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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Jul 21, 2023 at 11:35 am
Latest change: Writing modified Dec 14, 2023 at 10:14 am
Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless Picture
7.5
Neutral Sound
7.5
Commute/Travel
8.0
Sports/Fitness
6.9
Office
5.4
Wireless Gaming
5.3
Wired Gaming
6.5
Phone Calls
These headphones were replaced by the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are the next generation of the budget-friendly Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile, which helps you find your buds with a secondary app if you misplace them. The new version also adds a standby mode to help conserve battery life. Otherwise, they perform similarly to the original Dime earbuds and don't have active noise cancelling (ANC) feat or any sound customization features like an EQ.

Our Verdict

7.5 Neutral Sound

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are good for neutral sound. They have a slightly bass-rich sound profile that adds a touch of extra rumble and punch into your audio. Vocals and lead instruments are clear but a little cluttered. They lack any customization features to help you adjust their sound to suit your tastes. Their passive soundstage seems closed-off and as if sound is coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Very consistent audio delivery.
Cons
  • No sound customization features.
7.5 Commute/Travel

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are good for commute and travel. They have a small, lightweight, and portable design, so you can easily slip the earbuds and case into your pocket or purse. They're also well-built and have a decently comfortable fit for long journeys. However, they don't have noise cancelling and struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They only last for about 3.3 hours of continuous use, so you'll have to recharge them in the case during long trips.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Decent noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
8.0 Sports/Fitness

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are great for sports and fitness. Although they don't have stability fins, they don't move around in your ear and can stay in place during workouts. They're also certified IPX4 for resistance against being splashed with water. That said, even though they have a decently comfortable fit, using the controls can push the buds deeper into your ear.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Stable in-ear fit.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
6.9 Office

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are okay for office use. They have a decently comfortable fit and are well-built. They can also block out ambient chatter well so that you can focus on your work, and they don't leak very much audio at high volumes. However, they only last for around 3.3 hours of continuous use, which won't last through your workday unless you charge them up again. Their portable case holds about 2.4 additional charges.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Decent noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
  • No sound customization features.
5.4 Wireless Gaming

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are Βluetooth headphones that can't connect to PlayStation or Xbox consoles. You can use them with Βluetooth-compatible PCs, but their latency is too high for them to be suitable for gaming. Their latency with Android and iOS devices is pretty low, which is good if you're interested in mobile gaming.

5.3 Wired Gaming

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones; you can't use them wired.

6.5 Phone Calls

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are just okay for phone calls. Their integrated mic has a decent recording quality, so your voice sounds clear to whoever you're talking to. However, the mic struggles to separate your voice from ambient sound, so your voice can be drowned out by background noise. The buds can passively block out some background noise like chit-chat but won't effectively cut out the sound of rumbling engines, so it can be difficult to hear calls you make from noisy places.

Pros
  • Decent recording quality.
Cons
  • Sub-par noise handling.
  • 7.5 Neutral Sound
  • 7.5 Commute/Travel
  • 8.0 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.9 Office
  • 5.4 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.3 Wired Gaming
  • 6.5 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Dec 14, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless in Bluetooth.
  2. Updated Oct 02, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds/Buds XT True Wireless in Battery.
  3. Updated Jul 21, 2023: Made minor edits to the text to bring it up to date.
  4. Updated Feb 02, 2023: We've included mentions of two new colourways, 'Dark Blue/Green' and 'Doritos Red', in the "Differences Between Variants" section as well as in "Style".
  5. Updated Mar 08, 2022: Review published.
  6. Updated Mar 02, 2022: Early access published.
  7. Updated Feb 17, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Feb 11, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  9. Updated Feb 05, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Skullcandy Dime 2 come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Light Grey/Blue', 'Dark Blue/Green', and a limited edition 'Doritos Red' colorway released in collaboration with the chip brand. We tested the 'Black' variant; you can see our model's label here.

There's also another variant of these earbuds, the Skullcandy Dime XT 2 True Wireless, which the manufacturer advertises to have an improved hinge on the case and support Bluetooth version 5.2. The manufacturer also advertises them to support 'Personal Sound', a Skullcandy feature that adjusts the sound based on a hearing test. We don't know if they perform differently, and our results are only valid for the original Dime 2.

If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are the next generation of the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile, which lets you track down your buds using an app if you misplace them. They also have a standby mode to help conserve battery life when not in use. However, their continuous battery life of under 3.5 hours is short even compared to other inexpensive buds, like the Skullcandy Jib Wireless and the JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless.

Check out our picks for the best cheap earbuds, the best wireless earbuds under $50, and the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds.

Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless are a slight improvement on the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless. While they have a similar design and portability, the Dime 3 have a far longer continuous battery life and feature multi-point Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect them to two devices simultaneously. They also have a more neutral bass and mid response, with built-in EQ presets. However, the Dime 2 have a better noise isolation performance and a more accurate treble response and can connect to the Skullcandy app.

JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless

The JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless are better in-ears than the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless. While both headphones are well-built, the JLab are more comfortable and have three EQ presets built-in, and their integrated mic has a better overall performance. Their battery performance is better. However, the Skullcandy have a more balanced sound profile.

Skullcandy Dime True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are the next generation of the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile, a secondary app that allows you to track your buds if you misplace them, and they have a standby mode to help conserve battery life when you're not using them. However, both models otherwise perform similarly.

Skullcandy Jib True Wireless

The Skullcandy Jib True Wireless and the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless offer similar performances. While both headphones are well-built, the Jib True are more comfortable, block out more ambient sound, and have a longer continuous battery life. The Dime 2 have a more neutral sound profile, and they support Tile, a secondary app that lets you track your headphones if you lose them.

Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless

The Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless and the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are similarly performing in-ear headphones. While both headphones are well-built, the Sesh Evo are more comfortable, can block more background noise, and have longer continuous battery life. However, the Dime 2 have a standby mode to conserve battery life when you're not using them. They also support Tile, a secondary app that allows you to track your earbuds if you lose them.

Skullcandy Smokin' Buds/Buds XT True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless and the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds/Buds XT True Wireless are similar budget in-ears for everyday use with a few small differences. The Dime 2 have a more balanced sound overall, with accurate bass performance and a treble response that is less harsh than the Smokin' Buds. Both headphones are lightweight, comfortable, and stable, making them good choices for fitness and sports use. However, the Smokin' Buds' 8-hour continuous battery life is significantly better than the 3.5 hours of playtime from the Dime 2, making them a better fit for on-the-go use. However, if you're prone to misplacing your earbuds, the Dime 2 have the useful Tile feature, which allows you to locate a lost earbud via a smartphone app.

Skullcandy Indy Evo True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are slightly more versatile in-ears than the Skullcandy Indy Evo True Wireless. The Dime 2 have a more neutral sound profile and better overall battery performance. However, the Indy Evo are more comfortable and have three EQ presets built-in. 

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Skullcandy Dime 2 look identical to the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless with a simple, non-descript style. There's a brand logo on each stem. Unlike the previous generation, they only come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Light Grey/Blue', 'Dark Blue/Green', and a limited edition 'Doritos Red'.

6.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are fairly comfortable. They don't put much pressure inside your ear and come with three differently-sized pairs of ear tips to help you get the best fit. They have a deep in-ear fit, and their design is a bit bulky, which can put pressure on your ear. You need to hold the bud in place when using the controls to avoid putting additional pressure on your ear.

6.6
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

The controls are okay. Like the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless, most controls can be done on either bud. There's audio feedback when pairing, connecting, and disconnecting the buds. There are chimes to let you know when you've reached min and max volume, although it's the same sound used for both extremes. However, the buttons aren't very clicky, and using the controls can put pressure on your ear. You must press the controls a few times to adjust the volume.

On the left earbud:

  • Double press: Lowers the volume.
  • Press and hold for one second: Restarts the track. Also returns to the previous track.

On the right earbud:

  • Double press: Raises the volume.
  • Press and hold for one second: Skips the track forward.

On either earbud:

  • Single press: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends a call.
  • Triple press: Activates your phone's voice assistant.

9.5
Design
Portability
L 1.5" (3.8 cm)
W 1.0" (2.5 cm)
H 0.9" (2.3 cm)
Volume 1.40 in³ (23.00 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

Like most earbuds, they have a small, lightweight design and easily fit into most pockets. They also come with a small carrying case that can fit into most pockets and bags without issue.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.5" (6.4 cm)
W 1.5" (3.8 cm)
H 0.8" (2.0 cm)
Volume 2.99 in³ (49.00 cm³)

They come with a small, lightweight case. Two openings on the lid allow you to see the buds. However, when the lid's closed, you can't see the battery light on the buds. There's also a small LED light on the case near the charging port, which lets you know when the case is charging.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

They have a good build quality, like their predecessor, the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They're mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. They're also certified IPX4 for resistance against splashes of water. However, the ear tips seem prone to ripping with continuous use.

7.5
Design
Stability

These headphones have good stability. Even though they stick out of your ears and lack stability fins, they stay in place. They won't fall out of your ears during a run in the park or if you're listening to audio at your desk.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Skullcandy Dime 2 earbuds
  • Charging case
  • Micro-USB to USB-A charging cable
  • 3x tip size options
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
0.47 dB
Treble Amount
-1.14 dB

They have a slightly bass-rich sound profile that adds a bit of extra boom and warmth to mixes. That said, it doesn't overwhelm vocals and lead instruments, so they're suitable for a variety of audio content. However, they lack customization features, and you can't adjust their sound to suit your tastes.

8.5
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.3 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have excellent frequency response consistency. Once you get a proper fit using the provided ear tips, you'll achieve consistent audio delivery each time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.8
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.66 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
0.08 dB
Mid-Bass
1.26 dB
High-Bass
2.73 dB

Their bass accuracy is excellent. The response is slightly overemphasized, so your music has a little extra rumble, punch, and body.

8.7
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.69 dB
Low-Mid
2.05 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.32 dB
High-Mid
-0.09 dB

They have excellent mid accuracy. The response is fairly flat, so instruments like the Vienna horn and trumpets throughout the theme from Jurassic Park sound clear and intense. However, some overemphasis comes from the bass range into the low-mid, which muddies the mix a bit. Vocals in the first bridge of Norweigan Wood (This Bird Has Flown) by The Beatles sound a little cluttered alongside the sitar and acoustic guitar. A dip in the mid-mid also slightly nudges vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix.

8.6
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.2 dB
Low-Treble
-1.45 dB
Mid-Treble
0.75 dB
High-Treble
-2.78 dB

They have excellent treble accuracy. The low-treble is slightly recessed, so vocals and lead instruments are slightly veiled. However, sibilants like cymbals are bright but not piercing.

8.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.17 dB
Dips
0.84 dB

Their peaks and dips performance is great. A peak in the high-bass to low-mid affects the right driver a little more prominently, adding boom and some muddiness to mixes. A dip in the mid-mid also affects the right driver more than the left, nudging vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. A few small dips in the low-treble slightly veil vocals and lead instruments, while the dip and peak in the mid-treble make sibilants like S and T sounds alternatingly dull and piercing.

9.1
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.11
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.17
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.56
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.33

They have an outstanding imaging performance. Most Skullcandy headphones we've tested have good imaging, indicating the brand's quality control and ergonomics. The weighted group delay for our unit falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and transparent treble. Also, the L/R drivers of our unit are well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response, which is important for the accurate placement of objects, like instruments and voices, in the stereo image. Although there's a small peak in the phase response's mid-mid, which skews a little to the right, it's not very audible with real-life content. However, keep in mind that imaging can vary between units.

0.8
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.0
Acoustic Space Excitation
0.5

These buds have a terrible passive soundstage performance, which is on par with in-ear headphones. One of the key components in creating a large and speaker-like passive soundstage is that the outer ear activates with sound. However, their design bypasses your outer ear. As a result, sound seems like it's coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.9
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.249
WHD @ 100
0.106

The weighted harmonic distortion performance is very good. There are a couple of peaks in the treble range at normal listening volumes, but they're minor and won't be noticeable with real-life content. All frequencies fall within good limits, producing clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
1.1.3.24
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated
Isolation
7.0
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-20.16 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-7.43 dB
Mid
-23.17 dB
Treble
-31.57 dB

They have a decent noise isolation performance. They don't have ANC but do a good job of passively blocking out higher-pitched sounds like background chit-chat or the hum of an A/C unit. They can block out bass-range noise like rumbling engines, but not very well.

9.6
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
23.27 dB

They have an outstanding leakage performance. They don't leak much audio at high volumes. If you're listening to your favorite songs at a high volume, others around you won't hear it unless you're in a quiet environment.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.1
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
310.89 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
4.49 dB
HFE
6,450.8 Hz
Weighted THD
0.32
Gain
11.83 dB

The integrated mic has a decent recording quality. Your voice sounds clear and understandable but lacks body and seems a little unnatural.

5.6
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
7.01 dB
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
6.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
5.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic has a sub-par noise handling performance. It struggles to separate your voice from background noise. Your voice can be drowned out if you're taking a call from a noisy environment like a busy street.

Active Features
6.2
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
3.3 hrs
Additional Charges
2.4
Total Battery Life
11.3 hrs
Charge Time
0.5 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Standby mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port micro-USB

They have a mediocre battery performance. They last for just around 3.3 hours of continuous use, just under the advertised 3.5 hours, although battery life can vary depending on usage. The battery won't last you through long days on the go, but their carrying case holds roughly 2.4 additional charges if you need it and you can also use one bud while the other charges. If that's not enough for you, you can check out the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds/Buds XT True Wireless, which have a continuous battery life of 8 hours. Thankfully the second Dime version have a standby mode that helps conserve battery life when you're not using them, which is an upgrade on the original Skullcandy Dime True Wireless.

4.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name Skullcandy
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

The Skullcandy app is poor. It doesn't offer many features, and there isn't an EQ or presets to help you customize their sound. That said, you can see the battery and volume levels as well as the firmware version. You can also check out the FAQ section and register your buds. If you lose them, you can find your buds via Tile, but you need to download this app separately.

Connectivity
6.7
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
158.46 ft (48.30 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
242 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
132 ms
Android Latency
104 ms

Their Bluetooth performance is okay. While they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing like the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless, they have fairly low latency on iOS and Android devices, so they're suitable for streaming videos on your phone. However, their PC latency is much higher, so you'll notice that your audio and video are out of sync. Some apps and devices compensate for latency, though.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

You can only use these headphones wirelessly. They come with a micro-USB to USB-C cable to charge their carrying case.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These buds are only compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs. You can't connect them in any other way.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 come with a carrying case that supplies roughly 2.4 extra charges. There's a micro-USB input to recharge the case, but there aren't any other inputs.