Xiaomi has added the Xiaomi Clip to its global website. These are the company’s first open-ear clip-on earbuds: they don’t sit in the ear canal but hook over the edge of the ear. The model has been on sale in China for about six months, and Xiaomi will announce pricing and release dates for the rest of the world at its global launch event on 17 November, the same one where the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max phones will be shown.
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What the Xiaomi Clip is and how it differs from ordinary true wireless earbuds
Open-ear clip earbuds have become a category of their own over the last two years. They suit people who need to hear what is going on around them: runners, cyclists, couriers, and anyone who spends the day on calls and doesn’t want plugs in their ears. Sound travels towards the ear canal from a small opening, while the ear itself stays uncovered.
The Xiaomi Clip has a teardrop-shaped body, and its two halves are joined by a band made of titanium wire with a shape-memory alloy. According to Xiaomi, the gap between the parts of the clip is 3.4 mm. A 4 mm sound opening points towards the ear canal, and the driver also produces an out-of-phase wave to reduce sound leaking outwards. For open earbuds this matters: the person next to you on the train shouldn’t hear your music.
Specifications: what is officially confirmed
The main details come from the product page on Xiaomi’s website and from Notebookcheck.
- Driver: dynamic, 11 mm, with 0.6 mm excursion and a microcrystalline metal coating. The claimed frequency range is 20 Hz to 48 kHz, with the upper limit available only with the LHDC 5.0 codec.
- Codecs: LHDC 5.0 for high-resolution audio. According to Xiaomi, LHDC requires a supported phone running Android 17 or newer. Notebookcheck also mentions AAC and SBC.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 and simultaneous connection to two devices.
- Protection: IP57, but only for the earbuds themselves. The case is not water resistant, and the earbuds must not be used in hot water.
- Weight: 5.5 g per earbud.
- Battery life: up to 9 hours on a single charge and up to 38 hours with the case. Ten minutes of charging gives up to 3.5 hours of music.
- Microphones: four, meaning three standard ones plus a voice vibration sensor, along with a wind noise reduction algorithm for calls.
- Finding them: Apple Find My support, but only for the case and only on iOS 18 or newer. The earbuds themselves can’t be located through Find My.
There is no active noise cancellation, which is normal for an open design. The earbuds use gesture controls: a double tap pauses, and a triple tap skips a track. The gestures can be reassigned in the Xiaomi Earbuds app, and a triple press on the case starts audio recording, including call recording. This feature is off by default.
How much they cost and when they will reach Europe
In China the Xiaomi Clip costs 849 yuan, which is about 125 US dollars. The company hasn’t revealed a global price yet: like the sales dates, it is promised for the 17 November event. Notebookcheck lists four colours: sand gold, pearl white, frost purple and graphite black.
For comparison, Notebookcheck names the direct rivals: the Sony LinkBuds Clip last up to 37 hours with the case, and the Soundcore C50i up to 28 hours. On paper, the Xiaomi Clip with its 38 hours looks at least as good.
What this means for buyers
First: if you have been waiting for clip earbuds from a major brand at a reasonable price, it makes sense to wait a week until 17 November. The Chinese price hints at the mid-range, but European prices are usually higher, so don’t expect a straight conversion from yuan.
Second: the headline feature, LHDC 5.0, only comes into its own with phones that support the codec, and there are still few of them, mostly from Chinese brands. With an iPhone the earbuds will work over AAC, and the difference from cheaper clips will be less noticeable. Find My for the case will, however, be useful to iPhone owners.
Third: open earbuds are not about bass or silence on the Tube. They are a second pair for sport, walks and work, when you need to hear your surroundings. If that is your use case, you can try the format right now, and for noticeably less money.
Three alternatives you can buy now
AliExpress sells open clip earbuds by the thousand. Below are models from well-known brands, sold through official stores, that people buy most. Specifications are taken from the product descriptions.
Baseus Bowie MC2 Air
The best-selling clips in this selection, currently £26.24 (down from £46.66). Bluetooth 6.0, four microphones with noise reduction for calls, and the same ear-hook design. A good way to find out whether the format suits you without spending much.
Price on 14 November: £26.24
Sold: 16930+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.5%
View on AliExpress
QCY Crossky C50
QCY has made budget earbuds for a long time, and the Crossky C50 from the brand’s official store gets some of the best ratings among clips. It costs £27.33 (was £63.11). Bluetooth 6.0, four microphones with voice processing, and a focus on bass, which open models usually lack.
Price on 14 November: £27.33
Sold: 9628+ pcs, positive reviews: 97.5%
View on AliExpress
Baseus BC1
The most affordable Baseus model here, at £17.43 (was £48.87). Sports clips with Bluetooth 6.0, four microphones and IP55 protection: they are protected from sweat and rain, though not as well as the Xiaomi Clip with its IP57.
Price on 14 November: £17.43
Sold: 12051+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.0%
View on AliExpress
In short
The Xiaomi Clip looks like a strong rival to Sony and Soundcore: light, IP57 rated, long battery life and LHDC 5.0. But the UK and European price is still unknown, and it is worth deciding after 17 November. If you want open earbuds now, Baseus and QCY offer the same format for little money, and you can come back to Xiaomi once real prices appear.
