well-built, and do a good job of blocking out the chatter of fellow commuters, though you may hear some of the low rumble coming from bus or plane engines. Their latency on mobile devices is quite high, which can be an annoyance if you were planning on streaming videos on your way into the office. You also need to put them back in their case to recharge fairly often during longer trips, as they only supply about two and a half hours of playback time on a charge.

Pros
  • Decently sturdy, portable design.
  • Good overall noise isolation capability.
Cons
  • Short continuous battery life.
  • High Bluetooth audio latency.
0.0
Sports/Fitness 

The Mpow MDots are great for sports and fitness. They have a very stable fit and allow your ears to breathe, so you shouldn't sweat more than usual while wearing them. The buds themselves feel decently solid and are rated IPX6 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Their short battery life could be a nuisance during longer workout sessions, but luckily, you can listen to audio from one bud while the other charges.

Pros
  • Decently sturdy, portable design.
  • Stable, decently comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Short continuous battery life.
0.0
Office 

The Mpow MDots are a reasonable choice for office use. The buds' in-ear fit isn't too fatiguing and they do a good job of filtering out the chatter of nearby coworkers. They don't leak much in the way of audio either, so you can listen to your music at a fairly high volume without disturbing people nearby. However, they don't offer any convenient wireless functions like multi-device pairing, and their short continuous battery life means that they need frequent recharging.

Pros
  • Good overall noise isolation capability.
  • Low levels of audio leakage.
Cons
  • Short continuous battery life.
  • No multi-device pairing capability.
0.0
Wireless Gaming 

The Mpow MDots aren't designed for wireless gaming. They aren't compatible with consoles, and their latency on Bluetooth-enabled PCs is likely to be too high for gaming.

0.0
Wired Gaming 

The Mpow MDots are wireless-only headphones and can't be used on a wired connection.

0.0
Phone Calls 

The Mpow MDots are inadequate for making phone calls. Their mic makes your voice sound thin and muffled. It struggles to isolate speech from background noise too, so people on the other end of the line are likely to have trouble understanding you if you're in a noisy or crowded setting. Thankfully, the buds themselves filter out a good amount of ambient noise, letting you stay focused on what's being said.

Pros
  • Good overall noise isolation capability.
Cons
  • Mediocre mic recording quality.
  • Disappointing noise handling.
  • 0.0
    Neutral Sound
  • 0.0
    Commute/Travel
  • 0.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 0.0
    Office
  • 0.0
    Wireless Gaming
  • 0.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 0.0
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Jan 13, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
    2.  Updated Feb 22, 2021: Review published.
    3.  Updated Feb 17, 2021: Early access published.
    4.  Updated Feb 11, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.

    Check Price

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Mpow MDots only come in one color variant: 'Black', and you can see their label here.

    Let us know if you come across a different variant, so we can update our review.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    The Mpow MDots are simple, budget-friendly truly wireless in-ears. They're decently comfortable, have a reasonably solid-feeling construction, and do a good overall job of blocking out ambient noise, despite not having an ANC feature like the Mpow X5 Truly Wireless. Unfortunately, their single-charge battery life is very short, and they're a notably poor fit for making calls in noisy environments. If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations of the best budget wireless headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $50, and the best cheap wireless earbuds.

    Mpow M30 Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Mpow M30 Truly Wireless are slightly more versatile than the Mpow MDots True Wireless. The M30 are more comfortable, better-built, offer superior overall mic performance, and last longer on a single charge. Conversely, the MDots block out a little more ambient noise and are slightly more compact.

    Skullcandy Jib True Wireless

    Track

    The Skullcandy Jib True Wireless are slightly more versatile headphones than the Mpow MDots True Wireless. The Skullcandy are better built, block out more ambient noise, and deliver significantly better overall microphone performance. They also last significantly longer on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Mpow have a more stable fit.

    Mpow X3 Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Mpow X3 Truly Wireless and Mpow MDots True Wireless each have their own advantages, so you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The X3 are more comfortable and better-built. They also have better overall mic performance and much longer battery life. However, even though the MDots don't have an ANC feature like the X3, they're notably more effective when it comes to filtering out background noise. They also leak less audio.

    SoundPeats TrueFree 2 Wireless

    Track

    The Mpow MDots True Wireless and SoundPeats TrueFree 2 Wireless each have their own distinct advantages, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The Mpow have an easier-to-use control scheme, superior noise isolation capability, and better mic recording quality. Meanwhile, the SoundPeats have longer battery life, feel more sturdily built, and have a mic that's more effective in isolating your voice from background noise.

    Show more 
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!

    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.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedIn-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedTruly Wireless
    TransducerLockedDynamic

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    0.0
    Comfort
    WeightLockedLock lbs
    Clamping Force
    LockedLock lbs

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    0.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Ease Of UseLockedLocked
    FeedbackLockedLocked
    Call/Music ControlLockedLocked
    Volume ControlLockedLocked
    Microphone ControlLockedLocked
    Channel Mixing
    LockedLocked
    Noise Cancelling ControlLockedLocked
    Talk-Through
    LockedLocked
    Additional ControlsLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.DifferenceLockedLock °C

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    0.0
    Portability
    LLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    HLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    VolumeLockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)
    Transmitter RequiredLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    HLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    VolumeLockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)

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    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Stability

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    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

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    Sound
    Sound Profile
    Bass Amount
    LockedLock dB
    Treble Amount
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Frequency Response Consistency
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    LockedLock dB

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    Raw Frequency Response
    0.0
    Bass Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    LockedLock Hz
    Low-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    High-Bass
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Mid Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    High-Mid
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Treble Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    High-Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Peaks/Dips
    Peaks
    LockedLock dB
    Dips
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Distance
    LockedN/A
    Openness
    Locked
    0.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    Locked
    0.0

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    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Speaker Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Room Ambience
    LockedLocked
    Head Tracking
    LockedLocked
    Virtual Surround
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    WHD @ 90
    LockedLock
    WHD @ 100
    LockedLock

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    Test Settings
    Firmware
    LockedLocked
    Power
    LockedLocked
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Codec
    LockedLocked
    EQ
    LockedLocked
    ANC
    LockedLocked
    Tip/Pad
    LockedLocked
    Microphone
    LockedLocked

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    Isolation
    0.0
    Noise Isolation
    Isolation Audio
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    Overall Attenuation
    LockedLock dB
    Noise CancellingLockedNo
    Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Leakage
    Leakage Audio
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    LockedLock dB

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    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    LockedLocked
    In-Line
    LockedLocked
    Boom
    LockedLocked
    Detachable Boom
    LockedLocked
    MicLockedYes
    0.0
    Recording Quality
    Recorded Speech
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    LFE
    LockedLock Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    LockedLock dB
    HFE
    LockedLock Hz
    Weighted THD
    LockedLock
    Gain
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Noise Handling
    SpNR
    LockedLock dB
    Noise Gate
    LockedLocked
    Speech + Pink Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
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    Speech + Subway Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
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    Active Features
    0.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Continuous Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Additional Charges
    LockedLock
    Total Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Charge Time
    LockedLock hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    LockedLocked
    Audio While Charging
    LockedLocked
    Passive Playback
    LockedLocked
    Charging PortLockedLocked

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    0.0
    App Support
    App NameLockedLocked
    iOSLockedLocked
    AndroidLockedLocked
    macOSLockedLocked
    WindowsLockedLocked
    Equalizer
    LockedLocked
    ANC Control
    LockedLocked
    Mic ControlLockedLocked
    Room Effects
    LockedLocked
    Playback Control
    LockedLocked
    Button MappingLockedLocked
    Surround Support
    LockedLocked
    Connectivity
    0.0
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    LockedLocked
    Multi-Device Pairing
    LockedLocked
    NFC Pairing
    LockedLocked
    Line Of Sight Range
    LockedLock ft (Lock m)
    PC Latency (SBC)
    LockedLock ms
    PC Latency (aptX)
    LockedN/A
    PC Latency (aptX HD)
    LockedN/A
    PC Latency (aptX-LL)
    LockedN/A
    iOS Latency
    LockedLock ms
    Android Latency
    LockedLock ms

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    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Non-BT Latency
    LockedN/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    LockedLocked
    USB Audio
    LockedLocked
    DetachableLockedLocked
    LengthLockedN/A
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    LockedN/A

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    PC Compatibility
    Analog
    LockedLocked
    Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    PlayStation Compatibility
    PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    LockedLocked
    USB Input
    LockedLocked
    Line In
    LockedLocked
    Line Out
    LockedLocked
    Optical Input
    LockedLocked
    RCA Input
    LockedLocked
    Dock Charging
    LockedLocked
    Power Supply
    LockedLocked

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