Skullcandy Skullcandy Smokin' Buds True Wireless Earbuds Review

These are $20 earbuds that sound like $20 earbuds. They connect reliably, but the audio is so poor it ruins the experience. Save up for something better.

Look, the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds are a $20 pair of true wireless earbuds. That's the one thing you need to know. They're cheap, they connect, and they fit in your ears. For that price, you get a basic, functional experience with an IPX4 rating for workouts. But our data shows these are a one-trick pony: they're only competitive if your budget is the absolute top priority. Everything else, especially the sound, is a major compromise.

The performance is exactly what you'd expect for twenty bucks. The connectivity is surprisingly solid, landing in the 65th percentile, so you won't deal with constant dropouts. The mic quality is also decent for the price. But the sound quality? It's in the 3rd percentile. That means 97% of the earbuds in our database sound better. The 'Supreme Sound' marketing is just noise; these deliver thin, muddy audio that makes music a chore to listen to.

Worth it? Only if your budget is exactly $20 and you refuse to spend a penny more. For anyone who cares even a little about how their music sounds, this is a false economy. You can find much better sound for just $10-$20 more.

Don't even think about comparing these to the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra. That's like comparing a skateboard to a sports car. The real competition is in the $30-$50 range. Earbuds like the Anker Soundcore Life P3 or even older models of the JLab Go Air Pop offer dramatically better sound and features for a tiny bit more cash. If you're looking at the Smokin' Buds, you should be looking at those instead.

Skip these if you care about audio quality, period. If you're looking for earbuds to actually enjoy music, podcasts, or videos, this isn't it. Go spend $40 on something from Anker or JLab instead.

We can't recommend the Smokin' Buds for anyone who wants to enjoy music. They're a bare-minimum product that gets a 'C' for effort. Buy them only as a disposable pair for mowing the lawn or as a backup you won't cry over if they get lost. For your primary earbuds, spend a little more. You'll thank yourself every time you press play.