Beoplay E8 Truly Wireless 2018 Review: Real User Experience After 3 Months

When I bought the Beoplay E8 Truly Wireless 2018, I wasn’t looking for the cheapest true wireless earbuds on the market. I wanted something that felt premium, sounded refined, and fit naturally into daily life without making too many compromises. After using them for three months in a mix of situations—commuting, working from home, walking around town, taking calls, and listening late at night—I came away with pretty mixed but honest feelings. There’s a lot here that I genuinely liked, especially the sound signature, the design, and the sense that I was using a product made with more care than the average plastic earbud. But I also ran into enough annoyances that I can’t pretend these are easy to recommend to everyone.

In my experience, the Beoplay E8 2018 are the kind of earbuds that make a strong first impression and then slowly reveal both their charm and their flaws over time. I was impressed within the first few days by how elegant the charging case felt and how mature the tuning sounded with acoustic music, vocals, and jazz. At the same time, after testing them more heavily over a longer stretch, I noticed recurring issues with connection stability, battery expectations, and overall convenience compared with newer true wireless options. This review is based on what it was actually like to own them, not just unbox them and listen for an hour.

My First Impressions and Why I Bought Them

I bought the Beoplay E8 2018 because I liked the idea of true wireless earbuds that didn’t look disposable. Bang & Olufsen has always leaned heavily into design, and the E8 immediately stood out to me because they looked more like a luxury personal audio product than a generic gadget. The charging case, especially, gave me that feeling that I was buying something intentionally designed rather than assembled to hit a price point.

What I found was that the premium feel is real. The case felt dense and nicely finished, and the earbuds themselves had a more polished, understated appearance than many sporty competitors. I also appreciated that they didn’t scream for attention visually. They looked mature. That mattered to me more than I expected, because I was carrying them every day.

That said, I also knew I was paying partly for the brand and aesthetics. So over these three months, I paid close attention to whether the daily experience actually justified that premium feel.

Design, Fit, and Everyday Comfort

After using the Beoplay E8 2018 regularly, I’d say comfort was one of the stronger parts of the ownership experience, but not without some trial and error. The earbuds are compact enough to sit fairly discreetly in the ears, and once I found the right tips, they felt secure for walking and normal movement. I’ve been using them for errands, desk work, and moderate outdoor use, and they rarely felt like they were about to fall out.

One thing I appreciated was that they didn’t create the bulky, protruding look that some wireless earbuds had around that time. They sat relatively flush and felt stable. For casual everyday use, that made a difference. I could wear them for a couple of hours without wanting to pull them out immediately.

Still, one thing that bothered me was that the fit had to be exactly right for both comfort and sound quality. If the seal shifted even a little, bass response dropped off and the earbuds sounded thinner than they should. I noticed that with these, getting the perfect ear tip fit wasn’t optional—it was essential. Once I got it right, they sounded much better and stayed more comfortable. Before that, I was constantly adjusting them.

I also found that extended sessions could create a bit of ear fatigue, especially if I wore them continuously for longer listening periods. They weren’t painful, but they weren’t the kind of earbuds I forgot I was wearing all day. For shorter sessions, they were good. For marathon use, I became more aware of them.

Sound Quality After Three Months

This is the area where I kept coming back to the E8 and forgiving some of their other shortcomings. In my experience, the sound is the main reason to consider them. They don’t have the exaggerated, overhyped tuning that some wireless earbuds use to sound exciting in a quick demo. Instead, they aim for a more balanced and refined presentation, and I genuinely enjoyed that.

I was surprised by how natural vocals sounded. Whether I was listening to singer-songwriter tracks, podcasts, or softer indie recordings, voices came through with a pleasing sense of body and clarity. There was enough warmth to make things sound inviting, but not so much that everything became muddy. Acoustic instruments also benefited from this tuning. Guitar, piano, and strings had a smooth, slightly rich character that made long listening sessions enjoyable.

The bass was good, but not in a massive, club-style way. What I found was a controlled low end that gave music weight without overpowering the mids. With pop, R&B, and electronic tracks, there was enough punch to keep things engaging, but if someone is looking for a huge bass boost, these may feel too restrained. Personally, I preferred the balance. It sounded grown-up rather than artificially boosted.

The treble, to my ears, was mostly smooth and non-fatiguing. I didn’t hear the harsh glare that makes some wireless earbuds tiring after 30 minutes. On the other hand, I also noticed that top-end sparkle wasn’t especially dramatic. The E8 2018 leaned more toward polished smoothness than hyper-detail. That worked well for relaxed listening, though occasionally I wanted a little more openness and air on complex recordings.

Soundstage and imaging were respectable for true wireless earbuds of this generation. I wouldn’t call them huge or speaker-like, but they didn’t sound cramped either. Instrument placement was good enough that layered recordings felt organized rather than congested. I particularly enjoyed jazz trios and live acoustic sets on them because the presentation had enough space to keep things interesting.

After testing for three months across multiple genres, I’d describe the Beoplay E8 2018 sound as refined, warm-leaning, and easy to enjoy. If I judged them on sound alone, I’d say they held up well.

Connection Stability and Real-World Reliability

This is where my feelings became much less enthusiastic. Over the first week, I thought the connection was acceptable. Over the full three months, I noticed enough little interruptions and quirks that it became one of the defining parts of my ownership experience.

I had occasional dropouts in busy outdoor environments and some moments where pairing felt less seamless than it should have. I also found that the overall experience depended quite a bit on where my phone was and how crowded the wireless environment seemed to be. When I was sitting still indoors, things were usually fine. When I was moving around in public areas, the E8 felt more sensitive than I wanted.

One thing that bothered me was that premium build and premium pricing created an expectation of premium convenience. The sound quality delivered on that expectation more than the connectivity did. I noticed that I was more forgiving with cheaper earbuds when they had a glitch here and there, but with the E8, every hiccup stood out because the product positioned itself as a luxury option.

I wouldn’t say they were unusable. They weren’t. But after using newer wireless products, the E8 2018 definitely felt like an earlier-generation true wireless experience in terms of stability and polish.

Battery Life and Charging Case Experience

Battery life was decent for the era, but in actual day-to-day use, I found it less impressive than the marketing made it sound. Short listening sessions were fine, and the case made top-ups easy enough, but I noticed I had to think about battery levels more often than I wanted to. That mental load matters. The best wireless earbuds disappear into your routine; these sometimes reminded me they needed management.

The charging case itself was one of my favorite parts of the package. It felt premium in the hand, opened and closed with a satisfying sense of quality, and was compact enough to carry without issue. I appreciated that every time I used it, it reinforced that high-end product feel.

Still, I also found that the case’s elegance couldn’t fully compensate for battery anxiety on longer days. If I was heading out for extended use, I made sure the case was charged. That’s not unusual for true wireless earbuds, but I noticed it more here because I expected a little more confidence from a product at this level.

Call Quality, Controls, and App Experience

For calls, the Beoplay E8 2018 were acceptable but not outstanding in my experience. Indoors, in quieter spaces, I could take calls without major issues. People generally heard me clearly enough. Outdoors or in noisier settings, results were less consistent. I noticed that wind and background noise affected the experience more than I would have liked.

The touch controls were one of those features I respected more in theory than in practice. I liked the clean look that came from avoiding physical buttons, but I found the controls occasionally less intuitive than they should have been. There were moments when I triggered something accidentally while adjusting the earbuds, and other times when taps didn’t feel as cleanly recognized as I expected.

The companion app added some value, especially for adjusting sound preferences. I appreciated being able to nudge the tuning closer to my taste, and I think users who enjoy tailoring their sound will get something out of it. But I wouldn’t describe the app as a game changer. It was useful rather than essential.

Pros and Cons After 3 Months

What I Liked

• Elegant design: The earbuds and case felt genuinely premium every time I handled them.
• Refined sound: I really enjoyed the balanced, warm, polished tuning, especially for vocals and acoustic music.
• Comfortable once fitted properly: After I found the right ear tips, they stayed secure for normal daily use.
• Compact carrying case: The case was easy to carry and gave the whole product a luxury feel.
• Less aggressive tuning than many rivals: They sounded mature rather than artificially boosted.

What Disappointed Me

• Connection quirks: I noticed occasional dropouts and inconsistent reliability, especially in busier environments.
• Battery life felt average in real life: I had to pay attention to charging more than I wanted to.
• Touch controls were hit and miss: They looked sleek, but I didn’t always enjoy using them.
• Call quality was only okay: Fine indoors, less convincing outside or with background noise.
• Premium price raised expectations: Some shortcomings were harder to excuse because this wasn’t a budget product.

Comparison Table: How the Experience Felt in Daily Use

Who I Think These Are For

After living with the Beoplay E8 2018 for several months, I think they make the most sense for a very specific type of buyer. If you care a lot about industrial design, tactile quality, and a more refined sound signature than the average mainstream tuning, I can absolutely see the appeal. I understood the product better the longer I used it: it’s trying to blend fashion, craftsmanship, and sound quality in a way that many competitors don’t.

But if your top priorities are flawless connectivity, best-in-class battery performance, ultra-reliable calling, or simply getting the most practical feature set for your money, I think there are easier options to live with. In my experience, the E8 2018 asked me to accept too many small trade-offs in exchange for their more luxurious personality.

Buying Guide: What to Consider Before Choosing the Beoplay E8 2018

1. Prioritize sound style, not just sound quality

One thing I learned after three months is that these earbuds aren’t just about whether they sound “good” in a general sense. They have a particular style of tuning. If you like smooth, balanced, slightly warm sound, I think you’ll appreciate them. If you want explosive bass or ultra-bright detail, they may not match your taste.

2. Think about how much convenience matters to you

I noticed that my opinion of the E8 changed depending on what I needed from them that day. If I was sitting down and just wanted to enjoy music, I liked them a lot. If I was rushing out the door and wanted something frictionless, I was more aware of their limitations. Before buying, I’d honestly ask whether you value elegance and sound more than pure convenience.

3. Fit is critical

In my experience, these earbuds are highly sensitive to fit. A poor seal hurts bass, comfort, and stability. If you do end up choosing them, spend time with the included ear tips and don’t judge the sound too quickly before getting that part right.

4. Consider your main use case

I think the E8 2018 are better suited to music-focused listening than to all-purpose utility. They worked best for me during commutes, walks, and focused listening sessions. They were less impressive as an all-around communications tool for frequent calls and constant switching between environments.

5. Be realistic about older true wireless compromises

After testing for three months, I came away feeling that the E8 2018 still had charm, but they also reflected the limitations of their generation. If you’re considering them now, I’d go in with realistic expectations about connectivity, battery life, and controls. The design and sound still have appeal, but the convenience side has aged less gracefully.

My Honest Final Take After 3 Months

After three months with the Beoplay E8 Truly Wireless 2018, I can say I enjoyed using them, but I didn’t fully trust them. That probably sums up my experience better than any score could. I genuinely liked their sound, I loved the premium case, and I appreciated the more tasteful, mature tuning compared with many rivals. Every now and then, when I put on a well-recorded vocal or acoustic track, I was reminded why I bought them in the first place.

At the same time, I was surprised by how much the small annoyances accumulated over time. Connection quirks, average battery life, and controls that never felt completely natural kept them from becoming a product I could recommend without hesitation. In my experience, they were at their best when I used them intentionally for music, not when I expected them to be effortless everyday tools.

If you’re drawn to the Beoplay E8 2018 because of their design, brand appeal, and refined sound, I think there’s something real to appreciate here. If you want pure practicality above everything else, I think their weaknesses will become obvious pretty quickly. For me, they ended up being a product I admired more than I loved—and after three months of real use, that distinction mattered.