Razer's Pro|Tone m100 in-ear phones sound better than I expected a pair of under $40 ear phones to sound, and I was surprised at how nicely they handled mid and low frequencies.

Razer, a company best known for mice and keyboards, recently added reasonably-priced earphones to its product line and the result is pretty good. The Pro|Tone m100 in-ear phones are well-designed and sound better than other in-ear phones in their price range, most notably the Apple iPod In-Ear Headphones ($39).

The Pro|Tone m100s sound good across pretty much the entire audio spectrum and I'd go so far as to say that their mid range and bass response is tight and tasty. And while I found their high-end a little dull and lacking some of the sparkle I hear in higher-priced ear phones, the Pro|Tone m100s still sounded better across the board than the aforementioned Apple phones.

Another thing I look for in earphones is their ability to reject outside noise and the Pro|Tone m100s didn't disappoint me. To be fair, the Apple iPod In-Ear Headphones are just as good in this respect, which is to say both products do a good job of minimizing distraction from outside noises.

Like the Apple headphones, the Pro|Tone m100s come with soft silicon caps (or sleeves) in three sizes to insure a good fit. Unlike the Apple headphones (or any other headphones I can recall), they include a two-prong "jet-set" adapter for use on airplanes with two-prong audio jacks. They also include a soft fabric case with mesh pockets for the extra caps and adapter.

Pro|Tone m100 in-ear phones are available in your choice of black (shown below) or white (shown above).

Last but not least, here are the Pro|Tone m100's technical specifications as provided by Razer:

Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 11 KHz
Dynamic Transducer
Impedance: 16 ohms
Max Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 108dB
Cable Length: 1m/ 3.28ft
3.5mm connector plug
Max Power Rating: 20mW
Weight: 9g (with cable)

The Bottom Line

If you're looking for a decent pair of in-ear phones for under $40, the Pro|Tone m100's are among the best I've tested to date. You'd have to spend significantly more money to find in-ear phones that are significantly better.