Introduction
The Nokia parent company seems to be restructuring their framework by leveraging on third party vendors to distribute quality Nokia branded earbuds. Most of these collaborations have yielded quality products with good price to match. To be honest, it is still a mystery how much the parent Nokia have influence on the products made by these manufacturers. Rich Go is one company that have been expanding their portfolios with Nokia branded accessories and for now, it all seems good.
The Nokia E1200 was one of the earliest headphones made by Rich Go which I believe was made prior to the collaboration but eventually sold with the Nokia branding. It has a modest specification and a modest price, and it wasn’t as exciting as their Pro series earbuds. Nevertheless, the device hit the right note with the consumers, leading to the development of its next iteration the Nokia E1200 ANC.
The Nokia E1200 ANC
The Nokia E1200 ANC, as the name suggests, supports Active Noise Cancellation ( ANC) and is the first Nokia branded headphones to have one. Cosmetically, it retains the same look as its predecessor. It comes in two colors, black and white. It retains the same 40mm dynamic driver, comes with a single MEMS microphone and supports Bluetooth 5.0. The E1200 ANC comes with a larger battery at 700mAh which is rated to last 50hrs of usage with ANC mode off, and 24 hours with ANC mode on. Impressive! It even comes with a complimentary 3.5mm audio cable to extend your listening time.
In terms of the built quality, it is sturdy and comfortable at the same time. The gold accent on the ear-cover complements the soft white color of my unit. It certainly feels premium and each part sits well with no loose hinges or components. The foldability allows it to be packed inside the included pouch for easy portability. The E1200 comes with buttons for direct control instead of touch panels which are a norm. In my opinion, this is not a bad choice as touch panels can be finicky. The buttons on the other hand registers inputs accurately. The ANC mode can be activated or deactivated with a single slide of the button. What’s more impressive is the inclusion of USB C port for charging as opposed to micro usb. The charging time is rated at 3 hours. But with the long battery life, you have solid listening time between your charges.
The Experience
So how does the ANC fares? The design of the headphones is essential to create immersive listening experience. The soft cushioned cups sit comfortably around the ears and cancels ambient sounds passively. Once the ANC mode is affected, it reduces wind sound. In terms of audio quality, the Nokia E1200 ANC offers adequate depth and no distortion at loud volume. The buttons registers input accurately, and it creates a straightforward solution.
The only other headphones with ANC that I have to compare with is the Sony WH-1000X M3. This device cost at least 8 times the price of the E1200 ANC, thus a direct comparison isn’t fair. However, for potential buyers out there, this will help to highlight what to expect from the Nokia headphone. The major selling points for the Sony headphones are excellent ANC, long battery life, good connectivity, and unrivalled audio quality. In essence, the ANC mode on the Sony device has greater emphasize, with a custom app to adjust the quality according to your needs. In terms on audio quality, the rich codec support on the Sony offers greater listening experience and the inclusion of ambient mode makes this a complete device.
What the Nokia E1200 ANC lacks, it makes it up with affordability and assuring built quality. While costing only a small fraction of premium ANC headphones, the experience delivered is certainly more than what its worth! For those in search of quality headphones that looks and feels premium and with a little extra, dont look further. The Nokia E1200 ANC is the right choice.
Do catch my unboxing here:
