If you want open-ear comfort and awareness of your surroundings for side sleepers, choose XKDUN Open Ear Headphones; if you need retractable in-ear earbuds and a neckband you can keep around your neck, choose Tyxmere 5.3. I’d lean XKDUN for a less intrusive fit, while Tyxmere makes more sense if keeping the earbuds close at hand is your priority.
XKDUN Open Ear Headphones vs Tyxmere 5.3 at a Glance
• Tyxmere’s biggest strength: a neckband with retractable earbuds that can be pulled out when needed and returned when you’re done. Trade-off: the earbuds go in the ears, which may not suit someone who dislikes that feel.
• Battery: XKDUN lists up to 8 hours per charge and 30 hours with its case; Tyxmere lists up to 20 hours of music playback.
• Exercise protection: XKDUN is rated IPX6; Tyxmere is rated IPX5 sweatproof.
• Pick XKDUN if you want open-ear listening, ear hooks, and a charging case. Pick Tyxmere if you want a neckband, retractable earbuds, and incoming-call vibration alerts.
XKDUN’s defining choice is its open-ear design. The earbuds sit on ear hooks rather than going into the ear canals, and the directional air-conduction design is intended to keep you aware of your surroundings while listening. That setup is a natural fit for walking, cycling, or workouts where hearing nearby activity matters. A listed 16.2 mm driver and support for LDAC are also part of its audio feature set, though those details alone don’t guarantee a particular listening experience.
The battery setup is useful if you want a case to extend listening between charges: XKDUN specifies up to 8 hours on a charge and up to 30 hours total with the case. The case also has a power display. For calls, the headphones include microphones with noise-cancelling functionality. Bluetooth 5.3 and IPX6 water resistance round out a feature set geared toward everyday movement and exercise.
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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-22 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
Tyxmere 5.3: Who It's For
Tyxmere takes a different approach: a flexible neckband rests around your neck, while its in-ear earbuds extend on retractable wires. You can pull the earbuds to the length you need and retract them when finished. That makes the design appealing to someone who wants the earbuds close at hand without putting them in their ears all the time. The neckband weighs 1.5 ounces, according to the product details.
For listening time, Tyxmere lists up to 20 hours of music playback, up to 16 hours of talk time, and a roughly 1.5-hour charge time. It also supports two connected Bluetooth devices at once and can show battery status on compatible devices. The earbuds are IPX5 sweatproof, and the neckband can vibrate when a call comes in. CVC 8.0 noise-cancelling technology is specified for calls, but that should not be confused with a claim that the headphones block all environmental sound.
Tyxmere could suit someone who likes a neckband format, wants retractable in-ear earbuds, or values a vibration alert for calls during exercise. It’s a plausible contender when searching for the best neckband headphones for side sleepers, but the provided details don’t establish that it is designed for sleeping or comfortable when lying on one side. If you want an open-ear design or don’t want earbuds entering your ears, XKDUN is the clearer fit.
• Best for an open, non-in-ear design → XKDUN Open Ear Headphones. Its ear hooks leave the ear canals uncovered; Tyxmere uses in-ear earbuds.
• Best for retractable earbuds → Tyxmere 5.3. Pull them out for listening, then retract them toward the neckband.
• Best for longer listed music playback per charge → Tyxmere 5.3. It specifies up to 20 hours of music playback, compared with XKDUN’s up to 8 hours per charge.
• Best for total playback with a charging case → XKDUN Open Ear Headphones. Its case brings the stated total to up to 30 hours.
• Best for a water-resistance rating suited to workouts → XKDUN Open Ear Headphones. It is rated IPX6, compared with Tyxmere’s IPX5 sweatproof rating. Neither is described as suitable for swimming.
• Best for incoming-call alerts when the earbuds aren’t in your ears → Tyxmere 5.3. The neckband can vibrate for incoming calls.
• Best for keeping environmental awareness during listening → XKDUN Open Ear Headphones. Its open-ear design is intended to let you stay connected to your surroundings.
• Best for pairing with two devices at once → Tyxmere 5.3. Its product information specifies simultaneous connection to two Bluetooth devices.
The same distinction matters for workouts. XKDUN emphasizes open listening and ear hooks, with an IPX6 rating. Tyxmere offers a neckband and sweat resistance, plus the convenience of retractable earbuds and call vibration. One isn’t a universal upgrade over the other; they solve different small annoyances. XKDUN prioritizes an open fit, while Tyxmere prioritizes keeping its earbuds attached and easy to stow.
Battery figures also need a little context. XKDUN’s 30-hour figure includes its charging case, while its single-charge figure is up to 8 hours. Tyxmere lists up to 20 hours for music playback. Those are different setups, so I’d choose based on whether you’d rather carry and recharge from a case or wear a neckband with the earbuds connected to it.
If voice calls are part of your routine, both include call-focused features, but they’re presented differently. XKDUN specifies microphones with noise-cancelling functionality. Tyxmere names CVC 8.0 noise cancellation and adds vibration alerts for incoming calls. The available details don’t provide a direct call-quality comparison, so I’d treat these as feature differences rather than proof that one will sound clearer in every setting.
My Verdict
I’d choose XKDUN Open Ear Headphones for its open-ear fit, ear hooks, and case-supported 30-hour total playback. In my opinion, that combination makes it the more appealing option for someone who wants to hear more of their surroundings and is comparing headphones for side sleepers, though neither is specified as a sleep product. I’d pick Tyxmere instead if retractable earbuds, a neckband, and incoming-call vibration matter more than an open fit.
FAQ
XKDUN has an open-ear design intended to preserve awareness of your surroundings. Tyxmere specifies CVC 8.0 noise cancellation for calls, but the available details don’t establish that it blocks environmental noise during music listening.
Tyxmere lists up to 20 hours of music playback on a charge. XKDUN lists up to 8 hours per charge, or up to 30 hours total when using its charging case.
XKDUN may suit you if you prefer open-ear listening and ear hooks, and it has an IPX6 rating. Tyxmere offers an IPX5 sweatproof neckband, retractable earbuds, and incoming-call vibration. Check the current price on Amazon if that is part of your decision.
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