FIIL T1 Lite TWS Earbuds Review – Stunning Sound in an Affordable Package

FIIL T1 Lite

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Current testing methodology is v1.2

Release Date
March 19, 2019
Price
Price not available
Model:
T1
Weight
4.8 oz
Size
1.5 x 1.5 x 2 in
Waterproof
IPX7

A month ago, I was searching for affordable workout Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. I encountered the likes of the Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo but, it was a little out of budget. 

Then, I saw one post on a forum suggesting the FIIL T1 Lite. I pushed through with the purchase since I can use it while working out. Besides, it was very affordable so it was a no-brainer.

Several weeks after, I can finally say that it was the right purchase for me. 

That said, I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts about the things I love and hate in this FIIL T1 Lite review.

Let’s get started.

Editor’s Pick

FIIl T1 Lite

The FIIl T1 punch way above their price class but aren’t quite perfect. An impressive TWS earbud to be sure.

4/5
Price Range: $
Brand: FIIL
FIIL T1 Lite - Logo on the Earbuds

TL:DR;

The FIIL T1 Lite produces stunning sound quality at an affordable price and it is comparable to other wired IEMs out there.

The main reason why I went with the FIIL T1 Lite is the IPX7 rating. I wanted a TWS that I can wear at the gym without any worries that it will break if I sweat profusely and it delivered.

The T1 Lite has its own flaws such as the lack of Active Noise Canceling (ANC) and a stock English mobile app.

Now, if you can live through the issues that the T1 Lite has, then it is definitely a contender in the budget TWS IEM market.

The Specs

  • Type:  TWS Earbuds
  • Connection:  Bluetooth 5.2
  • Transmission Distanc:  10 meters or 33 feet
  • Bluetooth protocol:  HSP 1.2, HFP 1.6, A2DP 1.3, and AVRCP 1.5
  • Drivers:  6.1mm
  • Frequency Response:  15Hz to 22kHz
  • Total Harmonic Distortio:  3%
  • Microphone:  Yes
  • Control button:  No
  • Battery Capacity:  Earbuds: 40mAh | Charging Case: 400mAh 3.7V
  • Charging Time:  Earbuds: 50 minutes | Charging Case: 1.5 Hours
  • Working Time:  7 Hours per charge | 32 Hours through the charging case
  • Waterproof:  Yes
  • Active Noise-cancellation:  No

What’s in the Box?

  • 1 pair of FIIl T1 Lite Earbuds
  • 1 x Charging Case
  • 1 x USB Type-C charging cable
  • 1 x User Manual
  • 1 x Quick Operation Guide

Stuff I like

  • Excellent sound quality
  • Affordable price
  • Great battery life
  • USB-C connectivity
  • IPX7 Rating

Stuff I like less

  • No ANC

Comparable products to consider

SoundPEATS Mini Pro
SoundPEATS Mini Pro Hybrid ANC Wireless Earbuds

Affordable great sounding earbuds with strong active noise cancelling performance.

FIIL CC Pro Earbuds
FIIL CC Pro Bluetooth 5.2 True Wireless Earbuds

Great sound and clear call quality with solid battery life, and good ANC noise cancelling.

Sound Quality

I will start this review with sound quality since I am pretty sure it is the number one consideration of a potential buyer. For that, I have three words – it’s a banger.

The FIIl T1 Lite has an imposing sound quality for its price. I first tested it out with Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and I can clearly hear the separation between the instruments and vocals. 

The intro of the song is a blend of vocals yet I can still hear Freddie Mercury’s voice clearly. Moreover, the song’s first bass note at around 0:48 seconds is deep and full. You can feel the thump but, it does not go overboard.

I also admire the details that the FIIl T1 Lite provides. The sound stage is wide and I can easily distinguish instruments that are placed on the right or left.

If listening to great vocals is your jam, then you will not be disappointed with the T1 Lite. You can hear the bass, guitars, piano, and other instruments, but it does not overcome the vocals. The singer is still the focus of these earbuds.

There are three equalizer options through the FIILApp to choose from. You may select bass, default, or treble. I set it to default since it already sounded great out of the box. 

FIIL T1 Lite in use
Ergonomic design for ultimate wearing comfort | Make Life Click

My only complaint is that the max volume of the T1 Lite is too high for my taste. I know, it is nitpicking and it can be adjusted, but it would have been better if it was more controlled right out of the box.

The microphone quality is acceptable. You may use the T1 Lite for calls if you are in an isolated environment or if there is very little outside noise.

If you are taking a call outdoors, the outside noise creeps in and will distort your voice. It would be better to take a call directly through your phone instead.

Comfort and Fit

I mentioned earlier that I got the FIIL T1 Lite for working out and I have no complaints. It has no ear fins yet the fit is snug and I have not experienced any unintended removal yet.

I am using the default silicone ear tips and the seal around my ear is more than enough. There are small, medium, and large extra silicone tips included too if you want a better fit.

The T1 Lite feels comfortable since it is lightweight at only 4 grams. Sometimes I even forget that I am wearing earbuds.

I use these earbuds for around 1.5 – 2 hours every day and my ears do not feel sore or itchy – I had an experience before where earbuds made my ears itch. 

Now, I haven’t run outdoors with the T1 Lite yet but, I can say that it stayed on my ears while going for a short run and jogging on the treadmill. Also, it did not budget while I did some jumping jacks so that is a win for my book.

FIIL T1 Lite on top of a table
Sleek metallic silver and black finish | Make Life Click

Design and Build Quality

The FIIL T1 Lite has a simple design. The earbuds have rounded corners that follow the shape of the ear. However, sometimes it felt too thick for my taste. I wanted it to be a little bit slimmer and more subtle.

The T1 Lite has no ear tips but, it is alright since it stays on my ear while working out or running – albeit on a treadmill.

There are no color options besides the metallic silver and black combinations. I dig the color scheme but you might find it too boring. It would have been better if there are other colorways to match the personality of the user.

Moving on, the included charging case looks straightforward with no bling besides the single LED light. 

The case magnets are strong enough to keep the earbuds secure while the top cover is enough to protect the earbuds. I have not encountered any accidents where the case would open by itself yet.

One reason why I got the FIIL T1 Lite vs the FIIL T1 Pro is the IPX7 rating. The T1 Pro only has an IPX5 rating due to the extra microphone it has for the Active Noise-Canceling.

It would have been nice to retain the ANC, but for my purpose, having the extra layer of protection from water and sweat is the priority.

Lastly, the build quality is alright with nothing too spectacular about it. It is mostly plastic and I think it is fine at this price point.

The only thing I would complain about is the durability of the charging case since the top cover feels a little flimsy. An extra millimeter of added thickness on the top cover would have been better but, other than that, I couldn’t ask for more.

FIIL T1 Lite on the charging case
Long battery life with fast charging | Make Life Click

Battery Life

The FIIL T1 Lite battery life is phenomenal. The company claims that it can play up to 7 hours on a single charge and without a doubt, it can reach those playback hours. 

The fully-charged case can fill up the earbuds four times giving these a total of 32 hours of battery life.

To be frank, I have charged the case twice since I got it. For the rest of my usage, I just plug it into my car’s charging port whenever I go out and it will last me for several days of usage again.

There is also a battery monitor on the FIIL App. I just open the app every once in a while to make sure that I still have some battery left. If not, a 5-minute charge will give me an hour of playback as Fiil claims.

Connectivity and Latency

The FIIL T1 Lite connects via Bluetooth 5.2 and it pairs up easily. Once you remove the earbuds from the charging case, it automatically connects to my phone – a feature that my older earbuds could not execute well.

There is also an option to just listen on one earbud while the other piece stays in the charging case. It is a neat feature but, I haven’t really used just one earbud at a time.

I checked if the earbuds would disconnect at around 10 meters (rated range) and it easily surpassed that test. It only disconnected at around 16 meters, which is not bad at all. I tested it in an open area with no interference though so take that into account.

Latency is one of the concerns while using wireless earbuds especially when gaming. If you just listen to music, then you have no worries with the T1 Lite.

However, if you love playing games, then you need to turn on the low latency mode through the FIIL App. This reduces the latency when playing games or watching videos.

FIIL T1 Lite - Logo on the Earbuds
Support touch control and earphones can be independently connected and controlled | Make Life CLick

I only tested this feature once by playing Apex Legends mobile and the low latency mode works well. 

I experienced the latency delay though when I was watching on Twitch. The audio delay is very noticeable. The same goes if you are going to watch videos on YouTube and other streaming apps. 

The best option is to always turn on Low Latency mode whenever you need the videos and audio in sync. For audio streams, it is not a huge problem at all.

Controls and App

The FIIL T1 Lite controls are easy to understand and the functionality expands through the Fiil app. The Full Control mode allows you to do the following.

Left Earbud

  • Tap 2X to play/pause
  • Tap 1X and hold for 2 Seconds to Monitor mode or Voice Assistant
  • Tap 1X for Volume Up
  • Tap 3X for Volume Down

Right Earbud

  • Tap 2X to Answer or End a Call
  • Tap 1X and hold for 2 seconds to Reject a Call or activate Voice Assistant
  • Tap 1X to skip a track
  • Tap 3X for the previous track

It took a while before I got the hang of using the touch controls but, it gets better as your muscle memory gets used to it. 

I had instances of misclicks though since the touch controls are sensitive. There is also no feedback if I am touching the right part or not. Sometimes I had to wait and double-check if I pressed the earbuds properly or not.

Fortunately, the FIIL T1 Lite is supported by the FIIL+ Global Edition. It is available on the Google PlayStore. 

Despite having a Global App, the T1 Lite has Chinese audio cues. You will hear the Chinese audio cue once you connect to a device. It is not a problem still since you will get used to it long enough.

FIIL T1 Lite size
Ultra lightweight design | Make Life Click

FIIL T1 Lite Verdict

The FIIL T1 Lite is an absolute beast of an IEM coming for only $35. Consider the other features such as the IPX7 rating as a bonus since the sound quality alone is worth the money. 

The quick app pairing, dual Bluetooth support, and low latency through the app are just the icing on the cake.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ONE?
True Wireless Earbuds-FIIL TWS Bluetooth Earbuds, Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, HiFi Earbuds with Wireless Charging Case, 24H Playtime,Auto Pairing &Touch Control, IPX5 Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth 5.0
FIIL T1 Lite

However, if you are looking for better sound quality that is not far from this price, then consider the FIIl T1 Pro. You are getting better sound quality with Active Noise Canceling and you are not paying that much more for it.

Either way, the FIIL T1 Lite is more than enough for my needs without spending too much. There are other models out there from popular brands, but as I said earlier, the T1 Lite is a banger.

FIIL T1 Lite silicone tips
FIIL T1 Lite Earbuds
Sound Quality
Build Quality
Battery Life
Comfort
Volume Output
4.5

Aim is a tech and gaming content writer who loves playing Apex Legends, Valorant, and Dota 2. He also plays casual games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Pokemon titles on his Nintendo Switch too. He also builds gaming computers and does tech troubleshooting on the side.

This post was last updated on 2024-03-18 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.


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