NEXTLINK INVISIO G5 Review

Introduction:

The Danish manufacturer NextLink brings you “the world’s smallest Bluetooth headset”. This will definitely be the hit model of the company, known for the high quality of its products. Let’s see if it is really the smallest one on the market and whether it will be able to provide the satisfaction the customers need.

In the box you will find:

Design:

The model has an extremely clear design, which, for unknown reasons, looks like the head of a robot dog. In other words, it is both modern and somehow well-known at the same time. The lack of innovative design is probably due to the fact that the company has strived for achieving the best possible size and mass result (the smaller, the better). With dimensions 1.3 x 0.63 inches (3.3 x 1.6 cm) and weighing at only 0.013 oz (6 grams), at present, it is the holder of the title “Smallest Bluetooth Handsfree”. The only color that the G5 is currently offered in is black.




The controls are absolutely standard. There are three buttons and the different combinations give access to various functions.

The biggest one, the TALK button, is located on top. It is easy to use, it has a good tactile feedback, it is relieved in the middle and you’ll find it by touch with no problem. Overall, the button is very comfortable, but there is something peculiar about it– the front part is not easily pressed and if you don’t want the headset going deep in to your cochlear channel, you will have to work with the back one.


A few positive things can be said about the side buttons. They are small, suit the design of the headset and have tactile feedback (especially, if compared to the other new model of the manufacturer, the B3), but are hard to press. Because of the extremely light weight, if they are pressed harder, the whole headset moves and this can be quite uncomfortable for your ear. Aside from that, the side buttons lack any marking as to what function they have. You’ll have to remember that when on the right ear, “up” increases the volume and when on the left ear, it decreases it.

If we go back to the comparison we made with the head of a robot dog, we can say that the speaker is located in the neck and the tail, the so called Soft Spring, has to be put on top. The Soft Spring is a rubber add-on, which follows the inside of the cochlea, providing comfort and stability. There are two different sizes included in the box, which should be enough, and you can shorten them manually. Thanks to that technology it’s extremely easy to move it from ear to ear as needed (moving the “tail” left or right). The G5 attaches very stable to your ear so you won’t get the feeling that it’s going to fall. Depending on the person it may be either very comfortable, or uncomfortable. Some of us used it for hours while others couldn’t stay more than 30 minutes with it. The headset’s service light, which can be green or red, is hidden on the bottom. Red means that the device needs to be recharged, and green that you are good to go.


On the bottom, between the two volume buttons are located the charging contacts. There is no slot for a charger device, which means that you can’t charge the headset without using the special Protective Charging Case. This is one of the things we like the most in G5. It looks like a supersized black Zippo lighter, but actually is a combination between a charging cradle and a rechargeable battery. That’s’ right, if you connect it to a miniUSB cable or an A/C adapter it acts as a regular charge, but when you are on the move, it can wirelessly recharge your headset, up to 5 times. This is possible thanks to the built-in battery. A great solution by INVISIO! On top of that, the case is light and stylish. There are two buttons: one to open the cap and another to check the battery. The charger (miniUSB) connector is on the bottom. The Protective Charging Case has five LEDs, all lighting up in green. Depending on the blinking combination, you will know if only the headset is being charged or the cradle as well, which one is fully charged etc. Once again, a very practical solution by the manufacturer.

Functionality:

To start using the device, you have to enter pairing mode. It is activated by pressing and holding the TALK button. This is indicated by the service light, which starts blinking in green and red. The code you need to enter through the phone menu after it has found the device is 0000.

To a great extend, the rich set of functions offered by the INVISIO G5 (call waiting, conference call, redial, etc.) are made useless by the not-so-easy-to-use buttons. It is strange, but if you ask us, muting the device is the easiest to do. This is done by pressing the volume buttons simultaneously. Like we mentioned above, pressing a single key, makes the device move out of its position, causing ear discomfort. To your relief, the G5 keeps its sound settings after it has been turned off.

Performance:

The sound quality is of outmost importance for every headset. The G5 performed quite well in this discipline. The sound is with a good quality and loudness. The voices are sharp and monotonous but easy to understand. The good news is that if you are calling Domino’s, they will hear you just fine and won’t put green peppers on your thin crust pizza instead of pepperoni. Actually, in this aspect the G5 is one of the best we have tested.
 
The INVISIO G5 did impress us in the wind tests too. The DSP performed extremely well and even with stronger air the voices were heard understandable. Unfortunately, when we tried to have a conversation in a noisier environment, such as in a nightclub, we didn’t hear almost anything and the other party had no success understanding us either.
 
We expected the battery results to be better and not only 3h 20 minutes, which is 40 minutes less than the original data supplied by the manufacturer. This time can be extended to 5 times more, by putting the headset in the charging case. In other words, with one full charge, you get about 15-16 hours. This is a really impressive result and one of the main advantages of the headset.

Luckily, we had no trouble with the range, proving that the device can be used at a distance from the phone, unlike the other miniature headset, the Argard M10.



Conclusion:

As we’ve already mentioned, this is the world’s smallest Bluetooth Handsfree. The charging case also deserves some good words, since it is a very nice solution with good design and functionality. The sound quality is very high, especially in contrast to G5’s closest rival, the Argard M10.

It would never fall out of your ear but unfortunately, you may want to remove it after just half an hour of usage. Overall, if you are looking for a compact Bluetooth handsfree with a reliable battery and good sound quality, the INVISIO G5 is definitely a good choice. Just keep in mind that it may not feel comfortable for continuous usage.