Tom’s Guide Verdict
The Ace Mimi are a solid pair of buds for the price.
They sound good, have some useful extra features, and have a solid control app.
Apple added it to theAirPods Pro 2andSonyhas it built into theWF-1000XM5.
They also pack in some top-shelf features for what isnt an enormous price.
Time to find out if they rank in thebest wireless earbuds.
They cost $129, which makes them the same price as the non-ANC variant of the AirPods 4.
For the price you get more Bluetooth Codecs, better sound, and the addition of noise canceling.
There is a hitch though they’re currently only available from the Creative website.
It is very light though, which raises some of my build quality concerns with the earbuds.
The OnePlus buds do feel better than these, with a stiffer hinge and nicer feeling materials.
All of those concerns do evaporate the moment you put them in your ears, though.
Theyre very well-shaped, and they feel super comfortable if you want to wear them for a long time.
But you could actually tap them anywhere on the enclosure for the reasonably responsive touch controls to react.
My general complaints about touch controls are present, though.
Thats about par for the course with lower-cost headphones and their touch controls, but its no less annoying.
On the plus side, you could customize the controls in Creatives app.
Its a nice feature, and makes the controls a bit more useful beyond their default parameters.
Theres excellent codec support though, including aptX lossless.
Theres Bluetooth LE on board as well, ready for when the standard becomes more commonplace.
The app is impressive as well, with plenty of options available.
There are the aforementioned customizable controls, along with a slightly restrictive 5-band EQ customizer.
Then theres audio personalization options, thanks to Mimi.
These personalizations work just like all the other options available on the market.
Sometimes its downright useless, or even makes your music sound straight-up not very good.
That, or Ive got perfect hearing.
They’re more feature-rich than the stripped-back AirPods 4, that’s for sure.
The ANC, for $129, is perfectly fine.
They faired excellently inside though, with no noises causing issues.
Is this down to the lauded xMEMs drivers that live inside their plastic shells?
Perhaps, but I really like the way the buds sound.
They give surprising bass response, while retaining some detail in the highs.
The soundstage is solid, if not slightly restricted.
Theres plenty to enjoy here, particularly if youre a fan of the low stuff.
Thats generally a struggle for in-ears, so its nice to see the lower register get some attention here.
They sound better than similarly priced buds, like the OnePlus buds and the AirPods 4.
Theres little to complain about here, thats for sure.
Karen Carpenters effortless vocals are clear and concise, while the orchestral stabs are delivered with clarity.
Its a fun one, thats for sure.
On some cheaper earbuds tracks like this can get lost and confused, but its loads of fun here.
Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi review: Battery Life
This is where things get confusing.
The original earbuds were rated for 6 hours of use, and 24 hours with the the charging case.
This Aurvana Ace Mimi, Im told by Creative, also gets 24 hours.
Now, that may be because my box is an early release, but its stillconfusing.
My testing found the 6 hour mark to ring true when timed at mid-volume.
Wireless charging is a nice bonus, though.
