Open-ear earbuds have always been about a trade-off for me. You sacrifice some sound quality and noise isolation in exchange for comfort and situational awareness. It’s a deal that plenty of listeners are more than happy to make, especially those who spend long hours at desks, on runs, or simply prefer not to feel like they’re sealed inside a sonic bubble.
Shokz have long been the benchmark name in this space, but their brand new design, the OpenFit Pro, represents something genuinely new from the brand; it’s the first time they’ve introduced open-ear noise reduction, and the result is a compelling, premium package that delivers the best product that Shokz have ever put out.
With style, comfort, great audio quality and a solid build all combined, it turns out the OpenFit Pro are a serious contender for the best overall headphones of 2026.
A Different Kind of Quiet
The headline feature here is Shokz’s Open-Ear Noise Reduction, and it’s worth being clear: this is not active noise cancellation in the traditional sense, like with a Sony or Bose earbud.
The goal here isn’t to seal you off from the world; it’s intended to push background sound into the background while keeping you aware of your surroundings. Using a triple-microphone array, the OpenFit Pro monitors ambient noise and dynamically adjusts playback to dampen the mid-frequency noise that tends to be most distracting, think office chatter, cafe hum, vacuum cleaners, and gym equipment noise.
I was able to test these in several environments, from a busy Melbourne cafe to a bustling open-plan office, and I’m pleased to report the feature genuinely works well. Conversations happening nearby felt as if they had shifted a metre further away.
Background music from a stereo system faded into the periphery. The result is that focus stays on your audio rather than competing with everything else in the room. Shokz claims up to 14-19dB of reduction depending on frequency, and subjectively, that feels accurate, particularly at anything above 50% volume, where ambient noise becomes barely an afterthought.
It’s worth noting that the noise reduction is most effective in the midrange frequencies; if you do go into bass-heavy environmental areas with sounds like traffic rumble and construction noise, they won’t be as affected.
This is all easily customisable through the Shokz app, which lets you adjust the strength of the noise reduction via a sliding scale, and while I found the differences between levels subtle in particularly loud spaces, it’s a nice layer of control to have available.
Sound That Punches Above Its Weight
The OpenFit Pro earns its premium price tag through more than just its noise reduction feature. Shokz have introduced their new SuperBoost technology here, an ultra-large 11 x 20mm synchronised dual-diaphragm driver that is purpose-built for open-ear designs. The difference is immediately noticeable.
The bass has real presence and punch without muddiness, vocals come through with clarity, and highs are crisp without ever tipping into harshness.
All of this combined, without question, are the best-sounding open-ear earbuds I have tested. Listening across a wide range of genres, from rock to laid-back R&B, the OpenFit Pro manages something that previous open-ear buds have consistently failed at: delivering a sound that feels full and rich without a physical seal.
Add in Dolby Atmos optimisation for spatial audio, and you get a genuinely immersive listening experience, particularly for film and podcast content. I use Apple Music and YT Music as my two platforms for music and podcasts, so the results may vary depending on your streaming service and the plan you are on.
The 10-band custom EQ in the Shokz app is another standout addition. It offers twice the tuning precision of competitors like the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, with five preset modes (including a clever Privacy Mode that reduces sound leakage for those working in shared spaces) and two custom save slots. The app itself is clean, well-organised, and easy to navigate.
The Long Haul
Comfort is essential for earbuds worn throughout a long workday, and the OpenFit Pro delivers. The refined titanium ear hooks are wrapped in soft silicone that feels secure without becoming intrusive, and the redesigned contact points grip better during movement without causing discomfort over extended wear.
I tested these through workouts, commutes, and long desk sessions and found them genuinely forgettable in the best possible way.
The earbud controls are fully physical buttons, abandoning the touch system of previous models. This is a welcome change; they’re relatively easy to locate by feel alone, and you can customise their functions and remap them via the app. The wear sensors automatically pause playback when you remove an earbud, a first for Shokz’s ear-hook lineup.
If you get caught in the rain or experience some sweat after a workout, there is an IP55 rating, so the headphones operate without issue, and Qi wireless charging is a handy premium touch for the case.
Battery life is solid at 12 hours per charge (50 hours total with the case) with noise reduction off – a genuinely impressive number. With noise reduction enabled, that drops to 6 hours per charge (24 hours with the case), which is the one area where you’ll feel the cost of the headline feature most.
A 10-minute quick charge delivers 4 hours of playback, which does take some of the sting out of that trade-off. When I was using these at work consistently for the day, I was able to charge them during breaks and lunch, which kept them going at a solid performance all day long.
Verdict & Value
The Shokz OpenFit Pro is a massive leap forward for the open-ear category and for Shokz themselves. The noise reduction technology is not a gimmick; it genuinely works, it’s adjustable, and it fills a genuine gap in the market for listeners who want ambient awareness without the full sensory assault of a noisy environment.
Paired with genuinely excellent sound quality, a secure and comfortable fit, and a thoughtfully designed companion app, these earbuds make a compelling case for their $399 price tag.
The battery takes quite a hit when noise reduction is active, and microphone performance in strong wind is the only area that gives a slight pause. Still, for the overwhelming majority of use cases, particularly gym sessions, office work, and commuting, the OpenFit Pro handles itself with impressive confidence.
If you’ve been waiting for open-ear earbuds that sound great, stay put, and actually do something about ambient noise without locking you away from the world, the wait is well and truly over.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Open-ear noise reduction that genuinely works, best-in-class sound for open-ear design, 10-band EQ, comfortable secure fit, Dolby Atmos support, Qi wireless charging
Lowlights: Battery life takes a meaningful hit with noise reduction active, microphones struggle in heavy wind, price point is steep
Manufacturer: Shokz
Price: A$399
Available: Now via Shokz, Amazon and JB Hi-Fi
Review based on unit supplied by Shokz.
Featured header image provided by Shokz.
