Thore for Apple iPhone V100RG

The Thore for Apple iPhone V100RG is a wired Lightning earbud that's cheap, lightweight, and includes a carrying case. But sound quality is muddy, the mic is nearly unusable for calls, and build quality feels flimsy. At $25 it's an okay backup, but anything more is a bad deal compared to budget wireless options from Sony or Soundcore.

The Thore V100RG is tuned with something called RVRB-8 digital tuning, which sounds fancy but translates to a sound profile that's heavy on bass and light on everything else. In our testing, the sound score came in at the 32nd percentile, which puts it below most budget wireless earbuds we've tested. The bass is punchy, sure, but it bleeds into the mids and muddies up vocals. If you listen to podcasts or acoustic stuff, you'll notice the lack of clarity immediately. For bass-heavy EDM or hip-hop, it's passable, but don't expect detail or soundstage.

The mic is the real problem. Calls scored a 7.1 out of 100, which is one of the worst results in our database. People on the other end will hear you, but they'll also hear everything else. Background noise, wind, your own breathing. It's fine for a quick 'I'm on my way' call, but don't plan a work meeting around these. Battery isn't a factor since they're wired, but the 50th percentile battery score is a bit of a head-scratcher. Probably just a quirk of how our scoring works for wired products.

Stacked against the competition, the Thore V100RG doesn't hold up well. The Sony WF-C700N is wireless, has active noise cancelling, and sounds dramatically better. The Soundcore P31i is another budget pick that beats the Thore on sound, build, and mic quality. Even the JLab JBuds Pods ANC, which isn't exactly a premium product, offers more for the money. The only thing the Thore has going for it is the Lightning connector. If you absolutely refuse to use a dongle or go wireless, these are one of the few wired options left. But that's a narrow use case.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and EarFun Air Pro are in a completely different league. Better sound, better mics, better everything. They cost more, but the gap in quality is massive. The Thore V100RG feels like a product from 2015 that somehow still exists. If you're comparing these to anything wireless, the Thore loses on every metric except price, and even that's not a guarantee given the wild vendor pricing.

Here's where things get weird. The Thore V100RG is listed anywhere from $25 to $9,283 depending on where you look. That's not a typo. Some third-party sellers are clearly hoping someone clicks buy without checking. At $25, these are an okay emergency backup pair or something to toss in a bag for a flight. At anything over $40, you're getting ripped off. For context, the Sony WF-C700N or Soundcore P31i both offer wireless convenience, better sound, and actual noise cancelling for under $100. If you see these Thore buds priced above $50, close the tab. The best deal in our data comes from the lower end of that range, but even then, you're buying a disposable product.

If you're hunting for a cheap pair of wired earbuds with a Lightning connector, the Thore for Apple iPhone V100RG is one of those products that pops up in search results. And honestly, that's about the only reason you'd land on it. These are budget earbuds in the truest sense, with an Apple MFI certified Lightning plug so you don't need a dongle for your iPhone. The pitch is simple: plug in, get sound, move on with your day. At 68 grams, they're light enough to forget you're wearing them, and the 4-foot reinforced cord gives you some room to move without yanking your phone off the desk.

Thore includes three sizes of silicone tips, which is nice to see at this price point. A decent seal helps with noise isolation and keeps the bass from leaking out. The built-in remote handles play/pause, volume, and Siri activation, so you won't be fumbling for your phone every time a track changes. There's even a carrying case in the box, which feels almost generous for something this cheap.

But let's be real. The specs and scores tell a different story. Sound quality lands in the bottom third of our database, the mic is rough, and connectivity is a weak spot even for a wired product. If you just need something that makes noise during a commute or a workout, these might do. If you care about how your music actually sounds, keep scrolling.

Skip the Thore V100RG if you care about sound quality, make phone calls regularly, or want something that lasts more than a few months. The mic is a dealbreaker for anyone who uses earbuds for work calls or voice memos. If you're an audiophile or even just someone who notices when vocals sound muffled, these will frustrate you. Runners and gym-goers will also find the cord annoying compared to cheap wireless options like the Soundcore P31i. And if you see these priced above $50, run. You can get a much better pair of wireless earbuds for the same money.

Should you buy the Thore for Apple iPhone V100RG? Probably not. If you need a cheap wired pair for a specific situation, like a backup for travel or something to keep in a desk drawer, and you can find them for $25, sure. They'll make sound. But the mic is bad, the build feels flimsy, and the sound quality is below average even for budget earbuds. The only real selling point is the Lightning connector, and that's not enough to overcome the rest.

For most people, spending a bit more on the Sony WF-C700N or Soundcore P31i gets you a much better experience. You'll get wireless freedom, better sound, and a mic that doesn't make you sound like you're calling from inside a tin can. The Thore V100RG is a last resort, not a first choice.