Verdict
If what you really need is a reasonable set of earbuds with the novelty of a display screen, the Groov-e Neos are a few of your solely choices with this performance. They’re decently comfy, have some ANC, and the display screen serves some function. Nevertheless, you are able to do quite a bit higher by way of audio efficiency, even at this cheaper finish of the market.
Display has some fascinating features
Stable consolation for prolonged listening
First rate battery life
Very bassy audio by default
Poor ANC
Key Options
Display
Touchscreen LCD with built-in apps for EQ, quantity, and even a recreation.
Light-weight
The Neo’s buds weigh simply 6g, making them particularly mild.
Battery life
6 hours from buds, as much as 22 hours with charging case.
Introduction
The world of low-cost earbuds is usually a little bit of a gimmick-filled one, though once I noticed this set of earbuds with a display screen within the case – the Groov-e Neo – I simply had to have a look. Okay, I’m a sucker.
Apple had been rumoured to make a set of AirPods with a display screen within the case for Apple Music as soon as upon a time, and JBL had a go a couple of years in the past with the JBL Tour Professional 2 and JBL Tour Professional 3 fashions.
I believe this marks the primary time I’ve seen a display screen in any guise on a set of earbuds which are this inexpensive, although. The Neo Buds are simply £39.99, though you possibly can decide them up nearer to £30. That’s very cheap for a set of noise-cancelling buds, too, with shut rivals such because the Ultimate Audio ZE300 offering an analogous characteristic set, sans display screen, for the same price ticket.
Commercial
Whether or not these screentastic Groov-e buds can do sufficient to earn a spot in our rating of the perfect low-cost earbuds stays to be seen – I’ve been placing them by means of their paces to seek out out.
Design
- There’s a big display screen on the entrance
- Cheap construct high quality
- Snug, if barely unsecure match
Regardless of the novelty display screen on the entrance, the Neo doesn’t differ an excessive amount of in design from a number of fashionable earbuds. We’ve bought a rounded case that’s a little bit squatter and wider than JBL’s screen-based buds, and as with a number of extra inexpensive decisions, it’s giving some main AirPods vitality.
As you may anticipate, the construct high quality isn’t the final phrase in premium, but it surely’s greater than high quality for the asking value. The case and the earbuds themselves have a light-weight really feel in hand, though I’m impressed with the heavier weight of the case’s hinge and soft-close motion.
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
Commercial
Color decisions for the Neo are both black or a sand-type beige. My pattern got here within the latter, which I believe seems to be higher, and make these completely different in look to a few of their rivals. The case right here even comes with an built-in wrist strap if you wish to sling the buds round your wrist.
The earbuds themselves weigh in at simply six grams every, making them particularly mild, they usually take the AirPods-style kind issue with a match meaning the top piece dangles out of your ears, quite than the twist-and-push match of others.
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
With the default tips about, they’re fairly comfy and non-fatiguing for a few hours, though I don’t suppose the fitment is as safe because it may very well be, neither is the seal supplied that sensible.
There isn’t an IP ranking for the Neo Buds listed, so I wouldn’t essentially use them for any exercises or anyplace you could be close to water.
Options
- Display seems like a novelty
- Noise cancellation is simply okay
- Cheap battery life for the value
Commercial
The large factor with the Neo Buds (let’s face it, it’s laborious to disregard) is the display screen that adorns the entrance of the case. As with the dearer various from JBL, it offers a method of controlling music and even the earbuds’ features while not having to dig out your telephone.
It’s a touchscreen show that’s okay by way of responsiveness, that gives entry to options reminiscent of music playback, EQ settings, Bluetooth pairing, ANC management, a ‘discover’ mode and much more novelty components reminiscent of use as a ‘flashlight’ (it turns the display screen white), a Calendar and a stopwatch. There’s even a pretend Flappy Fowl recreation you possibly can play if you wish to.
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
Barring the music controls and such, I’m not totally satisfied of its utility. It’s fairly a dim display screen, and a number of the features didn’t work as supposed.
As an illustration, the digital camera management turned my quantity down, and the display screen itself has a black triangle within the backside left nook that makes some textual content troublesome to learn. For some purpose, the Neo Buds additionally began randomly whistling or making noises once I took them out of the case, and the loud noise when swiping on the display screen can get annoying in a short time.
For an inexpensive set of buds, the lively noise cancellation is a bonus, though that’s about nearly as good as I can describe it. It isn’t enabled by default, so that you’ll must swipe your manner by means of the display screen to allow it. While you do, it dampens greater than envelopes me in silence, and issues reminiscent of my mechanical keyboard and close by chatter on a prepare into London have been nonetheless audible, even when I had my music turned up a smidgen louder than I ought to.
Commercial
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
Connectivity is dealt with by Bluetooth 6.0, though I didn’t discover they supported any type of multipoint Bluetooth in case you needed to pay attention on a couple of system on the identical time. Pairing them with my Honor Magic V3 was a minimum of fairly simple – flip open the case and maintain down on the pairing button on the case till they hook as much as your system.
Battery life is rated as much as 22 hours complete from the buds and case, which is completely cromulent for a set of inexpensive buds. It’s in and across the identical as Ultimate’s selection, and means you’ll get a few full days of listening earlier than needing to recharge. For reference, it’s six hours from the buds and an additional 16 from the charging case.
Sound High quality
- Very heavy-handed with the bass by default
- Missing intimately and width
- EQ presets make issues considerably higher
If the likes of the Ultimate Audio ZE300 are extra reference-style earbuds at this value, then the Neos are the musical equal of any person hitting you over the top with a sledgehammer. By default, I discovered them to be very bass-heavy to the purpose that it encroached an excessive amount of on the remainder of any tracks I listened to.
As an illustration, even in spinning up mellower, acoustic-driven tracks reminiscent of Down The Street from Mac McAnally, there appeared fairly the imbalance between the pounding low-end frequencies and his lighter vocal, and the monitor’s inflexions of acoustic guitar.
Commercial
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
Granted, it really works higher for my rotation of heavier rock tracks, reminiscent of Rush’s YYZ, though the tune’s bass runs nonetheless overtook a lot of the different substance that was right here. With a narrower soundstage, I additionally discovered that a number of the sound to meld collectively into one, making it a much less fulfilling pay attention.
As well, vocals from the likes of James Taylor’s October Street felt very a lot pushed again within the combine towards the bass, leaving a good quantity of readability, depth and element on the desk. The tune’s top-end percussion components additionally lacked a sure sparkle and assault, feeling too smoothed over; it was an analogous story with Steely Dan’s Do It Once more.
Picture Credit score (Trusted Opinions)
You’ll get higher mileage out of the Neos in case you allow the ‘Well-liked’ EQ setting from the display screen. This appears to even issues out a smidgen, bringing vocals and the related mid-range a little bit extra into play, and lessening the looming risk of the low finish. Should you resolve to make use of the Neo Buds, make altering the EQ preset a matter of urgency.
Commercial
Must you purchase it?
The novelty of the Neo Buds is the display screen, and if you would like the enjoyable of it on a reasonable set of noise-cancelling earbuds, then these hit the spot.
The default sound signature of the Neo is much too bass-heavy to make it an fulfilling pay attention, and EQ presets can solely accomplish that a lot to assist out.
Ultimate Ideas
If what you really need is a reasonable set of earbuds with the novelty of a display screen, the Groov-e Neo Buds are a few of your solely choices with this performance. They’re decently comfy, have ANC, and the display screen serves a function. Nevertheless, you are able to do quite a bit higher by way of audio efficiency, even at this finish of the market.
As an illustration, the Ultimate Audio ZE300 carry the identical RRP, and have extra of a balanced and impartial sound, plus extra succesful ANC and higher construct high quality. If ANC isn’t an excessive amount of of a priority, then additionally take into account the Sony WF-C510 with an intensive app and longer battery life. For extra decisions, take a look at the checklist of the perfect low-cost earbuds.
How We Check
We check each pair of headphones we evaluation completely over an prolonged time period. We use industry-standard exams to check options correctly. We’ll all the time inform you what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to evaluation a product.
Discover out extra about how we check in our ethics coverage.
- Examined for 2 weeks
- Examined with actual world use
- Battery life check carried out
FAQs
Does the Groov-e Neo have ANC?
Sure, the Groov-e Neo has ANC, or lively noise cancelling.
Full Specs
Groov-e Neo Buds Assessment
UK RRP
£39.99
Producer
Groov-e
IP ranking
Not Disclosed
Battery Hours
22
Weight
140 G
ASIN
B0G585W5P6
Launch Date
2026
First Reviewed Date
12/03/2026
Driver (s)
9mm drivers
Noise Cancellation?
Sure
Connectivity
Bluetooth 6.0
Colors
Black, Sand
Frequency Vary
20 20000 – Hz
Headphone Kind
True Wi-fi
