Sony WI-C310, WI-C200 In-ear headphones review: A mixed experience

Both the earphones have similar features, but what separates WI-C310 from WI-C200 is the sound quality and price

In-ear headphones can really be handy during workouts and other activities, as over-the-ear devices tend to become painful after some time and true wireless earphones remain susceptible to damage. The wire around your neck keeps the in-ear variety from falling even if they slip out of your ear.

I recently used Sony’s WI-C310 and WI-C200 In-ear headphones and had a mixed experience.

Both the earphones have similar features as they offer up to 15-hours of playback time on a full charge, quick charge feature, voice assistant function, and hands-free calling. But what separates WI-C310 from WI-C200 is the sound quality and price.

Priced at Rs 2,990, the WI-C310 has a 9mm driver unit for a clean sound, the bass is smooth and strong enough and I liked the overall output.

The WI-C200 has a price tag of Rs 2,490 and is treble-heavy earphone. I was not convinced with the sound output as it lacks enough bass, and that spoils the fun. The tuning could have been better to make it appealing to the ears.

The earbuds are small and fit easily. They do not slip off the ear easily and you can use them during workouts. I tried both the earphones while running and had a fine experience. The earbuds did slip out but that is also because they are extremely lightweight and the weight of the wire and buttons panel come into play during an activity.

 

It takes more than an hour to fully charge the earphones, but if you want to use them for a brief, then even 10-20 minutes of charge is enough for them to last an hour. The charging can be done using any Type-C cable.

The Bluetooth 5.0 is a welcome addition, the pairing with the phone is quick. I could also activate Siri using the multi-function button.

The WI-C310 is also better during voice calls than WI-C200, as there is no background noise that affects the call experience.

Verdict 

It’s difficult to pick an ideal headphone/earphone in the budget category. The WI-C310 is worth considering if you just want to switch from wired earphones to Bluetooth in-ear headphones, but WI-C200 fails to impress specifically with the sound output. Also, WI-C310 scores well on several fronts as compared to other in-ear headphones in the market in the budget price range.