I get to use dozens of earbuds over the course of a given year, and the state of the audio industry is such that you can get a great-sounding set of earbuds without shelling out too much cash. Tagry's X08 do a great job in this regard, and they cost just $25. So what do you get with earbuds that are priced thrice as much? Most of the time, it's noise isolation, high-res audio codecs, and the ability to customize the sound to a greater extent.
All of that is true of the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, but they also have a unique addition: xMEMS drivers. As I talked about in the past, xMEMS is a brand that's positioning solid-state audio drivers, and having used buds like the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 last year, I can attest to the driver's effectiveness. The silicon driver manages better detail retrieval and clarity, and the difference is immediately evident.
The Capsule3 Pro+ use a combination of a 12mm dynamic driver along with the xMEMS driver to produce outstanding sound, and these may just be the best earbuds I used in 2024. The earbuds debuted for $99, and they're now available for $63 during Black Friday, making them a terrific value.
✅Recommended if: You want the best audio quality in this category. The Capsule3 Pro+ also have terrific ANC, and they have a lightweight design that doesn't cause any fatigue even with extended use.
❌Skip this deal if: You need AptX codecs. While these earbuds get a lot right, you don't get high-res codecs other than LDAC. If AptX codec integration is a must-have, you should consider getting the Air4 Pro instead — they're down to $62 right now.
The sound quality is where the Capsule3 Pro+ have a distinct edge over most other earbuds in this category. You get a clean and energetic bass that lends itself well to various genres, and that's backed by clear mids, and a soaring treble. Most earbuds have a muddled treble extension, but by using the xMEMS driver, that isn't an issue here — you can easily make out the difference once you start using the earbuds.
Everything is just that little bit clearer, and you get a level of immediacy that's missing on other earbuds. In short, the sound quality is addictive, and I'd suggest getting these earbuds on the basis of that alone. Thankfully, there are other niceties; it has ANC, and it does a great job tuning sound by up to 45dB — that's more than what other earbuds achieve. I tested the earbuds for nearly a month, and it did a stellar job tuning out the ambient noise in my vicinity.
Coming in at just 5g, each earbud is light enough that you don't notice you're wearing anything at all, and the stalk-like design is similar to what you get with most other products. What I like in this area is that you get a matte texture over the stalk and case, and that means there aren't anywhere as many smudges as other earbuds.
The earbuds last over five and a half hours between charges, and while that isn't the best in this category, it is in line with most products I tested recently. You get the usual Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity along with SBC and AAC codecs and LDAC, but there's no AptX. That's about the only omission, and if you have a recent device, you should be able to use LDAC — it was baked into Android five years ago.
Ultimately, the Capsule3 Pro+ nail the basics, and the sound quality is a big differentiator. With the earbuds now on sale for just $63, you're getting a fabulous value as well.
