Dell Pro Plus Earbuds review: Perfect for office and work, okay for music
If your daily playlist consists of more Microsoft Teams chime alerts than actual music, then you should definitely check out Dell’s first audio device which is the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds aka EB525. They are great for work.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds Review
Pros
- audio quality
- call connectivity
- battery life
- Multi-Device Support
Shortcoming
- Average ANC
- finky touch controls
- boring design
Dell is a work powerhouse. You’ll see it everywhere in any office, in the shape of Dell monitors, Dell desktops and laptops, Dell servers, Dell storage, Dell this and Dell that. But till now you might not have seen it fitted in people’s ears. Now you might. That’s because Dell has entered the audio category with its first TWS earbuds: the Dell Pro Plus.
Packed with Bluetooth 5.3, Adaptive ANC, up to 33 hours of playback, fast charging, and enterprise-ready certification, the Dell Pro Plus earbuds are clearly – and cleverly – positioned as the perfect pair for your daily work life. However, they are not limited to team calls. The buds provide an enjoyable music listening experience, which helps in passing the workday smoothly.
That said, when using them, you never forget that they are made for the workplace, and perform best in meeting rooms. At least that’s been my experience with them as I’ve used the Dell Pro Plus extensively over the past few weeks.
heavy but strong
As soon as you see these, or pick them up, these are buds that mean “business.” Dell Pro Plus comes in a single black color variant. Like, totally professional vibes. Likewise, the design and case is about functionality above everything else. The shape of the charging case is quite thick, rectangular. On the front, there’s a simple LED indicator for connectivity and battery status, while the back has a Bluetooth pairing button and a USB-C charging port.
Inside, you’ll find the earbuds, along with a USB-C wireless audio receiver, neatly hidden away. The receiver comes in handy, especially for laptops or systems that need low-latency, stable connectivity without relying entirely on standard Bluetooth.
As far as design is concerned, the Dell Pro Plus looks quite boring. Although it is solidly built and comes with an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, it looks a bit flimsy. The entire shape and body are simply matte black, with no real flair or extraordinary elements. But then again this may have been intentional. Perhaps Dell hopes that in workplaces, where people are likely to use the Dell Pro Plus, it should fade into the background. As I said, the focus is on functionality, not form.
Using Dell Pro Plus Earbuds
But before we get into the performance, let’s talk about the fit. As mentioned earlier, the design is quite plain and the case feels a bit bulky, while the earbuds come with a slightly longer stem. They have 11.6mm drivers, yet feel light in the ears. The buds fit securely and don’t feel bulky even during long meetings. That said, after a few hours, I realized I was wearing them, though not uncomfortably.
The good fit is quite helpful as I use the buds a lot at work. The Dell Pro Plus supports Bluetooth 5.3 with multi-host pairing for up to eight devices and the ability to connect to two simultaneously. This feature is extremely useful if you are working between a laptop and a phone. In my daily use, it worked reliably with seamless switching between devices. The bundled USB-C wireless audio receiver also helps provide a stable, low-latency connectivity, especially on work laptops.
Now, I’ve been using the Dell Pro Plus for a few weeks, and during this time, there are two things that mattered most to me: call clarity and battery life.
According to Dell, the Pro Plus uses AI-powered noise cancellation with a dedicated voice processing unit (VPU) and MEMS microphone. In real-world use, whether indoors or while traveling, I was able to make clear and loud sounding calls, with minimal background interference. Even in moderately noisy environments, voices are heard clearly without any distortion.
Battery life is another strong point. With ANC on, Dell claims up to 8 hours of battery life on the earbuds and up to 33 hours with the charging case. In my usage, about 3-4 hours a day, mostly calls, meetings and some music, I only needed to charge the case about once a week. Fast charging is also useful: five minutes of quick charging gave me about an hour of playback, and a full charge took about an hour.
The earbuds feature adaptive active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. ANC works well enough to reduce office conversations and general background noise, but it’s not the best or something you’ll typically experience in premium options from Apple, Sony, or Google. The Dell Pro Plus struggles a bit with low-frequency sounds in very noisy environments.
However, the transparency mode works surprisingly well and makes conversations feel natural without the need to remove the buds.
Now coming to the music, as I mentioned earlier, these are clearly positioned as the first professional earbuds. This does not mean that they are not good for music. I enjoyed listening to them. In my experience, playback was clean and balanced, with good clarity in the mids and highs. However, the soundstage isn’t particularly wide. It feels a little forced.
However users, if they want to tinker a bit, will be able to change the sound signature to some extent. The accompanying app includes an equalizer that lets you customize the sound profile and adjust the bass or treble to your liking. Overall, the musical performance is good and generally just fine for listening, nothing extraordinary.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds review: Should you buy it?
If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds to accompany your work, meetings, and work-from-home setup, the Dell Pro Plus is a reliable option. It offers excellent battery life and exceptionally clear call quality. The fit is secure, and connectivity is strong, especially with the additional dongle for multi-device pairing.
However, if you consider yourself an audiophile and want a pair of earbuds with exceptional music performance, deep bass, and a wide soundstage, these probably aren’t for you.
