Dell Pro Plus Earbuds EB525 Review - Productivity Buds

Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

Audio devices that carry the 'Certified For' tag for productivity apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom have traditionally been over-the-ear headsets with a microphone sticking out, conjuring imagery of a busy call center. Now, this isn't to say that this particular style of audio device is a viable solution for a professional, working, or office environment, but we're in a one-device-fits-all era, which makes the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds (EB525) worth checking out. Yes, it's a pair of wireless earbuds that are Microsoft Teams and Zoom-certified, and that serves as the key focal point of the design. However, it's also a pair of ANC earbuds with Bluetooth support, meaning they're just as handy away from your typical work environment as they are in it.

Although they're not the first pair of earbuds to include an integrated mean-forming style microphone so you can, say, take a call while sitting in a café or simply while walking and listening to music, this part of the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds isn't merely an add-on or tacked-on feature. As a key design feature, the microphone includes optional noise cancellation to reduce background noise, ensuring chat is clear and natural-sounding. Well, as much as it can, given the microphone quality here, it's definitely more in the built-for-Zoom camp than in the broadcasting-to-an-audience one.

With ANC or Active Noise Cancelling and a familiar lifestyle-like look and feel, the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds are also the sort of earbuds that you'd take with you on the daily commute, when you go for a run, and on that front, the $229.99 price point makes them an attractive alternative to earbuds from the likes of Bose, Samsung, Sony, and even Apple. They're productivity-focused, and they don't look like it, even though you've got robus on-ear controls that include the ability to fire up Microsoft Teams by pinching on one of the earbus stems.

Specifications & Close Up

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Kosta's Test System Specifications

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Design & Software Support

Design

The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds (EB525) sport a minimal, clean, all-black design that is familiar to what you'd find with Samsung's Galaxy Buds range and even Apple AirPods. It's a simple design, with each earbud featuring interchangeable tips (Dell offers four sizes) and a long stem for balance and support for a wide range of on-ear touch-style controls. You've also got a compact carry case for storing and charging the earbuds, as well as storing the USB Type-C wireless receiver for a low-latency wireless connection to a compatible PC or Mac. Naturally, there's also Bluetooth support, with the ability to pair with up to eight devices, including the ability to connect to two simultaneously.

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The small speaker-like vents you see on the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds serve as microphones for the ANC, which dynamically adapts in real time to your environment. There's also a sidetone or transparency option for feeding external audio into the earbuds, as well as the ability to switch both off for a more passive audio experience. On-ear controls for the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds are surprisingly tactile but also a little finicky, as you've got what amounts to a button on each earbud that does audibly click, so you aren't left wondering if something should have happened - a problem with many touch-only based controls.

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Now, the reason it's not entirely intuitive is that earbuds are small, so it takes practice to get the exact right amount of pressure without moving or disturbing an earbud's in-ear placement. This is indicative of all earbuds, as larger over-ear headphones or a headset automatically have more physical real estate for on-ear controls for things like muting, answering calls, or adjusting the volume. Here, Dell opts for a mix of button presses and pinching for the on-ear controls, with some being easier to pull off than others.

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One great feature (that you can turn off) is the seamless ability to pause all audio and mute the microphone when one or both earbuds are removed, and to turn the sound back on when reinserted. As with other earbuds, the case doubles as a charger, storing multiple charges to extend battery life to well over 30 hours when in listening mode or over 16 hours in talk mode. For those wondering how long you can listen and chat on a Zoom or Teams call, the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds offer around five hours on a single charge, which is impressive. And as a bonus, you get a full hour after a quick five-minute charge.

Software Support

For customization and easy access to features and modes, Dell offers two options: Dell Display and Peripheral Manager on a PC, or the Dell Audio App on mobile devices running iOS or Android. The latter is definitely the way to go if the only Dell device you're using is the earbuds, since Dell's PC app supports everything from displays to peripherals like keyboards. The PC app is serviceable, simple to use, and well-designed. Still, in our testing, we found the mobile app to be faster and more accessible because you can connect to it even when using a PC via a low-latency wireless connection.

Both apps offer similar functionality, including quick access to AND and Transparency modes, and the ability to toggle the microphone's noise cancellation and adjust the Sidetone if you want to hear your voice on a call. Audio customization is a little limited in that you've got a handful of presets and a very simple five-band equalizer. Where the customization excels is the ability to fine-tune and adjust all on-ear controls for both left and right earbuds. Outside of one of the on-ear controls being reserved for Microsoft Teams, you can remap, rearrange, and disable all of the existing controls. The only thing missing is the ability to create a custom control; however, that's not something you usually find with audio devices.

Other features of the apps include real-time battery information for the earbuds and the carrying case, the ability to turn automated actions on or off, and to adjust the verbosity of in-ear voice guidance. One great additional option found on the mobile Dell Audio App is the Apple-like 'Find my Earbuds' feature that gives you a Google Maps location for the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds and the option to send you a notification if you leave them behind.

Performance & Microphone Quality

Performance

Clear chat and voice is definitely the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds' strong suit, with audio perfectly tuned for jumping into a meeting or call. This means the default tuning or sound profile sacrifices some low-end for voice clarity, but you can get decent music sound by boosting the bass and high-end a little for a richer, crisper sound. Sound quality remains similar across wireless and Bluetooth modes, but the former has the advantage thanks to low-latency audio and a higher overall bit or data rate. The in-built ANC also works great in an office-like environment, effectively cutting out a decent portion of background noise without ever feeling uncomfortable.

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For this review, we took the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds out and about, including walking through suburban and city streets and riding the train. Here, the ANC felt a little soft compared to Bose's more premium in-ear offerings and Sony's over-the-ear wireless headsets. It works well enough, and it's a far cry better than no ANC, but if this is the one key thing you're looking for in a pair of earbuds, then you're looking at average to above-average ANC performance. Outside of this, our only other criticism is that the on-ear controls do take some getting used to, as pinching isn't as intuitive as, say, a tap.

Microphone Quality

The microphone and chat quality of the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds is serviceable but far from broadcast-quality. The microphone's frequency range, especially with noise cancellation, is limited and designed specifically for apps like Teams and Zoom - so there's a tinny/phone quality. On the plus side, the overall clarity is there, as is the uniform volume and the microphone's ability to consistently pick up and record your voice. Would we have liked a little more depth? Definitely, but what you've got here is well-suited to calls. The above recording was captured in an environment with background noise and the noise-cancellation enabled.

Final Thoughts

There's a lot to like and even recommend when it comes to the new Dell Pro Plus Earbuds (EB525), a productivity audio device that doubles as a pair of compact on-the-go earbuds you can take with you. The simple, lightweight, and stylish design includes chat and voice functionality tuned for Microsoft Teams and Zoom, with detailed on-ear controls for both calls and skipping to the next track when listening to music. The latter requires a bit of tuning for the best results, but the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds do a decent job of handling music while being tuned for communication.

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Ultimately, what you've got here is an all-day audio solution for those who prefer the fit and feel of earbuds. Connected to a PC, you can jump into a Team meeting in one minute, while still answering a call the next via Bluetooth to your smartphone. And with ANC and Dell's impressive mobile customization app, you've got a compact pair of earbuds great for listening to podcasts or music while commuting or simply heading out for errands.