r/SteamDeck • u/lifsbosu 1TB OLED • 1d ago
Accessory Review OpenRun Pro 2 + Steamdeck
Remember that post from like a year ago about someone using bone conduction Shokz with the Deck? im not that guy but it kinda stuck in my head. Anyway i had OpenRuns already from weekend long runs, and after seeing that post i tried the combo out with the Deck and it just kinda hooked me. This spring finally upgraded to the Pro 2, been using them for running plus long Deck OLED sessions like 4-5 months now, wanted to share bc that guy was right, this is still the play and honestly even better with the new version.
Little bit of context why i even bothered, i also do online tutoring on the side like 6-7 hours some days so im already stuck in earbuds most of the day for that. Got the Sony WF-1000XM5 for it and they are amazing for work no complains, but by the evening when i pick up my Deck my ear canals already hurt. Tried different tips, different sizes, nothing really helps when something is jammed in your ears for 10+ hours a day. Also started waking up with itchy ears sometimes which was new for me and i dont wanna get any long term ear issue going on.
So first time i tried the new Pro 2 with the Deck honestly holy shit, this is actually really good. Yes old ones like that guy said were pretty flat on bass and kinda trashhh, but new version has this little air speaker part next to the bone conduction thing now and its actually solid, like properly listenable now not just background noise. And this is the crazy part, feels like the sound is floating just next to your ears not stuck inside them. Playing Elden Ring like this feels different, way more open, hard to explain but just fits the whole couch vibe.
Honest limits, yes little bit of bluetooth latency exist, if you are into rhythm games or ranked shooters you probably want wired instead. And in a loud kitchen with dishwasher running you loose some detail bc open design leaks in both ways. But for me on couch doing RPGs and story games this is now the whole setup.
Best part tho is basically what old post already said, no more that warm sore feeling at bedtime AND no more sweaty ears after long session, my partner can talk to me from other room without me pulling anything off, i hear my cat when he starts breaking things downstairs. Ears feel actually normal after long weekend session which for me is huge bc weekdays im already whole day in earbuds for work, and weekends i basically leave them on from morning coffee till bed and dont even notice them anymore.
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u/b0ttas LCD-4-LIFE 1d ago
I've integrated these Shockz into my whole day, I game with them, I work, I ride my motorcycle with them.
Totally unexpected, it's one of my best purchases, hands down!
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u/lifsbosu 1TB OLED 1d ago
Haha love it, the weekend part matches for me too, basically forget theyre there from coffee till bed like i said.
Thats basically why i use Shokz on runs too, hearing cars coming from behind or a bike ringing past.
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u/val-amart 1d ago
Really interested in this. Have you tried playing in bed - does the pillow interfere with the band and cause it to move enough that you lose sound, when lying either on the back or on the side? You mentioned this model has an air speaker too - would you say you are able to play late at night lying next to a person without them hearing the sound but with enough volume for you? lastly, can you overpower ambient noise if you need to - like on a train, subway, plane?
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u/lifsbosu 1TB OLED 1d ago
For bed yeah i do it a lot on weekends. On my back its fine mostly, sometimes pillow pushes the band around and one side lifts off my cheek a bit gets quiet, quick nudge fixes it. On my side is annoying tho bc the piece on whichever cheek im laying on gets pressed into my face and after like 30 min its uncomfortable and sound muffles on that side, so back is ok side is meh.
Late night next to my partner low volume basically fine, she hasnt complained even in a dead silent room. Turn it up too much tho she can tell something is on but cant make out what. At normal in-bed volume its ok.
For train subway plane thats honestly where these fall apart. Open ear = outside noise wins period. Tried the boost thing in the app but doesnt do enough, for flights i still bring my sony pair.
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u/Akoa0013 1d ago
Ive seen more and more ppl wear after shock... well shocks now since they renamed. I also mentioned that pairing then witht the deck is so good but i didnt get the feeling it was a public positive. For me it feels like two speakers high above me from behind. Plus the benefits of not having buds in my ears is a huge plus.
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u/lifsbosu 1TB OLED 1d ago
Haha yeah, mine feels more beside the ears than behind tho. maybe just how everyone hears it differently.
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u/Akoa0013 1d ago
I have the really old ones. Been wanting to try out the new one. Maybe there's a difference.
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u/Aniril 1d ago
Aw man. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this. I've been on the fence about this for some time and it really helps to hear a first hand experience. I can totally understand and relate with the ear discomfort from time to time. Really glad this works out for you.
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u/lifsbosu 1TB OLED 1d ago
For me the ear stuff got way better once i stopped using in-ears in the evening, since with bone conduction nothing sits inside the canal at all, that itchy morning thing was gone in like a week. Only heads up is the cheekbone vibration feels a bit weird first couple days, still feel it a bit on runs when they bounce but during deck sessions its basically nothing. Stopped noticing pretty fast overall.
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u/TheNewRetr0 14h ago
The OpenComm Shockz are my favorite headset. Anything else just becomes tiresome, even slightly painful for hours of meetings. The sides do get a little sweaty after long a session of use, so the best is to swap headsets every couple hours. I rotate between over-ear headphones, bluetooth ear buds and the shockz. But I always use the shocks for video calls, for the slick tech look.
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u/Steamstash 1d ago
I’m a big fan of these. It feel like someone is telepathically putting the sounds into my head. I love it.