iFLYTEK P1 Pro: The AI-powered recorder cum lighter

In the lecture hall, the AI recorder can simply be placed on the table. And the device also performs well at press conferences: it is lightweight and fits comfortably in the hand. Another advantage is the ability to use the directional microphone on the front during lectures or press conferences, while the omnidirectional microphone setting is more appropriate during meetings. Disturbances in the room or interruptions from others can directly change the good result, since the recording does not attempt to fill in missed words using AI, but instead transcribes exactly what was recorded.

The P1 Pro AI Recorder is a recording device that fits comfortably in the hand and is easy to use. It fulfills its purpose 100 percent. However, the actual work is done by the AI in the Deepting app. And this app can also be used with recordings from a smartphone, so the gadget remains purely a recording device. Standard users can simply use their smartphone. However, those who don’t mind the additional cost of $160+ will get a high-quality-looking recorder that resembles a lighter in appearance.

In iFLYTEK's official online store, the P1 Pro AI Recorder is available for $190.69 (with a 13 percent discount during promotions) plus $13.12 for shipping insurance, with free shipping to Germany. Aliexpress offers the P1 Pro for $176,31 with free shipping, and Amazon.com offers the P1 Pro; however, at the time of testing, the AI gadget was not available at the moment.

In addition to the AI recorder, the package includes a very short USB-C-to-USB-A cable and a quick start guide in five languages (English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese). To use the device, you’ll need to download the Deepting app, which is available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The app is available in English, Japanese, and Traditional Chinese. Immediately after successful pairing, new users receive three months of Deepting Pro for free, which includes 2,100 minutes of recording time per month and is valued at $38.97. Even without a subscription, you can record 300 minutes each month. A total of eleven languages are supported for transcription: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. The app also works independently of AI recorders by allowing you to upload audio files recorded on your smartphone and then edit them using the same features. The advantage of the P1 Pro is that the file is uploaded to the app as soon as you stop recording and is immediately available for further editing.

In the first test, I recorded a short French class for job applicants. The teacher spoke very clearly, but because a participant at a table a little farther away spoke intermittently, the P1 Pro was unable to correctly record all of the teacher’s words, resulting in missing words and incorrectly transcribed sentences. All sentences recorded without interruption were error-free and were also correctly translated into German. Since there’s an edit function, it’s no problem to quickly add missing words, which are then immediately retranslated. The AI tasks were well summarized but were only available in the language of the transcription—that is, French. However, using the ChatGPT prompt input, you can have additional tasks processed in German.

In a second test, I recorded a German phone conversation between an insurance broker and a client in a quiet room, which was transcribed correctly word for word. Thanks to the ability to use ChatGPT and a custom prompt to have the AI generate various outputs, it was possible to create a confirmation email for the customer and a note for the file based on the content of the conversation. To be fair, though, it’s important to note that phone calls must be conducted on speakerphone to record both sides. AI recorders like the Plaud Note Pro (here’s our review) can be magnetically attached to a smartphone and use sound to record the other party during a normal phone call without speakerphone. Further examples include in the review of the iFLYTEK P1 .

The form factor is striking: While the P1 is very small, the P1 Pro fits comfortably in the hand. The touchscreen allows you to access various settings directly on the device. With its touchscreen, the device feels more modern, fits better in the hand, is easier to operate with large hands, and can be worn on a cord. The advantage of the small P1: When attached to a wristband or necklace, it becomes a small wearable. However, its recording range is only half as long, and it lacks a directional microphone. The app for both gadgets is Deepting, so transcription, AI processing, and translation are performed there with identical quality. If you can do without the directional microphone, the smaller P1 is essentially an identical device in terms of AI features.