Introduction
The world of personal audio is witnessing a shift towards open-ear designs, prioritising situational awareness and long-term comfort over noise-isolating immersion. Enter the Oraimo OpenSnap N, the brand’s first foray into this category with a C-bridge design. Promising a lightweight, flexible fit and decent sound for casual use, it aims to be a comfortable alternative to traditional earbuds. But does this new design deliver, or are the compromises too significant? After extensive testing, here’s a full breakdown.
Price and Availability
Price Point
The OpenSnap N is positioned as an affordable entry into open-ear audio, priced at KES 3500 (approximately $27 USD). This makes it a budget-friendly option compared to many competitors.
Color Options
Currently, the OpenSnap N is only available in Graphic Grey. The two-tone grey design is subtle, blends well with most skin tones, and avoids a flashy, attention-grabbing appearance.
Design and Build
C-Bridge Open-Ear Structure
The defining feature is the open-ear design that completely bypasses the ear canal. Instead, it uses a memory steel C-bridge coated in a soft-touch silicone to hook around the ear. This material is impressively flexible—it can be bent, twisted, and will always return to its original shape, ensuring a secure and customizable fit for different ear sizes.
Earbud Components
The earbud is split into two sections: the bar section houses the sound drivers, while the slightly larger rectangular section contains the batteries. Oraimo branding is present, along with an LED indicator for pairing status. Helpful L and R labels are located on the inside of the bridge for correct orientation.
Charging Case
The case is compact with a pleasant matte finish and features an LED battery indicator. It’s notably smaller than many competitors, like the iTel Buds Fit 5 case. A USB-C charging port is located at the bottom. A clever design feature is the flexible slot system that allows you to place either earbud in any side of the case for easy storage.
Connectivity
Bluetooth Performance
The OpenSnap N runs on the latest Bluetooth 5.4, ensuring a rock-solid, stable connection with no glitches or random disconnections during testing. A standout feature for the price is dual-device pairing, allowing you to be connected to your phone and laptop simultaneously.
Battery-Saving Feature
To conserve power, the earbuds will auto shut off after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Codec Support
The earbuds support SBC and AAC codecs, ensuring broad compatibility with both Android and iOS devices. However, there is no support for advanced, higher-quality codecs like aptX or LDAC.
Comfort and Wearability
Weight
This is where the OpenSnap N truly shines. Each earbud weighs just 4.5g, and the entire case weighs only 41g. They are so lightweight you might forget you’re wearing them.
Comfort Level
They are very comfortable for walking, commuting, and general daily use. However, they are not ideal for intense jogging or running, as the bouncing motion can cause them to shift slightly.
Rating
For comfort alone, the OpenSnap N earns a high 8/10 score, making it one of the strongest and most compelling features of the product.
Battery Life
Performance vs. Claim
Oraimo claims 4 hours of playback on a single charge. In real-world testing, the performance was consistently between 3 hours 21 minutes and 3 hours 35 minutes. The charging case provides roughly 4 additional full charges.
Charging Time
Charging the earbuds alone takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. A full charge for the case with the earbuds inside takes approximately 2 hours with a 10W adapter.
Verdict on Battery
The battery life is adequate for light users but may disappoint heavy listeners who need all-day playback without frequent top-ups.
Call Quality
Noise Handling
The earbuds feature Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC), not full Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). This means it focuses on isolating your voice from background noise.
Performance
Indoors, call quality is clear and clean, with the other party able to hear you well. Outdoors, especially in windy environments, the call quality suffers noticeably, and your voice can become difficult to hear clearly.
Controls
Touch Functions
The controls are touch-based:
- Double-tap (either earbud): Play/Pause
- Triple tap (right): Skip forward
- Triple tap (left): Skip backwards
- Single tap is disabled to prevent accidental triggers.
Flaw in Design
A significant design flaw emerges during use. The flat rectangular section (housing the battery) often rests against the skin behind the ear. This frequently causes accidental triggers, such as summoning the voice assistant or activating game mode unintentionally, which can be frustrating.
Sound Quality
Audio Performance
For an open-ear design, the sound is impressive. The wide speaker grill projects sound clearly without needing adjustment. The profile offers clear mids, decent highs, and a noticeable amount of bass that is superior to direct competitors like the iTel Buds Fit 5.
Soundstage
It provides a cleaner and wider soundstage compared to other budget clip-on earbuds, making audio feel less cramped and more enjoyable for casual listening.
Recommendation
It is ideal for podcasts, casual music listening, and audiobooks during daily activities. It is not for heavy bass lovers or audiophiles seeking a critical listening experience.
Gaming and Latency
Game Mode
A dedicated Game Mode is activated by holding the left earbud until three beeps are heard. This significantly reduces latency for watching videos, casual gaming, and Zoom calls.
Limitations
While Game Mode helps, it is not optimized for competitive, fast-paced shooters like PUBG Mobile, COD Mobile, or Free Fire. The latency, while reduced, is still higher than that of true gaming earbuds or wired earphones.
Durability
Water Resistance
The OpenSnap N does not have an official IP rating. However, its build suggests it can likely handle sweat and light splashes (similar to an IPX4 or IPX5 rating). It is not waterproof and should be kept away from showers, swimming, or heavy rain.
Final Verdict
The Oraimo OpenSnap N is a commendable and affordable first step into the open-ear category. Its superlight weight, exceptional comfort, stable Bluetooth 5.4 connection, and handy dual-device pairing are major highlights. The sound quality is also decent for its design.
However, its average real-world battery life and the frustratingly sensitive touch controls that lead to accidental triggers hold it back from being a top-tier recommendation.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear.
- Stable Bluetooth 5.4 with dual-device connectivity.
- Decent, well-balanced sound for an open-ear design.
- Compact and portable charging case.
Cons:
- Battery life falls short of the claimed 4 hours.
- Accidental touch triggers due to a design flaw.
- Call quality suffers in windy conditions.
- No official IP rating for water resistance.
Overall: If your top priority is all-day comfort and situational awareness for casual listening and calls in quiet environments, the OpenSnap N is a solid budget option. Just be aware of its battery limitations and be prepared for the occasional accidental button press.
