These wireless headphones sport soft, memory-foam earmuffs, a collapsible design for portability and a wired mode should you run low on battery power. Mpow also incorporates the basic hands-free phone features into the headphones to avoid missing any important calls while you're listening to your favorite tunes or the audio from your favorite video.
Mpow has a large line-up of quality Windows 10 accessories and the Over Ear headphones are no exception. Priced at $35.99, these headphones are budget-friendly and a great option if you prefer the over-the-ear style headphones.
Look and feel
The design of the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones, officially model number MPBH059AB, doesn't stray too far from the traditional design of over-the-ear headphones. The headband connecting the two earmuffs is hinged, allowing the headphones to collapse inwards for portability. The headband also sports stainless steel inserts that extend for an adjustable fit.
On the left earmuff is a control panel with buttons to control volume, playback and phone features of the headphones. A 3.5mm headphone jack is positioned on the bottom of the right earmuff for the times you want to go wired and a micro-USB port is at the bottom of the left earmuff for charging. The buttons are responsive, and a LED light circles the inner button to serve as a confirmation light.
The earmuffs are padded with a modestly thick cushion of memory foam. While the Mpow headphones lack active noise cancellation, the foam padding insulates your ears well enough to muffle out a good portion of environmental noises. Weighing in at slightly more than 11 ounces, the headphones have a bit of heft yet the fit and feel are rather comfortable.
Under the hood, the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones sports a CSR chip and 40mm drivers to deliver Hi-Fi sound. The wireless mode is powered by a 420mAh battery that provides up to 13 hours of playback time or up to 15 hours of talk time. Should your battery run low, you can always swap over to a wired connection.
The headphones are packaged with a USB charging cable, a 3.5mm headphone cable and a soft cloth carrying case. All in all, the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones offer a solid design and good build quality.
Audio performance keeps pace with design appeal
Sound quality with the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones is very good for enjoying music files or streaming audio for videos. If I had to find a knock to levy against the Mpow's sound quality, it would be that the headphones could use a touch more bass. Otherwise, wired or wireless, the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones sounds good.
Powering up the headphones requires a long press of the center button (two seconds) and to enter pairing mode, after powering up the headphones press and hold the center button for an additional two and a half seconds. Powering down the headphones requires an even longer press of the center button (five seconds). I would have liked to have seen a dedicated power button to eliminate all the long presses and lighten the load of the center button. It's not a deal breaker but may be the only weakness in the headphones' design. On the plus side, along with the LED light, the Mpow headphones include voice prompts to confirm actions and take a little of the guesswork out of how long you need to press and hold buttons.
Hands-free calling features include answering and ending calls and last number redial. It's not the most impressive calling feature set but covers the basic well enough so you won't miss a call while listening to music. The only downside to the hands-free calling features is that the microphone only works in the wireless mode.
Solid sound quality that won't bust your budget
While an economical set of Bluetooth headphones, the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones do not skimp on quality. The build quality is solid, sound quality good, and the headphones are comfortable to wear. Battery life is decent, and I got about 12.5 hours of audio playback on one charge. The wired option is a great feature to have, should your listening needs outlast your battery life.
The collapsible design provides a smaller footprint for the headphones while traveling. I could easily fit the headphones into a side pocket of a backpack without issue. The soft cloth bag is an added bonus and allows you to easily bundle your cables and headphones together while on the go.
On the downside, I would have liked to have seen a dedicated power button and a hint more bass in the audio quality. Luckily, neither of these things destroy the overall quality of the Mpow headphones. You can tweak the bass internally with most devices and you get used to the long presses to power on and off the headphones.
All in all, I like the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones. They easily connect to my Lumia 950XL, Microsoft Surface Pro and my Dell laptop. The Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones are available in red, black and gray. Prices vary slightly between the colors but are in the neighborhood of $35 to $38. If you are looking for a set of over-the-ear, wireless headphones that are budget-friendly, the Mpow Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones should be on your short list.
