The wireless earbuds market is so crowded that it seems almost impossible for any brand to offer any real points of differentiation. However, LG is hoping to attract buyers with some interesting features.
The new wireless earbud addition from LG to its Tone Free line is the T80 which showcases an upgraded design and additional user-centric features. The T80 appears to be the follow-up to the T90 that was released in 2022 (more on that later in this article).
Tone Free T80 Features
Fit: The Tone Free T80 incorporates a comfortable fit design with medical-grade ear gels that allow for all-day wearing.
Drivers: A reinforced graphene speaker driver is designed to deliver better overall audio clarity with well-balanced sound with deep bass and enhanced mid- and high-range frequencies.
Dolby Atmos: The Tone T80 incorporates Dolby Atmos with additional support from Dolby Head Tracking that enhances listening by keeping ear-to-ear balance and sound direction intact.
More Dolby: Dolby Virtualizer expands the soundfield for any non-Dolby Atmos stereo content for a more immersive listening experience while Dolby Optimizer reduces distortion to provide more clarity.
ANC: The Tone Free T80 comes with adaptive features like Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to detect noise and adjust the sound accordingly.
Waterproofing: IPX4 water-resistant for workouts or rainy days
Play Time: Up to 36 hours of playtime (earbuds with charging case and no ANC).
Microphones: The 4-mic system optimizes the ambient sound modes so you can take calls from a busy intersection or a quiet waiting room without missing a thing.
Whisper Mode: The feature allows users to engage in conversations by speaking softly into the mic of the right earbud.
Listening Mode: This feature amplifies ambient sounds for enhanced situational awareness.
Conversation Mode: This enhances vocal clarity for seamless communication.
TONE Free App: The TONE Free app and widget provide versatile functionality, including switching between third-party music apps, setting EQ modes, connecting to up to five source devices, and locating lost earbuds. You can also connect to compatible devices simultaneously using Multi-Point and Multi-Pairing.
LG Tone Free T80 vs. T90
| T80 (2024) | T90 (2022) | |
| Price | $199.99 | $129.99 |
| Earbud Type | TWS (True Wireless Stereo) | TWS (True Wireless Stereo) |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Head Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Virtualizer | Yes | – |
| Dolby Optimizer | Yes | – |
| Wearing Detection | Yes | Yes |
| Medical Grade Silicon Ear Gels | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth® | Earbuds v 5.4 Cradle v 5.3 | V 5.3 |
| Speaker Drivers | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Microphone | 3 MEMS Mic+ 1 VPU (Voice Pickup Bone Sensor) | 4-mic system with Auto-Noise Reduction Adjust |
| Multi Pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Swift Pairing (PC) | Yes | Yes |
| Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation | Yes | Yes |
| Music Play Time (Earbuds) | 5 hours (with ANC) 9 hours (without ANC) | 5 hours (with ANC) 9 hours (without ANC) |
| Music Play Time (Earbuds with Charging Case) | 20 hours (with ANC) 36 hours (without ANC) | 16 hours (with ANC) 29 hours (without ANC) |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion | Lithium-ion |
| Charging Case | 475 mAh | 390 mAh |
| Fast Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistant | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Dimensions Charging Case (WxHxD) | 2.54 x 1.77 x 1.28 inches | 2.15 x 2.15 x 1.16 inches |
| Dimensions Earbuds (WxHxD) | 3.7 x 1.9 x 3.4 inches | 0.84 x 19 x 0.97 inches |
| Weight (Charging Case) | 1.4 oz | 1.4 oz |
| Weight (Per Earbud) | 0.21 oz | 0.18 oz |
Initial Impressions
When I inquired with LG as to whether the Tone Free T80 was a replacement for a previous model or a new model addition, the response was that it was a new model addition and not just a replacement for a previous model.
However, as I dug a little deeper, the Tone Free T80 shares so many features with the Tone Free T90 (from 2022, but still available), that it seems that long term it seems like a replacement.
The Tone Free T80 has a different charging case design, offers up additional tweaks to the Dolby Atmos feature, adds a bone conduction mic, a different earbud design, and supports longer playtime on a battery charge.
For the modest difference in price between the two, the T80 has all the appearances of being a replacement for the T90.
Price & Availability
The LG Tone T80 is available for purchase on LG.com for $199
Bonus: Through June 16, 2024, LG is offering up a free XBOOM Go XG5QGR portable Bluetooth speaker ($130 value) with the purchase of the T80 earbuds.
The LG Tone Free T90 is available for $129.99 at Amazon.
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