Could These TEMU Fakes Save You HUNDREDS Of Dollars? | Tom's Guide
As we discovered in our last video unboxing and reviewing fake Apple products from Temu, you can find all kinds of tech knock-offs on the popular shopping app.
This time, we ordered dupes of the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 2, Apple Watch Ultra bands and Apple MagSafe Battery Pack to see how they compare to the real things — and we were surprised by what they looked like and how they performed. Are $10 fake AirPods not so bad after all?
Let's find out.
This time, we ordered dupes of the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 2, Apple Watch Ultra bands and Apple MagSafe Battery Pack to see how they compare to the real things — and we were surprised by what they looked like and how they performed. Are $10 fake AirPods not so bad after all?
Let's find out.
Transcript
00:00 I'm back again with things I bought on Teemu
00:02 that are heavily inspired by Apple.
00:04 Dare I call them fake Apple products?
00:06 Do you see this?
00:08 So cute.
00:10 Can you tell the difference?
00:11 Can you hear that?
00:14 Now I wanna start by apologizing
00:17 because in my last video,
00:18 I did not do a good job at clarifying
00:20 that while these devices are bought on Teemu,
00:22 they're not Teemu branded or made by Teemu.
00:25 Teemu is just the marketplace
00:26 and cannot be credited with making the knockoffs.
00:28 But I will say that when I search for Apple products
00:31 like AirPods Max and Apple Watch bands,
00:33 there are some pretty blatant lookalikes
00:35 populated in the results.
00:37 Let's get into it.
00:38 There's no smell this time.
00:42 I think that's a good thing.
00:43 I will say that once again,
00:45 the package is a little worse for wear.
00:47 Not sure when that happened,
00:49 but I do know what I ordered.
00:51 So hopefully everything's in here
00:53 and it arrived in good condition.
00:54 There already is a rip in the package.
00:56 Let's just go from there.
00:59 Oh boy.
00:59 Do you see this?
01:04 Do you see this?
01:06 I'll come back to you.
01:08 Okay.
01:11 AirPods Pro should come in this packaging.
01:15 This is so fun.
01:16 I love this.
01:16 Okay, wait, there's more.
01:18 Oh yes.
01:20 We got our Apple Watch Ultra bands.
01:24 And last but not least,
01:27 a battery pack.
01:28 Looks pretty familiar to me.
01:30 So I have the product listing up
01:32 for the wireless UF-P9 BT headset,
01:37 Bluetooth headset,
01:38 suitable for iOS or Android.
01:40 It is available in five colors,
01:43 which look very similar to the colors
01:45 in which you can buy AirPods Max.
01:47 And currently they are $9.99.
01:51 Though at full price,
01:51 they cost about $27.
01:53 So this is what you get for $10.
01:56 All right.
01:58 Let's see.
01:59 This is going in the garbage anyway.
02:04 Okay.
02:04 Do you hear that?
02:08 Some nice hollow plastic right there.
02:12 Why would you make them look like AirPods Max
02:15 that have been made out of just plastic?
02:19 The best part about this though
02:20 is that the mesh is printed.
02:23 That's so funny.
02:24 Like why at that point would you even do printed mesh?
02:26 Why wouldn't you just have like it be a uniform,
02:29 you know, whatever this plastic-y cover is.
02:31 We got some buttons right here.
02:33 Let's see what these are.
02:34 Power, pause, play, and answer a call.
02:37 Skip, rewind.
02:39 This is real fancy over here.
02:40 We got micro USB charging and a headphone jack.
02:45 Wait, that's something you don't get on these.
02:48 There's no headphone jack.
02:49 That's awesome.
02:51 So right off the bat,
02:52 if you need headphones with a headphone jack,
02:55 you're not gonna get AirPods Max.
02:56 You might wanna get these instead.
02:58 These are giving plastic is what it's doing.
03:01 Barbie said life is plastic.
03:02 Well, she must have these headphones.
03:05 Only thing we can do now is try them on, right?
03:07 Ooh, they don't really fit.
03:10 I mean, maybe they do.
03:11 They're not gonna fit everyone though.
03:13 How do I look?
03:14 Power on, that's good.
03:16 Bluetooth connected successfully.
03:19 What should we listen to?
03:21 I have to say for $10,
03:23 these don't actually sound so bad.
03:25 Like you get some of the stereo.
03:27 There's like bass.
03:28 These like aren't bad.
03:30 Now they don't have active noise cancellation.
03:33 That might be pretty obvious.
03:34 That's more of like a premium feature.
03:36 You do get that obviously on AirPods Max
03:39 along with a lot of other smart features
03:41 like spatial audio, for example.
03:43 And of course you can find these in Find My
03:46 with your iPhone.
03:47 I know for certain that if I tried to pull these far apart,
03:50 they would snap.
03:52 So as long as you are okay
03:53 kind of being a bit more gentle with them,
03:57 you know, the plastic won't hold up too well over time.
03:59 But if you just want something that like looks
04:01 kind of like a very popular
04:03 and very expensive Apple product,
04:05 these are not the worst thing I've seen.
04:08 I think it just makes sense to do another audio product.
04:13 And the packaging for this is so cute.
04:17 You know what these remind me of?
04:18 You know, the old iPod commercials?
04:20 Yes, the iPod with like the dancing silhouettes
04:22 and they had like the different pop art
04:25 color block style things.
04:26 It almost kind of reminds me of that.
04:28 So talk about paying homage.
04:31 The other thing that I would say about the packaging
04:33 is that it is in much better shape
04:35 than the over ear headphones that we just unboxed.
04:39 So I'm a bit more optimistic about that.
04:42 Let's see the product listing though.
04:44 Oh no, it says this item was discontinued.
04:48 You cannot buy these anymore.
04:50 And I'm terribly sorry about that.
04:52 But if I remember correctly,
04:53 they were in like the nine to $12 range.
04:57 That's okay, we still have them here.
04:59 Let's still unbox them and see what they're like.
05:02 Oh, this makes me sad for the environment.
05:04 First impressions, these look and feel a lot better
05:10 than the AirPods dupes in the last video we did.
05:14 You get the little status icon, the indent,
05:17 the metal looking back here, the pairing button,
05:21 and even a lightning port.
05:23 Now, in terms of case design,
05:25 the latest gen AirPods Pro have a speaker in the case,
05:29 speakers I should say, so you actually see speaker grills.
05:32 But why don't I just show you?
05:34 The case sizes are identical.
05:36 From the front, truly identical.
05:38 From the back, I mean, wow, you get the designed
05:41 by Apple in California label there.
05:44 And then of course the bottom, like I said.
05:45 These feel heavier, which is kind of normal.
05:48 Like these are obviously a lot more expensive,
05:50 so you have more premium materials.
05:52 But these don't feel as like plasticky,
05:55 even as the AirPods Max.
05:57 Damn, these are some good looking dupes.
06:01 I've seen a lot of headphones and earbuds
06:04 inspired by AirPods,
06:05 and I think these might be the most convincing looking
06:08 just by a glance.
06:10 That issue that I was having with the AirPods Max,
06:12 where it was like the mesh was printed on,
06:14 these actually look functional.
06:16 Like these aren't just textured plastic,
06:18 it actually looks like those are
06:19 where the speaker grills are.
06:21 So it's definitely not the AirPods experience
06:24 of when you just pop open the case, it's ready to pair.
06:27 Oh, oh, we love this notification.
06:32 Can you see that?
06:33 We got that last time, do you remember?
06:34 So if someone tried to sell these to me
06:38 as real genuine AirPods, you know, charge me a few hundred
06:41 dollars, this would be my iPhone's way of telling me
06:45 that I got scammed.
06:47 So I'm gonna connect anyway and hope for the best.
06:50 So the sound you're hearing through my mic
06:57 isn't gonna be exactly what I'm hearing in my ears,
07:00 but I have to say these really for the price are not bad.
07:03 Like if you need a pair of budget headphones,
07:06 maybe just like in a spare set to keep in your bag
07:09 or even at your desk, I wouldn't be mad about these.
07:11 Now, a big thing that I would miss personally
07:13 compared to using the real AirPods Pro 2 is, you know,
07:16 features like spatial audio where I'd be moving my head
07:19 around and the music would be moving with me.
07:21 I would say it's very, you know, just two dimensional
07:24 listening to these to that effect.
07:26 I just must've gotten bad ones last time.
07:28 I guess the dupes have gotten a lot better for headphones.
07:31 So I asked Mark to come give a second opinion
07:35 on these headphones to make sure that I'm not going crazy
07:38 and that these actually aren't horrible.
07:40 (upbeat music)
07:43 - Not the sound was going to be worse.
07:45 - Right? They're not bad.
07:46 I have one more pair for you to try.
07:48 - Sure.
07:49 - First of all, can you tell the difference?
07:51 - Can I take a look at the bottom?
07:55 - No.
07:55 - This is the real one maybe?
07:59 'Cause it has the light, but I don't know.
08:00 - You're fooled.
08:01 - Okay.
08:02 - Fooled. No, but the case is pretty convincing.
08:04 Obviously the giveaways would be the bottom.
08:06 These are the new AirPods with USB-C,
08:09 but these actually did come with a lightning port.
08:11 Give them a little try.
08:12 - Sure.
08:13 I can hear music through the right side.
08:17 - So I found this too.
08:18 On the left side, you actually have to press and hold
08:20 to turn it on.
08:21 Each bud goes on and off individually.
08:23 Have you tried fake AirPods before this?
08:26 - No.
08:26 - No, you never have.
08:27 Okay, well I have.
08:29 And I'll say that these sound pretty good.
08:31 Cool. Thank you for your input, Mark.
08:33 - Sure.
08:34 - Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
08:37 - Bands.
08:38 Now for these, I looked up Apple Watch Ultra bands
08:41 because the Apple Watch Ultra bands are very distinct.
08:44 As you might remember, Apple came out with a line
08:47 of three different bands that were made to be sold
08:50 with the Apple Watch Ultra.
08:51 They serve different sports.
08:53 But if you've been on this channel
08:54 and you've heard me talk about the Apple Watch Ultra before,
08:57 you know I'm not really a fan of any of the bands.
09:00 So I will say I probably won't like these if they're similar
09:04 but I am curious to see just how much they compare
09:07 to the real things.
09:09 So this pack comes with, that's pretty good.
09:15 Six Apple Watch bands.
09:17 So this is a six pack trail loop plus alpine loop
09:21 plus ocean bands for Apple Watch.
09:23 And we got these for $12.58, $2 each.
09:28 That's a pretty good bargain.
09:31 I know on Amazon you can get Apple Watch bands
09:33 at a pretty big discount.
09:35 Oftentimes they come in packs like this too.
09:38 So I can't say I'm so surprised
09:40 to have seen these on T-Mute.
09:42 Let's start with the alpine loop then.
09:44 Well, one thing off the bat is that this has a bit
09:50 of stretch to it.
09:51 The actual alpine loop does not do that.
09:54 You see how there's that spring?
09:55 So that is a difference.
09:57 This metal also looks pretty cheap, I'm not going to lie.
10:01 But let's see how it looks on my actual Apple Watch Ultra.
10:04 There we go.
10:07 So that alpine loop is supposed to have ultra durable,
10:12 like double stitching.
10:14 The idea is that if I were hanging off the side of a clip,
10:17 just like scratching against a rock probably wouldn't rip it
10:20 whereas this feels a lot thinner.
10:22 I feel like I probably could like,
10:23 if I wanted to, pull that off.
10:26 I don't really like the real alpine loop
10:29 and I don't really like the fake one either.
10:31 Let's try the ocean band.
10:33 The ocean band is intended for scuba diving.
10:37 The idea is that it has these double loops
10:40 that would keep the watch secure on your hand
10:43 because if you drop it down in the ocean,
10:45 the chances of you getting it back are pretty low.
10:48 Let's see how it feels.
10:49 So again, like the trail rope, it's a lot stretchier
10:53 which gives me the indication
10:57 that maybe the quality isn't as good.
10:59 It's not as sturdy.
11:00 It's more likely to perhaps stretch out, slide off,
11:04 but the fit there actually isn't mad.
11:06 I don't hate that.
11:07 Oh, and it even does have the mechanism that opens up
11:10 so that you can put it through.
11:12 If you're going to bring a $800 smartwatch scuba diving,
11:17 I would spend the money to get a real
11:20 like scuba dive certified band.
11:22 This one is far more rigid.
11:25 There's these titanium buckles.
11:27 You have the very clear to use like extension enclosure
11:30 to make sure that it's actually staying on there.
11:32 This probably won't cut it.
11:35 I don't like that.
11:36 Okay, now I said the other two bands are stretchy.
11:39 This one is also stretchy,
11:41 but the real one is stretchy too.
11:43 So if you're doing a comparison,
11:45 you actually want this one to be stretchy
11:47 because it's the one that is designed
11:49 for the maximum comfort.
11:51 Say you're running out in trails and things like that
11:54 and you just need something that has the little pull tab
11:56 to get a bit more comfort, you want that.
11:59 So this so far is the most promising one.
12:02 My biggest complaint with this band
12:03 and why I don't actually use this one all that often
12:06 is you can probably see it is filthy.
12:09 It gets dirty so quickly.
12:10 I have put it through the wash.
12:11 I don't know if you're supposed to do that,
12:13 but it's still just gets super dirty
12:16 every time you wear it out.
12:17 Even has like the four Velcro, the pull tab.
12:20 This is the best one.
12:22 The, what is supposed to be the trail loop.
12:24 I don't hate this one.
12:26 Again, I would use caution.
12:27 If you're actually using these bands
12:30 for some of the outdoor sports
12:31 that the Apple Watch Ultra is marketed for,
12:33 that you're gonna wanna make sure that your bands
12:35 are not gonna be a detriment to your watch experience
12:38 in those moments.
12:40 I would say the one that's least likely to cause that
12:43 would probably be this one.
12:45 I like the Velcro.
12:46 It feels pretty secure.
12:47 I feel good about that.
12:49 If I were going out
12:50 and I needed something a bit more rugged,
12:51 say I didn't wanna use like my normal Apple Watch band,
12:54 these would not be the last bands I reach for.
12:58 So to recap, Apple Watch Ultra bands
13:00 that came in a six pack listed on TeeMu.
13:04 Not really a fan, definitely not a fan and kind of a fan.
13:09 Finally, let's go to the battery pack, magnetic.
13:13 This is a 3000 milliampere magnetic wireless charger,
13:17 power bank, external battery portable.
13:19 It was sold for $12.98.
13:24 Now the actual MagSafe battery pack is notoriously expensive.
13:28 It costs $99.
13:30 So if this works the same way,
13:32 it would be a bargain, I suppose.
13:35 First impressions is they have the general same like feel
13:40 and look to them, especially on the inside.
13:43 The thickness is pretty similar,
13:46 but the weight is much different.
13:47 This is much heavier.
13:49 This is light and, can you hear that?
13:52 It sounds like whatever's inside of here is moving.
13:57 Oh, that sucks.
13:59 So we got chargers with all the other devices
14:01 that need to be charged,
14:02 but this one doesn't actually come with a charger.
14:04 I'm gonna guess, yeah, so it is a lightning port.
14:09 I guess the assumption is that if you have an iPhone,
14:12 you probably have a lightning port,
14:14 except if you got the brand new iPhone 15, hey, USB-C.
14:18 The big missing item, of course,
14:20 is the Apple logo on the back of this one.
14:24 You don't get that here.
14:25 I could see why that would be an issue
14:27 and maybe why we wouldn't have been able to buy this
14:30 in the first place.
14:31 So the Apple MagSafe battery pack
14:33 actually has a lower battery capacity
14:35 than the one I bought on Timu.
14:38 And in my experience, it doesn't so much charge your phone
14:41 as keep your phone charged.
14:43 So if your phone's already pretty close to dead,
14:45 it'll just make sure it doesn't die,
14:46 but it's not really gonna like juice your phone back up,
14:49 especially not if you're rocking with a Pro Max model
14:52 like I am, but let's see if it works.
14:54 So it is magnetically attached.
14:58 So I'm just gonna plug it into my laptop
14:59 to see if it even turns on.
15:02 And there is like no status light coming from this,
15:06 even when it's plugged in.
15:07 So I think it's possible that this is a dud.
15:11 I mean, just hearing it,
15:13 I don't think that anything that has a battery
15:15 or is supposed to charge your phone
15:16 should sound like there's pieces moving inside.
15:19 I obviously don't, I just don't like the way it feels
15:22 like something's being ripped apart inside
15:24 when I pull it off my phone versus just like,
15:27 see how satisfying that is.
15:30 But I have a consolation prize
15:32 for those who have made it this far in the video.
15:34 I too do not usually endorse spending $99 on this
15:39 when there are these MagSafe battery packs.
15:43 This one's from Anker.
15:44 I think it's about $50, so split the difference.
15:47 This one even comes with a little stand.
15:49 So I would say that this one from Timu,
15:54 sold on Timu is definitely not worth it.
15:56 And if you need a MagSafe battery pack,
15:59 but you don't wanna spend the money for this,
16:01 that something like this Anker MagGo battery pack
16:06 would be a better choice.
16:07 There were highs and there were lows.
16:09 Let's start with the audio products.
16:11 These were both honestly highs.
16:13 They performed better than I was expecting.
16:16 Now I won't say they're $100, $200,
16:19 in this case $500 headphone level performance,
16:23 but if you just need something to listen to some music,
16:26 maybe you even have like kids who are begging you
16:29 for the look of AirPods,
16:31 but you know that they don't really care
16:32 about the audio quality as much.
16:34 And you won't even mind if these kind of get like tossed
16:36 around a bit 'cause of how affordable they are.
16:39 They're really not bad.
16:40 Apple, if you're watching this,
16:42 I really like this case idea.
16:44 Again, kind of throwback to the old iPod commercials.
16:47 I would totally reach for this if I was at the store.
16:51 The weird thing about the AirPods Pro, let's say,
16:54 is that the buds each have their own power controls.
16:57 So I got really confused.
16:59 It kind of just lacked that natural intuition
17:01 that you get with Apple products
17:03 where you just open them and they work.
17:04 That certainly wasn't the case.
17:06 Moving on to the lower end of things,
17:08 the Apple Watch Ultra compatible bands
17:11 that look very similar to the ones
17:13 that are actually sold with the Apple Watch Ultra
17:15 were good and bad.
17:16 My favorite of them was the Trail Loop.
17:19 Again, it's actually marketed as a Trail Loop
17:21 on the Timu listing.
17:23 It has that stretch.
17:24 It has the Velcro.
17:26 It still will get dirty, of course,
17:27 but if you're looking for something that's comfortable,
17:29 I would go for that.
17:31 These, I don't feel as secure with knowing
17:33 that they're intended for sports
17:35 where you are not going to want to lose your watch,
17:38 such as on the side of a mountain
17:40 or down in the middle of the ocean.
17:42 This was such a fail.
17:44 It didn't work.
17:45 I suppose it could have gotten damaged in shipping,
17:48 but the fact that it didn't even come
17:50 with a charging cord of any kind
17:52 was kind of a red flag, if you ask me.
17:55 I do think it looks like
17:58 the actual Apple MagSafe battery pack,
18:00 but considering it doesn't work,
18:02 this was a total fail.
18:04 Were you surprised by these products
18:06 from Timu as much as I was?
18:07 Be sure to let me know,
18:08 and let me know if we should do a part three.
18:11 We're always doing cool stuff like this on this channel,
18:13 so be sure that you're subscribed.
18:15 We're also on social, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
18:17 and TikTok @tomsguide.
18:19 And as always, I'm @kayacosich.
18:21 Thanks for watching.
18:22 I'll catch you next time.
18:24 I'm gonna take these.
18:25 (upbeat music)
18:28 (upbeat music)
18:31 (upbeat music)