Realme has upped its audio game with the launch of the Buds Air 5, the newest version of their budget-friendly true wireless earbuds. This release builds on the foundation laid by last year’s Buds Air 3, introducing significant improvements like active noise cancellation (ANC), a dual-driver setup, LDAC support, and extended battery life.
As a devoted audiophile, I embarked on a journey to determine if these earbuds could claim the title of the best noise-canceling true wireless companions within the 3,000 PHP price range.
Unboxing
Unveiling the Realme Buds Air 5 is like opening a gateway to a premium audio experience. These earbuds not only promise exceptional audio quality but also come packed with a wide array of features to cater to the needs of modern users. In this unboxing review, we’ll take a closer look at the contents of the package, unveiling what makes the Realme Buds Air 5 a compelling choice.
As you open the box, the Realme Buds Air 5 makes its grand entrance, comfortably nestled within the charging case. The earbuds boast a minimalist design, with an exposed ear tip and connected stem, offering both visual elegance and ergonomic comfort.
What’s in the Package: The Realme Buds Air 5 package includes:
- Realme Buds Air 5 Earbuds: The star of the show, these earbuds promise an exceptional audio experience while featuring a lightweight and ergonomic design.
- Charging Case: The sleek charging case not only keeps your earbuds securely stored but also ensures they remain charged and ready for action.
- USB Type-C Charging Cable: With this, recharging your case and earbuds becomes a hassle-free task.
- User Manual: This comprehensive guide is your ally for those who want to explore all the features and capabilities of the Realme Buds Air 5.
Build and Design
The Realme Buds Air 5 features a charging case with an elegant cobble-shaped design, complete with a matte finish that adds a touch of luxury. While the material is resistant to fingerprints, it can be susceptible to scratches, so it’s wise to handle it with care. The front of the case proudly bears the ‘realme’ branding alongside an LED charging indicator.
Located at the bottom, you’ll discover a USB Type-C charging port and a discreet pairing button. Upon opening the case, you’re met with a black-colored interior where the earphones snugly rest in their designated slots, conveniently marked with L and R indicators. The charging case itself is impressively compact, easily fitting into small pockets and handbags.
Operating the case with just one hand is effortless, thanks to well-placed magnets that securely hold the earbuds in place, and the hinge feels sturdy, particularly considering the price point. You have the option to choose between two colors – Deep Sea Blue and Arctic White. In my review, I had the Arctic White variant, and I appreciated its understated yet stylish appearance.
The earphones themselves maintain the same matte finish and feature elongated stems with touch sensors on the top. These touch controls performed flawlessly during my testing, exhibiting no instances of misreading, which is rather impressive. Despite the absence of silicone wings for added support, the earbuds stayed securely in my ears during activities like jogging or exercising. They come with an IPX5 rating, ensuring full protection against sweat or splashes, making them an excellent choice for your workouts.
Comfort and Ergonomics
In the world of true wireless earbuds, two crucial aspects often top the list of user priorities: ergonomics and comfort. The Realme Buds Air 5 shines in both these areas, delivering a remarkable listening experience while ensuring a secure and enjoyable fit.
The realme Buds Air 5 boasts a minimalist design featuring an exposed ear tip and a connected stem. This design choice not only contributes to the earbuds’ visual appeal but also plays a vital role in enhancing overall comfort and ergonomics. The exposed ear tip design provides a unique fit that sets these earbuds apart in the market.
Exceptional Fit
Surprisingly, despite the ear tip not being made of plastic, the Realme Buds Air 5 offers an exceptional fit. This secure and comfortable fit ensures that you can easily engage in various daily activities without the constant worry of the earbuds falling out. Whether you’re running, walking, or working out, these earbuds stay in place.
Long-Lasting Comfort
The ergonomic design of these earbuds reflects Realme’s commitment to user comfort. You can enjoy extended listening sessions without any discomfort, making these earbuds an ideal choice for long travel or work sessions. Moreover, their lightweight construction means you’ll barely notice them after a while.
Each earbud features an LED light that effectively communicates the pairing status. This feature adds a layer of user-friendliness and convenience to the overall listening experience.
One of the Realme Buds Air 5’s most significant advantages is its lightweight design. After wearing them for some time, you might even forget that you have earbuds in your ears. This unique combination of a secure fit and lightweight build ensures a hassle-free and enjoyable listening experience.
Overall, the Realme Buds Air 5 not only delivers exceptional audio quality and features but also excels in ergonomics and comfort. Their minimalist design, secure fit, and lightweight construction make them an excellent choice for those seeking a pleasant, all-day listening experience without compromising on style or functionality. Whether you’re out for a jog, commuting, or simply enjoying your favorite music, these earbuds prove to be the ideal companions.
Features and Performance
The Realme Buds Air 5 offers a wide array of features tailored to meet the needs of most true wireless earbud users. Realme has a solid track record of bringing active noise cancellation to affordable TWS earbuds, and the Realme Buds Air 5 continues this trend. With 50 dB active noise cancellation, these earbuds effectively drown out external sounds such as traffic and metro announcements. Furthermore, they offer a Transparency Mode, which amplifies ambient sounds to keep you attuned to your surroundings.
“An uninterrupted listening experience – Lovin’ the quietness while enjoying the playlist.”
Editor’s View
The Realme Buds Air 5 features an impressive 50dB Active Noise Cancellation, thanks to a dual-mic system that includes both feedback and feedforward microphones. This setup excels at detecting unwanted external sounds and excess noise in your ears. It then counters these disturbances by emitting sound waves that cancel out up to 50dB of noise.
To put that into perspective, this represents a substantial 19% increase in noise-cancellation capabilities when compared to the previous Realme Buds Air 3. Keep in mind that the actual noise cancellation achieved may vary depending on your surroundings. Nevertheless, this is a significant advancement in noise-cancellation technology.
45ms Super Low Latency
Gaming enthusiasts, this one’s for you! The Realme Buds Air 5 offers an astonishingly low latency of just 45ms when you activate Gaming Mode. This remarkable reduction from the previous model’s 88ms latency ensures near-perfect synchronization between the audio you hear and the video or game you’re engaged in. Made possible by Bluetooth 5.3 technology, these earbuds provide a reliable connection within a range of up to 10 meters, even when you’re on the move.
This impressive connectivity is further bolstered by the simultaneous transmission of audio to both earbuds and Dual Antenna Switching technology. When Gaming Mode is inactive, the latency stands at 250ms, highlighting the substantial difference that 45ms makes for gaming enthusiasts.
Ride the Thumping Soundwaves
Armed with a 12.4mm driver unit and support for SBC and AAC codecs, the Realme Buds Air 5 successfully delivers the promised rich bass experience. During testing, the 12mm driver unit adeptly handled high and mid-range frequencies. The inclusion of six microphones in the earbuds ensured clear and satisfying call quality. In conclusion, the Realme Buds Air 5 provides an immersive sound experience that indeed lives up to expectations.
“We appreciate the immersive cinematic audio experience brought by Dolby Atmos on the Realme Buds Air 5, a rarity in this price range.”
Editor’s View
Realme has gone all-in on audio quality. The Realme Buds Air 5 is equipped with a total of four speakers, with two on each side of the tablet (when held horizontally). These speakers provide support for and deliver a dynamic Dolby Atmos experience, taking your audio to new heights. Whether you’re immersed in movies, engaged in gaming, or simply savoring music, this quad-speaker setup ensures that every beat and sound is delivered with precision.
In conclusion, the Realme Buds Air 5 are more than just earbuds; they offer a comprehensive audio experience. With advanced active noise cancellation, ultra-low latency, extended battery life, and Dolby Atmos support, these earbuds have it all. Whether you’re a music connoisseur, a gaming aficionado, or simply someone who appreciates top-quality audio, the Buds Air 5 is here to exceed your expectations and redefine your listening experience. Prepare to dive into a realm of sound like never before.
Software: Pairing, App, Controls
To enhance the user experience, the Realme Buds Air 5 can be seamlessly paired with the Realme Link companion app. This app simplifies the process of connecting the earbuds to your smartphone. Additionally, the app offers EQ settings and four presets for the earbuds, including Serenade, Original Sound, Pure Bass, and Deep Bass. It also provides various toggles for Dynamic Bass and Volume Enhancer, elevating the earbuds’ audio performance.
The Buds Air 5 is equipped with Bluetooth version 5.3 and features Smart Wear Detection functionality. It’s important to note, however, that these earbuds lack multipoint connection support, preventing simultaneous pairing with two devices. This limitation may disappoint users who require a connection to both a smartphone and a laptop.
The Buds Air 5 offers intuitive touch controls that simplify your daily life. With just two quick taps on either earbud, you can effortlessly play or pause your music and manage calls. To skip to the next track, a simple triple tap is all it takes. You can even decline incoming calls or switch between noise-canceling and transparent modes with a long press.
One of the standout features of these earbuds is the tactile feedback in their ‘touch areas.’ Realme has thoughtfully incorporated different textures in these areas, making them easy to locate and use. These well-designed touch controls ensure a responsive and frustration-free experience. Say goodbye to fumbling or uncertainty – the Realme Buds Air 5 put you in charge with confidence.
Battery
The Realme Buds Air 5 lets you indulge in an extensive 38 hours of playback time, combining the battery life of both earbuds and the charging case. Each earbud is equipped with a 43mAh battery, offering 4.5 hours of playback with ANC turned on and the volume set at 50%.
With ANC off, you can enjoy a stretch of up to 7 hours at the same volume level. When you factor in the charging case, the device’s overall battery life extends to an impressive 22 hours at 50% volume with ANC on. The maximum capacity reaches a remarkable 38 hours with ANC turned off at 50% volume. This means you can groove to your favorite tunes and follow captivating podcasts all day long without fretting over running out of power.
Audio Quality
I tested the Realme Buds Air 5 with some of my favorite tracks on Spotify, including Tyla’s ‘Water’ and Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic,’ and I must say, I was thoroughly impressed. The audio quality delivered by these earbuds is nothing short of mind-blowing. The clarity, the bass, and the precision with which it reproduces every note, especially the guitar, left me genuinely impressed. Realme has truly excelled in the audio department, and these earbuds set a new standard at their price point.
In terms of microphone performance, the 6-mic call noise cancellation holds up quite well. It ensures that the person on the other end of the call can hear you clearly, providing a hassle-free communication experience. While there might be the occasional intrusion of background noise, it’s not significant enough to be a concern.
Overall, the Realme Buds Air 5 delivers outstanding audio quality and dependable call performance, making them an excellent choice for both music lovers and those who need clear communication on the go.
Will the realme Buds Air 5 be your EveryTechEver?
In summary, the Realme Buds Air 5 presents an enticing proposition with its outstanding audio quality, advanced noise cancellation, and gaming-centric features.
If you’re on the hunt for wireless earbuds that shine in these aspects without straining your budget, the Realme Buds Air 5 should unquestionably be on your radar. Whether you’re a music aficionado, a gaming enthusiast, or someone who values seamless communication, these earbuds bring a lot to the table in terms of their cost-effectiveness.
So, should you buy them? If your needs and preferences align with the Realme Buds Air 5’s strengths, the answer is a resounding yes.
Pricing & Availability
The realme Buds Air 5 is now available for only PHP 3,499 at realme stores nationwide and online via Lazada and Shopee Flagship Stores. There are two colors available: Deep Sea Blue and Arctic White.
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