Haylou GT2 review: Best budget Bluetooth earbuds?
The Haylou GT2 TWS Bluetooth earbuds are growing in popularity. That's partly because they're so affordable. You can get these earbuds for just €15. In this review, you'll find out whether the GT2 is a good buy compared with similar earbuds.
In this article
Haylou GT2 sound quality
The earbuds sound reasonably good. Given how small and light they are, you don't expect a powerful sound. The bass is more noticeable than we expected when we first held the earbuds, but there's definitely room for improvement.
The GT2 has a remarkably stable connection. The sound doesn't cut out. No complaints about the connection there. We do miss a truly full sound. But for €15, we understand that this is about as good as it gets.
The packaging arrived battered, but the Haylou GT2 earbuds themselves were in perfect condition.
Microphone: is the GT2 good for calls?
You can be heard clearly on calls. We tested this several times. Your voice does sound a little flat, but not enough to be distracting, and no worse than on a regular phone call.
Background noise is the real test for most wireless earbuds. Their microphones often struggle to pick up your voice properly. That's certainly the case with the Haylou GT2 too. In a noisy setting, you're genuinely hard to understand.
The whole point of wireless earbuds is that you can make calls while getting on with other things. No cable tying you down ;) But with the Haylou GT2, you can't do the dishes, vacuum or go cycling while on a call. The person on the other end will soon get annoyed.
"What's all that noise?!"
In general, we find that Bluetooth earbuds tend to have weaker microphones. That includes pricier models costing €100 or more. Do you have earbuds with a really good microphone? Let us know in the comments below.
Earbud controls
Buttons. The Haylou GT2 doesn't have touch controls, just buttons on the earbuds. That makes sense. They had to cut production costs somewhere to keep the price this low. And honestly, we're quite fond of earbuds with buttons. Buttons never let you down. Touch controls do.
The buttons work well and are easy to use.
The button controls are intuitive and practical. Here's what they do.
Controls: music and video
- 1x left or right = pause
- 2x left = previous track
- 2x right = next track
- 3x left = voice assistant/Siri
Controls: calls
- 1x left or right = answer or hang up
- Press for 1.5 seconds = reject call
Charging case: nicely done
Here you can clearly see how the cable fits into the case. Handy!
We're fans of the Haylou GT2 charging case. And we can give you plenty of reasons why it really makes a difference.
Reason 1:
The cable is built into the case. So you never have to remember to bring a USB-C cable, or worse, a micro-USB cable. You can plug this charging case in wherever and whenever you want. And the attached USB cable is reversible. Whichever way you plug it into your USB port, it works. It really can be that simple!
Reason 2:
The case is nice and compact at 3x7cm. It's also very light.
Reason 3:
Despite those first 2 points, the makers still managed to fit 380 mAh into the case. That's more than we expected. You can use the earbuds through 4.5 full battery cycles. Haylou has done a good job here.
Downside:
Does the case have a downside? Yes, the Haylou GT2 charging case has no lid. That would be a nice addition, though it may be a matter of personal preference.
Battery: how long can you use the earbuds?
The case holds 380mAh. That's a lot more than we expected when we first held it. The earbuds themselves have a battery capacity of 40mAh. So 1 fully charged case can charge the earbuds 4.5 times.
And 1 full charge gives you 4 hours of use. We think that's a very good result for €15 earbuds.
Conclusion: are the Haylou GT2 the best budget earbuds?
For €15, the Haylou GT2 is a pretty good buy. These earbuds are fine if you're not too particular about quality. But spend just a little more and you can get noticeably better earbuds. Some QCY models are better.
Alternatives: what are the best Haylou GT2 alternatives?
The Haylou GT2 (at the very bottom) takes on all the other earbuds
At €15, these are among the better earbuds you can buy. But for a little more money, you can get other earbuds that we think are a bit better. Here are a few examples.
Haylou GT2 vs. QCY T4
The QCY T4 sounds better than the Haylou GT2. The T4 earbuds are slightly bigger, but you get better sound in return. The bass in particular is a little better. The buttons are also easier to use because they cover the entire earbud. On the Haylou GT2, the button is smaller and needs a firmer press. Otherwise, they use the same chipset. The T4 also works with QCY's handy app. But the QCY T4 doesn't have a cable attached to its charging case.
See the Eardopes QCY T4 review
Haylou GT2 vs. QCY T5
The QCY T5 has a completely different shape. The earbuds are longer, so this may not be the fairest comparison. But again, the sound is much better. The Haylou GT2's main advantages are its smaller size and the case's built-in cable.
See the Eardopes QCY T5 review
Haylou GT2 vs. earbuds from Action
We've tested the Bluetooth earbuds sold at Action. For €15, the Haylou GT2 gives you better quality than Action's wireless earbuds.
See the review of Action earbuds
Others also viewed:
- Explore all our wireless earbud articles
- Check out our article on earbuds from Action
- Explore our in-depth article on QCY earbuds
- And check out our article on AirPods alternatives
- Also see the 3 best earbuds for running
- Also check out our hands-on review of the Eardopes B6 pro. It costs a little more, but the quality is worth it.
