Why the Skullcandy Indy Fuel Wireless Earbuds Are Worth Buying
We judge all headphones on a scale of 10, analyzing the categories we think are most important: sound, comfort, design, battery performance, and, if applicable, special features.
Here's how the Skullcandy Indy Fuel wireless earbuds stack up.
Skullcandy's new Indy Fuel truly wireless earbuds stand out among their countless sub-$100 competitors due to a built-in Tile tracker and a battery case with wireless charging capabilities. The duo of features make the new buds seriously compelling, especially considering their two-digit price tag.
SCORES
? Sound: 7/10
? Comfort: 7/10
? Design: 8/10
? Battery Performance: 7/10
? Overall Score: 7/10
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SKULLCANDY INDY FUEL:
The earbuds’ sound has an enhanced low range
Their built-in Tile tracker is convenient and intuitive
Their battery case is compatible with wireless charging
SOUND: 7/10
Last year, I found the Skullcandy Push wireless earbuds to be an amazing option for budget-minded bass heads. The Indy Fuel buds deliver a sound with thunderous low range as well.
However, the sonic experience, while plenty entertaining, lacks a noticeable amount of detail from the treble and midrange. If you prefer to hear your favorite tunes with as much detail as possible, consider the similarly priced Soundcore Liberty 2 wireless earbuds instead.
The earbuds have a trio of equalizer presets (music, movie, and podcast), accessible via their built-in touch controls. The music setting brings the powerful bass experience I described above, while the podcast preset eliminates it almost completely. The movie setting, curiously, balances the bass and the treble surprisingly well.
Unlike last year’s Push earbuds, the Skullcandy Indy Fuel are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. It allows them to maintain a reliable, latency-free connection. The buds’ performance during calls was solid, but not the best I’ve experienced in this price range.
COMFORT: 7/10
I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable the Indy Fuel earbuds felt in my ears. Having stems like the Apple AirPods means that the earbuds sit securely in the ear without protruding unnecessarily. The retail package contains several sets of tips and stability ear gels for finding a perfect fit.
However, I was less impressed by the earbuds’ finicky touch controls. Managing the audio playback, the volume, and taking calls was easy, but changing equalizer settings and switching ambient mode on and off required quite a bit of practice.
DESIGN: 8/10
Save for the slight change in the design of the stability ear inserts, the Fuel wireless earbuds look just like the Skullcandy Indy that debuted last year. Oddly they aren’t available in as many colors — you can only order them in black or gray (at least for now).
A built-in Tile tracker sets the Indy Fuel earbuds apart from all similarly priced competitors. I like that the functionality is embedded in each earbud, so you can track them individually. The feature is intuitive and easy to set up via the Tile mobile app.
If you are looking for the earbuds while at home, the Tile app will prompt them to play a high-pitched sound at a maximum volume. The feature will allow you to easily find them, so long as the space around you is quiet.
In case you forget your earbuds at, say, a gym or a coffee shop, the Tile app will show their last recorded location on a map. If the earbuds come near another member of the large Tile community, you’ll receive a notification.
The earbuds have an impressive IP55 rating for water and dust resistance, which ensures they can survive sweaty workouts, as well as exposure to water.
BATTERY PERFORMANCE: 7/10
With up to 6 hours of wireless playback between trips to the charging case, the Indy Fuel earbuds are not on par with their similarly priced rivals from Sony and Soundcore. Thankfully, Skullcandy has made up for this shortcoming by offering a more versatile carrying case that’s compatible with wireless chargers.
The earbuds’ battery case looks a whole lot like the one of Apple’s AirPods Pro. It holds four additional full charges for a total of 30 hours’ worth of freedom from chargers. I enjoyed being able to replenish its battery alongside my phone, using a dual wireless charger. Its USB-C connector is also quite convenient.
OVERALL: 7/10
Having premium features like a built-in Tile tracker and a wireless charging case makes the Skullcandy Indy Fuel earbuds a compelling sub-$100 option, despite their acoustic and ergonomic shortcomings. If wireless charging is not something you care about, consider the Skullcandy Indy Evo earbuds instead. They offer the same design, ergonomics, and sound for $20 less.
SHOP SKULLCANDY INDY FUEL SHOP SKULLCANDY INDY EVO
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