XIAOWTEK S66

The XIAOWTEK S66 is a budget pair of wireless earbuds with solid battery life and IP7 waterproofing, but weak sound, poor mic quality, and unreliable connectivity hold it back. They work as a cheap gym or backup option, but most people will be happier spending a bit more on established budget brands.

Let's talk about what these actually do well and where they stumble. Battery life is the S66's best feature, and even that's just middle of the pack. The case gives you up to 50 hours total, with each bud lasting around 8 hours per charge. That's solid for the price, but plenty of budget buds now push past 60 or 70 hours. The LED display on the case is a nice touch though. You can see exactly how much juice is left without opening an app or squinting at a tiny blinking light.

Sound quality is where the marketing gets ahead of reality. The 13.4mm graphene driver sounds fine for podcasts and casual listening, but the bass isn't as punchy as the listing suggests, and the highs can get harsh at higher volumes. Our sound score puts these in the 28th percentile, which means most earbuds we test sound better. The dual mic setup with ENC is supposed to eliminate 85% of background noise, but our mic testing landed at the 12th percentile. Callers will hear the room, the street, and probably your neighbor's leaf blower. Connectivity is also a weak spot at the 12th percentile, so expect occasional dropouts and pairing hiccups, especially in crowded areas.

Stacked against the competition, the S66 has a tough time. The Nothing Buds 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are in a completely different league for sound and build quality, though they cost significantly more. Even the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Sony WF-1000XM6, which are premium flagships, make the S66 look like a toy in terms of audio fidelity and noise cancellation. But that's an unfair fight. The real question is whether the S66 beats other budget buds, and our data says it doesn't. The ANC score sits at the 31st percentile, which is below average even for cheap earbuds. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation obviously destroys these in every category, but again, different price bracket entirely.

For someone comparing budget options, the S66's IP7 rating is a genuine advantage over many competitors that only offer IPX4 or IPX5. If you're a runner or gym-goer who sweats a lot, that waterproofing matters. But the connectivity issues and weak mic make these frustrating for daily use. A pair of Anker Soundcore buds at a similar price will give you better sound, more reliable pairing, and a mic that doesn't make you sound like you're calling from inside a tin can.

Without a confirmed price, it's hard to judge the S66's value precisely, but this is clearly a budget product aimed at the under $30 crowd. At that level, you're not expecting miracles, and the S66 delivers exactly what budget earbuds usually deliver: decent battery, mediocre sound, and a few features that look better on the box than they work in real life. If you can find these for under $25, they're a reasonable throwaway pair for the gym or a backup set in your bag. But if the price creeps toward $40 or $50, you're better off looking at established budget options from Anker, JLab, or Soundcore, which consistently outperform no-name brands in our testing.

The XIAOWTEK S66 sits in that crowded budget wireless earbuds space where every listing promises the moon for the price of a pizza. These are wired earbuds according to our data, though the marketing copy leans hard into Bluetooth 5.4 and wireless features, so there's some mixed messaging right out of the gate. The pitch is familiar: graphene drivers, 50 hours of total playback, an LED display on the case, and IP7 waterproofing. On paper, that's a lot of checkboxes for not much money. In practice, you're getting exactly what you'd expect from a no-name brand fighting for attention on a marketplace full of identical-looking buds.

People searching for cheap earbuds for workouts or travel will find the S66's spec sheet tempting. The 13.4mm graphene diaphragm promises deep bass, the dual mics claim to cut 85% of background noise, and the case has a little LED screen showing battery levels. But our database tells a different story. The S66 lands in the 45th percentile for battery, 34th for build quality, and 28th for sound. That's not a disaster, but it's not the standout the product page wants you to believe.

For music listeners, the S66 scores 7.6 out of 100 in our testing. Travel use gets a 7.1. Commuting drops to 5.6, and gaming is a rough 3.2. So if you're looking for earbuds to throw in a gym bag and not stress about, these might work. If you care about call quality, connection stability, or anything beyond background music, keep reading before you click buy.

Skip the S66 if you take a lot of phone calls, commute in noisy environments, or care about music quality. The mic is one of the weakest we've tested, and the connectivity issues will drive you nuts on a busy train or street. Gamers should absolutely avoid these, with a 3.2 out of 100 gaming score that makes even casual mobile gaming a laggy mess. If you want budget earbuds that actually sound decent and hold a connection, check out Anker Soundcore or JLab options instead. They cost about the same and perform far better in our testing.

Should you buy the XIAOWTEK S66? If you need cheap earbuds for workouts, don't care about call quality, and want something you won't cry over if they fall out and get stepped on at the gym, sure. The IP7 rating and 50-hour battery are legitimately useful for that use case. But if you plan to use these for commuting, taking calls, or listening to music where you actually want to enjoy the sound, look elsewhere. The weak connectivity and poor mic performance will frustrate you daily.

These are backup earbuds, not daily drivers. The S66 is the kind of product you buy because it's cheap and available, not because it's good. And that's fine, as long as you know what you're getting into. Just don't expect the graphene driver marketing to translate into audio magic.