How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want an open-ear, clip-on design that keeps you aware of traffic and conversation while you run, choose HAKII Open Ear; if you need a tiny half in-ear bud you can wear while side-sleeping, choose APZXTRK Mini. Both lean on touch control headphones ergonomics, but they solve completely different problems.
• HAKII Open Ear — biggest strength: an open-ear clip design with a flexible titanium core and soft silicone grip, 12mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, IPX5, and app-based EQ plus Find My Earbuds.
• HAKII Open Ear — biggest trade-off: no active noise cancellation and no wired jack, so it's never going to seal out a noisy gym or a loud train.
• APZXTRK Mini — biggest strength: an ultra-compact half in-ear fit built for sleeping on your side, in a 360° rotating capsule case with a lanyard, and quick USB-C charging.
• APZXTRK Mini — biggest trade-off: passive noise cancellation only, a stated 6 hours per charge with no bigger case figure confirmed, and a plastic build that reads as light-duty rather than rugged.
• Buy the HAKII Open Ear if you're a runner, cyclist or urban walker who wants situational awareness and a secure clip-on fit.
• Buy the APZXTRK Mini if you want near-invisible buds for sleep, office and light workouts, and you value portability over open-ear safety.
The HAKII Open Ear is a clip-on open-ear bud. At 7.5g per earbud it's engineered to sit on the outside of your ear rather than inside it, using a flexible titanium core and a soft silicone grip to hold position. That's the whole point of the design: nothing plugs your ear canal, so traffic, a passing cyclist or a colleague saying your name still gets through. For outdoor training, that awareness is a genuine safety feature, not a marketing line.
Under the hood you get 12mm dynamic drivers, a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, 32 ohm impedance and 104 dB sensitivity, plus HAKII's AbTube tuning aimed at punchy bass without leaking sound to everyone around you. Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing and keeps latency low for video. The IPX5 rating covers sweat and rain, which matters if you train hard outdoors. On battery, HAKII states 6 hours from the buds alone and 18 hours total with the case, with a 24-hour average life figure listed for the product.
Two things to know before buying. First, there's no active noise cancellation — you get ENC for call clarity, and that's it. Second, the HAKII app is where the useful extras live: personalized EQ modes, multi-device switching and Find My Earbuds. The app also lets you switch off a voice-control function that can trigger playback unexpectedly, and there's a documented reset routine if pairing goes sideways. If you don't want to install an app, some of the smartest features here go unused.
Skip it if you want isolation on a plane or a loud commute, or if you prefer a traditional in-ear seal for bass impact. This is a fitness and awareness-first bud.
The APZXTRK Mini takes the opposite approach. These are half in-ear buds, deliberately tiny, with an ergonomic shape the brand pitches for side sleepers and extended wear. If you've ever woken up with a hard plastic bud jammed into your ear because you rolled onto your side, that's the exact problem this design targets. The half in-ear fit doesn't seal the canal the way a full in-ear tip does, which makes lying on your ear far more tolerable.
The other signature piece is the case: a 360° rotating capsule with a lanyard, measuring roughly 2.5 x 2.5 x 1.5 inches and weighing about 1.5 ounces. It's built to clip onto a bag or belt loop and disappear into a pocket. Charging is USB-C and stated at about 1.5 hours (the spec sheet lists a 1-hour charge time), with 6 hours of playback per charge and around 30 hours total from the case in the brand's description. A real-time battery display on the case is a genuinely handy touch.
Connectivity is where APZXTRK pushes hardest: a Bluetooth 6.0 chip with a stated 33-foot range, working with iPhone, Android, tablets and laptops. Pairing is straightforward — take the buds out and select "MINI16" in your Bluetooth list. The audio side lists 32 ohm impedance, 105 dB sensitivity and 60 ms latency, and the controls are pure touch. Noise handling is passive only; there's no active cancellation here either.
Skip it if you train outdoors in traffic and need to hear your surroundings, or if you want a rugged, sweat-proof build for hard sessions. The IPX5-style durability claims you'd want for heavy outdoor use simply aren't part of this sheet — this is a commute, office and light-workout bud.
• Best for running and cycling safety → HAKII Open Ear. The open-ear clip keeps you aware of your surroundings; the APZXTRK Mini blocks more of them.
• Best for sleeping on your side → APZXTRK Mini. Ultra-thin half in-ear buds are the whole reason this product exists.
• Best for a secure, no-slip fit during hard movement → HAKII Open Ear. Titanium core plus silicone grip and an IPX5 rating are designed for sweat and motion.
• Best for portability → APZXTRK Mini. A rotating capsule case with a lanyard is far easier to pocket than a standard charging case.
• Best for sound customization → HAKII Open Ear. App-based EQ modes, multi-device switching and Find My Earbuds give you more control.
• Best for longer rated battery → HAKII Open Ear on the sheet as written (6 hours per charge, 18 hours total with case), though APZXTRK claims more total case playback — treat both as brand-stated figures.
• Best for the latest Bluetooth version → APZXTRK Mini lists Bluetooth 6.0 versus HAKII's 5.4, with a longer stated 33-foot range.
• Best for everyday commuting and office calls → APZXTRK Mini. A built-in mic, tiny footprint and casual fit suit desk and train use.
In my opinion, the HAKII Open Ear is the pick for anyone whose耳机 use is tied to movement outdoors. The clip-on open-ear design, IPX5 rating, 12mm drivers and app controls add up to a more purposeful fitness product, and the awareness factor is something the APZXTRK Mini simply can't match. I'd choose the APZXTRK Mini only if sleep comfort and pocket-sized portability are the priority — it's the better bud for a bedside table, not a starting line. Decide which of those two lives is yours, then check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
FAQ
Usually you can't disable touch entirely, but you can often change or turn off specific gestures. On the HAKII Open Ear, the companion app is where you manage smart functions — including switching off a voice-control feature that can trigger playback on its own. On the APZXTRK Mini, there's no app listed, so the touch controls stay as they are.
Because they're paired over Bluetooth and the touch surface is registering input, sometimes from a brush against fabric or a hat. HAKII specifically notes that a voice-control function on its buds can be triggered accidentally during use, and that you turn it off in the HAKII app. If it keeps happening, check your pocket and any overlapping gestures.
That's brand-specific and not covered by either product here. Sony's own app is where its touch settings live. For the two buds in this comparison, use the HAKII app for HAKII Open Ear, and expect APZXTRK Mini's touch controls to remain fixed.
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