Groov-e’s wildly cheap noise-cancelling earbuds have a feature I wish AirPods would steal

Meet the new set of ridiculously cheap Groov-e over-ears, too

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Groov-e has just launched a new set of true wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds called the Groov-e Ultra Buds, plus some noise-cancelling over-ear headphones called Groov-e Harmony. I’ll run through the specs below, but the headline-grabber is that both models cost just £34.99 in the UK – so around $46 or AU$68, if and when the models arrive on those shores.

If Groov-e isn’t a name that immediately fills you with confidence for an audiophile-grade experience, know that for us that’s been changing recently – earlier this year, we liked theGroov-e Serenity Sound Machineso much, we wrote a dedicated feature onhow much it helped us catch some shut-eye.

Then there’s the company’s reliable, feature-packed and oh-so affordableGroov-e Zeus DAB radio clock, which also gained a very respectable four-star review, plus somecrazy-cheap 2023-issue soundbars. So even though the 2019Groov-e SoundBudsdid not receive rave reviews from us under intense review (I helped test them for TechRadar’s sister publication, What Hi-Fi?, andour review of the SoundBudsechoed these sentiments) there is a back catalog of sonic hits there.

A Groov-e feature I wish Apple would implement

The Groov-e Ultra Buds boast 28 hours of wireless audio playback including the charging case (stamina per bud isn’t listed, but based on those figures I’d guess it’s around seven hours, plus three extra full charges in the case) and active noise cancellation – which is rarely seen at this ultra-budget level.

You also get on-ear touch controls and an integrated mic for calls, but the big draw for me is the clear LCD display on the case. No, it’s not aJBL Live Beam 3-esque smart screen, but it does offer a detailed, numerical battery life in each bud. This is far better, in my opinion, than the now-common four-LED light strip on most sets of thebest budget earbuds, which can only give you vague estimates of remaining playtime to the nearest 25%.

And, as anyAirPods Pro 2owner knows, you only get one LED on your AirPods case – which means interpreting what green, amber, white, or a flashing variation of the above means for your battery status (unless you dig out your phone).

I’ve spoken at length with our regular contributor and reviewerTom Bedfordabout this excellent perk (he owns a set of earbuds that tote a digital display), and what it comes down to is this: it doesn’t matter how effective the ANC is or how good the sound quality, if your earbuds run out of battery 20 minutes after you leave the house and you felt under-warned about it, you’ll be annoyed. And when you consider that when AirPods Pro 2’s head tracking, Spatial Audio and noise-cancelling features are all on, you’ll get about 5-6 hours between charges, I really wishAppletook AirPods' battery life clarity even more seriously, so you don’t have to rely on your phone to know what it is.

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The Harmony over-ears also offer active noise cancelling plus something Groove calls “super bass technology” for a more immersive sound experience. You also get voice assistant compatibility via a built-in mic and a 3.5mm audio cable if you want to listen using wires. They list a 25-hour playback per charge and unlike some of the market in 2024, the design folds nicely too.

Again, Groov-e Ultra Buds are available now with an MSRP of £34.99 (so roughly $46 or AU$68, although availability here is yet to be confirmed) in black and will be launching in white too at third-party retailers from October. Groov-e Harmony are available now, also for £34.99, in gray fromGroov-eand will be launching in black at select retailers from October.

How good are they? Check back with us soon…

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Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.

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