Skullcandy Grind Fuel review
Our Verdict
The characteristic-laden Skullcandy Fuel Grind lays the foundation for future brand releases, but it also loses focus on the nuts.
For
- Wide, customizable sound
- Companion app with awesome features
- Impressive vox controls
- Long battery life
- Wireless charging
Against
- Weak connectivity
- Google Banana is buggy
- Uncomfortable
- Lacks motion detection and touch controls
Tom's Guide Verdict
The feature-laden Skullcandy Fuel Grind lays the foundation for future brand releases, but it likewise loses focus on the basics.
Pros
- +
Wide, customizable sound
- +
Companion app with awesome features
- +
Impressive voice controls
- +
Long battery life
- +
Wireless charging
Cons
- -
Weak connectivity
- -
Google Assistant is buggy
- -
Uncomfortable
- -
Lacks motion detection and bear on controls
Skullcandy Grind Fuel specs
Price:$99
Colors:Black/Orangish
Battery life (rated): 9 hours, 40 hours (with charging example)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5
Processor: Not stated
Size: 0.98 x 0.94 x 0.94 inches (per bud), 2.seven x two.02 ten ane.14 (charging case)
Weight: 0.35 ounces (earbud), 1.85 ounces (charging case)
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel is the company's latest endeavour at creating cheap, still apparent, wireless earbuds with high-end features. Upgrades in sound and battery life are strong selling points. Yet, it's the all-new Skull-IQ platform that has critics talking, welcoming a host of special features that enhance functionality, from audio performance to useability.
- The best wireless earbuds overall
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While there is much to praise here, the Grind Fuel as well has its fair share of flaws that demand to be addressed. By that I mean the unpolished execution of standard categories (e.g., connectivity, controls, fit), which keep these buds from inclusion on our best inexpensive wireless headphones list.
Keep reading our full Skullcandy Grind Fuel review to see whether it'south still worth the investment.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Toll and availability
You lot can purchase the Skullcandy Grind Fuel in Black/Orange for $99 at major online retailers, including Amazon and Costco, or directly from Skullcandy. Bundled with the buy are a wireless charging instance, USB-C charging cable, three pairs of different sized ear tips, user manual, and warranty.
These buds accept a lower MSRP than many of the market's popular offerings, including newer releases similar the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($150) and OnePlus Buds Pro ($150). It is too less expensive than category leaders such equally the AirPods Pro ($249) and Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279). If you're interested in other characteristic-heavy wireless earbuds that are equally priced, we recommend checking out the sporty JLab Ballsy Air Sport ANC.
For all of the latest wireless earbuds sales, bookmark our best Black Friday headphones deals page.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Design and comfort
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel take on an flat oval shape that covers up virtually of your ear, similar to the brand's Sesh collection and other relatively affordable rivals like the Sennheiser CX True Wireless. Information technology's non the most discrete pair of wireless earbuds out at that place, but definitely ane of the more durable, thanks to its hard plastic casing and IP55 sweat and water resistance. Skullcandy's signature logo is also plastered front and center.
The charging case is one thick block of plastic with the logo debossed on superlative and a USB-C charging port placed in the back. Both buds are presented nicely when docked in their corresponding slots. Furthermore, the inside has a two-tone colour scheme that gives the case some popular when opened, along with the bright LEDs for battery level indication.
Comfort is 50/l. While the buds rest pleasantly on the concha for virtually 2 hours before any soreness occurs, the multifunctional buttons interfere with wearability, something I'll explicate farther in the review.
Fit can feel a fleck loose in the offset. Installing the proper set of ear tips and adjusting the buds properly will proceed them stable. Don't wait the same secure fit as its workout counterpart, the ear-claw-designed Skullcandy Push Active, but what you become is sufficient for moving freely in open spaces without them slipping out. The angular sound port also makes insertion a cakewalk.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Controls and digital banana
Touch sensors would have made for the more than viable input method considering the buds' large real estate. Skullcandy didn't recollect so, settling for MF buttons that accept single/multi-press and press-and-agree gestures. The one positive is that the buttons produce solid tactility to ensure users of commands being met with every press.
In that location is 1 caveat. Pressing the push digs the bud further into the culvert, which becomes fatiguing subsequently a while. This even makes transmission pairing a nightmare. The process requires pressing the button once, releasing, then pressing again and holding down to enable the mode. That was painful to perform, but not as painful every bit my iOS/macOS devices failing to recognize the buds later on several attempts.
Skullcandy equipped these buds with a full suite of media controls. These include playback, call management, volume, digital aid, pairing, share/join audio, and Stay-Aware and Spotify Tap activation. The "Hey Skullcandy…" voice command platform is too introduced and enables all the same functions as the buttons. To my surprise, it worked incredibly well, peculiarly for playback and listening modes. I wish information technology accepted more commands, but Skullcandy will probable add more than over the coming months via firmware updates.
The Grind Fuel is compatible with Google Banana, Siri, and Bixby, just but two out of the three operate well. Google's AI bot turns out to be the troublemaker. During testing, Google Assistant would either acknowledge vox commands and not act on them, or only ignore requests. Bixby and Siri ran more smoothly and registered exact inquiries without a hitch.
On-ear detection for auto-suspension/play is non bachelor on the Grind Fuel.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Sound quality
Audio is not Skullcandy's forte, but their engineers have managed to improve audio quality with every new release (cheque out the $twenty Skullcandy Dime). The Grind Fuel follows accommodate and has several personalized settings that enhance the listening experience.
Skullcandy's companion app comes with 3 different EQ presents — Music, Movies, and Podcast — the commencement serving as the default. There's also a custom setting to create your own sound contour by manually adjusting the bass, mids, and highs. Virtually of my fourth dimension was spent listening to gimmicky music, which I felt the Music preset complemented most.
The grinding bass on 2Pac's "2 of Amerikaz Nearly Wanted" wasn't muddy (you don't hear that much when discussing Skullcandy headphones), plus it had enough kicking to stimulate rhythmic head nods. If there were 2 sonic elements that defenseless my attention most, they were the crisp vocals and impactful claps, which showcased the Grind Fuel's smashing midrange.
Stepping into a dissimilar genre, hard rock classics similar AC/DC's "Back in Blackness" sounded tamer on these buds compared to other bass-emphasized wireless earbuds. The iconic opening guitar riff and snares were reproduced well. On the other hand, the concussive forcefulness of these instruments lacked oomph.
To come across if my gustation for punchier bass could be met, I enabled the Personal Sound feature. It's basically a real-time sound test that creates a personalized sound profile for optimized audio levels. My profile did present slight improvements in clarity and treble.
Interestingly, the Music preset works simply as well for other media content, and in some cases, it worked meliorate than the others. Listening to the Beverage Champs podcast, Music produced sharp clarity, though Podcast fabricated vocals on The Joe Budden Podcast more pronounced. Watching some of the action sequences in Blackness Widow was underwhelming; the soundtrack and sound effects lacked detailing on all presets.
Like the Apple AirPods iii, the Grind Fuel also comes with a Share Audio feature that connects ii Skullcandy Skull-IQ devices to the same audio source for tandem listening. I don't have whatever feedback to report, since I was only sent 1 testing unit.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: App and special features
The Skullcandy app is the hub for all functionality and offers way more than yous would expect for sub-$100 wireless earbuds. Large features like Audio Share, EQ, "Hey Skullcandy…" voice controls, Personal Audio, and Spotify Tap have already been mentioned. Allow's get to the rest.
Stay-Enlightened Manner is Skullcandy's version of transparency fashion. It's OK for piping in external sounds and increasing your awareness of environment. In that location is a Take a Photograph setting that transforms the buds into a remote for your smartphone's camera; press the MF Push button to snap photos. Built-in Tile engineering science also comes office of the packet to find misplaced buds through the Tile app.
Other notables include a book slider, bombardment level indicators, firmware updates, toggle controls for several settings, and a visual user guide.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Battery life and charging case
The Grind Fuel is rated at 9 hours on a full charge. Exist mindful that high volume and special features decrease playtime by almost 2 to 3 hours. What matters well-nigh is that these buds surpass the average 4.five to 5 hours industry time set by the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro, and fifty-fifty the six hours offered by the new AirPods iii. I was happy with the 4 days of moderate apply (2 hours daily) provided before recharging.
The charging example is only as generous, with up to forty hours of listening time. This equates to 4 and a half extra charges. More importantly, the case holds more juice than any AirPods example (24 hours for AirPods 2/Pro, 30 hours for AirPods 3). A quick charge nets you 2 hours of listening time in 10 minutes and wireless charging was installed to power up the buds when placed on a Qi-enabled wireless charger.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Telephone call quality and connectivity
Every bit a calling headset, the Grind Fuel isn't anything to rave about. Several people complained almost my voice sounding tinny and about ambience noise entering our conversations when answering their calls outside. Indoors was slightly better, with the missus stating that I sounded clearer — though granted, there was still some muffling. The Grind Fuel tin can also be used in stereo or mono mode.
Connectivity was very inconsistent. Bluetooth five.2 produced decent wireless range (upwardly to 35 feet), though teetering around the max range resulted in lots of stuttering. I already discussed the Grind Fuel'due south pairing issues, and its auto on/off part is just equally bad. Reconnecting to recognized devices ofttimes required manually enabling pairing way.
Skullcandy Grind Fuel review: Verdict
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel is a promising look at where the brand plans to take its audio lineup next. It's all about extended functionality and tying that into an ecosystem, which the Grind Fuel does well.
A lot of people volition notice the Skull-IQ platform to be surprisingly intuitive. The number of features available is both neat and serviceable for the price. Aye, the platform tin can benefit from more voice commands, but to look Alexa or fifty-fifty Siri-level voice assistance is foolish. The wide soundstage and long battery life deserve recognition as well.
Yet, it's obvious that the development team spent most of its time focusing on the future and not refining the present, because the Grind Fuel feels somewhat similar an unfinished product. Comfort and fit weren't given much attention, the Google Banana is horrible, and the unreliable connectivity tin exist frustrating to deal with.
If you're a huge Skullcandy fan and have waited for them to launch inexpensive wireless earbuds with fun features, then the Grind Fuel is right upward your alley. Just know there are other high-operation models like the Anker Soundcore Liberty two Pro and Zilch Ear (1) that offering more at a similar toll signal, while also getting the basics downward pat.
- More: The all-time headphones with a mic for voice and video calls
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/skullcandy-grind-fuel
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