Meetings on the go. Zoom. Teams. Discord. Google Meet. From your phone, laptop, Chromebook, or desktop. Wireless, wired, rechargeable, and a portable power pack. This is a fully featured portable meeting hub with an MSRP of about a hundred and thirty bucks. The Poly Sync 20 is more than just a bunch of buzzwords, it works, and works well. The price-tag covers a really solidly built unit that hold a charge for all day use, can be used to charge your other devices, has noise reducing microphone, and a speaker loud enough to rock to. Even with all of that, they are taking $10 off the top to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Hey, and it’s audio equipment by the same people that supplied equipment for NASA, so that’s a plus too.
Before I begin with the main topics about the Poly20, covering such things as included in the box, how well it performs, and general thoughts, I’m going to spend some time on their Black Friday Sale. I’ve mentioned before that this is the company that provided audio headsets for NASA’s moon landing, and the original XBox headset, and many other firsts for audio – so the products tend to lean more towards quality than most manufacturers. Thus, when they offer a “sales event,” we consumers are getting our money’s worth in most cases. With $60 off of their Voyager 5200 Headset, or nearly $150 off of their Poly Studio P15 – the savings are real. Even the already competitively priced Poly Sync 20 “standard” is $40 off of it’s already discounted price. They are advertising up to 40% off, and I have seen several heavily discounted items and full “Kits.” While I usually suggest to people to shop around, this time – add Poly’s online store to the list of comparisons.
What’s in the box?
Inside the box, the first thing that you will notice is that it already in a carrying case. In our review unit, it was a black case with a pink retaining strap – with the pink Breast Cancer Awareness logo. Not only does the case look good and make a statement, but it symbolizes the support those suffering. Next, it has a nice lanyard strap to connect to the device, again of premium quality. Finally, it includes the device itself, and the normal small pack of instructions, warning printouts, and warranty card. Not an overly abundant set of inserts, but, given how nice the carrying case is, very nicely done.
How well does it work?
The functionality is actually fairly solid, however, this is going to depend on your use-case for the device. If you’re running Android, iOS, Windows, or a Mac – you’re in for a solid performing device with good sound and a great microphone. (Note: you may have to contact support for use with Linux) The sound from the device is great, it is like other people are in the room. The microphone is excellent, and actually manages to not echo – even with multiple people in your room. If you’re on a business trip, or holiday, and want to use this with your phone for a meeting – this is an excellent device. It pairs solidly with your phone (tested with Android, but the app is also available for iOS). It works as a bluetooth speaker, or a smart speaker, and it doubles as an emergency charging station for your phone. The Poly SYNC 20 can also connect via USB-A to your laptop or PC.
Conclusions.
I am not sure how many of their National Breast Cancer Foundation models they have left, but it is a sharp looking device. Not that the “regular” Poly Sync 20 looks bad, but the pink one is visually outstanding. Due to the construction and battery, it has some weight to it, and adds to the solid feel of the device. While Breast Cancer Awareness month is over, Poly has assured me that they are still using proceeds (at least from the pink version) are still being given to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The best way to sum up my thoughts on the Poly Sync 20 is simply, I’ll never go on a trip without it. It is just one of those devices that you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one.
Bonus!
I’m going to tip my hat to Poly for this device. My wife’s family has a history of Breast Cancer, and it is a fear that we are personally very aware of in my household. Please ladies, please, get your exams. I know they are invasive, intrusive, painful, and a horrible experience. However, early detection is the key to survival, and your loved ones depend on you. Thank you, Poly, for throwing your hat in to support this very noble cause.