design and construction
The TCL MoveAudio S200 looks very close to what we saw in the first-gen Apple AirPods. However, certain aspects of the construction of these headphones can affect the wearing experience.
They are ear shaped so they don’t have good passive sound isolation. They are lightweight, which helps with a long-lasting wearing experience as the MoveAudio S200 can sit in the ear for hours without physical discomfort.
Despite being made of plastic, the material chosen is not a disadvantage that determines the quality of the accessories. There are two connectors on the bottom of the earbuds – each earcup – that plug into the charging case. In addition, there are sensors that can trigger various commands through touch or pressure.
Unfortunately, this sensitive area has no volume adjustment option, which makes users rely on a smartphone or computer to change the pitch of a song or video.
The headphones and case of the Canaltech trial version are piano black, but the TCL also has white and blue options. In this way, each user can choose the alternative that best suits their personal taste.
The MoveAudio S200 has two features worth mentioning. One is the use of detection, where sensors identify when the headphones are in the ear to keep the content playing. When you remove one of the sides, the sound is automatically paused.
Another differentiator is the IP54 certification, making the headphones more resistant to damage caused by sweat and water splashes. This is a positive for anyone who likes to work out without worrying about damaging their headphones.
However, it should be noted that the S200’s in-ear performance is not as good as expected. At different times, it is necessary to adjust the headphones to continue listening to music.
The headphones also have temples that help secure them to the outside of the ear. But when they fall, there’s not much you can do other than put them back in place and keep using them.
In this generation, the TCL MoveAudio S200 received a chassis change. The horizontal shape is replaced by an oval shape. However, the positive features of the old case, such as a reset button and a USB-C port for charging, are retained.
On the front, there is an LED that indicates the battery capacity, and this lighting changes according to the total power present in the case. When the light is green, the accessory has more than 50% charge, and when that charge drops below 50%, the light is orange.
audio quality
The sound quality of the TCL MoveAudio S200 surprised me, as the brand does not sell many headphones in Brazil. For an eclectic person like me, listening to different genres of music with good perception.
It manages to balance the different frequencies well without exaggerating the treble. This provides an interesting balance of accessories for anyone looking to buy these headphones.
Even compared to other models in other price ranges, like the JBL Tune 225TWS, the bass is there, albeit with little impact. In my experience, ear shape slightly affects volume recognition by 50%.
That’s because the MoveAudio S200 is low in terms of the sound quality it offers. The mids are also noticeable, but they don’t stand out in terms of bass and treble, as we saw with the Redmi AirDots.
Even with the headphones on the last roll, I didn’t feel any hiss. This means that the driver can withstand the applied sound pressure well. The S200 also has 4 microphones for general communication, whether video calls or phone calls.
Complementary resources
In addition, TCL has added noise and echo cancellation – ENC – to make calls clearer. In general use it does a good job of isolating outside sounds, but due to the quality of the microphone, I didn’t feel that communication was clear. For anyone listening on the phone, the calls left an uncomfortable hiss.
The TCL MoveAudio S200 promises 120 milliseconds of latency, which means users will experience greater synchronization between the picture and sound on the phone’s screen. In the video I can see that this implementation has a positive effect because there is no delay.
In games, however, it is clear that the headset is not doing what it should. Playing Free Fire, you will feel the arrival of sound with a big delay in relation to the action. Even when accessing the menu, the sound effect has a delay of about 1 second.
This is worrying in competitive play as this is the time between when you can hear your opponent and when he attacks you without the slightest chance of defending.
Battery and connectivity
Despite all the positive features of the audio quality, the battery is not the strong point of the TCL MoveAudio S200. The Chinese company promises up to 3 hours and 30 minutes of autonomy, but the case guarantees up to 6 full charges for a total of 23 hours.
In actual use, however, the MoveAudio S200 performed slightly below the company’s estimates. Each of them has 30 mAh and a battery life of 3 hours and 25 minutes on a charge. This average was achieved at 50% of volume, but results may vary depending on the type of content consumed.
In particular, I think this time is very little compared to the longer periods (6 to 7 hours of autonomy) offered by other headphones. In this case, there is no fast charging option that will help you get at least an extra hour of power in a short amount of time.
Also, the 520mAh case takes a long time to return to full capacity – around 3 hours – which means users need a little patience.
The S200 has Bluetooth 5.0, and this version of connectivity is a boon for accessories. One feature that caught my eye is that the headset can sync with your cell phone via Quick Pair, also known as Quick Pair.
That way, users can identify simply by opening the phone case. Although they don’t have their own app to control the feature, the simplicity of use doesn’t make the lack of this feature a negative point.
Conclusion
The TCL MoveAudio S200 is interesting for anyone looking for an alternative in the competitive TWS headphone market. Despite interesting features that improve the user experience, such as the IP54 certification, the Chinese giant can face strong obstacles for this model to really stand out.
One is the battery, which is less durable than most competing accessories. Also, the headphones’ sleek design can be uncomfortable, especially during physical activity.
Audio quality is the main advantage of the MoveAudio S200 as it is very well balanced in terms of bass, mids and treble. Although none of the frequencies are more prominent, the sound experience is very immersive.
However, considering that there are already more popular alternatives on the Brazilian market that have been tweaked to take advantage of certain criteria (such as low latency), buying TCL headphones is more a matter of personal taste than what they offer value for money. to provide.
TCL MoveAudio headphones are not yet available in Brazil, and the average price abroad is US$ 80, or around 450 reais. This means that there is a tax on the purchase of this model, which can significantly increase the final price. value.
For this reason, it is recommended to buy the Edifier GM5 or Redmi AirDots 3 as they are easier to find at retailers in the country.
