Realme Buds Air 5 Pro review: Affordable ANC earbuds with hi-res audio
Will these earbuds be able to stake a claim as the ultimate noise-cancelling true wireless companions within the Rs 5,000 price range? Let's find out!
- Sep 28, 2023,
- Updated Sep 28, 2023 1:37 PM IST
Realme has introduced its latest offering in the audio realm with the Buds Air 5 Pro, the newest iteration of their true wireless earbuds. Building upon the foundation set by last year's Buds Air 3, this release brings several enhancements, including active noise cancellation (ANC), a dual-driver setup, LDAC support, and extended battery life. As someone deeply interested in audio quality, I embarked on a quest to determine if these earbuds could stake a claim as the ultimate noise-cancelling true wireless companions within the Rs 5,000 price range.
Design and Build
At first glance, the Buds Air 5 Pro comes in a circular charging case that fits neatly in your pocket. The front of the case features a charge indicator, while the glossy plastic construction gives it a sleek appearance but makes it susceptible to fingerprints and light scratches. The compact body includes a function key on the right and a USB Type-C port at the bottom, mirroring the setup of the Buds Air 3.
The earbuds themselves sport a glossy plastic finish that adds a touch of shine but also attracts fingerprints and minor scuffs. A matte texture would have been a preferable choice. These earbuds have a lightweight design, ensuring comfort during extended wear.
The in-ear design includes medium-sized ear tips out of the box, with larger or smaller options available for personal preference. An Optical Sensor for Wear Detection pauses audio playback when you remove the earbuds and resumes when you put them back in. Enhanced noise cancellation is achieved through a combination of one feedforward and one feedback microphone, an improvement over the Buds Air 3.
On the exterior, a touch-sensitive area provides control over play/pause, Google Assistant activation, and call management. Both the earbuds and the case exhibit satisfactory build quality, especially considering their price point. The secure fit of the earbuds prevents them from coming loose during activities like running or cycling, and they boast an IPX5 water resistance rating for protection against splashes, rain, and sweat during everyday use.
Connectivity and Features
The Buds Air 5 Pro utilises Bluetooth 5.3 and includes the LDAC Hi-Res audio codec, a rare feature in this price range. Pairing is straightforward: a 3-second press of the function button on the case initiates the connection process. Additionally, compatibility with Google's pairing mode allows for automatic pairing with compatible phones, a feature I tested successfully on both the Realme C55 and Apple iPhone 14 Plus.
Dual-device connection is another noteworthy feature, enabling seamless transitions between two devices, a convenience I experienced firsthand between a laptop and a smartphone. However, this functionality requires activation through the app.
Accessing the touch controls is intuitive, and customisation options are abundant. The Realme Link app on both Android and iPhone devices allows adjustments for double-tap, triple-tap, touch and hold, and more.
Audio Quality and Performance
Under the hood, the Buds Air 5 Pro features an 11mm dynamic driver alongside a 6mm planar diaphragm tweeter, covering a frequency range of 20-40KHz. The bass driver delivers a substantial boost in low frequencies compared to the Buds Air 3, while the micro-planar tweeter, equipped with advanced planar diaphragm technology and new composite materials, offers detailed high frequencies up to 40KHz through its dual N52 magnets.
The inclusion of the LDAC HD transmission protocol with Hi-Res certification enhances the listening experience with a 96kHz sampling rate and 990kbps transmission code rate. This enhancement, easily enabled through the app, made a significant impact during my testing.
Audio quality shines with clear vocals, punchy bass, and commendable highs, although mid-range performance falls within average bounds. Custom EQ modes and Golden Sound customisation cater to diverse listening preferences, while dynamic bass and a volume enhancer further enhance the audio experience.
A standout feature is the introduction of Spatial Audio, enhancing multi-channel audio immersion across platforms like YouTube and Google TV.
Active Noise Cancellation and Call Quality
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) makes a noticeable difference in reducing ambient noise, especially outdoors. The Buds Air 5 Pro outperforms its predecessor with 50dB ANC and personalised ANC technology, available in Smart, Max, Moderate, and Mild modes to adapt to various noise scenarios.
The Transparency mode strikes a balance by allowing ambient sounds, and the substantial reduction in latency to 40ms enhances gaming experiences.
Call noise cancellation employs beamforming noise reduction, deep neural network learning (DNN), and three ENC microphones per earbud, significantly reducing external noise. Outdoor usage yielded clear voice quality and excellent wind noise elimination, although faint traffic noise was still perceptible in the background.
Battery Life and Charging
In terms of battery life, the 60mAh earbud capacity ensures approximately 10 hours of standalone playback (AAC without ANC) or 7 hours (AAC with ANC). In mixed-use scenarios with LDAC and varying noise cancellation, I achieved approximately 4.5 hours – a respectable outcome. Fast charging is impressive, providing 7 hours of music after just a 10-minute charge, a significant improvement over the Buds Air 3.
The 460mAh charging case, similar to the Buds Air 3, promises up to 40 hours of total battery life (without ANC) and 28 hours (with ANC enabled in AAC), or 20 hours with LDAC. A green light indicates a full battery, turning red when it's low. The Realme Link app conveniently displays case charge levels when the earbuds are inside. Full case charging takes around 2 hours, while earbuds take about 1 hour. Wireless charging is absent, but considering the cost, this omission is forgivable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Realme Buds Air 5 Pro shines as an affordable true wireless companion, offering ANC, dual drivers, and LDAC support. The improvements in dual-device connectivity and battery life compared to its predecessor are commendable. However, the absence of onboard volume control and the persistence of a glossy case are noticeable drawbacks.
Priced at an enticing Rs. 4,999, this model is accessible from various channels, including Amazon.in, Flipkart, realme.com, and offline stores starting August 29th. For budget-conscious consumers, there's also the Buds Air 5 variant with 50dB ANC at Rs. 3,699, albeit without LDAC support and featuring a single-driver configuration.
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Realme has introduced its latest offering in the audio realm with the Buds Air 5 Pro, the newest iteration of their true wireless earbuds. Building upon the foundation set by last year's Buds Air 3, this release brings several enhancements, including active noise cancellation (ANC), a dual-driver setup, LDAC support, and extended battery life. As someone deeply interested in audio quality, I embarked on a quest to determine if these earbuds could stake a claim as the ultimate noise-cancelling true wireless companions within the Rs 5,000 price range.
Design and Build
At first glance, the Buds Air 5 Pro comes in a circular charging case that fits neatly in your pocket. The front of the case features a charge indicator, while the glossy plastic construction gives it a sleek appearance but makes it susceptible to fingerprints and light scratches. The compact body includes a function key on the right and a USB Type-C port at the bottom, mirroring the setup of the Buds Air 3.
The earbuds themselves sport a glossy plastic finish that adds a touch of shine but also attracts fingerprints and minor scuffs. A matte texture would have been a preferable choice. These earbuds have a lightweight design, ensuring comfort during extended wear.
The in-ear design includes medium-sized ear tips out of the box, with larger or smaller options available for personal preference. An Optical Sensor for Wear Detection pauses audio playback when you remove the earbuds and resumes when you put them back in. Enhanced noise cancellation is achieved through a combination of one feedforward and one feedback microphone, an improvement over the Buds Air 3.
On the exterior, a touch-sensitive area provides control over play/pause, Google Assistant activation, and call management. Both the earbuds and the case exhibit satisfactory build quality, especially considering their price point. The secure fit of the earbuds prevents them from coming loose during activities like running or cycling, and they boast an IPX5 water resistance rating for protection against splashes, rain, and sweat during everyday use.
Connectivity and Features
The Buds Air 5 Pro utilises Bluetooth 5.3 and includes the LDAC Hi-Res audio codec, a rare feature in this price range. Pairing is straightforward: a 3-second press of the function button on the case initiates the connection process. Additionally, compatibility with Google's pairing mode allows for automatic pairing with compatible phones, a feature I tested successfully on both the Realme C55 and Apple iPhone 14 Plus.
Dual-device connection is another noteworthy feature, enabling seamless transitions between two devices, a convenience I experienced firsthand between a laptop and a smartphone. However, this functionality requires activation through the app.
Accessing the touch controls is intuitive, and customisation options are abundant. The Realme Link app on both Android and iPhone devices allows adjustments for double-tap, triple-tap, touch and hold, and more.
Audio Quality and Performance
Under the hood, the Buds Air 5 Pro features an 11mm dynamic driver alongside a 6mm planar diaphragm tweeter, covering a frequency range of 20-40KHz. The bass driver delivers a substantial boost in low frequencies compared to the Buds Air 3, while the micro-planar tweeter, equipped with advanced planar diaphragm technology and new composite materials, offers detailed high frequencies up to 40KHz through its dual N52 magnets.
The inclusion of the LDAC HD transmission protocol with Hi-Res certification enhances the listening experience with a 96kHz sampling rate and 990kbps transmission code rate. This enhancement, easily enabled through the app, made a significant impact during my testing.
Audio quality shines with clear vocals, punchy bass, and commendable highs, although mid-range performance falls within average bounds. Custom EQ modes and Golden Sound customisation cater to diverse listening preferences, while dynamic bass and a volume enhancer further enhance the audio experience.
A standout feature is the introduction of Spatial Audio, enhancing multi-channel audio immersion across platforms like YouTube and Google TV.
Active Noise Cancellation and Call Quality
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) makes a noticeable difference in reducing ambient noise, especially outdoors. The Buds Air 5 Pro outperforms its predecessor with 50dB ANC and personalised ANC technology, available in Smart, Max, Moderate, and Mild modes to adapt to various noise scenarios.
The Transparency mode strikes a balance by allowing ambient sounds, and the substantial reduction in latency to 40ms enhances gaming experiences.
Call noise cancellation employs beamforming noise reduction, deep neural network learning (DNN), and three ENC microphones per earbud, significantly reducing external noise. Outdoor usage yielded clear voice quality and excellent wind noise elimination, although faint traffic noise was still perceptible in the background.
Battery Life and Charging
In terms of battery life, the 60mAh earbud capacity ensures approximately 10 hours of standalone playback (AAC without ANC) or 7 hours (AAC with ANC). In mixed-use scenarios with LDAC and varying noise cancellation, I achieved approximately 4.5 hours – a respectable outcome. Fast charging is impressive, providing 7 hours of music after just a 10-minute charge, a significant improvement over the Buds Air 3.
The 460mAh charging case, similar to the Buds Air 3, promises up to 40 hours of total battery life (without ANC) and 28 hours (with ANC enabled in AAC), or 20 hours with LDAC. A green light indicates a full battery, turning red when it's low. The Realme Link app conveniently displays case charge levels when the earbuds are inside. Full case charging takes around 2 hours, while earbuds take about 1 hour. Wireless charging is absent, but considering the cost, this omission is forgivable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Realme Buds Air 5 Pro shines as an affordable true wireless companion, offering ANC, dual drivers, and LDAC support. The improvements in dual-device connectivity and battery life compared to its predecessor are commendable. However, the absence of onboard volume control and the persistence of a glossy case are noticeable drawbacks.
Priced at an enticing Rs. 4,999, this model is accessible from various channels, including Amazon.in, Flipkart, realme.com, and offline stores starting August 29th. For budget-conscious consumers, there's also the Buds Air 5 variant with 50dB ANC at Rs. 3,699, albeit without LDAC support and featuring a single-driver configuration.
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