A few days ago, we took the Nokia Essential TWS Earphones E3100 for a quick spin. This time, we’re going to take a look at its more powerful and more professional-looking sibling, the Nokia Essential TWS Earphones E3500. It is equipped with 10mm dynamic drivers, Qualcomm aptX, and dual-microphones with Qualcomm cVc technology. Check out our hands-on below.
Compared to the E3100, the E3500 looks and feels more premium. The case is made of plastic but has a matte finish which repels fingerprints well. It has an LED notification on the front, along with the USB-C port for charging.
The earbuds themselves are also made of plastic with the two-tone colors of white and gray and available in black and blue. The exterior is glossy, while the inner part is matte.
It houses multiple holes for the microphones to aid in background noise cancelation and clearer voice calls.
The design of the E3500 reminds us of the Apple AirPods Pro, but with a straight and chunkier stem. Overall, they’re attractive TWS earphones that look classy and professional.
To pair, take out the earphones from the case. The LED indicators will light up to let you know that it’s ready for pairing. Go to your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings and tap on the E3500. An audio prompt will let you know that the pairing is successful.
In the ears, the E3500 feels chunky but sits well in the concha, while the soft silicone tips provide a good seal. It only weighs 5g each, has IPX5 for rain and sweat, and contains a 3-pivot distributing weight and ear pressure balance. In other words, it’s comfortable and secure.
It features touch controls to let you control the music playback, volume, and voice assistant. We find the touch coverage to be too wide and sensitive, though, as it registers our touch even if we’re touching the edges to adjust the fit in our ears.
Audio quality is crisp and balanced thanks to the 10mm dynamic driver with Planar Diaphragm. It also has Qualcomm aptX for improved Bluetooth sound quality. The mids and highs are clear and rich and don’t distort in higher volumes. The lows are much fuller compared to the E3100 and can provide that deep rumbling bass. Overall, the E3500 sounds great in delivering all kinds of music genres, whether Pop, Rock, R&B or Hip Hop.
One of the main features of the E3500 is the Ambient Mode, which gives you the option to hear the outside surroundings while listening to your music. All you need to do is tap the left earphone twice to activate or deactivate. It’s a convenient feature, especially when you’re commuting, as it keeps you aware of your surroundings, and you don’t have to take the earphones off when you need to have a conversation.
Another feature worth noting is the Qualcomm CVC – Clear Voice Capture technology, which reduces background noise when you’re on call. Each earphone is also equipped with dual-mics, so callers, and your voice assistant, can hear you loud and clear. Combine these two sets of technologies, and you can expect good audio quality for those phone calls or online Zoom calls.
One of the things that impressed us with the E3500 is the battery life. It can provide up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge and can be extended up to 25 hours with the charging case. Charging the earphones and the case takes about 2 hours.
The Nokia Essential TWS Earphones E3500 by RichGo is priced at PHP 3,499 and is available via its official Shopee page and mxmemoxpress.com. It’s an affordable set of TWS earphones that sounds and looks greater than its asking price.
