Promate VuTune Wireless Headphones Review: The best part about being a tech journalist is that when I have an idea about a tech product—practical, impractical, or whatever—I have shared it with the teams behind the products we use every day, though only during informal meetings. Take this, for example: headphones with a touchscreen. I would be lying if I said I would never thought about slapping a touchscreen on headphones—the idea has crossed my mind many times over the past few years. Just imagine a full touchscreen interface on wireless headphones—you could control music simply by touching the screen. We have seen mini screens on the charging cases of true wireless buds, and I can totally vouch for headphones with a built-in touchscreen in the future.
The Promate VuTune headphones come close to what I had in mind—a pair of over-ear cans with a touchscreen that lets you control music—but the idea is implemented differently. But is having a touchscreen on headphones actually useful? That was exactly my first question when I began using them last week. So, do I like the sound quality of these headphones? I am not an audiophile, but here are my thoughts on whether the touchscreen (shhh… it’s actually detachable) and the audio quality impressed me.
What: Promate VuTune headphone| Price: Rs 6999
Comfortable to wear
The Promate VuTune’s design is modern, sleek, albeit simple. They only come in black, though I wish there were more colours to choose from. They are primarily made of plastic, fairly low-key design I would say but I have no qualms about that. While the AirPods Max (review) might look more premium with their metal build and mesh headband, the VuTune’s lightweight materials make them more comfortable for extended wear (they weigh exactly 258 grams). The headphones are oval-shaped, feature chrome accents on the arms, and have silicone padding around the headband. The earcups have just the right amount of cushioning—they not only completely seal the ears but also feel soft, with leather ear pads that never irritate my skin, even during the peak of Delhi summers. These headphones fold up for travel and come with an excellent carrying case.
It’s best to think of the screen as a remote control for your headphones. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Part of the reason I like wearing over-ear headphones is the comfort. I do wear TWS, but since I have had issues with ear swelling in the past, I tend to avoid them—just to stay clear of problems like pain and itching in my inner ears over time. That’s the only reason. However, I do want to make it clear that once you start using over-ear headphones, you are likely to ditch true wireless earbuds altogether. That’s been my personal experience.
The headphones have simple controls. The right ear cup features playback controls, surrounded by a volume rocker. It also houses the battery gauge, a power button, an ANC button, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The left ear cup includes a USB-C port. However, they don’t automatically pause the music when taken off the head, unlike many other headphones and wireless earbuds.
Bluetooth 5.3 is supported. Although the packaging touts ‘high-definition audio,’ there’s no mention of Hi-Res audio support anywhere—and I doubt they actually support it.
The headphones last for about 50 hours of playback with active noise-cancelling, or up to 30 hours with it off, which is decent. They take two hours to fully charge.
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Detachable touchscreen is interesting
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned my idea of a pair of headphones with a touchscreen interface. Frankly, touch on headphones—whether through a screen or touch controls in general—is a flawed concept. I realised this while using these headphones. No, the Promate VuTune headphones don’t exactly promote that idea; it’s just that I tried using their touchscreen to control the music—and I failed. That’s probably why nobody wants to put a touchscreen on headphones for controlling playback in the first place.
The 2.1-inch touchscreen reminds me of using my Apple iPod Nano 6th generation. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
However, the touchscreen display (it measures 2 inches, with an LCD panel supporting 240 x 296 resolution, and is located on the right ear cup) of the VuTune headphones is detachable and can be removed magnetically. Personally, I like the idea of having a removable screen. The concept is similar to what JBL did with the touchscreen on the case of its earbuds—except here, it’s built into the right ear cup. Once detached, the screen becomes a mini control hub that lets you manage music playback, turn on noise cancellation, adjust the volume, or skip tracks without touching your phone. Basically, it’s like having a control center in your hands. Every time I removed the screen from the headphones, it reminded me of using the iPod Nano 6th generation.
The implementation is clever, I would say—and I think it’s interesting design choice. But its usefulness really depends on how you control your music. I have a habit of keeping my phone in hand while listening to music during my morning walk. But there are days when I don’t touch my phone at all and just enjoy my favourite album with the phone tucked away in my pocket. It totally depends on my playlist and mood. Keep in mind that since the headphones don’t have a companion app (I couldn’t find one on either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store), the touchscreen display makes sense as a way to control your music while leaving your phone in your bag or pocket.
While the idea of a touchscreen display magnetically attached to the headphones is innovative, the user interface is a bit underwhelming. I won’t say it’s bad, but it’s too basic and barebones (it reminds me of what you get on a basic feature phone). I wish the screen allowed for viewing incoming texts and notifications from your smartphone, with the option to choose which features to display on the touchscreen.
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Some users will certainly appreciate it, and there’s definitely a cool factor to it—I won’t deny that. But I feel that tapping your smartphone to change the music or adjust the volume is more convenient than tapping the touchscreen on the headphones. You may agree or disagree—it’s your choice.
Good sound and noise-cancelling
Sound quality is an important aspect for many, especially when headphones are priced above Rs 5,000. The Promate VuTunes sound great right out of the box, without any EQ adjustments. The audio is incredibly clear, and I honestly wasn’t expecting that. After listening to hours of music and podcasts, I felt these headphones could rival high-end models. They feature 40mm drivers and deliver an ‘exciting’ sound, especially if you listen to a lot of hip-hop and bass-heavy tracks. The VuTunes produce deep bass and offer a much richer, fuller sound—whether I was listening to music, tuning into podcasts, or watching YouTube videos. The audio is mostly balanced and clean, with a noticeable beat to the music. You don’t need to be an audiophile to appreciate it.
Promate VuTune headphones sound good, with breathy vocals, authentic sound, and clear microphone quality for phone and video calls. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
I used the following Apple Music playlists/albums to test the Promate VuTunes headphones: Selena Gomez’s I Said I Love You, ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits, Jennie’s Ruby, KK – Unplugged and Lofi Hits, and Raj Kapoor Essentials.
The headphones offer respectable adaptive noise-cancelling, though not at the same level as the AirPods Pro (review). They effectively reduce most rumbles and unwanted sounds but struggle with higher-pitched noises, allowing a bit more background chatter through compared to headphones from Bose, which, in my opinion, have the best noise-cancelling capabilities.
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Call quality is really good in both quiet and loud environments, coming through clearly. You can comfortably use these headphones for taking calls. I took several calls during my morning walk and while riding the Delhi Metro. The VuTune’s ANC is remarkably effective.
A strong case for touchscreen smartness on headphones
After using the Promate VuTune headphones, I do feel there’s room for experimentation with how touchscreens are used in headphones. It shows that a smart screen is still a new and largely unexplored feature with a lot of potential. However, the user interface needs to be more intuitive and better optimised for headphone use. I may not always use the touchscreen, but it’s a great fit and convenient in situations where you don’t feel like taking your phone out of your pocket. As I said, it’s not for everyone—but it’s definitely a fun feature. The VuTune headphones aren’t expensive either, and they offer impressive sound quality, effective ANC, and all-day comfort.