
If until recently the indecision in buying a TWS earphone was in the in-ear or semi in-ear style (AirPods style), technological innovation adds an extra piece, proposing a new concept of style and innovation, igniting an immediate WOW effect in the buyer's soul. Today we are talking about the brand new Haylou AirFree OW03, the first true wireless open-ear earphones of the company, proposing themselves with an ear piercing-shaped look better defined as clip-on. Are they perfect? Obviously not, but in relation to the truly ridiculous price, they amazed me with the sound quality, counting on a 360° spatial audio and a lot of technology used. I'll talk about them in this review.
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HAYLOU AirFree Ear Clip Bluetooth 5.4 Earphones Wireless Earbuds AI Noise Reduction TWS Sports Headphones with Smart LED Display
19,57€ available
Design and materials
Leaving aside the unboxing experience that only includes the headphones and their case, as well as the manual and USB-C power cable, at first glance the Haylou AirFree OW03 go beyond expectations due to their particular design, which might apparently lead the user to think that these earphones are uncomfortable to wear but in reality I can reveal that they are among the best earphones I have ever worn.



Each of the earphones weighs just under 5 grams and all the shapes of the individual components are rounded. In essence, the design of the Haylou AirFree OW03 is composed of three main parts: a sort of "bean" that adapts perfectly to the curves and shape of the ear while also offering a touch surface for managing the controls, an acoustic sphere and the C-shaped bridge that joins the two elements just mentioned. There is no possibility of adjustment but based on the inclination with which you wear the clips, the earphones will adhere in a more or less structured way.




Once worn, these earphones do not fall out, do not move and remain firmly in the ear, both while walking and while running. The case is also well made, with a satin finish for the lower part and a glossy finish for the lid, all for a weight of only 43 grams, with a pebble shape that is easy to carry and above all convenient to put in your pocket without any hassle. The case integrates a USB-C input in the lower area and a small LED display on the front, which shows the charge status of the integrated battery as well as the earphones. I really liked the hinge of the lid, which apparently seems thin but is actually very solid and does not move the lid even with strong jolts. However, there is no hall sensor, so to pair it with your smartphone you have to pull the clips out of their place.





As anticipated a few lines above, we can use the touch controls and specifically double and triple tap but also long press, managing calls (answer, hang up or reject), activate or interrupt music playback, skip the music track forward or back, enable or disable the low latency mode and volume control. The only thing missing is the command to call up the smartphone's voice assistant but in any case complete and customizable commands via the management app available for both iOS and Android.

Technical features
The particular design of the Haylou AirFree OW03 is designed so as not to block the ear canal and to be able to clearly hear all environmental noises and people. They therefore do not have any noise cancellation system, which would be technically impossible and effectively useless, and the audio is entrusted to high-sensitivity 11 mm double magnet drivers covered in titanium accompanied by directional audio technology and DSE (Digital Sound Enhanced) which takes care of reducing distortion while the Dynamic Bass Enhanced algorithm ensures powerful and balanced bass. Haylou declares that these headphones reduce sound loss, and in part it is true: in fact the audio is directed inside the ear without particular interference from the outside but those next to us can hear what we are listening to, not only at high volume but also at a medium-low level.



The company doesn't comment on a particular IPXX certification but I personally used them daily for my treadmill sessions where I assure you that the sweat seems to turn into Niagara Falls, yet the AirFree have not reported any problems. There are two MEMS microphones that contribute to a conversation on a call with crystal clear audio, so much so that my interlocutors did not notice that I was speaking through these piercing-shaped earphones. Furthermore, the shape of the drivers seems to make use of a sound suppression duct that helps reduce wind noise which in our tests seemed quite effective.

There is no master earphone, since you can use the clips alone, but as a pair you can enjoy immersive sound with spatial audio. The Bluetooth 5.4 that the AirFree are equipped with allows for a very fast connection to the associated device but above all it also offers multipoint connectivity, so you can associate two devices at the same time to manage, for example, music on one and calls on the other.

Audio and call quality
As for audio quality, it is important to remember that we are talking about earphones that are very different from the typical in-ear TWS, but above all that they are decidedly cheap, so if you are an audiophile they are not for you. But considering that 95% of users do not have a master ear, the Haylou AirFree OW03 guarantee an excellent overall experience, especially considering that they are not inserted into the ear. The audio is rich in low frequencies that, even at very high volumes, almost never disperse, but as already anticipated a few lines above, the people sitting next to you could hear part of the sound reproduced if you exceed a certain volume threshold.


They adapt perfectly to any musical genre, always returning a well-balanced sound rich in details with a truly excellent stereophonic effect. The call quality is also superb, especially in noisy environments. The two microphones are able to perfectly isolate our voice from the context, even from the wind, making them ideal for use on bike rides. By enabling the low latency mode of 30ms, we can also use the AirFree for gaming, always having small sound details under control, such as the enemy's footsteps nearby.



App and features
To manage the Haylou AirFree OW03 you have to rely on the usual Haylou Sound, an app available for iOS and Android. The app is very simple, perhaps limited, but from here we can manage the firmware update (in my case I received one), choose one of the five audio equalization effects, check the battery charge status, find the earphones, enable the low latency mode and customize the touch controls.







Battery life
Nothing to say about the battery life of the 40 mAh battery integrated into each of the earphones. In my tests I got to almost 5 hours of music playback and 4 hours of conversation. By recharging the earphones in the case, then, you can get to about 28 hours of total battery life. Furthermore, 10 minutes of charging per earphone in the case corresponds to about 1,5 hours of music listening.

The 350 mAh battery integrated into the case is good for charging, and can only be done via cable: the case will take about 90 minutes to fully charge.
HAYLOU AirFree Ear Clip Bluetooth 5.4 Earphones Wireless Earbuds AI Noise Reduction TWS Sports Headphones with Smart LED Display
19,57€ available
Price and considerations
The new Haylou AirFree OW03 true wireless earphones are available for purchase in the brand's store that relies on the well-known e-commerce AliExpress at a price ranging from 20 to 23 euros based on the current offer, available in 3 different colors such as black, silver and purple. By virtue of the price and the excellent audio quality there are no negative things to point out to these earphones, quite the opposite.
You will also love them for the possibility of always being aware of what is around us when you wear them. They are perfect for people who receive a lot of phone calls and always wear earphones, for athletes, or for those who work on the computer and want to listen to music without missing conversations in the office.