Design & Construction

The Huawei x Gentle Monster is a fashion-forward and futuristic device that brings us closer to our goal of achieving ultimate convenience. This time, Huawei partnered South Korean luxury eyewear powerhouse to do so. On the eyewear itself, there are no buttons. However, you may double-tap anywhere on the temples of the glasses to control play/pause music, answer/end calls or bring up your phone's smart assistant. There is no possible way to skip forward/backwards or control the volume without the use of your smartphone. There are multiple styles of glasses to choose from like Jackbye, Eastmoon, Alio and Southside to complement multiple face shapes. Moving onto the case, it is white with a flap that keeps the eyewear in securely. When the glasses are docked, they will start charging wirelessly. Pairing via Bluetooth is simple and quick via the button on the case itself. The glasses lasts 2.5 hours and 8 hours in total with charges from the case. Both sides of the glasses bear the Gentle Monster logo on the outside and Huawei logo on the inside. The glasses are rather big but they rest comfortably on the nose bridge without actually feeling any extra weight which provides for a comfortable experience without slipping off. The exterior of the headphones gives off this glossy colour scheme which unfortunately picks up fingerprint smudges and facial oils quite easily. The structure is made of metal and the glasses fold in for storage. It is worth noting that the glasses are IP67 dust and water-resistant which makes them washable although it is not recommended.

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Sound Quality

The speaker drivers, unfortunately, produce a shallow and muffled sound signature to provide for a very immersive experience. Based on user experience, the music output volume was low and fails to perform in loud outdoor environment. Highs are sharp but not ear piercing. Mids come off decent and forward but the bass is nearly inexistent. There was only a little sound leakage at full volume and some high-volume distortion. Call quality was mediocre, the caller manages to hear me on the other end but the mics on the headphone do pick up my surrounding noises.

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Connectivity & Portability

The headphone supports Bluetooth Version 5.0 for clear audio transmission. The glasses' connectivity to the app is perfect as I do not experience any hiccups in Bluetooth connectivity. The glasses also come with a USB-C cable for charging,

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PROS

• Stylish Design

• Multiple Styles

• Comfortable Fit

• Bluetooth 5.0

• IP67 Dust and Water Resistance

• Hard Carry Case

• USB-C Charging

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CONS​​​

• Fingerprint-prone Surfaces

• Limited Controls for Music & Volume 

• Short Battery Life

• Shallow Sound Quality

• Low Volume Output

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The Bottom Line

The Huawei x Gentle Monster Eyewear is a great first step in bridging both fashion and technology as one. It is nowhere near perfect but still a fashion statement for all. It gives us a glimpse in the future as what we can expect soon. Multiple styles are available to fit users of different genders and face shapes.