Skullcandy Dime 3 Review: Small, Cheap and Findable

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The Short Version

Buy it if you lose things, use two devices, or want earbuds that disappear into a pocket. Tile tracking, multipoint and a case small enough to hang from a keyring are unusual at this price.

Look elsewhere if battery or sound control matters most. The total battery is shorter than most rivals, and the three preset EQ modes are no substitute for a full equaliser.

There is no noise cancelling. At this price that is normal, but if you commute in noise, a cheap cancelling pair is the better tool.

What You Get

Built-in Tile tracking. Register the earbuds in the Tile app and you can locate them when they go missing, near or far. Most earbuds at this price have no finding feature at all, and for people who misplace small things it may be the deciding feature.

Multipoint. The Dime 3 connects to two devices at once, so it can sit paired to a laptop and a phone and move between them. Several popular rivals at this price, including the Soundcore P20i, do not offer it.

A very small case with a built-in strap. It slips into a coin pocket or clips to a bag, which is the point of the Dime line.

Three preset EQ modes: Music, Bass Boost and Podcast. Useful for switching between music and speech, but not adjustable beyond those three.

IPX4 sweat and water resistance, enough for workouts and rain.

Skullcandy's one-year US warranty, from a brand with a large US presence.

Battery

Up to 8 hours in the earbuds and 20 hours in total with the case, plus Rapid Charge for a quick top-up.

Eight hours per charge is fine for most days. The total is where the small case shows: 20 hours is noticeably less than rivals at this price. JLab's Go Air Pop+, for example, quotes 35 hours in total. If you charge the case every few days, it will not matter; if you forget, it will.

What You Give Up

Noise cancelling. None. The earbuds seal and block some sound passively.

Total battery. Smaller case, less stored charge.

A full equaliser. Three presets only. If the bass-forward default is not to your taste, a pair with a proper app EQ gives you more control.

Dime 3 or the Alternatives?

Soundcore P20i. Usually a little cheaper, with an app that properly changes the sound and a longer total battery. No multipoint and no tracking. The better choice if sound control matters more than the extras.

JLab Go Air Pop+. Similar money, with a much longer total battery and an app with EQ presets. The better choice if you forget to charge.

Choose the Dime 3 if Tile tracking, multipoint or the smallest possible case is what you want. Nothing else at this price combines all three.

For the rest of the field, see our best wireless earbuds under $50 and best wireless earbuds for small ears guides.

FAQ

Does the Skullcandy Dime 3 have Tile? Yes. Tile finding is built in. Register the earbuds in the Tile app to locate them.

Does the Dime 3 have noise cancelling? No. Isolation comes from the ear tips only.

How long does the Dime 3 battery last? Up to 8 hours in the earbuds and 20 hours in total with the case, by Skullcandy's figures.

Can the Dime 3 connect to two devices? Yes. It supports multipoint.

Is the Dime 3 waterproof? It is rated IPX4 for sweat and splashes. It should not be submerged.

Does it have an equaliser? It has three preset EQ modes: Music, Bass Boost and Podcast.

The Verdict

Our score: 7.8/10. The Dime 3 is a small, cheap pair of earbuds with two genuinely useful features most rivals lack at this price: built-in Tile tracking and multipoint. It is light, pocketable and sweat resistant, from a brand with a US warranty.

Its compromises are the total battery and the limited EQ. If you want the longest battery or the most control over the sound, the JLab Go Air Pop+ or the Soundcore P20i are better fits. If you want earbuds you can find when they go missing and use across two devices, the Dime 3 is the obvious pick.