Dell Pro Plus Earbuds have been launched in India at Rs. 18,699, and it does not take long to figure out what they are aiming for. These true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones come with 11.6mm drivers, adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), AI-backed noise-cancelling microphones with a dedicated Voice Processing Unit (VPU), and support for multipoint connectivity. You also get a USB Type-C wireless receiver in the box, which is not something you usually see with TWS earbuds.
On paper, these feel less like everyday audio wearables and more like something built with work in mind. Dell is clearly targeting hybrid setups, long calls, and people who are constantly juggling between devices. The question is, does that focus make them less enjoyable for everything else? I used the earbuds across calls, commutes, cafe runs, and quieter evenings at home to get a better sense of how they hold up.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds Design and Features: Understated and Practical
- Size and weight – ~6g (each bud), ~50g (case)
- Water resistance – IP54 (buds only)
- Form factor – In-ear, stem design
The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds follow a familiar in-ear design with short stems and silicone ear tips. You get four sizes in the box, XS, S, M, and L, and the default medium tips worked well for me. The fit feels secure without being intrusive, and more importantly, remains comfortable over long stretches. That becomes important pretty quickly. These are not earbuds you reach for just to listen to a couple of songs. They are meant to stay in your ears for hours. I wore them through several calls, long writing sessions, and even while pacing around during calls, and never really felt the need to take them off.
The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds feel light and comfortable for long hours
The design is minimal and fairly understated, with no flashy elements or bold finishes. The stems handle the touch controls, and like most such systems, they take a little getting used to. There is a subtle, recessed strip along the stem that marks the touch-sensitive area, making it easier to find by feel without looking.
The case follows the same approach and is compact enough to slip into a pocket without much thought. Around it, everything is laid out in a way that just makes sense. There is a small pairing button at the back that you press and hold when connecting to a new device. The USB Type-C port sits at the bottom for charging, while an indicator light on the front shows battery and pairing status through simple glows and blinks.
Dell has also tucked the USB Type-C wireless receiver neatly inside the case, in a dedicated slot under the lid. It sits securely in place and is easy to pull out when needed, so you are less likely to misplace it while carrying the earbuds.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds App and Specifications: Built for Utility
- Driver – 11.6mm dynamic driver
- ANC – Adaptive
- Bluetooth – 5.3
- Multipoint – Yes (2 active devices, up to 8 paired)
- App – Dell Audio
The Dell Audio app keeps things simple, which works in its favour. It is not trying to overwhelm you with options, but it still covers everything you are likely to need. The home screen shows battery levels for both earbuds and the case, along with quick access to noise control and connection status, so you are not hunting around for basic information.
App offers useful controls for calls, audio, and device settings
Under Audio Modes, call and media settings are separated, and the Collaboration mode lets you toggle mic noise cancellation and sidetone, even adjusting how much of your own voice you hear. It sounds niche, but it genuinely helps during longer calls. For music, you get a handful of presets like Bass Boost, Speech Boost, and Treble Boost, along with a custom equaliser if you want to tweak things further. It is not the most detailed EQ setup out there, but it is easy to use and does the job.
You can also customise the touch controls on each earbud. Double-press, triple-press, and press-and-hold gestures can be reassigned, although the default setup already feels sensible enough that I did not feel the need to change much.
The In-ear detection feature works as expected, pausing music when you take an earbud out and resuming when you put it back in. There is also an option to automatically mute the microphone if you remove an earbud during a call, which feels genuinely useful. You can even set it to answer calls when you put the earbuds back in, though that felt more like something you would either love or immediately turn off.
What stands out more than the app itself, though, is how everything ties into the broader experience. Multipoint connectivity also works smoothly. I had the earbuds connected to both my phone and laptop, and switching between them felt effortless. A phone call would take over even if I was in the middle of something on my laptop, and once it ended, everything went back to normal without any manual intervention.
Case stores earbuds and USB receiver securely with a clean, understated look
The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds have been marketed as the first to receive Microsoft Teams Open Office Certification, aimed at use in shared or noisy work environments. In practice, the integration with Teams is smooth, especially with the USB receiver, but it is more about reliability than extra features. In use, it mostly comes down to the basics, with standard call controls like answering, muting, and adjusting volume, rather than any dedicated Teams-specific shortcuts.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds Performance and Battery Life: Calls Take Centre Stage
- ANC – Adaptive
- Battery – 66mAh (each bud), 500mAh (case)
- Charging – USB Type-C and wireless
Before getting into performance, it is worth noting that, for me, testing call quality is not as straightforward as testing music. Most of our team falls into the millennial (and zillennial) bracket, and true to stereotype, we tend to avoid phone calls when we can. Messages, emails, maybe even a pigeon someday, pretty much anything else comes first.
Because of that, I had to go out of my way to properly test these. Most of my time was spent on Microsoft Teams calls, which involved convincing and occasionally begging a coworker (shoutout to Nithya) to join in so the testing felt realistic. I also made a few calls to friends outside work (strictly after work hours), including some while walking on busy roads, sitting in cafes, and occasionally at home.
And this is where the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds begin to stand out. On paper, Microsoft Teams certification promises better reliability and integration, while AI noise cancellation focuses on voice clarity; both are features most premium earbuds already claim. In practice, the difference shows up in smaller, more specific moments, the kind you notice only if you spend a good part of your day on calls.
Stems feature a recessed touch area for easier control
The first thing I noticed was consistency. With most earbuds, there is often a bit of guesswork at the start of a call. Here, especially with the USB receiver, calls connect quickly and stay stable without any fuss. Then there is how your voice comes through. In a typical workday, there is always some background noise, a fan, distant conversations, and keyboard clatter. With most earbuds, some of that comes through. Here, the focus stays more on your voice.
I tested this in a cafe once, more out of curiosity than necessity, and while the background noise did not disappear entirely, it stayed in the background where it belonged. The person on the other end could hear me clearly without asking me to repeat myself.
Another thing I noticed was how stable longer calls felt. There were fewer dropouts or random shifts between devices, which makes a difference if you are switching between a laptop and a phone throughout the day. That said, it is not a dramatic change, just a smoother, more reliable experience. You are less likely to fiddle with settings or apologise for background noise, which quietly matters in a work setting.
The adaptive ANC does a decent job for everyday use. It tones down background hums like fans, AC units, and general chatter, but does not completely block everything out. This is not the kind of deep isolation you get from Sony or Bose. That said, for work environments, it is more than enough. It reduces distractions without making you feel cut off from your surroundings. Transparency mode is also handy when you need to stay aware, such as when listening for your name or an announcement.
The pairing button sits neatly at the back of the case
Sound quality is where the compromise becomes clearer with the Dell Pro Plus Earbuds. The audio is clean and balanced, which works well for calls, podcasts, and casual listening, but it lacks the depth and energy you would expect if music is your priority. The bass is present but restrained, and the overall tuning feels safe rather than engaging.
During work hours, this was not much of an issue. I could play music in the background and stay focused. But when I switched to actively listening, things felt a bit flat. These are earbuds you use while working, not ones you reach for when you want to sit back and enjoy music.
Dell claims up to eight hours of playback on the earbuds with ANC on, and up to 33 hours with the case. In my usage, the earbuds lasted close to a full workday, just under seven hours with a mix of calls and some background music. With the case, I was comfortably getting a little over a day’s worth of use before needing to plug them in. Fast charging also came in handy a few times. A hurried 15-minute top-up before heading out was enough to get me through a couple of hours of calls without thinking about it.
Dell Pro Plus Earbuds Verdict
The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds, priced in India at Rs. 18,699, are not trying to do everything, and that is what makes them interesting. They are clearly built with a specific use case in mind—calls, meetings, switching between devices, and long hours of use. In that context, they work really well. You get excellent call quality, reliable connectivity, and a consistently predictable experience.
Silicone tips ensure a snug and secure in-ear fit
That focus does come with trade-offs. The sound quality gets the job done, but does not stand out. The ANC helps in everyday use, but does not match the best in the segment. And as an all-rounder for entertainment, they fall short of others in this price range. If your priority is productivity and your day revolves around calls and meetings, these earbuds make a strong case.
If you are looking for something that can double as your primary music companion, you might want to explore other options in this price range. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which is currently available in the country for under Rs. 17,000, is a good option with excellent sound quality and longer battery life. You can also opt for the JBL Tour Pro 3 (Review), which presently costs Rs. 19,999, and enjoy a 1.57-inch LCD screen on the case, good audio performance and longer battery life.