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Honor Magic V5: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

The Honor Magic V5 is a truly impressive folding phone. It’s the thinnest booklet-style folding phone ever, with two excellent displays, a design that expertly balances ergonomics and aesthetics, and fantastic battery life. Its rear camera system stands up to some of the best folding phones, while its internal hardware is as powerful as you’d expect from a device marketed on its multitasking capabilities.

The first thing you notice about the Honor Magic V5 is just how thin it is. At just 4.1mm thick (not including the sizeable camera bump), the Magic V5 is thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and even the region-locked Oppo Find N5, only beaten by the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT (another China exclusive). It’s so thin that it’s made me ask whether folding phones should keep getting thinner – its 7.95-inch inner screen really does disappear into your hand thanks to that ultra-thin frame.

Speaking of displays, the Magic V5 sports two excellent panels. Its 6.43-inch cover screen strikes a nice balance between compact and useable, and its 20:9 aspect ratio isn’t far off that of the iPhone 17 or Samsung Galaxy S25. The inner display measures 7.95-inches, with an approximate aspect ratio of 18:19.5.

That almost-square display is one of the best I’ve used on a folding phone, and makes reading articles, watching videos, taking photos a real joy. I also can’t get over just how similar the viewing experience is between the two displays – that’s a hard thing to nail given the change in material between the glass cover screen and plastic inner display, but Honor has done an excellent job.

The winning streak continues when it comes to the Magic V5’s battery, which is huge not only for a folding phone, but for a smartphone in general. With incredible engineering and straight-up alchemy, Honor has fit a 5920mAh battery into this phone – that’s larger than the battery in any comparable folding phone, and it's even bigger than the battery in the current-gen iPad mini. Charging is fast, battery life is long.

The Honor Magic V5 is the strongest contender to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Magic V5 outclasses Samsung’s latest booklet foldable in so many ways, and where Samsung does take the lead it isn’t by much. At £1,699 the Magic V5 decisively undercuts the Z Fold 7, which starts at £1,899 – though like all other Honor phones, the Magic V5 is unfortunately unavailable in the US. That limited availability will keep it off of our lists of the best phones and best folding phones, but if you’re looking for a folding phone in the UK or Europe, the Honor Magic V5 should be a serious contender.

Honor Magic V5: Price and Specs

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Not available in the US
• Costs £1,699 in the UK (512GB of storage)
• Comes in three colors, including a unique gold option

Like all Honor phones, whether you can get the Honor Magic V5 depends on where you live. It’s not available in the US, but can be bought online or through carriers in the UK, Europe, and other regions.

In the UK, the Honor Magic V5 costs £1699.99 for the model with 512GB of storage – there are no other configurations to choose from. Honor is bundling a 66W power adapter and Magic Pen stylus in the UK – though as there is no stylus in the box, I'm not going to cover the accessory in this review.

Let’s address the elephant in the room – £1,699.99 is a lot of money for a phone. However, the Honor Magic V5 does manage to undercut its rivals quite significantly. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at £1,899.99, while the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold starts at £1,799.99 – and both come with 256GB of storage, half of what the Honor Magic V5 offers.

And when you consider the Honor Magic V5’s impressive hardware specs, class-leading thinness and design, and impressive camera system, the value for money becomes even more apparent.

As for colors, the Magic V5 comes in Black, Ivory White (an online-exclusive option) and Dawn Gold, which has an eye-catching ripple effect on the rear panel. The specs below are for the Ivory White model I tested; the other two colors are actually a little thicker, at 4.2mm unfolded and 9mm folded, and are slightly heavier at 222g.

Honor Magic V5 specs

Honor Magic V5

Dimensions (folded):

156.8 x 74.3 x 8.8 mm

Dimensions (unfolded):

156.8 x 145.9 x 4.1 mm

Weight:

217g

Main display:

7.95-inch LTPO AMOLED

2172 x 2352, 120Hz, 403ppi

Cover display::

6.43-inch LTPO OLED

2520 x 1080, 20:9, 120Hz, 404ppi

Chipset:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

RAM:

16GB

Storage:

512GB

OS:

Android 15 / MagicOS 9

Primary camera:

50MP, f1.6, 23mm

Ultrawide camera:

50MP, f/2.0, 13mm

Telephoto

64MP, f/2.5, 70mm (3x)

Cover Camera:

20MP f2.2

Inner Camera:

20MP f2.2

Battery:

5,820mAh

Charging:

66W wired, 50W wireless

Colors:

Ivory White, Black, Dawn Gold

• Value score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V5: Design

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Looks simply phenomenal, and feels built to last
• Very comfortable to use
• Large camera bump and slightly noisy hinge

The Honor Magic V5 is the best-looking phone I’ve ever reviewed. This is a truly gorgeous piece of technology, and it’s clear that maximal attention has been given to achieving as much symmetry and ergonomic balance as the folding phone form factor will allow. The Ivory White color model is also the world’s thinnest folding phone at just 4.1mm thick when opened (not counting the substantial camera module). It’s a technical wonder that has me asking whether folding phones actually need to get any thinner.

Besides thinness, I noticed that the Magic V5 goes further than its contemporaries in providing a more comfortable experience. In the past, I’ve used folding phones with sharp edges and awkward bumps that make them uncomfortable to use for long sessions. On the Magic V5, Honor has flattened and rounded all the corners around the hinge, as well as the edges of the hinge itself – the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is almost as svelte, but has much sharper edges. The outer corners of the phone are also rounded off, which makes the unit very comfortable for one-handed or unfolded use.

Functionally, that hinge works well. It feels light to open, but not loose – it takes no real effort to open but won’t wobble much when partially unfolded.

Check out those rounded corners - this is the first foldable I've used that feels actually comfortable. (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

As for construction, the Honor Magic V5 is composed of an aluminum chassis and a woven fiber rear panel that feels as solid as glass or ceramic materials used in other phones. The cover display is glass and the inner display is plastic, with raised plastic bezels housing the magnets that keep the phone snapped shut. Moreso than any other folding phone I’ve used the Honor Magic V5 lays totally flat when opened – and the crease on the inner display is so minimal that I had to remind myself to look for it when I set the phone up for the first time.

The camera housing is also superbly designed, and perfectly walks the line between subtlety and flair with its all-black coloring, textured metal ring, and octagonal bracketing. The phone also sports dual IP58 and IP59 dust and water resistance ratings – better than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 but not quite dust-sealed as the IP68-rated Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Fresh water shouldn’t be an issue, but keep it well away from fine dust, gravel, and sand.

The Honor Magic V5 is a wonder of engineering and the most comfortable folding phone I’ve ever used. I’m a large guy with a pretty big handspan, so I sometimes found it a bit difficult to get enough purchase on the phone to get it open, but I’m sure this experience varies.

However... after my test period for this review had concluded and about two months of use in total, I noticed that the inner screen protector had begun to separate from the folding display. That's not the type of thing we want to see from any folding phone, especially after such a short period of use. For now, we can't say whether this is a design flaw or just a one-off issue: we've contacted Honor directly to ask for comment and another test unit.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic V5: DisplaysImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 6.43-inch cover display
• 7.95-inch folding display
• Both display have near-identical pixel density and top out at 3000 nits

The displays on the Honor Magic V5 are wonderful. The 6.43-inch cover display is amongst the sharpest and most vibrant screens I’ve used, and the 7.95-inch inner display is bright and immersive – what’s more, the viewing experience feels very consistent when switching between the two displays, something other folding phones have struggled to achieve.

In fact, when I unfolded the phone for the first time, I had to remind myself to look for a crease in the inner screen. It’s a far cry from the view-warping creases of folding phones from even a few years ago – I also noticed that, unlike some folding phones, the Magic V5 unfolds nearly perfectly flat, which makes it even easier to get lost in the expansive inner display.

In terms of technical specs, the Honor Magic V5’s cover display sports a resolution of 1060 x 2376 pixels, with 404 pixels per inch, while the inner display has a resolution of 2172 x 2352 pixels at 403 pixels per inch. What’s more, both panels top out at an absolutely ludicrous 5000 nits of brightness. Of course, those are theoretical limits, and your actual experience won't reflect those potentially harmful levels.

Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Magic V5 offers a sharper, higher resolution inner display, but can’t quite match the resolution and pixel density of the Galaxy’s cover screen.

Of all the folding devices I’ve used, the Magic V5 feels the most frictionless when switching between the two displays. Naturally, the glass cover display is a tiny bit sharper and looks a touch clearer, but Honor has calibrated these panels such that there’s little noticeable difference in color, brightness, or detail.

If there is an issue with the Honor Magic V5’s 7.95-inch folding display, it’s the issue common to all folding phones – that being that its larger screen space isn’t always efficiently used. Videos with a typical 16:9 aspect ratio can’t fill out the almost-square panel, and games often struggle to find a suitable safe zone (particularly first person games like Call of Duty). The inner screen is wonderful to look at, and perfect for reading, scrolling, and video calls, but a proper tablet might be better for streaming the best new shows.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic V5: Cameras

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 50MP main camera
• 64MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom
• 50MP ultra-wide camera
• Twin 10MP selfie cameras

Folding phones have, until this year, had slightly weaker camera systems than their slab-phone counterparts – but times are changing. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched with a 200MP main lens, resetting expectations for the types of pictures that folding phones can produce.

The Honor Magic V5 sports three great rear cameras that come very close to producing flagship-standard images. Across a variety of shooting conditions I was able to take great photos with the Magic V5 – I was particularly impressed by how much detail the sensors captured; even noisy scenes with lots of foliage were reproduced with good definition, even if the contrast sometimes left me wanting. The image stabilization is also great all the way out to the maximum 100x digital zoom.

However, I found the post-processing could be fairly aggressive, and was often unsure of how much AI had impacted the final image, especially at long zoom ranges. That’s something to keep in mind if you prefer your photos to be a true reflection of the camera’s abilities, as there’s no way to fully disable the image processing pipeline.

The Magic V5 sports a triple-camera array housed on its rear panel, composed of a 50MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide camera, and 64MP 3x telephoto camera. This gives the phone a lot of range and flexibility for still photography – the telephoto camera in particular strikes a nice balance between reach and usability for portraits and tighter landscape shots. Photos from all three cameras are bright and vibrant without looking unrealistically colorful, though there are some more vibrant profiles to choose from.

Taking photos with the inner screen's huge viewfinder is a real joy. (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

Taking photos with the inner display is really intuitive – that 8-inch panel makes for a great viewfinder, and the unfolded frame allows the phone to rest steadily in-hand. However, I found the default camera app a little bit clunky, with some quick options (most notably aspect ratio) hidden behind an in-app menu.

The Magic V5 supports video shooting at 720p, 1080p, and 4K resolutions at either 30fps or 60fps. That large display is a boost for shooting video too, with plenty of blank space around the 16:9 frame to place your thumbs (though, for some reason, some controls are still placed over the viewfinder).

One of the only true let-downs on the Magic V5 is its pair of selfie cameras. The inner and outer displays house identical punch-hole 10MP selfie cameras that prove lacking in almost every situation. This is allayed by the rear camera selfie feature, which uses the cover display as a viewfinder, but that won’t always be the most convenient option.

Honor Magic V5: Camera samplesImage 1 of 10

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(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Cameras score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic V5: Software and AI

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Android 15 with MagicOS 9
• Honor AI and Google Gemini
• Comprehensive multitasking tools

Like other Honor phones, the Magic V5 runs MagicOS 9, an Android iteration based on Android 15. As far as Android interfaces go, MagicOS sits somewhere between the speed and looseness of OnePlus’ OxygenOS and the stiffer, more structured feel of Samsung’s OneUI. It does the job.

As you might have guessed, the Honor Magic V5’s software shines brightest when it comes to foldable-specific features – the phone has a large suite of multitasking tools that allow for split screen and multi-windowed usage.

You can use a maximum of three apps at once in split screen mode (with one partially hidden off to one side), with another open in a floating overlay. To activate split screen mode you can either drag another app up from the taskbar or hold the bar that appears at the top of the screen. You can also open a single floating window when the phone is folded.

The situations that call for this level of multitasking are honestly pretty rare, but this is still an impressive amount of flexibility that helps the Honor Magic V5 feel like more than just a really big phone. Similarly to Apple’s Stage Manager tool for iPadOS, groups of windows stay together when you swipe up to see your opened apps, and I found it pretty easy to swap between split screen, multi-window, and full-screen modes with the on-screen buttons and contextual menus. However, some software isn't optimized for the folding display; I can give a pass to Honor on third party apps, but even pre-installed Google-made apps like YouTube sometimes gave me weird UI glitches. Luckily, this isn't too common.

MagicOS has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The phone can drive an external display at up to 1080p with the Magic Desktop feature, which is similar to Samsung’s DeX environment and allows for desktop-style usage with a keyboard and mouse. Back on the touchscreen, certain apps have a pull-down tab on the homescreen icon itself, which allows you to, say, quickly glance the time in another timezone or type down a quick note.

The phone is also loaded with AI tools from both Honor and Google (via Gemini, Circle to Search etc). These are found all over the OS, from generative note writing to AI image editing, and an uncanny feature that generates short videos from still images (first seen on the Honor 400 earlier this year). I personally found that Honor has been pretty heavy handed with implementing AI, to the point that it can be harder to find basic functions. For example, to crop an image in the photo gallery, you have to select “AI Edit”, which is now the catch-all term for photo editing.

• Software and AI score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V5: Performance

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
• 16GB of RAM
• Never slow, but does heat up a bit

As is typical for high-end folding phones, the Honor Magic V5 is fully loaded with top-end internal hardware, which translates to consistently great performance across multitasking and gaming. It’s got the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a full 16GB of RAM – that’s as good as it gets for Android phones, so you won’t come up against hardware constraints. The Magic V5 also comes with 512GB of storage, so no matter which configuration you choose you’ll have plenty of space for photos, videos, and apps.

I was able to make full use of the Magic V5’s software capabilities thanks to this array of high-end silicon. I never encountered any stuttering in the UI, and loading various apps was snappy and seamless, whether in full-screen or in MagicOS 9’s multitasking modes. There’s no lag when switching between apps or in games like Call of Duty Mobile – everything just runs, which is, in fairness, what you want from a phone that costs this much.

However, all that power in such a thin frame does mean the Magic V5 gets pretty warm. It never got uncomfortably hot, but it did seem to warm up very quickly compared to flagship slab phones. This is an these common to thin phone designs, as we’ve recently seen with the iPhone Air – the Magic V5 never got uncomfortably hot, but heat can have negative effects on battery life and potential performance over time, so it's something to keep an eye on.

With that said, I reviewed the Oppo Find N5 earlier this year – another ultra-thin folding phone with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset – and didn’t notice much in the way of heat.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V5: Battery

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 5820mAh battery capacity would be impressive on a slab phone, let alone a foldable
• All-day battery life with plenty to spare
• 66W wired charging with 50W wireless charging

By some miracle of physics, the Honor Magic V5 has a 5,820mAh battery. Let’s put that into perspective – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a 4,400mAh battery, the OnePlus Open has a 4,805mAh battery, and the Honor Magic 7 – a flagship slab phone – has a 5,650mAh battery. Folding phones are typically consigned to smaller batteries due to their split construction, but the Honor Magic V5 sports cells that add up to a fractionally smaller total than a massive Pro-grade cameraphone. It’s really quite something.

This translates to excellent battery life. I’ve used a few folding phones that sport ‘all-day’ battery life, but the Honor Magic V5 gets through a full day of mixed use so effortlessly that I might not think about recharging until midway through the next day. The phone supports 66W fast wired charging with Honor’s proprietary charging kit, but as there’s no brick in the box I could only test it with third party chargers (I got up to 80% in just under an hour with a 40W brick). The handset also supports an impressive 50W power draw in wireless charging. That’s much higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and many slab phones.

I will concede that the Honor Magic V5 seems to chew through battery a bit faster than slab phones, but the phone’s low-power mode is a real lifesaver when you’re caught away from an outlet. I felt fine leaving the house in the morning with around 50% charge, knowing that this would carry me through half a day or more of mixed use very comfortably. Of the folding phones I've used, this has the best battery life for sure.

Folding phones are known to be less efficient with their battery capacities than their slab phone contemporaries, as the cell is typically split between the two halves of the phone. That the Honor Magic V5 offers such impressive battery life is testament to Honor's engineering prowess.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic V5?Honor Magic V5 score card

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

The Magic V5 isn't cheap by any means, but offers more than the competition for less money.

4 / 5

Design

The thinnest and most comfortable folding phone on the market, and beautifully built too.

5 / 5

Displays

Two beautiful and remarkably consistent displays.

5 / 5

Cameras

Three great rear cameras that get close to flagship standard. Selfie cameras are terrible.

3 / 5

Performance

Never slows down, even in the throes of multitasking. Warms up quickly.

4 / 5

Software

MagicOS 9 is loaded with multitasking and AI tools. It can be a little complicated at times, but flexibility is always welcome.

4 / 5

Battery

A larger battery than most flagship slabs keeps things moving all day. No notes.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a powerful all-in-one device

The Honor Magic V5 has enough hardware power and software flexibility to get through most everyday tasks with ease. It's a great pick for light productivity/View Deal

You want a beautiful phone

The Honor Magic V5 is the thinnest folding phone on the global market and looks absolutely gorgeous. Everything in its construction looks and feels premium.View Deal

You want a cheaper folding phone

At £1,699.99, the Honor Magic V5 costs a lot. That said, it's cheaper than the competition from Samsung and Google, and is possibly even more capable. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget

Despite the above, the Honor Magic V5 is still several hundred pounds more expensive than even the best slab phones. View Deal

You keep it simple

The Magic V5 has two screens, a suite of multitasking tools, an abundance of AI, and a total of five cameras. If you don't need loads of power, you might be better off saving some money on a simpler phone. View Deal

You want a familiar experience

The Honor Magic V5 runs MagicOS 9, which is a variant of Android, but those who value familiarity might prefer the simplicity of a Google Pixel or a phone in the well-known Samsung ecosystem. View Deal

Honor Magic V5: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

I've spent most of this review recounting the ways the Honor Magic V5 beats the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but if you're after a more familiar software experience, class-leading cameras, or Samsung DeX, you'll only get it with the latter.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review View Deal

iPhone Air

If you just want a thin, light, and powerful phone but don't think you'll use the folding display that much, the iPhone Air is the new thin and powerful handset that's got the entire tech world talking about it.

Read our iPhone Air review View Deal

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn't the thinnest or most powerful folding phone, but it is the only one on the market that offers IP68 certification (that means it's dust sealed and submersion resistant). Our phones go everywhere with us, so durability is something to seriously consider.

Read our Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review View Deal

How I tested the Honor Magic V5

I used the Honor Magic V5 for an extended review period, culminating in a week-long stint as my daily driver. I used the Magic V5 to make calls, send messages, scroll through the internet and social media, play games, take pictures, and shoot video. I made sure to balance my use between the cover screen and folding display, and found that both screens could handle most tasks very well.

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I’ve been testing the most attractive large-room air purifier you can buy right now, and it’s surprisingly good value for money.

Blueair Blue Signature: two-minute review

The Blueair Blue Signature is a furniture-inspired air purifier for extra-large rooms, available from Blueair, Amazon, and other third-party retailers.

You can purchase the Blueair Blue Signature for a list price of $449.99 / £369, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for discounts to maximize the value. I’ve not spotted any in the UK so far, but at the time of writing, US customers can get a $50 discount at Blueair, bringing the price down to an even more reasonable $399.99.

(Image credit: Future)

While the mid-gray Light model is more to my preference, the navy blue Dark model I’ve been testing does a great job of blending into the room, rather than standing out like other white plastic air purifiers often do.

Like many of Blueair’s purifiers, the Blue Signature features an easy-to-clean fabric pre-filter, which is available in a range of colors to help it blend in with your decor.

At 15.5 inches / 39.4cm in diameter, there’s plenty of room to plonk down the remote or a magazine, but as I learned from my experience, you’ll need to be mindful about placing anything that could scratch the tabletop.

The Blue Signature is satisfyingly lightweight considering its size, making it easy to unbox and set up. I found it to be a little low for my liking, but this may well be down to personal preference.

(Image credit: Future)

There are two bases that can be purchased separately, a chrome ring or some wooden legs, that’ll increase its height and enhance its furniture-style aesthetic. Their prices are a hard pill to swallow, however, at a cost of $99.99 / £99.99 and $79.99 / £79.99, respectively.

The motion-activated controls on the top of the Blue Signature are responsive and easy to use, and remote controlling the purifier is straightforward on the well-designed Blueair app.

The app contains a host of useful features, including controls, automations, settings, and color-coded air quality graphs for up to a month of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 readings.

In addition to the four fan speeds, there are three modes available. These are Auto mode, which sets the Blue Signature to purify at speed one until contamination is detected, Eco mode, which operates the same as Auto, but the purifier remains idle, and Night mode, which lowers the purifier to its lowest speed and turns off most of the lights.

There’s a useful AirSense automation that provides a quick freshen up twice a day when the Blue Signature is in Auto or Eco mode, which runs regardless of the ambient air quality, though it can be turned off if desired.

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of performance, I was very pleased with the Blue Signature’s efforts. It promptly detected and cleared the contamination caused as a result of my spraying dry shampoo from a couple of feet away, and displayed the readings in the graphs on the app.

It appears that the Blue Signature does a better job of tackling odors than other purifiers I’ve tested, as it made short work of removing the fragrance from the dry shampoo following my testing.

The Blue Signature operates satisfyingly quietly despite its power, maxing out at just 55dB at top speed, and giving readings as low as 27dB on speed one, which is quieter than a whisper.

As the brand makes some of the best air purifiers, it hasn’t come as a surprise that there’s so much to love about the Blueair Blue Signature. It has many useful features and performs well at a pleasingly low volume for the price, making it the perfect choice for larger spaces, without being conspicuous.

Blueair Blue Signature review: price & availability

• List price: $449.99 / £369
• Launch date: Mid 2025
• Available now in the US and UK

The Blueair Blue Signature has a list price of $449.99 / £369, and is available to purchase directly from Blueair or at Amazon.

This is a pretty good price considering it’s designed for large rooms, supports WiFi connectivity, and can detect and react to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, meaning it’ll jump into action whether ultra-fine or coarse particles are present.

What’s more, I’m already seeing some great deals appearing in the US, with Blueair offering a $50 off the price at the time of writing, so you can pick the Blue Signature up for just $399.99. I’m yet to spot a deal in the UK just yet, but you never know.

Blue Signature 4.0 replacement filters look a little pricey at $99.99 / £99.99 each, but Blueair states that these filters can last up to a year, and their RealTrack algorithm calculates the lifetime left on your filter based on the fan speed, usage time, and pollution levels, meaning it should offer a more accurate expiry date compared to other models.

It’s worth noting that while the all-singing-all-dancing 7-stage filter uses Blueair’s HEPASilent technology, it’s not a true HEPA filter, though Blueair has insisted that their filters are actually more effective and operate at lower volumes.

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Blueair Blue Signature without any accessories, but there’s the option of two different stand formats if you want to make it look more like a piece of furniture.

These don’t come cheap, however, with the wooden legs, referred to as the Leg Base in Wood, costing $79.99 / £79.99, and the Ring Base in Chrome costing an eye-watering $99.99 / £99.99. As nice an addition as these would make, I must admit that I consider these grossly overpriced, which is a shame, as they would greatly improve the aesthetic.

Accessories aside, considering the Blue Signature’s reliable performance, easy filter replacement, and simple controls, this Blueair purifier offers plenty of bang for your buck, even at the full list price, making it well worth your consideration.

• Value score: 4.5 out of 5

Blueair Blue Signature review: specs

Type

Air purifier table

Fan speeds

1-4

CADR (Clean air delivery rate)

Pollen 450 cfm

Dust 434 cfm

Smoke 455 cfm

Air changes per hour (ACH)

4.8

Filter

Multi-layered HEPASilent filter with activated carbon

Particle sizes detected

PM1, PM2.5, PM10

Dimensions

15.5 x 15.5 x 17.2 inches / 39.4 x 39.4 43.7cm

Weight

13.2lb / 6kg

Control

Touch controls / App

Timer

Yes

Additional modes

Auto, Night, Eco

Extra features

Tabletop, machine-washable pre-filters

Blueair Blue Signature review: design and features

• Pleasantly lightweight for the size
• Four fan speeds, three purifying modes
• The material of the tabletop surface could be better

The furniture-inspired design of the Blueair Blue Signature makes it pleasingly subtle for an extra-large room air purifier.

The Blue Signature comes in a choice of Light and Dark models, the former being a mid-gray color, and the latter being a navy blue, which is the model I’ve tested.

Both models come with a color-coordinated machine-washable pre-filter, a Nordic Fog with the Light, and a Midnight for the dark. At the time of writing, the Blue Signature Light model doesn’t appear to be available at Blueair in the UK, but it can be purchased from Amazon.

If you feel like mixing things up, there are four other pre-filter colors to choose from, which include a couple of neutral colors, a blue, and a green. Each pre-filter has a list price of $24.99 / £24.99, so it’s not too much of an outlay if you want to change up the color, or have a spare to put on while the other is in the wash.

(Image credit: Future)

Although rather large, at 15.5 inches / 39.4cm in diameter, the Blue Signature is surprisingly easy to maneuver, as it weighs only 13.2lb / 6kg, and I could use the gap between the pre-filter and the top section to carry it about.

The Blue Signature’s 17.2 inches / 43.7cm height might prove a little low to use as a side table for some, but it’s not inconveniently short. The wooden legs would definitely prove beneficial here, but I think I’d rather prop it up on something than pay that price for the four-legged base.

The smooth matte plastic on the top of the air purifier makes it look like what it is, the top of an appliance, rather than an item of furniture. I would have liked to have seen a slightly more premium finish, but it offers plenty of surface area for placing mugs, books, and remote controls.

Speaking of controls, the touch controls on the top of the Blue Signature are pretty nifty, as the motion-activation means they disappear along with the display. They’re pleasingly simple to use, and include buttons for power, Auto mode, night mode, a display lock, and cycling through the four fan speeds. It’s quick and easy to change the settings on the app, too, so I could switch modes without needing to move out of my comfy spot on the sofa.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s a steady blue light under the top surface of the air purifier when the air quality is rated as excellent. It changes color depending on the level of contamination, and is automatically dimmed when the Blue Signature is put into Night mode.

When Auto mode is enabled, the Blue Signature fan runs at speed one consistently, increasing the speed to suit whenever the Blue Signature detects PM1, PM2.5, or PM10 contamination.

I appreciate that the air purifier continues to purify at a low speed despite the air quality registering at a good level, as many air purifiers simply idle on Auto mode, so they fail to react and purify the surrounding air of contaminants they aren’t capable of detecting, such as VOCs.

Lastly, there’s an Eco mode, which works much the same as Auto mode, except it sits dormant until contamination is detected, thereby conserving energy.

• Design & features score: 4.5 out of 5

Blueair Blue Signature review: app

• Quick and easy device syncing
• Simple and straightforward interface
• Provides access to air quality graphs, settings, and automations

Adding a new device can be a headache in some cases, but as the Blueair app detected the Blue Signature straight away, I simply needed to select it and follow the instructions to connect it to my WiFi, which it did with no issues.

The Blueair app is simple to navigate, and the settings are easy to access and adjust on the dashboard for the Blue Signature. For day-to-day control, there’s a simple slider to amend the fan speed, buttons to enable each of the three modes, and the display lock function.

(Image credit: Blueair / Future)

There’s a useful feature linked to the Auto and Eco modes called AirSense, which means that my air purifier would stir into action for ten minutes at 10am and 6pm every day, though it can run for as long as twenty-five minutes if the air quality is a little lower.

This is particularly helpful if you plan to keep your air purifier set to Eco mode, as the air will still get a little freshen up twice a day. If you’d rather it didn’t embark on these mini cleaning sprees, it’s easy to turn off in the device settings.

There’s also a schedule feature, which can be used to set the air purifier to power on in a chosen mode at set times on your choice of days, before turning off at an allotted time.

(Image credit: Future)

Another nifty automation is the Welcome Home feature, which powers on the Blue Signature when you’re approximately fifteen minutes away from home, based on your location and specified transport method.

A color-coded graph makes it easy to review the collected air quality data on the Blueair app. There’s a different graph for PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, with the option to view the readings over the course of a day, week, or month.

Overall, the app provides all the essentials in an easy-to-navigate interface, and all functions appeared responsive, bar the few moments it can take for the graph to update and reflect the real-time air quality readings.

• App score: 4.5 out of 5

Blueair Blue Signature review: performance

• Quick and easy setup
• Prompt detection and contamination clearing
• The dark tabletop appears to scratch easily

Getting the Blueair Blue Signature setup was a quick and simple process, as it was just a case of plugging it in and setting it up on the Blueair app.

I didn’t feel quite as comfortable using the Blue Signature as a side table as I did with the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table, as it felt a bit wrong putting things down directly on top of an air purifier, and the material looks like it’d mark and scratch easily.

While the dark blue table top collected fingerprints easily, they wiped off without much effort. This was a relief, as some darker-colored matte surfaces can prove notoriously difficult to remove fingerprints from.

(Image credit: Future)

Sadly, it got a bit scratched not long into my testing. Presumably, this was from me balancing the plug on it as I pulled it out of the box, though it was only the plastic part of the plug in contact with the surface, which is a concern considering it’s meant to be used as a tabletop.

These scratches were only really visible when caught in the light however, and likely more noticeable due to the dark coloring of the plastic. Either way, I’d definitely recommend enforcing the coaster rule in your house if you plan to use it as a table.

(Image credit: Future)

All of the modes worked as expected. Night mode reduced the fan to its lowest speed and extinguished the indicator light, the display, and most of the touch controls, though curiously, the Night mode and power button remain illuminated.

In terms of purifying performance, I was pleased to find that the Blue Signature only took around sixteen seconds to detect the dry shampoo I’d sprayed around two feet away.

After detecting the contamination, the air quality rating was updated to “very polluted”, and so the Blue Signature ramped up the fan speed. The air quality returned to “good” levels around twenty seconds from detection, and was back to “excellent” after a further minute, at which point the fan speed was reduced back to its lowest setting.

(Image credit: Future)

The Blue Signature appeared to clear odors better than other air purifiers I’ve tested. While the strong smell of the dry shampoo usually lingers long after the air purifier I’m testing has dealt with the particulate contamination, it was cleared fairly quickly by the Blue Signature.

This may well be down to the fact that the Blue Signature runs at its lowest fan speed in Auto mode, rather than simply idling, meaning it could prove a good option if reducing ambient odors is on your list of priorities.

I was impressed by the Blue Signature’s low volume too, finding that it operated quieter overall than the majority of the air purifiers I’ve tested to date. The loudest reading I recorded was 55dB when it was running at top speed, making it no louder than a conversation, and it operated at just 27dB on fan speed one, which is quieter than a whisper.

(Image credit: Future)

While the tabletop may leave a little to be desired, all in all, the Blueair Blue Signature performed really well. Its capacity to purify an extra-large room's worth of air, in-app features, quick detection, and contamination tackling make this a great air purifier for the price, and, ignoring my personal preferences on its suitability as a table, it looks a whole lot more attractive than any large-scale air purifier I’ve come across to date.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Blueair Blue Signature?

Section

Notes

Score

Value for money

The Blue Signature offers great performance, an attractive design, and a pleasant user experience for the price. I just wish it wasn’t so expensive to buy the base accessories to complete the look.

4.5/5

Design & Features

This furniture-inspired air purifier manages to stand out from the crowd without disrupting the decor. It’s easy to use, pleasingly lightweight, and has a large surface area for placing items.

4.5/5

App

The Blueair app makes it super simple to operate the Blue Signature. Its interface is attractive and easy to understand, making it easy to access the features and air quality graphs.

4.5/5

Performance

The Blue Signature reacted quickly during testing and made quick work of clearing the contamination. It also did a better job of clearing the strong fragrance of the dry shampoo than other air purifiers I’ve tested.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You don’t want a typical-looking air purifier
With a choice of fabric colors and optional bases, this air purifier is your best bet if you’re looking for something that’ll look more like a piece of furniture than an appliance.

You want constant purification
Many air purifiers simply idle quietly in the background when the air quality is considered good based on what they can detect. It’s nice to have the option of constant purifying here, especially as it seems to aid in odor removal.

You appreciate nifty automations
The Blue Signature offers some useful automations, including scheduling, powering on when you’re 15 minutes from home, and twice-daily ramped up purifying with AirSense.

Don't buy it if...

You want VOC detection
While the Blueair does a great job of detecting particulates, it doesn't register the presence of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), like some more premium options do. However, the good news is that the filter is still capable of filtering them, which is another reason why the consistent purifying in Auto mode is beneficial.

You don’t like lingering lights
Although not glaringly bright, it’s a shame the power and Night mode icons aren’t extinguished when said mode is triggered. This may only be a minor niggle for some, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you can’t stand any light at bedtime.

You don’t want to pay a premium for a pretty base
The Blue Signature looks good as-is, but the furniture aesthetic would be nicely enhanced when teamed with one of the bases on offer. I just wish that these extras weren’t so eye-wateringly expensive.

Blueair Blue Signature review: Also consider

Blueair Blue Signature

SwitchBot Air Purifier Table

Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09

Type

Air purifier table

Air purifier table

Purifying tower fan

Price

$449.99 / £369

$269.99 / £299.99

$749.99 / £549.99

Fan speeds

4

3

10

Modes

Auto, Eco, Night

Auto, Sleep, Pet

Auto, Night mode, Diffused mode

Filter

Pre-filter, 7-stage HEPASilent with activated carbon

Pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon

HEPA H13 and activated carbon

App support

Yes

Yes

Yes

Dimensions

15.5 x 15.5 x 17.2 inches / 39.4 x 39.4 43.7cm

11.4 x 11.4 x 16.5 inches / 29 x 29 x 42cm

8.7 x 8.7 x 41.3 inches / 22 x 22 x 105cm

Weight

13.2lb / 6kg

10.7lb / 4.9kg

10.4 lbs / 4.7kg

SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
If you love the idea of a multi-functional air purifier but haven’t got the budget spare for the Blue Signature, then this SwitchBot alternative might be for you. Its wood-effect tabletop offers plenty of space for a mug and remote, and comes with the bonus of an integrated wireless phone charger. It only detects and reacts to PM2.5 or smaller, but it operates just as quietly as the Blueair, and makes for a great lower-cost alternative. If you’d like to learn more, have a read of my full SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review.

Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09
This Dyson air purifier requires a lot more investment, but it’s a fantastic choice if you want to get a clearer view of your air quality data. I love the attractive gold and white coloring, and can’t help but be impressed by its ability to detect and react to more than the standard PM contaminants, namely, VOCs, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide. And, while it can’t be used as a table, it does operate as a bladeless fan. To find out more about this 4.5-star rated purifier, check out my full Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 review.

How I tested the Blueair Blue Signature

• I tested the Blueair Blue Signature over a few weeks
• I explored the Blueair app and tested the modes and features
• I tested the purifier's detection and reaction speeds

After assembling the Blueair Blue Signature and syncing it to the Blueair app, I tried out the onboard touch controls and app-based controls before having a good explore of the different settings and features.

Along with using the Blueair Blue Signature passively in my home, I also conducted our standard testing procedure of spraying dry shampoo from around two feet away to assess its performance. I then assessed the air quality readings on the app to ensure they were aligned.

I measured the sound levels emitted from different fan speeds and modes, and compared these readings to the measurements I’ve taken from other air purifiers.

• First reviewed: October 2025
• Read TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee

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The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active are designed especially for working out and have some neat features, but they are hampered by a poor fit.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active: Two-minute review

Gym-goers or athletes who also care about their music quality surely know how few over-ear headphones are designed specifically for fitness; our list of the best workout headphones doesn’t have a single pair and my own fondness for them is tempered by just how rare they are. Most buyers instead have to buy workout earbuds, or repurpose normal over-ear headphones for their workout needs (and get very warm ears).

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active are a welcome addition to the anemic market segment, coming with a few features and design considerations which make them a step above rivals… though there are some curious deficiencies too.

You’d think US-based audio company Skullcandy would be a prime fit for workout headphones, due to its emphasis on bassy products and funky designs, and it is – its website has an entire section dedicated to ‘Gym & Workout Headphones’. But those are, like most companies’ offerings, just headphones that can be used to exercise. The Crusher 540 Active is different, as it’s designed intently for that purpose.

The ‘Crusher’ in the name points to one of the cans’ best features and the selling point for every member of this line. The 540 Active has a bass slider which can increase the bass from ‘normal’ to ‘quite bassy’ to ‘my head is shaking’, boosting the low end in an ill-tuned but energetic way. If you’re a gym user who loves bass-heavy thumping audio to help you push yourself to the max, this is a fantastic addition.

Dedicated Skullcandy fans might scroll down and notice that the Crusher 540 Active sounds startlingly similar to another pair of cans from the company called the Crusher Evo, and they cost exactly the same in most regions. I too was baffled by how similar these cans are and apparently fans were too, prompting Skullcandy to write a Reddit post detailing the differences.

The differences lie in a few design considerations: the soft pads can be removed and easily washed, perfect for people who get sweaty at the gym, and the band was designed to have a tighter clamp fit. This latter point, unfortunately, doesn’t have a noticeable effect, and the 540 Active frequently fell off my head at the gym when I was lying down. This could be a deal-breaker for some people, depending on your workout routine.

Audio-wise, you’re getting what you pay for; these headphones sound good but not quite great. However, the app offers perhaps the best personal audio test I’ve used in headphones so far, and the ability to crank the bass to 11 would make a nuanced audio design moot anyway.

I’ve mentioned a few features that I like so far, and they’re definitely the highlights of the Skullcandy, but beyond the bass and personal audio modes there’s a noticeable lack of extra features. I was surprised when first looking at the app to see how few tools were offered – but perhaps it’s best that you don’t use the app much, given the connection problems I had (more on these later).

You’re probably still wondering if I recommend the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active as workout headphones, and after testing them for several weeks, I’m not too sure either. They were great for running, great for workouts where I stayed upright, and good for general listening. But I found myself pre-emptively removing them during my gym sessions when I had to do a prone exercise, due to the fit – so you’ll have to ask yourself what your fitness life looks like and whether you need to do such workouts, before buying them.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released in summer 2025
• Costs $209.99 / £169.99 / AU$349.99
• Few similar rivals

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active were released in summer 2025, and you can pick them up for $209.99 / £169.99 / AU$349.99.

At that price they match the Crusher Evo and aren’t too far off other over-ears from the brand, slightly cheaper than the Crusher ANC 2 and more than the Hesh 540 ANC, so they’re a mid-range pick within Skullcandy's oeuvre.

Here’s where I’d normally compare the headphones to other options on the market going for the same thing, but the over-ear workout headphone market is so slim that there aren’t really any bespoke options to speak of.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Specs

Drivers

40mm

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life (ANC off)

40 hours

Weight

312g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0

Waterproofing

NA

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Bass slider for extra... bass
• 40 hours of battery
• Useful sound personalization

It might offend some that I’m going to discuss the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active’s titular feature in this section rather than the ‘sound quality’ one, but at the end of the day the crushing bass is more of a novelty and a boost mode than it is a genuine way of refining your music.

I’m talking about the slider on the Active’s left cup, my allusion to which in the ‘design’ section may have raised eyebrows (if you didn’t read the introduction and haven’t seen any of Skullcandy’s Crusher headphones before).

This slider lets you control how bassy your music is, with the lowest setting matching other workout headphones and the highest one literally making the cans shake on your head. I was blown away by just how bassy music can get if you pick the right track and turn the mode to full; it felt like walking into a sticky nightclub from one of London’s late-night streets.

Audiophiles won’t like this mode, as this boosted bass is somewhat formless and unreliable in what it augments, but I found it infectiously fun to play around with nonetheless. There’s an inescapable novelty to having your head literally shake as you listen to ridiculously-amplified house or hip-hop. Some music just isn’t affected by the boost though, especially acoustic and classical tracks, but it was great fun to see just how the Crusher 540 would affect a song.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s no ANC here to cut out the chaos of a gym, but I found the earcup cushions were pretty good at blocking out a lot of noise passively anyway.

The battery life clocks in at 40 hours according to Skullcandy, which is, roughly speaking, an average figure for over-ear headphones, but given the lack of active noise cancellation it might come off a bit low.

On your phone or tablet, the Skullcandy app gets you some extra tools (not the Skull-IQ app which I’ve used for the brand’s earbuds, as that won’t work – judging by Play Store reviews, lots of people have made the same mistake as I). I had a few connection problems wherein the app wouldn’t pick up the paired headphones, but usually hard-closing and reopening it fixed the issue.

The app offers you a Personal Sound listening test to apply an automatic EQ to your music, and it’s one of the simplest and easiest examples of this test that I’ve ever used, as you’re simply prompted to select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether you can hear a series of beeping tones played. Its analysis of my hearing also matched what other tests have told me, so it seems fairly accurate.

You can also use the app to switch between three standard EQ presets: music, podcast (which boosts treble but strips bass) and movie which reduced treble slightly. There’s no custom EQ for you to make your own mix, so audiophiles will have to rely on SkullCandy’s judgements.

Various EQ modes are the only features you get from the app, so if you were hoping for a smorgasbord of extra tools, you’ll be disappointed.

• Features score: 3.5/5

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Plenty of buttons on cups
• Doesn't clamp onto head strong enough
• Cups are removable for cleaning

On the surface, the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active might just look like your standard over-ear headphones, but the devil’s in the detail.

Just look at the cups, for one example of that – they’re loaded with far more buttons and dials than you’d usually see. The left cup has the USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm jack, the aforementioned bass slider and a surprisingly-small power button while the right cup has volume up, play/pause and volume down. Neat touches like slightly-different-feeling buttons ensure it’s easy to work out via touch what you’re reaching for.

The design changes continue to the material, with intentional picks for the gym-going intended buyer. According to Skullcandy, the foam cups have a coating to protect them against sweat, and can be easily removed and cleaned if you do get them mucky – I found them really simple to remove although reattaching them was a lot more fiddly. The band is designed to avoid grime as much as possible.

(Image credit: Future)

Thanks to the breathable material, and the cans’ light body, I found the headphones comfortable to use, even if I was exercising and sweating. The brand deems the cups ‘Sweat & Water Resistant’ although I couldn’t find an official IP rating anywhere.

Skullcandy’s also using a tech here which it calls Clamp Force Secure Fit, designed to give the cans a rigid fit so they’ll stay on your head when you’re working out, but while that’s great in theory it didn’t work in practice. The headphones would regularly slip off my head when I was prone, which is quite frequent depending on my workout routine, and I found myself taking them off every time I needed to lie forward or backward. That’s not exactly ideal for gym use, although I didn’t face the problem when staying upright or running.

A neat (though small) design trait is that you can fold the cups in on the body to make the headphones more portable – I wish more brands would let you do this.

You can buy the Crusher 540 Active in black, white or pink, which is a much more slender list of offerings than Skullcandy’s other Crushers (the ANC 2 has 10 options listed on the brand’s site, while the Evo has six).

• Design score: 3.5/5

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Sound quality

• 40mm drivers per cup
• Scooping bass, especially with slider
• Vocals lack some sparkle

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve already mentioned that the bass slider lets you turn the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active into a head-worn sub-woofer, but for the purposes of this section let’s imagine I’ve got the slider set to its lowest setting.

Even when bass is stripped out like this, it’s still a prominent part of the sound mix – these are workout headphones after all, and ones made by Skullcandy no less, so scooping bass is part and parcel of what you’re paying for. The mids benefit from this to an extent too, though there were a few times in my testing when I found vocals lacking the power and sparkle that some other headphones lend to treble.

As you can probably expect from the price, you’re not getting the most crystal-clear audio quality or nuanced sound stage, and I did hear some distortion on certain songs. But those all reflect the changed priority values that gym-going or jogging users will want, and I wasn’t disappointed at all when listing.

Skullcandy says that both cans have 40mm drivers in them, which is the same as the Crusher Evo. Having heard the 540 Active and understanding how they tick all the workout-headphone boxes, the company’s confirmation that these are the Evos but tweaked for exercise users, makes total sense.

• Sound quality: 3.5/5

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Paying for novel features...
• ... which won't be for everyone

At $209.99 / £169.99 / AU$349.99, the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active aren’t the cheapest over-ear headphones in the world (although they’re certainly not premium models). That price isn’t going to the workout features – the Evo costs the same amount – and as I’ve already discussed, these didn’t always tick the boxes as workout headphones anyway.

What you’re actually paying for is the novel bass feature, which is what separates the Crusher 540 Active from other headphones you might be considering. And if this feature sounds great, then the price is certainly justified.

However if you don’t think you’ll make good use of the bass slider, or think the novelty will wear off quickly, there are other over-ears to pick up which are cheaper – and may perform just as well, or better, for a workout.

• Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active?Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The bass slider and listening test are great, though more features would have been appreciated.

3.5/5

Design

The loose grip hurts the suitability for workouts, but otherwise the design is fine.

3.5/5

Sound quality

While the sound quality is just decent, it's exactly what exercise-minded buyers will want.

3.5/5

Value

If you're buying the Skullcandy for the extra features, it's decent value, but other buyers will be paying unnecessarily more.

3.5/5

Buy them if…

You’re a huge bass-head
Some people stopped reading this review when I mentioned a bass slider which gets your head literally shaking. I probably don’t need to tell you to buy Crushers if that sounds like a fantastic selling point to you.

You sweat a lot
The easily-removable and cleanable ear pads will be great news to people who sweat a lot, as you’ll be able to easily freshen up your cans.

You’re not great at tweaking EQ settings
No equalizer here, but the personal audio mode will help you find your perfect audio mix without you faffing over buttons and sliders.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You’ll need to lie down with them
Wearing these rules out sit-ups, press-ups, bridges, skull crushers, and more – if your workout routine relies on these, then maybe earbuds are best.

You’re not interested in fitness
Well done for reading a whole fitness headphone review without wanting headphones for this purpose, but some of the unique features here will only benefit people doing a workout.

You want funky-looking cans
Skullcandy specializes in funkily-colored or -designed headphones, but the 540 Active are some of its few options that don’t come in all sorts of patterns and hues.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active review: Also consider

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active

SkullCandy Crusher Evo

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

Earfun Wave Pro

Drivers

40mm

40mm

6mm

40mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

Yes

Yes

Battery life

40 hours

40 hours

14 hours (buds) 56 hours (case)

80 hours

Weight

312g

312g

5g (buds); 47.5g (case)

268g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.3

Waterproofing

NA

NA

IP68

NA

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2
The Jabra Elite 8 Gen 2 cost more than the Skullcandys and are in-ears instead of over-ears, but sound great and offer top noise cancellation. I include them here as we rank them as our best workout earbuds.

See our full Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review

Earfun Wave Pro
When I tested these older earbuds, I took them to the gym a few times and they worked fine. They have memory foam cups which won’t be damaged as much by sweat, have a fantastic battery life so you can forget charging them much, and sound really good for the price. Most importantly, they’re quite cheap.

See our full Earfun Wave Pro review

How I tested the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active

• Tested for at least three weeks
• Tested at home, on runs and at the gym

I spent at least three weeks testing the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active before writing this review. They were paired to my Android phone for the entirety of it, using Spotify, Netflix and a few other apps.

I did a lot of the testing at my local gym and on runs around my local area, as I've mentioned. I also listened at home, on public transport and on walks too.

This isn't my first Skullcandy review for TechRadar although I didn't test the original Evo. I've been reviewing devices for the brand for six years now including in-ear, open-ear and on-ear headphones.

• First reviewed in October 2025

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee