Cubed3 has really been impressed with some of the quality tech coming out the ESKA camp of late. Previously the EKSA Air Joy Pro Gaming Headset scored highly for its excellent sound quality and comfort at a very affordable price point. Looking to emulate that success with for consumers who like a little less conspicuous muff, the GT1 Cobra True Wireless Gaming Earbuds are now available to fulfil the needs of earbud users with the same level of quality across the board.
Previous criticism was brought on for what felt like some rather dubious design choices by ESKA, branding its earphones with designs and logos that would not look out of place on an energy drink or a 1990’s baggy chain and wallet combo. Here, however, there are no complaints. From the case to ‘phones, these ooze style with a cobra-shaped casing and the nicest looking charging light setup to be seen on a product like this.
A beautiful blue alerts battery life with four to five hours of use on a full charge, and the case will provide up to thirty-six hours usage. Despite not being too in the know when comparing with other earbuds on the market, this seems massive and a major tick in the Cobra’s favour. Very rarely is there not going to be an opportunity to recharge over a thirty-six hour period for anyone.
Possibly leaning into the newest addition of Bluetooth compatibility for the Nintendo Switch, the Cobras are kitted out with two standard modes, Music and Game, both of which are easy to select on the earphones themselves with play/pause and phone answering capabilities also available at the push of a button. The buds also house a microphone, vital for those game chats and, after a few hours use, still provide clarity with no issues.
Again, the main selling point of the GT1 Cobra True Wireless Gaming Earbuds is going to be if the sound quality can duke it out with the big boys when coming in at a relatively low price point. As expected, based on the previous offerings from ESKA, these deliver on both counts. Testing with both a Switch and phone, everything sounds clear and crisp, with scope for really cranking up the volume, if needed. The bass also surprises, even handling some Peter Hook thumping, although the mid and high quality really are the stars of the show.
Price varies from outlet to outlet, although buying from ESKA directly comes highly recommended as the earbuds are available there at the very reasonable price of $49.99, working out at somewhere near £35 for the British market. After researching earbud prices, finding a pair that perform as well as these do for a similar budget is rare, if not impossible. Once again, ESKA has hit the USP that made its EKSA Air Joy Pro Gaming Headset so popular around the Cubed3 office.
Do not be thrown by the bulky look when compared to some other options on the market, either. Personally, that ‘the bigger the better’ approach makes it feel like you are getting your money’s worth. However, for their size, the Cobra earbuds are as lightweight as could be hoped for, as well as extremely comfortable on the ears, even when a lengthy four-hour gaming session puts them through their paces, with no discomfort felt at all in that period. Another tick in the essential earbud box!
