Introduction
If you are searching for entry or basic-level noise-canceling headphones, nothing can be better than Anker Soundcore Life Q20. From decent sound quality to a reasonable price – these headphones can be a perfect gadget for you. Let’s do an in-depth analysis through Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Review.
From streaming to listening to your favorite songs, headphones have become essential with every device whether it’s a personal computer or a smartphone. However, many individuals are reluctant in spending hundreds of dollars on this component. What headphones will be in their budget?
For the low price of $60, 40 hours of playback time, and decent sound quality makes the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 an ideal choice.
However, these headphones cannot be compared with the giants in the market. When we discuss exquisite build quality and impeccable sound with most noise cancellation, headphones such as – Sony WH 1000XM4 and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones come to our mind.
The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 can be considered as solid pairs of headphones but with mediocre sound quality and noise cancellation.
In this article, we will do a complete Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Review to know all the strengths and weaknesses of this component. Moreover, we will also discuss the pros and cons, and why it can be a suitable choice for you.
Let’s look at the specification table at a glance before we dive into details.
Specification Table
What makes Anker Soundcore Life Q20 better than other alternatives in the same price bracket? Let’s put some light on the top features of this headphone;
Features |
Bassup Technology |
Wireless Bluetooth Connectivity |
40 hours of wireless playtime |
Extra-soft earcups |
Foldable design |
Aux mode |
Hi-resolution audio |
Hybrid active noise cancellation |
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Review: Everything you need to know
It is important to discuss all the factors in detail before we jump to a conclusion. Let’s understand how the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is different from other headphones available in the market.
Price and Availability
It is not that difficult to locate the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 in the market. These headphones are available worldwide for $60 – making them an affordable pair of noise-canceling headphones. Well, the price tag might be your biggest motivation and concern at the same time when you decide to purchase it.
You might search for alternatives and the closest you can get is the Plantronics BlackBeat Pro 2 which is another affordable option for many individuals. However, the price of these specific headphones is $140, which is double the price of Anker Soundcore Life Q20.
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Unboxing
It is optional for you to buy the Soundcore Life Q20 with a softshell case. It is considered a better option than the travel pouch. According to our research, a travel pouch is nothing more than a bag with a string that cannot be relied on. Instead, if you opt for the softshell case, it would keep your headphones secured.
What’s in the box?
- Soundcore Life Q20 headphones
- Aux cable
- Micro USB cable
- Travel pouch
- Quick guide
The manufacturing company has made sure to keep the components safe with the plastic packaging. For every cable and the headphones, there is a separate compartment. Nothing is cluttering with each other or making it look untidy. Under the box, you can find the guidebook and the travel pouch along with the headphone set-up. Moreover, for branding, stickers have been attached to all the easily removable components.
Once you completely unbox the headphones, this is what it looks like. There is no doubt in saying that the headphones are protected inside the box. Quick guide or documentation is using illustrations rather than words to explain the setup process, which is more comprehensive than written instructions.
Design
The outlook of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is not that impressive and it might be unable to attract many customers through its design. However, it is still contemporary and modern.
The manufacturing company decided to produce these headphones in one single basic ‘Black’ color. More likely, it seems to be metallic dark blue and gray in real life. Moreover, the plastic body makes them comfortable and light at the same time.
However, the buttons attached to the headphones have a harsh clunk noise when pressed, which makes it uncomfortable for the user.
According to our research, these headphones would work perfectly for frequent travelers. Mostly, people don’t want their headphones to take up much room in their bags. The feature of ear cups and fold-up storage makes the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 a good option. Nevertheless, the company hasn’t provided any bag for it other than a pouch in which they can be secured rather than getting scratches in your bag.
On each ear cup, buttons are fixed that are serving different purposes. The buttons are large and quite easy to use. On the left ear cup, you will have buttons for pairing/power and noise cancellation. On the right ear cup, you will find media playback buttons which also contain multi-function buttons. With the help of that button, you can activate the voice assistant and Bass up.
Previously, the USB-C port was usually available in most headphones for charging; however, that is not the case with the Anker Soundcore Life Q20. They have been replaced with the MicroUSB. Moreover, they have fixed a 3.5mm analog, to simply use the headphones with it being wired with the device. Well, people usually do it when their headphones run out of battery.
Ultra-plush leatherette has been used in the ear cups and headband to make it comfortable. When we tried wearing the Soundcore Life Q20 for several hours, we were not bothered by them due to their good quality and comfortable design. Well, that is not common with most of the headphones available in the market.
Features
The new Bass-up technology is the game-changer for these headphones. According to the producers, this innovation helps in increasing the low frequencies by 43%. You will be able to hear more sound and with crystal clear clarity. Moreover, the frequencies of 40 kHz can be covered by these headphones.
Noise cancellation is another good factor for these headphones. The company claims that it reduces around 90% of the external noises such as – airplanes, cars, and other loud things. According to the manufacturers, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is great for noisy environments and a perfect partner for traveling.
Unfortunately, the ANC feature of the Soundcore Life Q20 is not impeccable when compared to other alternatives available in the market. For instance, you cannot balance these headphones with the Sony and Bose headphones. The standard in terms of ANC is relatively higher. According to our research, the Soundcore Life Q20 doesn’t work fine with low bass or high frequencies.
On the other hand, the Soundcore Life Q20 has to be appreciated for its Bluetooth connectivity. We tried while roaming around the apartment, but still, the signals didn’t drop out. This shows that the connection is strong. However, if there are many walls, you might face some trouble with the network.
Audio Sound Quality
The sound quality is another vital element of the Soundcore Life Q20 for which it should be praised for. Well, it is not that exquisite but can be considered great in this price range. The manufacturing company didn’t focus much on the tonal balance and other specific details but overall did a good job.
However, people who focus on the tiniest details while listening to tracks such as – bass, high/low frequencies might get disappointed.
Sadly, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 doesn’t offer the option to connect the headphones with any EQ setter. Otherwise, people would have managed on their own. However, a Bass-up feature has been included in the headphones to increase the bass. Well, we wouldn’t suggest you use it as it would make your sound experience terrible.
Battery Life
Possibly, one significant reason to purchase the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is the battery life. According to our research, you can listen to up to 600 songs or play the headphones for 40 straight hours without a break. Most importantly, that includes the feature of noise cancellation in it.
Whether we connect it to a personal computer, a tablet, or a laptop, the battery is sufficient enough to survive with every other component or device. Usually, it says that the battery is ‘medium.’
Moreover, if you have connected the Soundcore Life Q20 with an iPad or iPhone, you can figure out the connection through the status bar. The battery level indicator is also visible on it. Well, if you don’t wish to use the noise cancellation feature, guess what? The headphone can survive for 60 long hours.
The charging compatibility of these headphones is quite significant. The company claims that the five minutes of charging increases 4 hours of playback time. Well, nothing can get better than this. You do not have to wait for hours to let the headphones charge.
ZOOM and Phone calls
Many users complain about the voice quality and the hearing power. Nonetheless, these basic issues are not found during the test with Soundcore Life Q20. The conversations can be done clearly with these pairs of headphones.
Although the Q20 doesn’t have a dual-microphone like the Q30 version, it still works fine. You do not have to worry about noise reduction with it.
It is essential to concentrate on the factors, whether you should purchase the headphones or not. It would be great if you are aware of the positive and negative aspects of the product.
Let’s discuss why it can be a good choice for you or why you should look for other alternatives;
Serial# | Why should you buy Anker Soundcore Life Q20? | Why you shouldn’t buy Anker Soundcore Life Q20? |
1 | If you wish to have cheap headphones with basic noise cancellation | If you are expecting high-quality noise cancellation |
2 | Comfortable to wear for long hours | If you wish to have more quality features; opt for Sony or Bose |
3 | Efficient battery life |
What are the PROS and CONS of Anker Soundcore Life Q20?
Serial# | PROS | CONS |
1 | Amazing value, high quality yet affordable | Too much bass at high volume |
2 | Great mid-range ANC headphones | No companion app support |
3 | Tight bass and good dynamic range |
What are the likes and dislikes of Anker Soundcore Life Q20?
Serial# | LIKES | DISLIKES |
1 | Good ambient noise-canceling performance | Comfortable, but might get hot with usage |
2 | Battery life is top-notch | No EQ customization |
Customer Reviews
There is no doubt in saying that Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is great according to their price. Due to this, it has gained mixed reviews from its customers. People were highly satisfied with the battery life and price tag attached to it. According to them, the price for the headphones is justified with limited noise cancellation and incredible battery life.
On the other hand, some individuals are satisfied with the product. They believe that the manufacturing company ‘Anker’ has produced better quality products than these headphones. Moreover, Soundcore Life Q20 received major criticism because of the plastic body.
What are the alternatives?
If you are not much interested in wireless listening, then you can surely check out the Lindy NC-60 headphones that are currently available in the market. Well, you wouldn’t like the ANC feature of it much, but the comfort, sound quality, and battery life would satisfy your needs.
Moreover, you can also opt for the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus. These are a good pack of wireless headphones that offers good battery life with incredible sound quality.
Conclusion
The design might be outdated but the quality being provided by the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is impeccable. The performance is good if not great when compared to the leaders of the headphones industry such as – Sony and Bose.
We cannot count them under premium quality headphones but they are surely one of the best in their relative price bracket.
Let’s hope this Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Review clears all the doubts in your head and helps you during the decision-making process.