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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a budget-friendly set of true wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling, a bold Sonic the Hedgehog look and a charging case that tops the buds up twice over, choose Sakar; if you need true all-day battery life, a newer Bluetooth version, a wider wireless range and a lightweight semi in-ear fit you can wear for hours, choose Defunc True LITE II.
• Sakar's biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation plus a charging case that holds two full recharges, wrapped in a loud Sonic-themed design.
• Sakar's biggest trade-off: Roughly 5 hours of playtime per charge and Bluetooth 5, so it trails on stamina and wireless generation.
• Defunc True LITE II's biggest strength: Up to 20 hours of total playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, IPX4 water resistance and a 13 mm bass driver.
• Defunc True LITE II's biggest trade-off: Passive noise cancelling only, and a semi in-ear fit that doesn't seal the way a full in-ear bud does.
• Who Sakar is for: Sonic fans, teens, gamers and casual listeners who want noise cancelling and a fun look.
• Who Defunc True LITE II is for: Commuters, students and everyday listeners who care about battery life and comfort above all.
Sakar's Sonic ANC TWS Earbuds are built around a clear idea: make a pair of true wireless earbuds that looks like something, not just sounds like something. The Sonic the Hedgehog theme runs through the whole package, and that alone will decide it for a lot of buyers — collectors, teens, and anyone who'd rather their earbuds start a conversation than blend in. The plastic build and in-ear bud shape are exactly what you'd expect from a themed everyday pair, and the touch controls keep things simple with no buttons to fumble for.
Where Sakar actually earns its place is in the feature list. Active Noise Cancellation is the headline, and it's rare to see ANC on a themed budget pair at all. The dynamic driver covers a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz range, which is the full span of human hearing — fine for music, podcasts, calls and games. Sakar leans into all three of those use cases, and the 30-foot (9-metre) Bluetooth 5 range means you can leave your phone on a desk or couch and keep listening while you move around a room. The charging case holds two full charges, so 5 hours per charge stretches into a much longer day as long as you keep dropping the buds back in.
The trade-offs are real, though. Five hours on a single charge is on the short side for modern true wireless earbuds, and the charging case is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. Bluetooth 5 is a generation behind what's now available, which matters more for latency-sensitive gaming than for music. And the Sonic branding is a genuine commitment — if you don't want people noticing your earbuds, this is the wrong pair for you.
Buy Sakar if you want active noise cancelling, a themed design you actually enjoy showing off, and touch controls in a straightforward everyday pair. Skip it if you need maximum battery life, the newest Bluetooth version, or a discreet look.
Defunc True LITE II comes at the same category from the opposite direction. There's no gimmick here — just a clean, Scandinavian-minimal design philosophy applied to a lightweight semi in-ear bud. The semi in-ear shape is the detail that matters most: instead of pushing deep into your ear canal, it sits at the opening of the ear, which many people find far more comfortable for long stretches. If you've ever given up on earbuds because they made your ears ache after an hour, this is the fit to look at.
The spec sheet backs up the all-day pitch. Defunc rates it at up to 20 hours of total playtime, which is four times what Sakar offers per charge. Bluetooth 6.0 is the newer generation, and the wireless range is slightly wider at 10 metres. The audio side is driven by a 13 mm bass driver with 16 ohm impedance — a big driver for a small earbud, and the kind of setup that gives you fuller low end and clearer vocals at ordinary listening volumes. Low latency mode is aimed squarely at video and gaming, and ENC handles call clarity so the person on the other end hears you, not your surroundings.
Two things are worth being honest about. First, noise control is passive only — the semi in-ear design blocks some ambient sound by virtue of sitting in your ear, but there's no active cancellation. That's the direct trade against Sakar. Second, semi in-ear buds generally don't isolate as strongly as full in-ear ones, so on a loud train or plane you'll hear more of the world. In exchange you get IPX4 water resistance, which covers sweat and light rain, and a compact carrying case that's easy to pocket. The AI app support adds a layer for anyone who likes tuning their listening.
Buy Defunc True LITE II if battery life, comfort and a low-key look are your priorities, and you want water resistance for workouts or commutes. Skip it if you specifically want active noise cancelling or a bold statement design.
• Best for battery life → Defunc True LITE II. Up to 20 hours total versus roughly 5 hours per charge on Sakar.
• Best for noise cancelling → Sakar. It's the only one of the two with Active Noise Cancellation; Defunc relies on passive isolation.
• Best for comfort over long sessions → Defunc True LITE II. The lightweight semi in-ear ergonomic shape is designed for all-day wear, while Sakar uses a full in-ear bud.
• Best for gaming and low-latency video → Defunc True LITE II. Bluetooth 6.0 plus a dedicated low-latency mode beats Bluetooth 5 for sync.
• Best for workouts and weather → Defunc True LITE II. IPX4 water resistance is on the sheet; Sakar lists no water-resistance rating.
• Best for bass-forward everyday listening → Defunc True LITE II. A 13 mm bass driver at 16 ohm is a bigger, lower-impedance setup than Sakar's dynamic driver.
• Best for style and personality → Sakar. The Sonic the Hedgehog theme is the whole point, and no other pair here offers it.
• Best for keeping charged on the go → Sakar. The charging case holds two full recharges, which partly offsets the shorter single-charge runtime.
• Best for calls in noisy places → Sakar. Active Noise Cancellation cuts what you hear; Defunc's ENC instead focuses on what your caller hears.
In my opinion, Defunc True LITE II is the pair I'd buy for most people. Twenty hours of playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, a 13 mm bass driver, IPX4 and a semi in-ear fit built for long wear add up to a more complete everyday earbud, and the passive-isolation compromise is one I'd accept for that much extra battery.
I'd only flip to Sakar for one reason: you want Active Noise Cancellation, or you genuinely love the Sonic design and want your earbuds to look like it. Both are legitimate. Neither is the "better" product in the abstract — they just solve different problems.
Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one factor that can change the maths fast.
FAQ
how to pair true wireless earbuds
how to connect true wireless earbuds
Switch Bluetooth on, then select the earbuds from your device's available devices list. Once paired the first time, most phones reconnect automatically when you take the buds out of the case and bring them within range — about 9 metres for Sakar and 10 metres for Defunc True LITE II. If they don't reconnect, toggle Bluetooth off and on again.
how to use true wireless earbuds
Tap the touch-sensitive panel on the earbud to control playback and calls — both pairs use touch rather than physical buttons. Drop them back into the charging case when you're done and they'll power down and recharge; Sakar's case holds two full recharges, while Defunc True LITE II is rated for up to 20 hours of total playtime. For calls, Defunc adds ENC, and Sakar adds Active Noise Cancellation for what you hear.
how to bluetooth true wireless earbuds
You don't pair the buds to each other manually — they link up on their own when they leave the case. What you're doing in Bluetooth settings is pairing the pair to your phone, tablet, laptop or console. Keep the buds within a metre of the device during that first pairing, and remember both models are wireless-only with no jack option.
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