Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 review: Head-turning earbuds that don't cost a bomb

If you've restlessly been looking for TWS earbuds that don't cost a bomb, the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 will fit the bill. These stylish, feature-laden TWS earbuds adopt an eye-catching transparent design, coupled with an equally appealing LED display on the case.

As if that weren't enough, the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 are available in six colour options. The True Wireless Earbuds market is currently teeming with all sorts of offerings including the most premium earbuds to the lowest range.

While there's no dearth of choices when it comes to buying earbuds, it is not easy to find earbuds that will turn heads. That's exactly where Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 come into the picture. Although Acefast isn't a brand you'd hear often in the TWS earbuds market, its latest wireless earbuds will take your breath away.

Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8: What do they offer?

Acefast clearly knows how to make its products look cool. From wireless chargers, cables, and holders to awe-inspiring audio devices, the brand's products stand out in the crowd. The Acefast Crystal (2) earbuds T8 are no exception.

The truly wireless earbuds adopt a unique transparent design and its case features an LED display, which shows the current battery juice. Aside from this, the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3, which is the new standard that's gaining popularity in 2023.

In other words, these earbuds are compatible with upcoming devices that offer Bluetooth 5.3 support. The earbuds have an LDS antenna that facilitates hands-free calling. Furthermore, Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds carry an IPX4 rating for water resistance.

With the battery case, the earbuds can offer up to 30 hours of battery life. Now, let's see how the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 stack up against other earbuds available in the market.

Awe-inspiring design

The Acefast T8 is available in six colour options including purple, pink, blue, green, black, and white. They are housed in a transparent body that gives us a glimpse into the earbuds' hardware. Likewise, the charging case sports a seven-segment LED display that shows the remaining battery percentage.

These Acefast earbuds seem to draw inspiration from the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds that feature a semi-transparent design. However, Acefast T8's charging case shows more of the mainboard compared to the Nothing Ear (2). You can see the textured internal plastics and the neatly set circuitry. Each bud is housed in transparent plastic that shows the integrated circuits.

The buds attach magnetically to the sides of the case, just like their predecessor, T6 true wireless stereo earbuds. The case doesn't feature buttons and all the controls are on the earbuds. Each earbud has a touch-sensitive area at the back that you can use to control volume, music, or switch tracks.

I also noticed that the earbuds stay put when placed in the case without any problem or falling out. However, you have to select the right silicone tip size to ensure a good in-ear fit. The compact charging case easily fits your palm, as well as the pocket of your jeans. The bottom of the case features a USB Type C port for charging.

Setting up Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8

The Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 has a pretty straightforward setup process. You can start using them after removing the earbuds from the case and taking off the protective film. However, it is worth noting that these earbuds do not have a bundled application.

Nevertheless, you can switch your phone's Bluetooth on and pair the Crystal 2 T8. As mentioned earlier, the earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3, which expedites the pairing process. Also, this makes the earbuds quite future-proof for the next few years.

The pairing process becomes slightly lengthy with a bundled app, but it helps you adjust the audio quality, update the firmware, and change the inputs. Regretablly, Crystal 2 T8 misses out on offering these advantages.

An impressive array of features

The earbuds pack 10mm drivers to deliver an immersive audio listening experience. Moreover, the audio device supports SBS and AAC audio codecs. I've been using the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 to listen to my favourite music, along with everything on my PC and smartphone.

You can connect the earbuds to your PC with the help of a simple Bluetooth dongle. Surprisingly, the Crystal (2) earbuds did not have any issues like frequent disconnections during usage. The earbuds did not sound fuzzy. Overall, the Crystal (2) seamlessly connects to a PC and remains stable even through long hours.

Also, I connected the earbuds directly to my laptop's option to add a device via Bluetooth and it worked fine.

Apparently, the stable connection can be attributed to the earbuds' LDS (Laser Direct Structuring) antenna design, which places the antenna transmitter onto the plastic strip across the earbud stem. According to a Kyocera AVX, the LDS manufacturing process makes smaller and thinner devices more flexible while reducing their weight.

Aside from this, the tech reportedly decreases interference and stablises signal transmission. On top of that, the Crystal (2) earbuds support EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) through BES 2600 IHC Bluetooth chip. These earbuds connect effortlessly with smartphones as well. Also, it is worth mentioning that I had to charge the earbuds only a few times during my usage.

In fact, the charging case was charged only a single time. Both the earbuds and the charging case charge very fast. The earbuds deliver deep audio courtesy of their perfect in-ear fit. However, you need to make sure that you are using a silicone tip size that fits your ear. I used the one that comes with the earbud without any problem.

Your call and sound functionality will be paired with the earbuds as soon as you connect them to your smartphone. I used the earbuds to listen to my favourite songs, videos, and answer calls without any trouble. I even used them during a Google Meet call and all the participants were able to hear my voice perfectly.

The Acefast Crystal (2) offers touch controls, while I still prefer capacitive buttons. Nevertheless, most modern earbuds feature touch controls. So, if your fingers are too big, the touch area might feel a little small. However, all modern earbuds manufacturers are jumping in on the touch controls bandwagon lately. In fact, we might see such newfangled features in upcoming audio devices.

For instance, Apple is reportedly planning to bring Apple Watch-like health-tracking features to its next-generation AirPods. So, reading the manuals is always recommended to avoid this confusion. The user manual says you can control the Acefast Crystal (2) once it is paired with your device. To raise the volume, simply tap on the right earbud.

You can reduce the volume by tapping on the left earbud. You can double-tap on the touch area of any of the two earbuds to play/pause the music. You can tap the touch area three times to move the content forward or backward depending on the earbud you press. Likewise, you can answer a call and end a call by double-tapping the touch area.

Much to the delight of avid gamers, the earbuds come with a Gaming Mode that minimises latency. The mode is particularly useful when you're playing competitive games. You can enter/exit the Gaming Mode by pressing and holding the touch area for about 2 seconds. This mode is not suitable for regular music listening.

Long battery life

The Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 is designed to deliver about 30 hours of usage with the charging case. Moreover, they can last for about 6 to 7 hours of continuous usage. I used them to listen to music while exercising and working, but still, there was ample juice left. I've charged the case only twice in these past few days.

Overall, it is safe to say that the Acefast Crystal (2) offers a long battery life. Each earbud uses a 45mAh battery to draw its juices. The case, meanwhile, houses a 480mAh cell. Charging the earbuds from 0 to 100 per cent takes about 90 minutes. Alternatively, you can get two hours of usage with a 10-minute fast top-up.

On the downside, the Acefast Crystal (2) earbuds do not support ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). However, the earbuds would have carried a steeper price tag if it offered ANC support. Nevertheless, they come with ENC (Environmental Noise Cancelling) for calls. Also, the earbuds do not support multi-point pairing.

In addition to this, the Acefast Crystal (2) lacks wear detection for pausing and resuming media playback. I also wish the earbuds had an app companion that would allow users to tweak their listening experience. Most audio devices support apps that let you adjust the audio and set various equalisation settings. A companion app also comes in handy for downloading firmware updates.

What's in the box?

The Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 comes in an eye-catching and well-made cardboard box. The folks at Acefast have packed each item individually. The box has cardboard and foam layers for protection. The Acefast Crystal (2) comes with a charging case and is ready to use. However, you'd need to remove the plastic labels from the charging pins.

I got the stylish blue colour version of the earbuds, which sport a stunning LED display. A glowing LED indicator appears when you put the case to charge via the USB Type-C port. The numbers show the amount of juice left in the case. The box comes with a small USB Type-C cable that matches the colour of your earbuds.

You can use a silicone sleeve to protect the case from accidental scratches. You also get a lanyard strap that you can wear to protect it from falling while you are holding the case. Also, the box has three spare ear tips with 3 distinct sizes. You can pick the one that will best fit in your ear. The box comprises an easy-to-understand user manual as well.

Overall, unboxing the Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8 was a nice experience. Acefast paid a lot of attention to the presentation, unlike other brands that pack their earbuds in simple boxes to save cost.

The earbuds fit the case and do not come out easily. The case's display turns on briefly every time you remove or insert the buds into the case. This allows you to check the case battery status without requiring a smartphone. The white-tinted LED display for the battery status glows when the case is charging.

Should you buy Acefast Crystal (2) Earbuds T8?

If you're in the market for highly appealing earbuds that don't burn a hole in your pocket, then you should consider getting your hands on the Acefast Crystal 2 T8. This attention-grabbing audio device from Acefast comes with accessories including a case, lanyard, and more. However, it is worth noting that the earbuds lack ANC support. Still, ENC will be useful during calls.

Despite this small downside, my experience using Acefast Crystal (2) earbuds was pretty good. I could listen to music while travelling and exercising with a stable connection. However, the lack of a companion app did not let me tweak my listening experience. Acefast will probably fix that in the future.

The earbuds offer sufficiently good audio quality. The battery life is spectacular with up to 30 hours with the charging case. These earbuds are at par with the other earbuds in this price range. So, the future seems bright for this brand and its TWS earbuds series. Acefast boasts a myriad of other products like Power Banks, Crystal Chargers, and Crytal Earbuds.

The other products including the powerbanks and chargers also feature fancy LED displays. I recommend the Acefast Crystal (2) earbuds T8 since it supports extremely stable Bluetooth connectivity, offers long battery life, and adopts a unique design. You can buy these earbuds by heading straight to Amazon, or from the company's official online store.