Optoma NuForce BE Sport 2018 review
We’ve tested the Optoma NuForce BE Sport earphones to see how they stack up against some of the best wireless sports headphones on the market
IT USED to be that you had to pay well over the odds for a pair of half-decent wireless headphones if you were planning on taking them to the gym.
Luckily that’s not the case any more with several brands offering up solid earphones for less than a £100.
But the Optoma NuForce BE Sport stand out for price and quality against the competition.
Now available for around £60, these headphones represent an absolute bargain.
The NuForce earphones aren’t all-singing, all-dancing fitness trackers with a ton of software built in; they simply provide a great fit along with great sound.
Bluetooth pairing is simple and, once connected to your phone, the sound quality is really very good considering the earphones are wireless and are relatively cheap.
The earphones can be customised with a range of colours and fittings. The noise cancelling is decent as well if you’re looking to drown out the grunts of noisy gym-goers or (in my case) your own ragged breath on a long run.
Find our round-up of the best running and gym headphones you can buy - here
Battery life can stretch to 10 hours at a push, which stacks up favourably, even against more expensive models.
And the fit is excellent too, with Optoma offering up a ton of options for ear hooks and rubber buds to fit all ear shapes.
However, despite all the positives, I do have one gripe with the Optoma NuForce BE Sport.
Like so many bluetooth gym earphones, the little plastic widget attached to the wire below the right ear that contains the battery, mic and volume controls can drag the whole cable across to one side of your neck, which is pretty annoying mid work-out and makes the fit less comfortable.
Why more headphone manufacturers can’t simply put a clip on the back of the cable that you could attach to your t-shirt - like the do - is beyond me.
That said, it’s quite a small criticism in the grand scheme of things and I was perfectly happy using the NuForce earphones during the trial.
While I’ve only used them for a couple of weeks, their solid build means I back Optomas to last a long time and I’ve seen a few other reviews that support that idea.
They’re also water resistant and dust-proof which should keep them working well, even when battling against the elements.
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The verdict
I’m a big fan of the Optoma NuForce BE Sport earphones.
They’re simple but effective, with a rugged build quality and great sound to boot.
You don’t get some of the other fitness features that comes with more expensive headphones, but if all you need is something to deliver music to your ears while you’re pounding the pavement of pumping iron, the NuSports are an easy choice.
The cheapest price we’ve seen them for at time of review was £62.42 on Amazon. Find them .
If you fancy pushing the boat and and buying a pair of fully wireless headphones, we recommend the Jabra Elite Sport earphones. Read the full review here.