Open-ear earbuds are starting to feel a lot more mainstream. What used to be a niche option for runners or cyclists is now turning into a legit everyday alternative, especially for people who don’t want to block out the world around them. That’s where the EarFun Clip 2 comes in, a new clip-style open-ear earbud priced at $79.99.
Instead of sitting inside your ear canal like traditional earbuds, the Clip 2 wraps gently around the outer ear. You still hear your music or podcasts, but you also stay aware of things like traffic, conversations, or announcements. That makes them a better fit for commuting, walking, or working at a desk than for, say, zoning out on a plane.
EarFun has put some thought into comfort this time around. Each earbud weighs about 5.5 grams and uses a flexible C-Bridge design with a nickel-titanium frame and soft silicone contact points. The company says it refined the shape using data from over 10,000 ear scans, aiming for a more secure fit that doesn’t feel like it’s constantly pinching your ear. Whether that works for you will still come down to your ear shape, but it’s clear they’re trying to improve long-term wear.
On paper, the Clip 2 packs in more features than you’d expect at this price, especially for an open-ear design.
That Hi-Res Audio Wireless support is worth calling out. LDAC isn’t something you usually see on sub-$100 earbuds, especially open-ear ones. That said, there’s only so much you can do with sound quality when the earbuds don’t seal in your ears.
The Clip 2 uses a 12mm driver and EarFun’s “BassSurge” tuning to try and compensate for one of the biggest downsides of open-ear audio: weak bass. Without a proper seal, low-end frequencies tend to feel lighter and less impactful.
In real-world terms, you’re trading punchy bass and isolation for comfort and awareness. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on how you plan to use them.
Here’s what that trade-off usually looks like:
If your main goal is immersive listening, these probably aren’t it. But for everyday use, where you don’t want to feel cut off, they make a lot more sense.
One of the more unusual features here is real-time AI translation built into the EarFun app, with support for over 100 languages. In theory, that could be useful for travel or quick conversations.
In practice, features like this tend to depend heavily on software performance, internet connection, and real-world conditions. It’s a nice extra to have, but probably not something you’d rely on as your primary translation tool just yet.
Battery life is one area where the Clip 2 holds up well. EarFun claims:
That’s right in line with (and sometimes better than) more expensive open-ear models. Wireless charging is also included, which isn’t always a given at this price.
The clip-style open-ear category is getting crowded fast. You’ve got options like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds at $299 and the Shokz OpenDots One at $199. Those models lean more premium in terms of build and tuning.
The EarFun Clip 2 is clearly going after a different audience, people who are curious about open-ear earbuds but don’t want to spend $200–$300 to try them.
That lower price comes with some expected compromises:
The EarFun Clip 2 isn’t trying to replace your main pair of earbuds for music-focused listening. It’s more of a practical, everyday option, something you grab when you’re out walking, taking calls, or working and still need to stay aware of what’s happening around you.
At $79.99, it lowers the barrier to entry for this style of earbuds. The mix of LDAC support, long battery life, multipoint connectivity, and even AI features makes it a pretty feature-packed option on paper.
The real question is whether the comfort and everyday usability are enough to outweigh the usual open-ear trade-offs. If that balance works for you, the Clip 2 looks like one of the more accessible ways to get into this category right now.
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