Earfun Clip 2 Review: Best Budget Clip-On Earbud?

THE SCORECARD

How the Earfun Clip 2 scored

• Comfort

  9/10

  The smaller comfort bean did not make a major difference to me versus the Clip 1, but the fit remains very comfortable.

• Security of the fit

  9/10

  The wire tension is well balanced and the buds barely moved out of place for me, although very thin ears may find them loose.

• IP rating

  10/10

  The IP55 dust and water-resistant rating makes them suitable for sweaty workouts.

• Case and battery life

  9/10

  Battery life rises to 11 hours in the buds and 40 hours in total with the case, though there is still no wireless charging.

• Controls

  9.5/10

  The customizable button controls are simple and reliable, with useful new mute-mic and call-transfer options.

• Connectivity

  9.5/10

  Bluetooth 6.0, SBC, AAC, LDAC Hi-Res, Google Fast Pair, mono mode and multipoint make this a very complete setup.

• Call quality

  7.5/10

  They improve slightly in quiet-room and crowd-noise tests over the Clip 1, but the older model handles wind better.

• App customization and extra features

  8/10

  The app is solid, with EQ, presets, a hearing test, audio balance, a find-my-earbuds feature and more.

• How the buds sound below 60% volume

  9/10

  The Clip 2 sounds notably better than the Clip 1 at lower volumes, particularly after adding bass with EQ.

• Sound above 60% volume

  8/10

  Sound remains more refined than the Clip 1 at higher volumes, with deeper and punchier bass.

The Pros and Cons

Is the Earfun Clip 2 comfortable and secure?

I scored comfort at 9 out of 10. Earfun has reduced the size of the part that sits in the ear by 11%, but I did not feel a big comfort difference compared with the Clip 1. Smaller is still better here, and these remain very usable.

Side sleepers should know that the C-bridge sits out from the ear canal slightly more than on the Clip 1. I could feel it against a pillow a bit more, although it was not a massive difference.

Security of fit also gets 9 out of 10. The wire tension is slightly loose, so people with very thin ears may have an issue, but once I had the buds in the correct position they barely budged. The matte outer finish also gripped well in my simulated sweaty-ear test.

Earfun Clip 2 battery, controls and connectivity

Case and battery life earns a 9 out of 10, half a point above the Clip 1. You get 11 hours in the earbuds and 40 hours in total with the case. A 10-minute charge gives 2.5 hours of playback. The case is a little larger than before, but it has the same thickness and remains pocketable.

The button controls are a real strength, scoring 9.5 out of 10. You can assign functions to single, double and triple presses, plus a long hold, separately for each side. The new mute-mic control is incredibly rare on open earbuds, and you can also transfer calls from the earbuds. No wearing detection is the main reason this is not a perfect score.

Connectivity gets 9.5 out of 10. There is Bluetooth 6.0, SBC, AAC, LDAC Hi-Res and Google Fast Pair. One-earbud use works in mono, and there is regular multipoint, although you need to pause one device before playing on the other. LDAC and multipoint cannot run together.

How good are Earfun Clip 2 calls and app features?

Call quality scores 7.5 out of 10. The Clip 2 is slightly better than the Clip 1 in my quiet-room and simulated crowd-noise tests, but the Clip 1 blocks wind more effectively in my simulated windy city test. If windy calls are a priority, the older bud still has an edge.

The app scores 8 out of 10 and works well. It includes battery information, game mode, spatial-audio-style Theater mode, privacy mode, EQ presets, a 10-band EQ, audio balance, auto power-off settings and a find-my-earbuds beep. AI voice translation is also available, though it requires a login and eventually requires payment to use the service.

Does the Earfun Clip 2 sound better than the Clip 1?

Yes. Below 60% volume, I scored the Clip 2 at 9 out of 10, a full point higher than the Clip 1. The 12 mm magnetic titanium driver gives it clean, crisp mids and treble, but bass is light with the out-of-box tuning. My EQ adds bass at the cost of some clarity, and I think that trade-off is completely worth it.

With EQ, the Clip 2 has deeper, more refined bass than the Clip 1. It is less boomy, has some punch and sounds more like the bass you would get from an in-ear earbud. Male vocals are clearer and richer too. At this price, it gives the best low-volume listening experience right now.

Above 60% volume, the score drops to 8 out of 10, though that is still half a point above the Clip 1. The improvement is less dramatic at high volume, but bass remains deeper, punchier and more rounded. I measured 109.1 decibels, and it gives roughly one extra volume click over the Clip 1.

Earfun Clip 2 vs Clip 1 and other clip-on earbuds

If you own the Clip 1 and like its sound, I do not think there is a real reason to upgrade. The Clip 2 is the one to buy if you are deciding between them, thanks to its better battery life and more refined sound.

Against the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro, the Clip 2 has stronger battery life, high-resolution codecs, less finicky button controls and a more secure fit. The PearlClip Pro sounds slightly better at high volumes, mainly for bass, but the Clip 2 wins overall for me depending on their prices.

The Edifier LolliClip offers richer bass and is the only clip-on bud with noise canceling, albeit on the lighter side. Its comfort is not great, though, because it feels more like a half in-ear bud with a clip. The Soundcore AeroClip has better high-volume sound, but I would choose the Clip 2 on price.

The Baseus Inspire XC1 costs about 30% more even on sale, but it has noticeably better sound and bass, especially at high volume. If sound quality is your main priority, it may be worth the extra money. Otherwise, the Clip 2 gets close to flagship features at a relatively budget price.