Review on Bose SoundSport Free: Midnight Blue/Citron Wireless Earbuds for Workouts and Sports by James Eledge

I read the reviews and felt compelled to write them myself as I recently bought a Bose SoundSport Free headset. Many of the reviews were one side or the other - there were no 'full' tests or comparisons (especially where shortcomings were pointed out), with little understanding of what the 'user' was looking for in terms of experiences. With that in mind, here is my high-level review. I am using firmware version 1.4.5. Audio: excellent. I have several headsets (Sony, Beats, Sennheiser, Bose, Apple) and they are excellent. Perfect for those who play sports with crisp and clear sound that bass lovers like me will love. Comfort is excellent, and the controls are relatively easy to use (some force required to press the buttons, and there's a slight lag in actual volume adjustment, although it's not a big deal). It's not noise-cancelling, but if you're jogging near cars etc, for example, they block out enough noise but let through enough noise to make you aware of your surroundings. 5 stars here for the use they are intended for (they are called "SoundSport"). Video Audio: Yes, there is a lag - but here it is. If you're using your phone or tablet to watch videos on a site like YouTube, you're most likely experiencing speech-to-mouth delays (if you're connected to an LTE or Wi-Fi network). It makes it worse. However, when I run the same video on a laptop or desktop, there is no lag (same wifi network). Once you've downloaded a video, you won't notice any lag at all, regardless of the device. However, if you are an avid YouTube viewer and use your phone or tablet to watch these videos, I wouldn't recommend buying them. 4 stars here - and less if you're streaming to any of the device types I mentioned. The headphones are very comfortable and the battery lasts as advertised by Bose. The case is great (although it'll never beat the Apple AirPod case - but then again, neither will), charges quickly, packs up easily, and doesn't have to worry about charging during the day. Connecting to your devices is easy, and the Bose app updates the headphone firmware over Bluetooth — convenient for non-professionals, too. I haven't personally experienced any of the crashes that others have reported, but I have no doubt that these issues are usually caused by interference - something that just can't be avoided (although some can be worse than others). 4.5 stars here because this is not an Apple AirPod case. Overall: I give them 4 stars because they are not ideal for every use. While it covers most of what I personally intend to use them for, it's frustrating that portable devices immediately have video-to-audio latency issues. This issue may be fixed with a software update, but I would recommend that Bose properly test streaming of "all" devices before releasing future updates. If you are someone who wants to use them specifically for listening to music then I would highly recommend them. You won't feel the tugging of cords, uncomfortable earbuds, or the fear of them falling out. In summary, great for those who play sports or music and are looking for a smaller carrying surface, and bad for those looking for great "streaming" videos on "portable devices".