FIIL T1XS True Wireless Earbuds Review: Bargain Buds With Tons Of Flagship Features!

The Low-Down

The $49 FIIL T1X “S” version sports a slimline charging case, USB-C fast-charging capability, quality dual-mic noise cancellation (for phone calls), plus slick app control for customization of just about every function.

They’re sweat-resistant, comfortable to wear, and the intuitive touch controls are responsive. You get low-latency modes for games or videos without sound lag and a monitor mode that quickly brings in outside noise without taking the buds out of your ear.

If you remove the buds from your ear, the T1XS’ wear detection feature will automatically stop the music. Then it will restart the music when you put them back in your ear.

The sound quality is decent, with excellent balance and clarity from top to bottom, albeit with a bit of edginess in the treble. Some may find the bass to be light, but I’m not too fond of thumpy bass, so it’s okay for me.

I only had one minor issue with the T1XS, and it wasn’t with the earphones themselves. It was the companion Android app.

It stayed open in the background well after I disconnected the earphones, and the only way to get rid of the app was to “force close” it. I hope FIIL will fix this in a future update.

That said, like the original T1 X, the T1XS is a solid pair of TWS earphones with tons of features and decent sound, especially at their discounted price of around $40. If you’re looking for a pair of wireless earphones that do it all and won’t break the bank, check these out.

Disclaimer: The FIIL T1XS was sent to us in exchange for an honest review. The review unit does not need to be returned.

Build/Features

Upon taking the T1XS out of the box, I was impressed by how much smaller the charging case was compared to the original T1X. It’s a lot more pocketable now, something I take for granted when I use my Apple AirPod Pros with their tiny case.

The combined earbud/case package is also lighter, something else I take for granted with the Apple buds. The fit is just about as comfortable as the AirPods as well.

The T1XS is IPX5 rated, which means they should stand up to sweat or heavy rain. That’s a good thing, especially if you plan to take them to the gym.

After the initial pairing, the FIIL buds connected to my LG phone quickly, it probably took about 3-4 seconds to connect as opposed to the 1-second connection advertised, but 4 seconds is still pretty darn fast.

The combination of the silicone ear tips and silicone “wings” placed around the earbuds’ perimeter allowed them to fit in my ear securely and comfortably. The lightweight construction also aided in comfort.

After a while, I forgot the buds were even there, even when I rode my bike or worked in the yard.

Like the original T1X, the XS has a pretty intuitive touch control scheme, made even better by the numerous customization options in the companion FIIL+ app.

You can adjust touch sensitivity, functions assigned to each bud, and switch between a simple control setup (with just a few essential options) or a full touch control mode (adding controls for vol., etc.). The earphones are set for the simple mode out of the box.

The app has even more useful features, like basic DSP, about 15 different EQ settings, and a low latency mode that reduces out-of-sync issues for videos and games. You can even adjust the volume if you like.

The only issue I had with FIIL+, at least the Android version, was that it constantly remained open in the background, producing a persistent notification.

Maybe it was my OCD kicking in, but the stray notification showing up on my phone well after I was done with the earphones bugged me. The only way to get rid of it was to perform a “force-close” on the app, which shouldn’t be. I hope this is rectified in an update.

Like many other TWS buds, including Apple’s Air Pods, the T1XS has in-ear wear detection, so the music stops as you remove them from your ear and then starts again when you put them back in. This is a nice feature to have, and I’m happy to see it filtering down to budget models.

Another interesting feature of the T1XS is the “monitor” mode, which works like the “transparency” mode on other TWS earphones. Basically, it allows you to quickly hear what’s happening around you without taking the buds out of your ear.

I’m used to seeing this on noise-canceling buds, but it’s pretty cool to see it on a non-ANC pair.

As far as battery life is concerned, the included charging case can fast charge, providing 2 hours of playback after just 10 minutes of charging time. A full charge takes less than an hour, providing 6 hours of playback. That’s about average.

The charging case can the buds about 3 more times before it has to be recharged itself.

Listening to the FIIL T1XS True Wireless Earbuds

For my testing, I connected the T1XS to my LG V60 Android phone and then to my iPhone XR to see how it worked with an Apple device.

These buds only used the AAC (Apple’s Native Codec) and SBC audio codecs, so all my sound impressions came from AAC connections on both devices. The sound was pretty much the same on both phones, BTW.

The T1XS had a nice tonal balance out of the box, meaning no part of the frequency range overrode the other. The treble/upper mids were elevated just a touch, which made them a little edgy on certain songs, but not enough to drive me to distraction.

The midrange was recessed just a bit, but not enough to make the mix sound too dull or closed in. Vocals, as well as horns, were clean. The bass was pretty tight and well-controlled, which provided some nice punch down low.

However, the sub-bass was a little rolled off, removing some of the slam present in buds with more bass emphasis. If you like a lot of Bass rumble, you may find the T1XS to be a little thin in that department.

At the end of the day, the sound was more measured than you hear in most TWS earbuds in this price range. Most are tuned for the masses, trying to give you a lot of bass thump and not much else.

That said, the T1XS had enough balance and detail to let me enjoy the nuances of jazz and acoustic music.

Of course, a $40 pair of earbuds will not provide the ultimate in resolution or depth, but the T1XS will give you enough of each to make them enjoyable to listen to.

The Wrap Up

As I said earlier, the T1XS is another solid set of True Wireless Earbuds from FIIL. This time around, they have added a smaller case that makes them easier to take with you, improved noise-canceling for making clearer calls, plus an app that lets you customize many of the settings to your liking. BTW, they also sound pretty good. I would say on par with wired headphones around the same price. These buds are excellent for those looking for super affordable wireless earphones.

However, keep in mind, the True Wireless Earbud market is quite competitive, so for about $15-$20 more, you can get a better sounding pair with aptX and outside noise-canceling. That said, if $40-$45 is the absolute top of your budget, or you don’t care about that stuff, the T1XS definitely worth checking out. 

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