- lightweight open-ear design
- Extremely comfortable
- Clear, balanced sound with Bose tuning
- Stable Bluetooth connection
- Strong battery life
- Bass lacks depth
- No active noise cancellation
- Companion app is Android-only
The Motorola Moto Buds Loop take a bold approach with their open-ear, jewelry-like design, blending comfort and awareness with Bose-tuned sound. They deliver strong battery life, clear calls, and all-day comfort, though bass depth and noisy-environment performance are limited by the open design.
Motorola doesn’t launch truly different earbuds very often. Most brands don’t. So when I first saw the Moto Buds Loop, I honestly thought, “Okay, this is either a gimmick… or something genuinely refreshing.”
After spending real time with them, wearing them for hours, taking calls in the city, walking, running, gaming, and just living with them day to day, I can confidently say this: the Moto Buds Loop are not trying to be like everything else — and that’s exactly their strength.
These aren’t traditional in-ear buds. They’re not stem-style either. They sit somewhere between open-ear headphones, ear jewelry, and lifestyle tech. Motorola calls them earbuds. I’d call them a statement.
Let’s break it down.
A Design You Notice — and That’s the Point
Open the box and the first thing that hits you is the charging case. It feels solid, premium, and reassuringly dense for its size, with a total weight of around 51.6 grams. The hinge is tight and confident, no wobble, no cheap flex.
On top, there’s a subtle “Sound by Bose” engraving — understated, but meaningful. Motorola’s partnership with Bose immediately sets expectations, and thankfully, this isn’t just branding fluff.
The matte finish feels excellent in the hand. Honestly, it feels more premium than some earbuds that cost the same — even slightly more refined than AirPods 3 in pure hand feel.
Open the lid and the Moto Buds Loop reveal their most distinctive trait: the loop-shaped, open-ear design. They resemble ear jewelry more than audio gear, wrapping around the cartilage of your ear like a conch piercing. It looks unusual at first, but once you put them on, it makes sense. Motorola didn’t design these to disappear visually — they’re meant to be noticed.
There are two main color options. The standard version looks clean and modern, while the Swarovski edition is unapologetically flashy. Yes, the price jump is significant, but it’s clearly aimed at people who want tech that doubles as fashion. Love it or hate it, Motorola committed to the idea.
The earbuds are rated IPX4, meaning they can handle sweat and light rain without issue. I used them during workouts and outdoor walks, and they held up perfectly.
The case is less resistant, but still protected against minor splashes. For daily life, that’s more than enough.
Comfort That Surprises You — Then Disappears
I’ll be honest: I had doubts. Open-ear designs can be hit or miss, and unusual shapes often come with compromises. That didn’t happen here.
Putting the Moto Buds Loop on takes about one second. No adjustment, no twisting, no pressure. Once they’re on, you barely feel them. And I don’t mean “they’re light” — I mean you genuinely forget they’re there. After a few hours, the only reminder is when the battery warning kicks in.
No ear fatigue. No soreness. No constant repositioning. That alone puts them ahead of many traditional earbuds, especially for long listening sessions.
They also stay in place remarkably well. I tested them while walking, sweating, and even running (against my better judgment). They didn’t slip, bounce, or need adjustment. That’s impressive for an open-ear design.
Controls: Physical Buttons Done Right
Instead of touch controls, Motorola went with a physical, clicky button. At first, muscle memory fights you — especially if you’re used to tapping earbuds. But once you adapt, it’s hard to go back.
The button feels precise and reliable. Single press for play/pause, double press to skip tracks, long press to trigger the voice assistant. Everything works consistently, even while moving. No accidental inputs, no missed commands.
You can customize these controls through the Moto Buds app, and thankfully, the app itself is refreshingly simple.
The App: Clean, Fast, and to the Point
Pairing takes seconds. I tested them with a Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the connection was instant. The Moto Buds app is Android-only, which is a shame for iPhone users, but within Android, it does exactly what it should.
Inside the app, you’ll find:
- Sound settings with EQ presets and manual tuning
- A low-latency gaming mode
- Button customization
- Device management options
No clutter. No unnecessary menus. Everything is where you expect it to be.
Sound Quality: Bose Influence, With Limits
Let’s talk about the most important part.
The Moto Buds Loop use 12mm drivers and are tuned with Bose’s “Sound by Bose” profile. And yes, it shows — mostly.
The sound is clean, balanced, and well-separated. Vocals are clear, mids are detailed, and highs stay smooth without becoming sharp or fatiguing. In a quiet environment, they sound genuinely good. Podcasts, YouTube videos, acoustic tracks, and even movies come through with impressive clarity.
The bass, however, is where opinions will split.
Bass is present, but it’s tight and dry rather than deep and rumbling. For genres like pop, rock, or electronic music with controlled low-end, it works well. But if you’re into hip-hop or bass-heavy tracks, you’ll notice the lack of depth. At maximum volume, heavy bass can even introduce slight distortion — something I didn’t experience at around 80–90% volume.
This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s a limitation of the open-ear design. You’re trading immersion for awareness — and Motorola clearly chose awareness.
Once ambient noise increases, fine audio details naturally fade. Again, that’s expected. These earbuds are designed to let the world in, not shut it out.
Call Quality: Better Than Expected
Calls were a pleasant surprise.
Each earbud has a microphone, and despite the minimal setup, voices come through clearly. I tested calls in busy city environments, and people on the other end consistently said my voice sounded clear and natural, with background noise kept under control.
Motorola’s CrystalTalk AI does some heavy lifting here. Even while moving or slightly out of breath, voice recognition remained reliable. Voice assistants also worked flawlessly — no need to repeat commands, even during a run.
Gaming and Latency
With gaming mode enabled, latency is very low. I tested them with games like Fortnite, and while there’s still a tiny delay, it’s minimal. Most people won’t notice it during casual gaming or video playback.
They’re not esports earbuds — but they’re more than good enough for everyday gaming.
Battery Life: Strong and Reliable
Motorola promises up to 8 hours of listening time per charge, with up to 40 hours total using the case.
In real-world use, those numbers hold up. I consistently got slightly over 8 hours per charge, and the case delivered multiple full recharges. Fast charging is excellent too — around 10 minutes gives you roughly 3 hours of playback.
The case charges fully in about an hour via USB-C. No wireless charging, but given the battery performance, it’s hard to complain.
Final Verdict
The Motorola Moto Buds Loop aren’t trying to replace your noise-canceling earbuds. They’re not chasing audiophile perfection either. What they offer instead is something genuinely refreshing: comfort, style, awareness, and reliability — wrapped in a design that stands out.
Yes, the bass lacks depth. Yes, open-ear designs lose detail in noisy environments. And yes, Android-only app support is disappointing. But the comfort, battery life, call quality, and overall usability more than make up for it.
At €149, they’re fairly priced for what they offer. Not for everyone — but for the right person, they’re easy to love.
Sometimes, it’s good to see tech that dares to be different. Motorola did exactly that here — and it worked.
Nick, the Co-founder of Earbuds Arena, is a seasoned freelance tech journalist with over ten years of experience covering wearables, apps, headphones, and gadgets. When he’s not immersed in the tech world, you’ll likely find him unwinding with video games, going for a run, or enjoying a game of soccer on the field.
