Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The Cleer Arc 3 might be the most advanced open-ear earbuds so far

Cleer Audio Arc 3.
Cleer Audio

Cleer Audio appears to have pulled out all the stops for its latest open-ear earbuds, the Cleer Arc 3. In addition to the features that were introduced on the Cleer Arc II Sport, like a charging case with its own battery, antibacterial UV lighting, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound, the Arc 3 add better water protection, voice control, and spatial audio with Dolby-powered head tracking. And the charging case now sports its own color touchscreen. The Cleer Arc 3 are available in black and pink color choices for $220 on amazon.com starting October 24. Cleer says additional colors are coming soon.

Cleer Audio Arc 3.
Cleer Audio

Design-wise, the Cleer Arc 3 use the same articulated, spring-loaded earhook as previous generations, and I’ve found that it offers a comfortable, yet secure fit. Cleer says the earbuds are now rated IPX7, making them effectively waterproof, even if fully submerged in water.

Recommended Videos

Battery life has been upped to a claimed 10 hours per charge, with the charging case providing an additional 40 hours. The case itself has undergone quite the transformation. You still get the UV-C light sterilization when the earbuds aren’t in use, but now the interior of the lid includes a mirror, while the exterior features a color touchscreen. The case can now be charged wirelessly, as well as via its USB-C connection.

Cleer Audio Arc 3.
Cleer Audio

The Cleer Arc II Sport introduced Snapdragon Sound, including the hi-res aptX Adaptive and CD-quality aptX Lossless Bluetooth codecs, but the Arc 3 take this formula further. You now get the option of using Sony’s LDAC hi-res codec instead, which is compatible with far more Android phones than Snapdragon Sound. Cleer says it has also improved bass response, however, its published frequency range for the Arc 3 seems to contradict this claim. According to its product page, the Arc 3 can reproduce 50Hz to 40kHz. The Arc II Sport go lower: 20Hz to 20kHz.

Cleer Audio Arc 3.
Cleer Audio

We’re beginning to see hands-free voice commands show up on new wireless earbuds. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds offer an extensive list of available commands, as do Sony’s LinkBuds Fit. The Cleer Arc 3 also support voice commands, though they appear to be limited to just a few functions: previous/next song, play/pause, volume up/down, and pickup/reject call.

As with the Arc II Sport, six-axis sensors let you use head gestures to manage phone calls hands-free, and Bluetooth Multipoint lets you keep simultaneous connections to two devices.

Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
1More gets into the open-ear earbuds race with the Fit S50 and S30
1More Fit with wirelessly-charging case.

Open-ear earbuds are becoming increasingly popular due to their main benefit: They let you hear the world around you and your music at the same time. And 1More is the latest company to announce a set of open-ear wireless earbuds, but unlike its competitors, 1More isn't being shy -- instead of testing the waters with one model, the company has released two. The 1More Fit S50 are its flagship model at $150, while the more affordable Fit SE S30 cost just $70. Both models are available starting September 7 on 1more.com and Amazon.
1More Fit S50
1More Fit S50 1More

Most open-ear earbuds rely on their shape to position their speakers correctly so that you get the best possible sound. But since all ears are a little different, and most open-ear earbuds are one-size-fits-all, that alignment doesn't always work out. This is why the 1More Fit S50 cleverly include a set of soft silicone guides (or "directional sound loops" as 1More likes to call them). They look like little donuts, and when you stick them just inside your ear's concha, they're designed to keep everything in the right place. Three sizes of guides are included.

Read more
Best gaming TVs of 2024 for Xbox Series X, PS5, and more
LG C4 OLED

The best TVs should look great, sound fantastic, and feature numerous optimizations for the types of content people love watching most. And while it would easy to say that a TV billed as 4K is all you need for a great gaming TV, pixel count is just one checkbox. If you’re a diehard gamer (console or PC), there are plenty of other picture specifications to consider when buying a new TV. And while 4K resolution is still essential, features such as HDR (high dynamic range), input lag, and response time are far more critical tech specs to gamers who want their games to be smooth, fast, and looking as good as they can. 

Not all TVs are created equal, and even some of the best TV brands have one or two sets that aren’t great for gaming. That’s why we’ve put together this list of all the best gaming TVs you can buy in 2024. With options from Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense, and TCL, there’s a gaming TV on this list for just about everyone.

Read more
Amazon deals: TVs, laptops, headphones and more
amazon boxes on doorstep

Amazon is one of the most popular retail outlets on the planet. It has almost everything you could want among its shelves, and that includes a plenty of deals worth taking a look at. All of the best Amazon deals are scattered across departments, with some great TV deals, laptop deals, and tablet deals leading the charge. There are even some really great coffee maker deals and MacBook deals worth taking a look at. We’ve pieced together what we consider to be some of the best Amazon deals to toss in the shopping cart today, so read onward for all of the details. You can also check out what the competition is up to with the current Best Buy deals and Walmart deals.
TCL 43-inch S4 4K Google TV — $210 $280 25% off

Value is front and center with the TCL 50-inch Class S4 4K LED Smart TV, as it’s a nice balance of affordability and features. It delivers stunning 4K picture quality with four times the resolution of Full HD, as well as endless entertainment with easy access to your favorite streaming services. Google Chromecast is built right into the TV, allowing you to easily stream movies, shows and photos from your Android or iOS device. It also has 3 HDMI inputs, which makes it great for gamers who want to connect several consoles, or for anybody looking to set up a home theater arrangement.

Read more