Can Earbuds Be Too Small?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t hold out too much hope for the Final ZE500 earbuds. I wasn’t even particularly taken in by the ASMR promises either. The ZE500 buds are, quite possibly, the smallest earbuds I’ve ever clapped eyes on. The case is small. The buds are tiny. Surely they can’t sound even half decent? As someone who has been wowed by the brilliance of SteelSeries’ Arctis GameBuds, and Status’ superb Pro X, I couldn’t see how Final were going to overhaul the earbuds experience.
I wouldn’t say I was wrong. But I wasn’t exactly right either. It all depends on what you want your buds for.
See, the Final ZE500 for ASMR buds are pretty decent. Ground breaking? No. But decent nonetheless. You could say they are fine.
Coming in a dark grey colour, the ZE500 is a pill shaped bud that is about the size of a fingernail. Yes, that’s the unit itself AND the silicone earbud that is attached; all the size of a fingernail. It means that these are very much set for comfort, and once in your ear, you’ll hardly notice they are there. If you’re in the market for a set of buds that can help you relax, in place perhaps as you sleep, we’re not sure you should be looking at anything else.
Tiny Buds, Big Comfort
That size can be an issue though. The smallest of Final logos has been dropped onto the top of the bud, with a couple of charging connectors on the underside. Aside from a teeny tiny mic for calls and the like, there is nothing else to speak of in regards to how the ZE500 looks. It’s so small in stature that it would be a push for Final to fit anything else on there. Aesthetically, the buds very much look like a blood-sucking tick that we’d find on our dog. And yeah, sorry for that analogy, but we can’t get it out of our head.
And similarly, much like that tick, it’s all quite fiddly to get these in, and out of, ear. We don’t particularly have sausage fingers, but have at times struggled to take the ZE500 buds out of the case and into our ears. Same for vice versa. There’s certainly a knack to things here.
Better Sound Than Their Size Suggests
But hey, once in place? They sound much better than their diminutive size would otherwise allow. We’ve used them connected to our mobile phone and laptop, for everything from casual gaming, to some Game Pass action, over to podcasts, and the listening of music. We’ve taken the odd call too, but have been told that mic quality doesn’t seem to be the greatest. Of course, we can only vouch for what comes in to our ears, not what goes out through the mic.
All is fine and dandy, and whilst pro gamers, or anyone looking to be able to get one up on the competition would baulk at what the ZE500 for AMSR brings, for everyone else, there’s some good sound here. We’d like more in terms of bass, but again, for the size that’s a push. And remember that ASMR tag – if you’re a podcast fanatic, these are very much set up for the spoken voice; a place where they excel.
When Tiny Buttons Become A Big Problem
That size brings more issues than it solves for us though. Granted, if you’re after something that is very much under the radar, something incognito, you’ve got it. But in return the touch sensitive buttons on the externals of the final ZE500 are less than desirable. We’ve been using these over a number of weeks and have been left frustrated at the inconsistencies in actioning them. The buds are just too small for accurate hits, so much so that we’ve found it easier to remove them instead of trying to pause music, for instance.
A Case That Disappears Into Your Pocket
I think the vast majority of people looking at, and considering, a purchase of Final’s ZE500 for ASMR will be those more interested in having some buds that take up very little space. And that’s true for the case that they are housed in too. It’s easily the smallest case we’ve used, probably half the size of others that we’ve slammed in our trouser pockets. In the same dark grey as the buds themselves, with a white interior. Again, it is very much fuss free; a small charge indicator on the front, a USB-C port on the bottom, a minute Bluetooth reset button inside, and an easy-to-use flip top housing the buds. Neatly, the buds slide into place with ease, and should you prefer, that case is capable of charging wirelessly, fitting nicely on our Google Pixel charging stand.
With a couple of additional buds included in the box, of varying sizes in case you need them, there’s a very good chance that the final ZE500 for ASMR will fit your ears too. We’ve found the default set included straight out of the box to be fine, but switching them out is a fairly simple process. You’re only likely to change things up once or twice too, as you settle on the best size for your ears. There are spare filters for the buds too, but it is no exaggeration to say that the fitment of these, with tweezers, is super fiddly. We’re not sure many will ever bother.
An App That Keeps Things Simple
To round things out? Well, you’ve got the Final ZE500 for ASMR App too. We’ve been using the Android version, and guess what? It’s fine. There’s not too much going on inside that App, but you can at least switch on and off the ASMR mode which kills accidental button presses as you sleep. There’s also some volume settings to mess around with too. We’d expect it to be packing an equaliser, but unfortunately that’s about all that is present.
Perfect For Podcasts, Less So For Players
Our overriding feeling of the Final ZE500 for ASMR buds then? Well, that would be a word we’ve used multiple times in this review – fine. If you’re prepared to go small, like, real small, then the ZE500’s should be considered, especially at the sub-£50 price point, and particularly so if you’re a fan of podcasts or audiobooks. But for us, as gamers? We want more from our buds.
You’ll find the Final ZE500 for ASMR buds retailing for around £50, from the likes of Amazon. Huge thanks go out to Final for the review opportunity.
