Dell Pro Plus wireless earbuds
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Dell Pro Plus earbuds are available now for $230.
- They’re meant primarily for professional users, with exceptional call clarity, reliable multi-device support, and a long battery life.
- The touch controls are finicky, and sound can creep in past the ANC.
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Dell is breaking into new ground with the recent launch of its first-ever wireless earbuds: the Dell Pro Plus. While they can certainly be used for listening to music, they’re optimized for professional environments.
In this particular context, Dell’s Pro earbuds shine. Their on-call performance is excellent, delivering crystal-clear sound and crisp vocal audio. However, certain features make them hard to recommend beyond their intended use.
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Dell’s Pro Plus earbuds excel in the two key areas that matter the most: audio quality and battery life. I did several test calls, and in every instance, the sound quality was consistently great.
The buds also use AI to reduce background noise. Similar technology is also used to power the ANC feature (active noise cancellation) to block out the same ambient noise.
The end result is crisp, clear conversations that feel shockingly natural. Even if the other caller has a low-quality mic, the earbuds compensate by boosting incoming audio.
Productivity powerhouses
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As mentioned, these earbuds really excel with crisp vocal audio in the office or quieter environments. When it comes to music, the Dell earbuds do a respectable job; but they fall behind models that specialize in music, like the Technics EAH-AZ100. Songs sound a little unbalanced as higher frequencies are suppressed in favor of a more bassy output.
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Despite that issue, the audio is still rich and dynamic. Users can fine-tune the sound profile through the official Dell Audio app. You can emphasize certain aspects of a track, like the bass or treble. Or, if you’d like, you can make your own profile.
Overall, audio quality was good, but I did encounter a strange crackling noise while playing certain content. It first appeared while playing the mobile game Arknights and then in a few YouTube videos, usually spoken-word content where there isn’t much background sound. Some songs on YouTube had the crackling, while tracks from an official artist channel sounded perfectly fine.
The crackling was most noticeable at lower volumes, where it couldn’t hide behind volume. I firmly believe this isn’t a hardware issue. Instead, the weird noise seems to be tied to poorly mixed or low-quality audio sources. Not every piece of content is produced at the same level of quality. Either way, it’s something to be aware of.
Chunky case, smart design
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The charging case is pretty chunky — bigger than an AirPod case. On the bottom, you’ll find a USB-C port for charging, and around the back, a flush pairing button keeps the design clean.
Inside is a 5,000mAh battery that Dell says delivers up to 33 hours of playback with ANC enabled. That’s longer than the AirPod Pro 3’s purported 24-hour runtime. In my testing, the Pro Plus earbuds lasted a good four days with casual usage.
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Underneath the case lid is a small USB-C adapter. When plugged into your PC, it unlocks support for Bluetooth Multipoint, a handy feature that lets you connect to two devices simultaneously. For example, you could be listening to an audiobook on your phone, and then swap to your PC to join a Slack Huddle. Swapping back and forth was very smooth, in my experience.
Block out the noise
As mentioned earlier, one of the key features of the Dell Pro Plus is the ANC. It’s an adaptive function, meaning it automatically strengthens in noisier environments; however, the effectiveness of the ANC is hampered by the earbuds’ physical design. At a glance, it seems that Dell was inspired by AirPods because its earbuds have an elongated stem extending from the bulb.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
This shape allows for a bit of sound leakage. Even when I had ANC enabled, I was able to hold clear conversations with others. That’s something that I cannot do with the Sony LinkBuds Fit. Sony’s 2024 earbuds offer some of the best ANC I’ve experienced, largely because their shape conforms to the ear canal, thus creating a tight seal. I have to take those off whenever I speak to someone.
I’m not saying the Dell earbuds have bad ANC — far from it. In an office setting, they perform wonderfully. But if you plan on using them in a louder environment, they aren’t going to achieve the same kind of ANC as a pair of earbuds designed for that.
My one gripe
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I had trouble using the touch controls on the Dell Pro Plus. Instead of using simple taps like most earbuds, they rely on pinching motions. You have to squeeze the earbud between your thumb and index finger to trigger certain commands, like pausing or playing a track. While the system generally works, it’s finicky. I especially struggled with adjusting the volume.
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If you pinch the bottom of the right earbud, then slide your finger upward, you’ll hear a faint click confirming the action. The problem is that the gesture isn’t very intuitive; you have to be precise. It took me a while to get the hang of it, and I still struggle with the motion even after two weeks of testing.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Dell Pro Plus earbuds are available for $230 on the company’s official website. I recommend them if you’re looking for a reliable pair for video calls and Zoom meetings, but want something sleeker than a traditional headset. Call clarity is excellent, battery life is impressive, and the flexibility that Bluetooth Multipoint provides cannot be understated.
If you want other recommendations, Sony’s LinkBuds Fit are a good alternative with better ANC. ZDNET’s Jack Wallen enjoyed the Status Pro X, a pair of earbuds that house a multi-driver system to pump out incredibly sound quality.
