SANOTO S710 vs. SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro — Head-to-Head Review: Which Swimming Headphone Wins?

Introduction

The market for waterproof sports headphones has grown significantly, and two models stand out at very different price points: the SANOTO S710 (~€59, Amazon Affiliate Link) and the SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro (~€229, Amazon Affiliate Link). Both are designed for swimming and aquatic sports, both feature built-in MP3 storage for underwater playback, and both use some form of bone conduction or vibration-based audio technology. But beyond these surface-level similarities, they represent fundamentally different philosophies in design, target audience, and feature depth. This review breaks down every meaningful difference to help you decide which one is right for you.

Design & Fit

The most immediate difference between the two is their acoustic design philosophy.

The SANOTO S710 takes a hybrid approach: it combines a bone conduction vibration mechanism with a traditional in-ear fit. Silicone ear tips seal the ear canal, creating a closed acoustic chamber that delivers better bass response and more contained sound. This is a clever engineering compromise — bone conduction handles the vibration-based audio, while the in-ear seal improves the listening experience by reducing sound leakage. The ear tips come in six pairs of different sizes, ensuring a personalised, secure fit. The over-ear hook design keeps the unit stable during vigorous movement.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro, by contrast, uses a pure open-ear bone conduction design. The transducers sit on your cheekbones, transmitting sound vibrations directly to your inner ear without ever entering the ear canal. This means your ears remain completely open — a design choice SHOKZ has refined over many product generations. The result is significantly greater situational awareness (you can hear your coach, lane signals, or traffic if running), but at the cost of lower bass response and some sound leakage.

Winner: Draw — depends entirely on preference. In-ear for immersive audio, open-ear for safety and comfort.

Water Resistance

Both headphones are rated for aquatic use, but there is a notable difference in certification depth.

The SANOTO S710 carries an IPX8 rating and is specified for use at up to 10 metres depth — far exceeding typical pool swim depths. This makes it a viable option even for scuba-adjacent activities or deep open-water swimming.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro is rated IP68, which in SHOKZ’s specification means it is tested to 2 metres depth for up to 2 hours. IP68 is technically a higher or equivalent standard to IPX8 in terms of dust/water ingress protection under the IEC 60529 classification, but the manufacturer-specified depth limit is considerably lower than the SANOTO’s claimed 10 metres.

Winner: SANOTO S710 — superior depth rating (10m vs. 2m) at a fraction of the price.

Built-in Storage

For underwater use, Bluetooth does not function reliably — both devices rely on their internal MP3 player as the sole audio source in water.

The SANOTO S710 includes 8 GB of built-in storage, which translates to approximately 1,500–2,000 tracks in MP3 format, or a significant library of FLAC files. Supported formats include MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV, and APE — a broad and well-rounded codec selection.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro jumps to a substantial 32 GB, four times the SANOTO’s capacity. This is a meaningful advantage for athletes who want to store lossless audio libraries, long podcast archives, or audiobooks without constant management. The OpenSwim Pro does not specify supported audio formats in detail beyond MP3.

Winner: SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro — 32 GB vs. 8 GB is a clear advantage for heavy library users.

Battery Life

Here the tables turn in an interesting way.

The SANOTO S710 delivers up to 12 hours in MP3 mode and 8 hours in Bluetooth mode — exceptional endurance, especially considering the price point. For marathon swimmers, triathletes, or anyone training for extended periods, this is a significant advantage.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro offers 9 hours in Bluetooth mode but only 6 hours in MP3 mode — a counterintuitive result where the more expensive device has shorter underwater battery life. Both charge in approximately 2 hours. Notably, the SHOKZ charges wirelessly (Qi-compatible), which is a premium convenience feature, while the SANOTO uses a proprietary magnetic charging cable (two included in the box).

Winner: SANOTO S710 — longer battery life across both modes, especially critical for underwater MP3 use.

Bluetooth & Smart Features

Above water, the SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro pulls significantly ahead.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro features Bluetooth 5.4 with Multipoint Pairing (connect to two devices simultaneously), a built-in noise-cancelling microphone with both ENC and DNS technologies for calls, and full SHOKZ App support — including EQ customisation, mode switching, firmware updates, and battery status monitoring. This turns the OpenSwim Pro into a full-featured everyday headphone that happens to also work in water.

The SANOTO S710 also uses Bluetooth 5.4 for above-water use but has no microphone and no companion app. It is purely a music playback device when used wirelessly — functional, but lacking the feature depth for calls, meetings, or smart management.

Winner: SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro — by a wide margin for above-water daily use.

Audio Quality

Both devices use bone conduction or vibration-based transducers, so neither will challenge a premium studio headphone. However:

The SANOTO S710’s in-ear hybrid design gives it a measurable acoustic advantage under water. The sealed ear canal retains more sound energy, delivering better bass response and intelligibility in the pool. The 360° closed sound cavity design helps concentrate audio.

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro leverages its refined PremiumPitch 2.0+ bone conduction technology, delivering clear and balanced audio — arguably better than most competitors at comparable open-ear designs. Above water it performs excellently. Underwater, the open-ear design naturally leaks more sound into the water and provides a somewhat thinner audio profile.

Winner: SANOTO S710 (underwater) / SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro (above water)

Price & Value

The SHOKZ costs nearly four times as much. Whether that premium is justified depends entirely on how you use the headphones.

Pros & Cons Summary

SANOTO S710

Pros:

• Exceptional value at ~€60
• Outstanding waterproofing (IPX8, 10m depth)
• Long battery life: 12h (MP3) / 8h (BT)
• Wide audio format support (FLAC, WAV, APE, etc.)
• In-ear design = better underwater audio
• 2 magnetic charging cables included

Cons:

• Only 8 GB internal storage
• No microphone – no phone calls
• No companion app, no EQ
• No wireless charging
• Unknown brand with less service/support infrastructure
• In-ear design may feel uncomfortable for some during long sessions

SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro

Pros:

• Premium brand with proven track record
• 32 GB storage — massive library capacity
• Full-featured above-water: mic, ENC/DNS, Multipoint Pairing
• Wireless charging (Qi)
• SHOKZ App with EQ, firmware updates, mode management
• Open-ear design = situational awareness, no ear canal pressure
• Comfortable for all-day wear

Cons:

• Very high price: €229
• Shorter battery life in MP3 mode (6h vs. 12h)
• Lower depth rating (2m vs. 10m)
• Open-ear = more sound leakage, less bass underwater
• Overkill for pure swimming use cases

Final Recommendation: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the SANOTO S710 if you are:

• A recreational or competitive swimmer whose primary use case is the pool or open water
• On a tight budget and want solid performance without paying a premium
• Planning to use it mostly underwater in MP3 mode
• A diver or deep-water swimmer who needs more than 2m water resistance
• Comfortable with a smaller music library (8 GB is enough for ~1,500 songs)Bottom line: For pure in-water audio performance per euro spent, the SANOTO S710 is almost unbeatable. It does the important things — waterproofing, battery, sound — very well at a fraction of the cost.

Choose the SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro if you are:

• A triathlete or multi-sport athlete who wants one headphone for swimming, running, and cycling
• Someone who values all-day comfort and the freedom of an open ear
• A professional who needs phone calls and microphone quality even during training
• A music enthusiast with a large library who wants lossless quality and 32 GB of space
• Willing to invest in a premium ecosystem (SHOKZ App, wireless charging, brand support)
• Using the headphones as much above water as in waterBottom line: The SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro is a versatile, premium all-rounder. Its value is in the complete feature package — not just for the pool, but for your entire active lifestyle.

Both headphones received 4.3/5 stars on Amazon.de with hundreds of verified reviews, confirming that customer satisfaction is high across both price segments.

The post SANOTO S710 vs. SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro — Head-to-Head Review: Which Swimming Headphone Wins? first appeared on Ragnar Heil (MVP): Empowering M365 with AI.

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