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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Shokz unveils the OpenFit Pro earbuds at CES 2026.
- The OpenFit Pro debut as Shokz’s most advanced and feature-packed true wireless earbuds.
- The earbuds’ standout feature is noise reduction technology.
Open-ear earbuds enthusiasts typically revere their form factor because they either want to remain in tune with their surroundings or dislike the feeling of earbuds inside their ear canal. Whatever the reason may be, open-ear earbuds have popped up in every corner of the earbud industry, proving their popularity and utility.
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But what about people who don’t want to hear everything but still want an open-ear experience? Shokz’s new OpenFit Pro earbuds explore exactly that. The company unveiled its latest open-ear earbuds with noise reduction technology at CES 2026, marking a first for the company and an apt environment in which to make the announcement.
I’ve tested the earbuds’ unique feature during the first days of the show, and before you disregard it, here’s why it could be one of the most useful audio technologies you’ll see this week.
Don’t call it noise cancellation
Open-ear earbuds were a response to the sometimes impracticality of tight in-ear seals and aggressive noise cancellation of traditional earbuds. However, a fully open form factor can be equally impractical, allowing all exterior noises to enter your ears, diminishing your listening experience.
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The Shokz OpenFit Pro offer noise reduction, not cancellation, addressing background noise, which is one of the largest challenges open-ear earbuds wearers face. Although the purpose of open-ear earbuds is to hear your surroundings, it can be difficult to hear your music or the other person on a phone call clearly when the earbuds don’t protect from street noise, voice chatter, and ambient environmental noises.
I wore the OpenFit Pro in moderately crowded cafes, while walking through casino lobbies, and when standing outside waiting for my Uber drivers. The most noticeable benefit was when taking phone calls, and the noise reduction feature addressed wind noise, traffic hum, and the murmur of a crowd. In cafes and crowded lobbies, the noise reduction softened the collective chatter that accompanies a group of people speaking.
Awareness without distraction
Many people find open-ear earbuds more comfortable, since they don’t have to insert earbuds into their ear canals. The OpenFit Pro’s open-ear form factor and noise reduction technology kept me aware of my surroundings without letting me hear conversations or noises I didn’t need to. I could hear sudden noises I needed to be aware of, such as sirens, PA announcements, or crosswalk signals, but I didn’t have to hear ambient chatter or the hum of Vegas’ overactive air conditioning systems.
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Therefore, the OpenFit Pro made me feel like situational awareness was more of a feature I could control and take advantage of, rather than a symptom of the earbuds. I had a say in how much or how little ambient noise affected my listening experience, but I didn’t have to sacrifice my awareness for inserting AirPods into my ears during hours-long writing sessions.
Redefining open-ear listening
At first, open-ear earbuds with noise reduction may sound counterintuitive, but the technology focuses on prioritizing your sound experience, rather than blocking out your external environment. Instead of canceling noise and enveloping you within a bubble, the OpenFit Pro gently fades your background and enhances the sound of your earbuds. So, you can still interact with your environment without fiddling with any noise reduction settings, and still hear your phone call, audiobook, or music front and center.
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The OpenFit Pro adopt Shokz’s standard true wireless earbud form factor: over-the-ear hooks, metallic accents, and soft silicone materials around the ear hooks. The OpenFit Pro fall into Shokz’s more casual lineup of earbuds, offering an 11 x 20mm dual-diaphragm driver, Dolby Audio with Head Tracking, DirectPitch 3.0 for decreased sound leakage, and OpenBass 2.0 for optimized bass reproduction.
The OpenFit Pro are heavier and bulkier than the company’s other OpenFit earbuds, likely due to the OpenFit Pro’s inclusion of multiple microphones and internal noise processing technology for the noise reduction feature. The OpenFit Pro are also Shokz’s most expensive offering, retailing at $250. They exceed the OpenDots One, which were previously the company’s most advanced and casual open-ear earbuds for everyday wear.
Source: Networking - zdnet.com
