Motorola HS805 Headset Review

Motorola H300 is a kid of the budget, but it looks classy and stylish, compared to the manufacturer’s ultra cheap and mass model – the HS805 headset. Targeted as “first-ever” Bluetooth device, the headset is for the novice users, who are afraid of spending much on an accessory but still like the freedom a handsfree gives. In order to achieve a good price, the Motorola product strips down all the functionality and style and also bring simple single-usage battery instead of rechargeable one.

The Box includes:

• Headset
• Manual
• Single AAA battery
  

The HS805 is not a beauty – definitely! It’s big, heavy and ugly, combined into a feature-less device without any appealing. Its biggest drawback is the strange form of the body, with big size in addition and not stable attachment will turn you into a funny robot, wearing it. The silver color also gives for the Robocop-like look.




Similar to other models of Motorola, it has three keys and a light; the keys are very big and black, and we were pleasantly surprised to see the volume buttons are usable, but unfortunately you will need some magic to handle with the call key, which is mainly used for device’s operation and is also called MFB (multifunctional control button).



The light is mediocre – unlike even other budget models, it is not the common blue LED you have used to, but an old school green light, bringing us back to the 60’s.

The few extras the H300 had are gone – the battery door is hard to open, and a nail can be easily broken trying to do this. No rubber around the earpiece will “care” for your ears – the plastic is directly pressing your face; but this happens only when you’ve put the headset on. As the earhook has two steps only (opened and closed), this may also be a hard operation, but once used to it, a person can do it even single-handed.

Functionality:

Pairing is again as simple as possible: holding the call key for a few seconds while the headset is off will put it in this mode, indicated by the LED lit in solid green. As a standard, the code requested when the phone finds “Motorola HS805” is 0000. Up to eight devices can be connected to the headset at a time.

Using key combinations and techniques, voice dialing or last-number dialing can be performed while in standby mode. The headset can also handle with multiple conversations, holding or switching them.

Performance:

During a call, the HS805 performed better than the expected with quality above the average delivered in a headset from the ultra low class. The outgoing sound was slightly muffled but still distinct and with average strength. The incoming voice sounded realistic and clear, without any noise from the speaker and with volume high enough for place with more noise.

Of course, the budget headset lacks any system for dealing with noise or wind, but we tested it and once again it performed better than the expected. Probably thanks to the relatively big boom microphone, the HS805 was able to deal with the artificial wind.

Comfort:

As we’ve already mentioned, the earhook used in the device is not exactly the same as the one of the H300 and instead of four steps for opening, it can be either fully opened (90 degrees) or closed (0 degrees) instead of allowing you to open it a little (45 degrees) and easily put it on your ear.  The operation can be still achieved if you train it a little, but it is not very easy.

Once installed, the HS805 wobbles and shakes when you move – it is not stable and hits the face it’s attached to. It’s very likely to fall of your face accidentally if the head is shaken or even only tilted. Forget about running with it – the HS805 will be down before a couple of steps could be done.

Not equipped with rubber or anything to feel comfortable on your face, the heavy weight will say its word – after a half an hour of usage, the headset tired our ears and we demanded on removing it. It won’t be a problem for short conversations, though.

This is not an image maker – wearing the H805 won’t turn you into a technology guru, but the contrary – you will look as a numb that is a big fan of cartoons with robots – or cartoons with funny robots. The cheap look of the device can ruin every style, and the big dimension show it is big, attached to every head.

Conclusion:

If you want a cheap headset – it’s cheap. But when it comes to anything else, the H805 is not a deal breaker. Its price and battery life are its main selling points, as it is very basic. Unfortunately it is also very big and bulky and both uncomfortable to wear and ugly looking. Considering the low price, we’d still get a H300 for its better look and feel.