This audio offering from Xiaomi keeps things simple

There are so many wireless and semi-wireless earphones being churned out into the market that we’ve stopped accepting them for review when they come from the really inexpensive (read cheap) category. But we decided to check out the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones because of the popularity of the Xiaomi brand and the fact that consumers are likely to consider them, especially to go with a Mi phone, of which there are 100 million units shipped out to Indian users.

The Neckband, which is in a regular black, is made up of a flat rubbery section and two glossy rounded sections towards the two ends. They’re exceptionally comfortable around the neck, where you just barely feel them. They’re also sweat resistant so you can workout with them without their being irritating. Or you could have, were it not for surprisingly long cables extending from the neckband to the earbuds. These are not retractable and so they actually blossom out and hang around on each side of the face. I found myself wanting to snip those wires to make them shorter, which of course is not possible. While some people may be able to tolerate those thin wires touching the face, I found they kept distracting me especially since I could see them in my peripheral vision at all times.

The fit of the earbuds themselves is very comfortable and very in-ear so that they seal-in the sound. As for the sound quality itself, one would be right in saying that while it’s not anything memorable, it is decent for the price. There is some gentle hint of bass present instead of the usual needle-sharp sound you often get. So, if you’re on a very tight budget, you could do worse.