Are the AWEI AT20 ANC headphones worth it? For the price, yes. In this AWEI AT20 review I rate them about an 8 out of 10: the noise cancelling reminded me of AirPods Pro, they're comfortable, and they fold up for travel. They're my go-to travel headphones now.
The full video is above, plus two short 60-second versions on my channel.
What are the AWEI AT20 headphones?
A budget pair of over-ear Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation. Per AWEI's product page, they use 40mm drivers and the ANC is rated at up to 30dB of noise reduction.
What's in the box
- The headphones
- A USB-C charging cable
- Instructions
- A velvet carrying bag
The box is nice and the headphones look clean.
The buttons and modes
- USB-C charging. Everything uses USB-C now, so that's clutch.
- Power button. It also switches modes.
- Modes: transparency, gaming, bass, music, noise cancellation on, and noise cancellation off.
- Play, pause, skip and back, plus volume up and down.
- Five microphones. I'll be honest, I don't know exactly where all of them are.
Battery
- 10 minutes of charging gives you about 4 hours of playback.
- Around 65 hours of total music use. That number is advertised at a lower volume with no modes on, so don't expect it with everything turned up.
- A full charge takes around 2 hours.
AWEI's FAQ on the product page says up to 40 hours with ANC on. I didn't run the battery down myself.
What I liked
The noise cancelling. If you've used AirPods Pro, honestly, it's pretty similar. In my short review I said I could barely hear myself talk.
Comfort. The ear cushions are memory foam. I haven't worn them for longer than about 2 hours, and my ears were fine. Some headphones give me ear aches. These didn't.
They fold up. A lot of headphones don't fold anymore, and I don't like that. These do, so I'm fine throwing them in my bag.
The bass. In my short review I said it was the best bass I've heard on any headphone, and I meant it.
Pairing is easy. They don't pop up like AirPods do, so here's how. Hold the mode button to power on. Then hold the play and pause button, which is also the Bluetooth button, until it flashes. Pick them in your phone's Bluetooth settings. Mine reconnected on their own after that, and the battery level shows on my iPhone.
Compared to my AirPods Max
They sound very similar. Comfort is very similar. Connection is very similar. And they fold, which makes them better for travel in my opinion. So these are the ones I'd carry with me over my AirPods Max.
What I didn't like
- They don't pair like AirPods. You need to know the button combo above.
- I haven't tested long sessions. About 2 hours is the longest I wore them for the review.
What I didn't test: call quality on the microphones, the AWEI app, and the full 65 hour battery claim.
Who should buy the AWEI AT20?
- Travellers who want ANC without paying AirPods Max money
- Anyone who wants a pair they can throw in a bag and not worry about breaking
- Everyday music listening
AWEI AT20 review verdict: are they worth it?
These are great headphones if you want a cheaper alternative that lasts long, that you don't really care if it breaks, and that you can carry everywhere. About an 8 out of 10 for the price. AWEI also featured my review in the customer testimonial section of their store, which was cool to see.
You can get them here. And here's everything I made for AWEI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the AWEI AT20 noise cancelling good? For the price, yes. In my testing it felt pretty similar to AirPods Pro. AWEI rates the ANC at up to 30dB.
How long does the AWEI AT20 battery last? Around 65 hours at lower volume with no modes on. 10 minutes of charging gives about 4 hours, and a full charge takes around 2 hours.
How do you pair the AWEI AT20? Hold the mode button to turn them on, then hold the play and pause button until it flashes, and pick them in your phone's Bluetooth settings.
Do the AWEI AT20 headphones fold? Yes. They fold up, which is a big reason I use them for travel.
Are the AWEI AT20 better than AirPods Max? Not better, but for travel I'd carry them over my AirPods Max. The sound, comfort and connection felt very similar, and they fold.
