Are the best-selling wireless headsets on Indiegogo, well-deserved success or smoke in the eyes? As always, the truth is in the middle.
The fundraising campaign to create the PaMu Slide was one of the most funded on Indiegogo. Almost 5 million dollars were raised against an initial target of 20,000 dollars. The success of these earphones has been incredible, but will it be deserved? Only by testing them could I verify it.
So, lured by the very advantageous price and by the much publicized features, I convinced myself to buy a pair. I chose the PaMu Slide Plus version, which compared to the standard version has wireless charging for the smartphone. In other words, the case can be used as a wireless power bank for the mobile phone. All at a cost of just $ 69.
The PaMu Slide are completely cordless earphones made by Padmate. They are yet another alternative to Apple AirPods, but they cost a third and have something more than the Apple earphones. But let’s go see them specifically.
Comfort
The PaMu Slide are in-ear type earphones. They fit completely into the ear and are very comfortable. Once worn they do not bother you. They are fixed well and do not fall even if you make sudden movements with your head. When they are not in use, they are stored in the case which has a convenient sliding door. The case is small enough to fit in your trouser pocket.
Functionality
As mentioned, they are completely cordless earphones. On each earpiece there are touch controls through which you can answer calls, control music playback, adjust the volume and start the voice assistant.
They are water resistant according to the IPX6 standard, so they are not completely waterproof but can be used safely even if it rains a little. The connection to the phone is fast and is always very stable.
A full battery recharge guarantees about 10 hours of listening time. The case is equipped with a 2000 mAh battery that allows you to recharge the earphones about 6 times for a total autonomy of 60 hours. The case is charged via a USB-C cable.
The Plus version, which is the one I tried, also has wireless charging for the mobile phone: you can wirelessly charge your mobile phone when you’re out and you don’t have a power outlet available. Just press the button on the case twice and place your smartphone on it.
Battery capacity is very limited. It is therefore an emergency recharge because it cannot completely recharge the phone. With an iPhone XS Max I was able to recharge the battery by 25%.
App
No application is available for PaMu Slide earphones. For the management just use the Bluetooth settings of the phone while to customize the listening you will need to use some third-party apps.
Audio
Although the PaMu Slide use the new Qualcomm QCC3020 chip, the audio is not the best for listening to music. The sound is clean, without any disturbance and for conversations it is really great. The integrated microphones are very sensitive: I managed to talk without problems even when I found myself in rather noisy environments.
But for music, there is something better. The sound is sufficiently powerful, but lacks bass. The AirPods, which are not among my favorites, sound better so to speak. I am therefore a bit disappointed, but if I think about the price, then I think it can be there.
Final judgement
Considering the overall characteristics and the price, I can only give a positive opinion to the PaMu Slide. Difficult to find better at this price. They are earphones of excellent workmanship, with a beautiful design and very comfortable. Autonomy and conversation quality are certainly the strengths.
From the point of view of music, however, the PaMu Slide disappoint a little. They lack bass and listening cannot be customized with an app. Among the wireless headsets I’ve tried, my favorites remain the Honor FlyPods, a cut above all others. Then come the Google Pixel Buds, Apple AirPods and the PaMu Slides and the UNI TWS.
PaMu Slide Plus specifications
- Type: in-ear
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
- Driver: 6 mm
- Water resistance: IPX6
- Impedance: 16 ohm
- Codec: aptX, SBC, AAC
- Battery life: 10 hours with a full charge
- Weight: 7.1 g per earpiece
- Price: $ 69
Source: https://www.3rayes.com/review-pamu-slide-plus-the-wireless-headsets-that-made-the-bang/2019/07/30.html