Shokz OpenSwim Pro vs Shokz OpenDots One
Quick take: The Shokz OpenSwim Pro costs $20 less; the Shokz OpenDots One lasts longer per charge (10 hrs).
Which one to buy
The deciding question here is simple: do you swim? The OpenSwim Pro ($180) is IP68, good to about 2 meters, and has a 32GB MP3 player because Bluetooth doesn't work underwater. Owners say its wraparound band survives flip turns and that bone conduction sounds better submerged than in air. The OpenDots One ($200) is IP54, which handles sweat and rain but not a pool.
On dry land the OpenDots wins on almost everything. Its clip-on buds weigh about 7g each against a 27g band, leave room for glasses, produce real bass from dual drivers instead of thin bone-conduction sound, and last 10 hours per charge and 40 in total with the Qi wireless-charging case. The OpenSwim manages 9 hours on a proprietary magnetic cable. The OpenDots' weak point is touch controls that register about half the time until you enable high-sensitivity mode. The OpenSwim's is workflow: it boots in Bluetooth mode every time and only plays files you own, because streaming downloads won't transfer.
Shokz OpenSwim Pro
If you swim laps or train for triathlons and own music files you can load.
Shokz OpenDots One
If you'll never get in a pool and want the most comfortable, longest-lasting clip-on bud for desk work, commutes, glasses and dry workouts.
| Spec | Shokz OpenSwim Pro | Shokz OpenDots One |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$180 | ~$200 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Open-Ear & Bone Conduction | Open-Ear & Bone Conduction |
| Noise Cancelling | None | None |
| Battery (single charge) | 9 hrs | 10 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | 40 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 10 min = 3 hr | 10 min = 2 hr |
| Codecs | Bluetooth + 32GB MP3 mode (plays MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, M4A files) | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | — | — |
| Weight | 27 g | 7 g |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP54 |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | Yes |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Shokz OpenSwim Pro
- ✓True swim-rated IP68 build, tested to about 2 meters
- ✓32GB MP3 mode holds ~8,000 songs for underwater listening
- ✓Wraparound fit stays secure through flip turns, with or without a cap
- ✓9-hour Bluetooth battery; 10-min quick charge adds 3 hours
- ✓Multipoint pairing across phone and watch
- ✓Bone conduction sounds clearer underwater than most swim earbuds
- ✓Doubles as a regular open-ear sport headphone on land
- ✗Bluetooth is useless underwater — you must pre-load files over USB, no streaming apps
- ✗MP3 mode drops battery to 6 hours
- ✗Physical buttons take real learning; owners call them fiddly
- ✗Thin bass on dry land, like all bone conduction
- ✗Proprietary magnetic charging cable
- ✗$180 is a lot if you only swim occasionally
Shokz OpenDots One
- ✓Best-in-class battery for clip-ons: 10 hours per charge, 40 total
- ✓6.5g buds with soft silicone cuff — owners say they disappear on the ear
- ✓Works perfectly with glasses and sunglasses, no hook conflict
- ✓Dual drivers deliver unusually solid bass for an open design
- ✓Qi wireless charging case
- ✓Bluetooth 5.4 multipoint plus quick charge (10 min = 2 hr)
- ✓Stays secure through running and cycling
- ✗Touch controls are unreliable — the most common owner complaint
- ✗$200 is flagship-earbud money for an open-ear design
- ✗SBC/AAC only, no LDAC or aptX
- ✗IP54 — fine for sweat, not for swimming
- ✗Sound leaks at higher volume like all open earbuds
Shokz OpenSwim Pro vs Shokz OpenDots One: common questions
Can I swim with the OpenDots One?▾
No. It is rated IP54, which covers sweat and rain only. The OpenSwim Pro is IP68 and designed for swimming, and it plays music underwater from its onboard MP3 storage.
Can the OpenSwim Pro play Spotify in the pool?▾
No. Bluetooth doesn't work underwater, and Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal downloads are DRM-locked and won't transfer to its MP3 player. You need music files you actually own, loaded over USB.