As a rule, you should never believe anything you see on social media. And you should really never believe anything someone says in a video with a TikTok Shop link, because they are nakedly trying to sell you something. From candy to headphones to supplements to power tools, TikTok has built a remarkable system: creators post videos promoting or reviewing products, TikTok blasts them onto For You pages everywhere, and when viewers click the link and buy the product, both the creators and TikTok get a cut. Everything’s for sale and everyone’s on commission.
I know all this to be true. So the first time I saw a video of an influencer hawking Picun F8 Pro headphones, which I immediately clocked as a convincing AirPods Max knockoff, I scrolled past it. But after weeks of video after video after video raving about how great these headphones are, I caved.
I kept hearing that Picun headphones were roughly as good as the AirPods Max for a fraction of the price. A few TikToks I saw argue that you’re not the problem if you buy knockoffs — you’re the problem if you’re spending $500 more just to get a brand name. Some videos purport to perform scientific noise-canceling tests; others just hold up a pair of AirPods Max and then a pair of Picuns, as if the side-by-side proves the point.
All the sales-creators made it clear that I needed to buy these headphones now. Some videos spread a rumor that Apple was suing Picun over the design, so they might be off the market soon. (This is not the case, as far as I know — Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.) Others continuously claim that the headphones are about to be taken off the TikTok Shop; I’ve been seeing that for weeks, and they’re still for sale.
I don’t believe any of it! And yet, after a few taps I barely even remember, I’d spent $63.58 to get a pair shipped to my door. I also ran to the Apple Store and dropped $581.94 on blue AirPods Max. I had testing to do.
They look alike… until you really look. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
I’ve been using both for the past several weeks, and I’ve come to a conclusion I didn’t expect. The Picun F8 Pros sound a smidge worse than the AirPods Max, but in a few ways, I actually prefer them, and given the price I’d easily pick Picun. The bass in the F8s is a little more pronounced than I like, and can be a little muddy on extra-thumpy songs. They were crisper on the high notes in a song like “Welcome to the Black Parade,” though, and for the most part both brands sound pretty similar.
The limiting factor for headphones, I suspect, is not the headphones themselves but the context. Buy all the great gear you want, but if you’re still streaming Spotify playlists over Bluetooth, there’s only so much fidelity available. Yes, the AirPods Max now support lossless audio over a wired connection, but that’s not how most people listen to music. Most listen on loud subways, in the gym, or while walking the dog; unless you’re in a dedicated listening environment, I’d wager that good-enough sound is usually good enough. Especially for the price.
But then there’s everything else. All the little things, and a few big ones, that make headphones not just sound good but work well. And in that respect, Apple destroys Picun, and the best brands usually beat the knockoffs.
The headphones may look similar on my TikTok feed, but there’s no mistaking the two in person. The AirPods Max are more impressive the second you take them out of the box. They come with a case, which the F8s don’t have. The mesh in the Max headband is actual, breathable mesh, while the F8 is just a slightly textured (and very sweaty) fabric. Apple’s cushions pop off with a satisfying magnetic thunk, but you have to yank the F8s’ cushions off with true force. Which is ironic, because I think I could pry the F8s themselves apart with two fingernails.
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