I'll admit that I didn't expect much from the lowest budget wireless gaming earbuds I've tested recently, but honestly, they're not bad. For full price, I would definitely recommend spending a little extra on the Creative Outlier Pro (opens in new tab), but if you ship via Tronsmart's AliExpress storefront (opens in new tab), the $60 list price of You can buy it for almost half the price.

And on that level, these are some nice budget wireless buds. Battery life is there, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity is solid, and they have a dedicated game mode.

And the gaming mode is actually pretty impressive, too: it perfectly matches the sound of gunfire in "Hitman 3" via Bluetooth on a Steam Deck (open in new tab) or gaming laptop (open in new tab) for a great ultra-portable gaming experience. Tronsmart recommends disabling the gaming mode for music, as it does not provide the best audio experience, but we hardly noticed any strange hearing loss like the Gravastar Sirius Pro buds.

Generally speaking, the audio is good. It's not great, but the only thing that sets it apart is the lack of direct power in the bass range. I don't like tuning that overemphasizes bass, and the Onyx Ace Pro buds feel lightweight in that regard as well.

However, the highs and mids are crisp, and despite the slight bass miss, the audio is nicely detailed.

However, because they follow the popular EarPod design, they have no silicone ear tips and rest in the ear rather than being pushed into the ear canal. This will no doubt make it more comfortable for those who cannot tolerate the sensation of disturbing earbuds, but it will certainly eliminate the possibility of noise cancellation.

These earbuds leak like a monkey sifting shotgun shells directly from the muzzle. All sounds are audible. Fine if you care about being noticed by traffic while crossing the street, but if you want to use the Onyx Ace Pro for gaming on the go, you will suffer.

Playing "Stray" (open in new tab) on the Steam deck on the bus, I can hear the nervous purring of frustrated kittens mixed with the voices of young people mocking my failure to find the right path in this feline dystopia. When I'm on the plane, all I can hear is the roar of the plane, and I can barely hear the game I'm playing.

And this is a problem. This is because most situations where you want to use wireless earphones for gaming are when you are in some kind of transportation or public place. Generally, you are not sitting in a quiet room where there is a level of noise that will not disturb you aurally while you play.

In other words, if I want to enjoy the vast soundscapes of an open world, I prefer open-back headphones, but I don't intend to wear them at a LAN party.

But if you're looking for a cheap set of AirPod-a-like for your Steam deck, the Tronsmart Onyx Ace Pro would be a solid buy, as long as you buy them at an AliExpress discount.