The LG TONE Free FP8 is the company’s latest pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, and these are no ordinary earbuds as they come in a charging case that employs UVnano technology to kill bacteria on the speaker meshes while the buds are charging. This is not the company’s first attempt to include this feature, LG did this before with the TONE Free FN6.
This time around, LG has mentioned the new product comes with improved audio, active noise cancellation, and a few other features. I’ve been using the product for a long period and also had to get my review unit replaced since the first unit I got was faulty with the right earbud. Without further ado, here comes the full review.
LG TONE Free FP8 Specs
- Dimensions & Weight
- Earbud: 21.2 x 28.3 x 23.2mm, 5.2g
- UVnano charging case: 54.5 x 54.5 x 30.0mm, 39g
- 8mm Dynamic Drivers
- 3 mics (2 pairs for call, 1 pair for ANC)
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Codec: AAC, SBC
- Sensor: Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Hall, Touch
- Battery
- Earbud: 68mAh
- Charging case: 390mAh
- Compatibility:
- Windows 10 and above
- LG TONE Free app: Android 5.0 and above & iOS 11 and above
- IPX4 water/splashproof
- Colors: Charcoal Black, Pearl White
Unboxing
The unboxing experience of the earbuds is pretty straightforward, you get the earbuds in the charging case, a USB-C cable, extra ear tips in different sizes, and a user guide together with the warranty card.
Design
The LG TONE Free FP8 comes with a rounded charging case that is pretty compact and has a nice matte finishing. The top of the charging case has a minimalist “TONE” wording that represents the wireless earbuds lineup.
The back of the charging case has a USB-C port for charging, not to forget that it actually also supports wireless charging. As for the front, it has two LED indicators, one is the battery indicator and another one for the UVnano.
Open up the lid, you’ll see the earbuds presented to you with blue LEDs illuminating behind. Nope, these blue LEDs are just for decorative purposes, they are not the UVnano tech that kills bacteria. The UVnano tech only works when you are charging the case with earbuds in it, then you’ll see the blue LED indicator at the front of the case illuminates. However, do note that the UV sanitization only works on the speaker mesh, not the whole bud.
The LG TONE Free FP8 earbuds have comfortable, medical-grade ear gels made from non-toxic, hypoallergenic silicone that allows you to have fewer worries about all-day use.
Each earbud only weighs 5.2g, which is 0.2g heavier than the Galaxy Buds2 marketed as a pair of lightweight earbuds. Each earbud also comes with a wear detection sensor and touchpad. The LG TONE Free FP8 also comes with IPX4 splashproof, which means you can wear them while you exercise, and it’s okay to wear them in the rain.
User Experience
The LG TONE Free FP8 comes with a TONE Free app for Android and iOS. You can use the app to check the exact battery level of the buds and case, as well as customize the settings such as the audio mode and more. Sadly, the app isn’t available for Windows users. I really like the feedback I got when I’m using the touchpad, it has a satisfying “tic” sound!
The app also allows you to enable Game Mode and Whispering Mode in the Labs section. Game Mode will reduce the audio latency of earbuds. As for the Whispering Mode, all you need to do is hold the right earbud near the mouth to speak softly on the phone. I find that this feature is quite useful if you want to speak softly in a public space, especially somewhere like the library, not that many people nowadays go there though.
Audio Quality
Here comes the climax of the entire review — audio quality. Before we proceed, I have to mention that the LG TONE Free FP8 has Noise Canceling and Ambient Sound options, the former has High and Low modes, while the latter has Listening mode and Conversation mode. The high noise-canceling mode works pretty well, but sometimes it’s too extreme and turns into strange new noises. Thankfully, you get the low noise-canceling mode to save the day. The Ambient Sound mode works just like many other earbuds, which uses the mic on each earbud to amplify your surrounding sound.
The default audio profile of the LG TONE Free FP8 is actually rather weak. Through testing, I find that changing the EQ to Treble Boost or Bass Boost improves the overall audio experience. Changing to 3D Sound Stage actually stimulates a surround sound experience, but it’s still not up to the level of Spatial Audio by Apple and 360 Audio by Samsung. Overall, it is still a very good pair of earbuds if you choose the right EQ.
Battery Life
In terms of battery life, the LG TONE Free FP8 lasts around 6 hours with ANC on, while the case offers another 15 hours of battery life, which is pretty impressive. Like many other earbuds, it took an hour to fully charge the earbuds and two hours for the case.
Final Words
Retailing at RM1,099, you can now get the LG TONE Free FP8 at a significantly lower price of RM899, it’s a limited-time offer by the way. Yup, it is the same price as the AirPods Pro and slightly more expensive than the Galaxy Buds Pro. With all features quite on par with the AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds Pro, it only goes down to one unique feature — the UVnano charging case that kills bacteria. It might not be a useful feature a few years ago, but with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing now, it comes in handy even though it only sanitizes the speaker’s meshes. Still, better than nothing, right?
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Yay
- UVnano charging case
- Impressive ANC
- Good battery life
Nay
- UVnano only sanitizes speaker meshes
- Default audio profile is weak