Review: BlueAnt X3 Micro Bluetooth Headset

BlueAnt X3 Micro

BlueAnt X3 Micro

BlueAnt X3 Micro

The BlueAnt X3 Micro is one of Australian company BlueAnt's most popular Bluetooth devices, though the company has only recently entered the U.S. market. The X3 Micro comes in three colors: black, white, and the new pink. The test unit we have is black, and in my opinion, this is by far the best looking of the three colors.

All three colors have an LED light that glows both blue and red. This light can actually be turned off by pressing the multifunction button five times quickly.

As the name suggests, the X3 Micro is a small headset. Measuring 52mm x 26mm x 28mm (2.04" x 1.02" x 1.10"), it is not the smallest on the market, but it is still quite small. Another feature backing the 'Micro' tag is its weight. The X3 Micro weighs just 13g (0.45oz), making it one of the lightest headsets on the market. The lithium polymer battery of the X3 Micro returned a healthy 6:20(hh:mm) of talk time, and the manufacturer's claim of 7.5 days standby time was pretty close to the mark.

Charging options for the X3 are numerous, due to the unit being accompanied by an AC charger, cigarette lighter to USB adapter, and a USB charger. Also shipping with the X3 Micro are two ear bud covers, an ear loop, a neck band with quick release clip, and a user manual.

The X3 Micro has three buttons - a multifunction button, volume up button, and volume down button. The multifunction button is on the side of the headset, and is big and easy to find and press without taking away from the aesthetics of the device. The volume buttons border the multifunction button. Because of their location and setup, the orientation of the buttons stays the same regardless of which ear the headset is being worn on.

The controls on the X3 Micro are very simple. Holding the multifunction button for three seconds will turn the headset on, which is accompanied by an ascending tone and three blue flashes of the LED. To turn the headset off, the same three second hold of the multifunction button will play a descending tone, and is accompanied by three red flashes of the LED.

To enter pairing mode, simply hold the volume up button for three seconds. The pairing code is the standard '0000,' and the headset can be paired with up to three devices simultaneously. Pairing is one of the great features of this little headset, as unlike most other headsets, you can actually switch between paired devices by pressing the multifunction button and volume down button together to disconnect from one device, then pressing the multifunction button twice quickly to connect to the second paired device. Following this convention, pressing it three times will connect to the third pared device. We had no problems pairing the device with a Sony Ericsson W800 and a Nokia 6230. The X3 Micro supports both handsfree and headset profiles.