Review: AFTERSHOKZ Bone-Conduction Headphones

A family member bought the AFTERSHOKZ AS650 Air bone-conduction headphones. I’d never used this style before, so I borrowed them for a while. Here’s what stood out—useful if you’re deciding between bone conduction and traditional earbuds.

Pros

• Novel design. It’s fundamentally different from in-ear or over-ear headphones, great for people who dislike having tips in their ears or pressure on their head.
• Decent build quality. Nothing mind-blowing at the ~¥1,000 price point, but it feels well-made.
• Comfortable. There’s no ear canal contact and the unit weighs only about 30 g, so there’s virtually no fatigue.

Cons

• Sound quality. That’s half the equation (the other half being battery life). These fall short of my AirPods 2, and they’re nowhere near my Bose 700s.
• Experience polish. This model doesn’t auto-pause when you take it off. After getting used to Apple’s ecosystem, that feels clunky. Forget about tight integration with voice assistants or companion apps.
• Price. Bone-conduction tech is mature and this is a domestic brand. I don’t see ¥1,000 worth of value here.

Verdict

At this price, unless you specifically need bone conduction, I’d stick with in-ear options from Xiaomi, Huawei, Apple, etc. AFTERSHOKZ touts “safer” listening because your ears stay open, but with the volume high enough you’ll still miss conversations around you. Long-term headphone use also carries the same hearing risks.

If you’re curious or simply like trying new gadgets, go for it. For most buyers, other options offer better value.