Review: PaMu Slide Wireless earbuds

Last year the PaMu Scroll became something of a gamechanger in the world of wireless earbuds.

Chinese firm PadMate’s second venture into the market featured a unique charging case that rolled out (hence the ‘scroll’) and a bud design that fit snugly in the ear and looked a bit different from everything else available at the time.

They weren’t perfect (the charge time wasn’t great and very occasionally the sound cut out on my pair), but they did the job, and impressed enough people to raise £3.2 million through a crowdfunding campaign.

Now PadMate are back with their 2019 upgrade, the PaMu Slide, which they confidently boast are the best Bluetooth earphones available.

Having used the Scroll for around a year now, I was keen to see whether the Slide was as good PadMate says it is.

The set up

Like the Scroll, the earbuds again come in a charging case, but that’s where the similarities end.

This time the casing has the appearance of a mini speaker, a flat square shaped box (dimensions 72 x 72 x 38.5mm) with a lid that slides open to reveal the earbuds.

They have also changed in shape of the buds, which now look more like the Apple Airpods, only slightly bulkier with a shorter stem.

Mine are dark grey in colour but other options are available.

In the neat looking package you also get a USB cable, a selection of different sized bud covers and a small instruction manual explaining the basics.

The charging case on my ‘+’ version of the set also doubles as a phone powerbank – simply place your paired phone on its base and you’re away.

A clip on carry bag is available as an optional extra.

How do they work?

Simply connect to your device via Bluetooth and you’re good to go.

The buds charge individually in the case, with tiny LED lights showing their status. Once removed and placed into your ears, tap the button on the side of one of the buds and you’re ready to play music.

Each bud has different control options. Tap the left one once to play or pause and twice to activate the voice assistant. If you are paired with your phone one click answers a call (in call mode).

A long press on the left touch button decreases the volume, while the same manoeuvre on the right bud turns the volume up.

Double clicking the right bud allows you to skip a track. It sounds complicated, but even technophobes should be able to master it after a couple of uses.

The verdict

The Slide marks a massive improvement on an already decent set.

The sound is bigger and richer, the fit is more snug – I’ve used mine at the gym and while out jogging and they don’t shift a millimetre – and the overall performance is as good as anything I’ve tried in this over-saturated market.

My only gripe – and it’s a small one – is that the charging case is too bulky for carrying around. It is too big for a trouser pocket, so if you are using the buds on public transport, for example, you really need a coat or a small bag to carry them in.

There’s a pay off though. The reason for the case’s size is the mammoth charge it offers – a pretty impressive 10.5 hours before they need charging again.

And unlike other products which promise a long charge but don't deliver, this set actually does what it says on the tin. It takes less than an hour for them to be fully charged, and there's a standby time of 60 hours.

Overall the Slide offers great value. At the current Indiegogo price you can’t really go wrong.