{
  "id": 1258267,
  "title": "I’ve been testing these cheap open earbuds for weeks, and they have me wondering why you’d spend more on expensive rivals from Shokz and Bose",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/ive-been-testing-these-cheap-open-earbuds-for-weeks-and-they-have-me",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-16T11:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/ive-been-testing-these-cheap-open-earbuds-for-weeks-and-they-have-me-wondering-why-youd-spend-more-on-expensive-rivals-from-shokz-and-bose"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Baseus Bowie MC2 are open earbuds that have recently entered the market and are causing some to question why one would spend more on premium options from brands like Shokz and Bose. In a recent review, it was noted that these new, budget-friendly buds may be outperforming their more expensive counterparts. With a price tag of $79.99 / £89.99 (about AU$180), the Bowie MC2 are a fraction of the cost of the XC1 earbuds, which were released less than a year prior. The review highlights several positive aspects of the Bowie MC2, including a long-lasting battery life of over 11 hours, comfortable silicone ear cushions, and lightweight design weighing just 5.1g per bud. While the sound quality is not on par with high-end options and lacks advanced features like active noise cancellation, many users may still appreciate the value for money that these earbuds offer.",
  "summary": "The Baseus Bowie MC2 undercut most rival open-style earbuds, but don't miss out on any major features.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}