How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• MINISO MS105 — biggest strength: AI two-way translation across 134 languages with five modes, plus a claimed 60 hours of playback per charge and Bluetooth 6.0. Biggest trade-off: it has no waterproof rating at all, and its noise control is listed as "None" — this is a dry-land device.
• ANSTEN Swimming Headphones — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing, bone conduction open-ear design, 8GB of built-in MP3 memory for up to 1500 lossless tracks, and active noise cancellation. Biggest trade-off: only 8 hours of playback per 2-hour charge, and you must switch to MP3 mode with Bluetooth off while swimming.
• Who each is for: MINISO MS105 is for travelers, business users and language learners who want earbuds that talk back. ANSTEN Swimming Headphones are for swimmers, runners and cyclists who need audio that stays put and survives water.
The MINISO MS105 is a translation device first. Its headline feature is AI real-time two-way translation across 134 languages, with five customizable modes you switch between depending on the situation — a multilingual conference, a trip abroad, or a language-learning session. That mode flexibility is the whole point of the product. If you regularly sit across from someone who doesn't share your language, this is the function you're buying.
Around that core, MINISO built a genuinely capable set of earbuds. The drivers are dynamic and rated for a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range, with a tuning the brand describes as preserving vocal clarity and natural tone — which matters a lot when the audio you're listening to is translated speech. Battery life is the other standout: up to 60 hours of playback per charge, with an LED indicator on the case so you can see where you stand before you leave. Bluetooth 6.0 handles pairing with iOS and Android, and everything is controlled through an app. The fit is a lightweight in-ear shape in plastic, black, with the stability to handle movement.
Who should buy it? Anyone whose main problem is language — frequent flyers, people in international business, students practicing a new language, or travelers who want music, calls and translation in one pair. Who should skip it? Swimmers, and honestly anyone who wants their earbuds to get wet. There is no water-resistance rating listed here, and noise control is stated as "None," so this is not the pair you take into a pool, a downpour, or a very loud environment. It's a dry-land, conversation-and-commute tool.
The ANSTEN Swimming Headphones are built around one uncompromising idea: water. The IPX8 rating is the highest protection class in this comparison, and the housing combines ABS and silicone with a flexible titanium structure so it holds up to pool water, surf, sweat and rain. The catch is spelled out plainly in the specs — when you swim, you switch to MP3 mode and turn Bluetooth off, because Bluetooth doesn't travel through water. That's not a flaw, it's physics, and ANSTEN solved it by building 8GB of memory directly into the headphones.
That memory holds up to 1500 lossless tracks. Double-click the function key and you flip between Bluetooth 6.0 and MP3 mode. Bluetooth 6.0 also supports simultaneous connection to two devices, which is handy if you're moving between a phone and a laptop. The design is open-ear bone conduction: audio travels through your cheekbones to your inner ear, so your ears stay open to traffic and warning signals. That's the reason runners and cyclists like this format even more than swimmers do. A 13mm wideband driver pushes the sound, and the whole unit weighs just 26g with an ergonomic fit that's meant to stay locked in during hard movement.
Battery is where you have to be realistic. A 2-hour charge gets you up to 8 hours of continuous music. That's a real gap versus the MINISO, but it's the normal trade-off for a compact bone-conduction unit with a sealed waterproof body. On the plus side, you get active noise cancellation with a front microphone and AI noise reduction, plus directional sound transmission that keeps your audio from leaking. In the box: the headphones, an adjustable headband, a magnetic charging cable, two silicone earplugs and a manual, with a 1-year warranty covering replacement or refund.
Who should buy it? Swimmers, surfers, divers, runners and cyclists — anyone whose audio has to survive water, sweat and motion. Who should skip it? People who need all-day battery, people who want an in-ear seal for isolation, and people whose primary need is translation. There's no translation function here at all.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for translation → MINISO MS105. 134 languages, five modes, AI two-way translation. Nothing on the ANSTEN side competes with this.
• Best for battery life → MINISO MS105. Up to 60 hours per charge versus up to 8 hours on the ANSTEN.
• Best for swimming, surfing and diving → ANSTEN Swimming Headphones. This is its entire reason to exist.
• Best for running and cycling → ANSTEN Swimming Headphones. Open-ear bone conduction keeps you aware of traffic, and the 26g build stays secure.
• Best for calls and meetings → MINISO MS105. App control, Bluetooth 6.0 pairing and a vocal-forward tuning suit conversation and business use.
• Best for noise control → ANSTEN Swimming Headphones. Active noise cancellation and AI noise reduction versus "None" on the MINISO.
• Best for everyday travel and commuting → MINISO MS105. Lightweight in-ear fit, LED battery indicator and multi-scene mode switching.
I'd buy the MINISO MS105 — but only if language is your actual problem. In my opinion it's the more versatile everyday device: 134-language translation, 60 hours of battery, and a comfortable in-ear fit make it the pair you'd carry on a normal trip or a normal workday. That said, if you swim, the answer flips hard. The ANSTEN is the only one of these two that can get wet, and it's the pair I'd hand to a swimmer, runner or cyclist without hesitation. Pick the job first, then the product. And check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since value here depends heavily on what each one costs you today.
FAQ
Yes, that's what they're designed for. Switch to MP3 mode and turn off your phone's Bluetooth before entering the water, since Bluetooth signals don't transmit through water.
The MINISO MS105, by a wide margin — up to 60 hours of playback per charge versus up to 8 hours on the ANSTEN. The ANSTEN recharges in about 2 hours, so it's easy to top up between sessions.
No. Translation is exclusive to the MINISO MS105, which covers 134 languages with five modes. The ANSTEN focuses on waterproof audio, onboard MP3 storage and open-ear listening.
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