If you're in the market for some true wireless earbuds with pedigree and you also happen to be a fan of one of the most iconic anime series of all time, this latest collaboration between Final and Dragon Ball Z is as good as a wish come true, granted by the Eternal Dragon, Shenron himself.
In recent years, Final has established itself as an uncompromising player in the premium headphone space (a quick glance over our Final Audio UX3000 review proves as much), but it clearly also has a more fun and frivolous side, as this trio of Dragon Ball Z-themed true wireless earbuds shows. And they're now wending their way to new markets – including the UK, where they retail for up to £179 (approximately $230 / AU$340).
While it's nice to know that the audio profile these earbuds will serve up is described by Final as "a well-balanced sound that combines high-resolution, clear vocals and powerful bass – perfect for watching animation," we all know that the real reason to opt for these over a pair of the company's more conventional ZE3000s (or flagship 2023-issue ZE8000s) is their iconic aesthetics. Just look at them, blending the low-poly geometry of many of Final's conventional buds with color and design elements lifted right from Dragon Ball Z's most iconic characters.
There's the Goku set, which sports the same orange and dark blue scheme lifted from Saiyan's signature gi, there's the Vegeta set, which embraces the white yellow and gold palette of the Saiyan's iconic RIT battle armor and there's the Frieza set (notably cheaper at £70) that – like the iconic villain himself – sports a decidedly different and more rounded look, along with a white and purple finish.
The effort and detail within the collaboration goes deeper though, with the charging cases for the Goku and Vegeta models styled to look just like the series' classic Attack Balls – complete with a reflective pink 'window' on the lid. The buds' respective packaging can be placed one beside the other to make a complete scene too, featuring both characters in a face off (presumably reflecting their relationship during the Saiyan saga or the start of the Frieza saga). They're undoubtedly some of the best true wireless earbuds for a collector, especially if you're one of those die-hard fans who's already shelled out for the Dragon Ball Z edition of the Realme GT Neo 3T smartphone.
What are you Saiyan?
Final has even pre-loaded each set of buds with iconic phrases from the characters, with Son Goku's (Masako Nozawa), Vegeta's (Ryo Horikawa) and Frieza's (Ryūsei Nakao) original Japanese voice actors chiming in with signature phrases such as "Final Flash" and "Kamehameha" when you take them from the case and place them in your ears.
This isn't the first time Final has served up its stand-out audio tech in the guise of a legendary anime franchise, with the EVA2020 collection embodying the color palettes and design elements of the Evangelion mechs from the series of the same name, Neon Genesis Evangelion.
As for the technical details around these Bluetooth 5.2-toting Dragon Ball 'buds, the Goku and Vegeta models promise 5.5 hours of playback on a single charge and 22 hours when factoring in the charging case, while the Frieza model clocks in at 5 hours and 20 hours, respectively.
If this isn't the franchise crossover for your next pair of true wireless buds, however, there's also these Genshin Impact earbuds to consider – not the best earbuds for sonic prowess, granted, but we cannot fault the aesthetic.
