Minimalist styling and exceptional audio make these in-ears truly awesome. There aren’t as many features as some competitors though.
Why you can trust Pocket-lint (Pocket-lint) – Think ‘Grado’ and what you’re probably picturing is a retro-styled pair of headphones made from metal, wood and leather with completely round cans. In 2020, however, the trendy US company has branched out into the ever-growing world of true wireless earbuds. The GT220 is a new step for Grado, but instead of going with the tech-first approach of so many other in-ears, Grado has gone with an audio-first approach. That means there’s no active noise-cancelling (ANC), no fancy app for controlling features, and no real flashiness to the design. So is it an approach that works? MinimalismTwist-to-lock design to fitLight-up ‘G’ logoTouch-sensitive panelWireless charging case The first thing we noticed opening up the Grado GT220 was – almost ironically – that we didn’t notice anything. As far as design goes, there’s little in the way of a distinctive shape or design in these buds to make them stand out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Pocket-lint Pull the ‘buds out of the packaging and you’ll notice how the surface appears almost completely seamless. It’s finished with a matte black plastic all the way around. On the outer surface, there’s the iconic ‘G’ logo you’ll also find on some of the company’s unique over-ear headphones. Switched off in the case and that logo is white, but when switched on they flash different colours depending on the earbuds’ status. The surface with that light-up logo on it is touch-sensitive too, giving you easy controls for your music. Single-, double- and triple-taps on the right ‘bud will play/pause, skip forwards or back. The left earbud, meanwhile, can launch your phone’s assistant with a triple-tap. What’s quite interesting about these ‘buds is that the ear tips are at the end of a tiny curved ‘trunk’, with the curved surface blending seamlessly into it to ensure you have an ergonomic, natural fit in the ear. To place the GT220 into your ears requires this sort-of twisting motion which the pushes that tip into the entrance of your ear canal. We found it took a while to find the absolute right fit. Early attempts were a bit too forceful and ended with the tip feeling quite invasively lodged inside. But once we got used to the fit – and we found there is a little bit of an art to it – it is comfortable and secure, without feeling too invasive or pressured. Best headphones deals for Black Friday 2020: AirPods, Bose, Beats, Sony bargainsPocket-lint As for the charging case, it continues that approach of using matte black plastic on a case that looks like a giant jelly bean. The case lid holds shut well, thanks to using magnets to snap shut, which also means it’s easy to get open to get at your earbuds. That matte finish feels soft to the touch, and it’s equipped with a USB Type-C port and wireless charging to make it convenient too.
