Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Hits the right notes

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Realme has launched the new Realme Buds Air 5 at a price of Rs 3,699 on August 23. And after using the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds for a couple of weeks, I realise that Realme has done a wonderful job presenting the feature-packed buds at this price-point. While there are cheaper TWS buds in the market, the sound and music quality do justify this price tag. Let's dive into the details —  

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Build and Design

The buds come in a well-built case that weighs around 45.5 grams alongwith the buds. The buds that I received were the Arctic White variant, but one can also choose the Deep-Sea Blue variant to go with one's style. The case has a smooth, glossy finish that may be slippery and tough to hold for some people. However, the case is rigid, and even after dropping it a couple of times, I did not face any issue. There is a USB-C charging port at the bottom. Along with that, Realme has also added a pairing button that one has to press for three seconds to enter 'pairing mode'.

The lid snaps open and has a relatively solid hinge. The buds are lightweight, and the buds and stem design fit snugly in the ear canal. However, it may loosen up a bit after a few heavy jerks or if you headbang to your favourite song, but it will still not drop off that easily. The buds come with IPX5 waterproofing, which means they will withstand heavy rains and you can also workout with ease.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Bluetooth v5.3 and Google Fast Pair

As the buds come with Google Fast Pair, pairing the gadget with your Android phone is a breeze.  First, one has to press and hold the pairing button for three seconds to enter pairing mode. Then you need to switch on the Bluetooth on your phone, open the charging case, and then follow the Google Fast Pair pop-up instructions. 

iPhone users have to follow the regular pairing procedure. There was strong, stable connectivity with the latest Bluetooth v5.3 on the device, and with low latency of 45 ms, there was hardly any lag between the audio and the video.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Noise Cancellation and Transparent Mode

When the buds are put in their ears, it automatically enables the 50 dB active noise cancellation, and one can really feel the ambient noise lowered to a large extent.

I used the buds when I was travelling on the Delhi Metro during the rush hours, and it really silenced a lot of the surrounding noises. This noise cancellation is unreal, and at such a price point, it is surprising good.

You have to tap and hold on either side of the touch area to enable the transparent mode, which disables the noise cancellation feature, and you will be able to hear the surrounding noise. This is a really good feature on the device.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Sound and Microphone

Talking about the performance, the buds sound phenomenal. When I unboxed the buds and played the first song, it really blew my mind. And fair to say that they are loud — really loud.  Combined with the noise-cancellation feature, the 12.4mm mega-titanizing driver and dynamic bass really enhance the listening experience. 

I listened to 'Hotel California' on Spotify using these buds, and frankly, it blew my mind. The clarity, the bass, and the distinct notes of the guitar were really impressive — and they are really top notch at this price point.

Coming to the microphone, the 6-mic call noise cancellation is decent, and the person on the other side can hear you clearly. However, sometimes noise does filter in, but it isn't a cause for concern.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Battery and Charging

Straight out of the box I have been using these buds for some time and haven't felt the need to go back to my comparatively more-expensive earbuds. After almost two hours of use every day, it still had 50–60 per cent juice left. 

Realme claims that the buds can last for upto 38 hours on a single charge. It comes with a 460mAh battery in the case and a 43mAh battery in the buds, and this helps get a long run time. Also, with the Type-C charging port, it supports fast charging, and Realme claims that after charging for 10 minutes, it can easily last for 7 hours.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Touch Controls

According to the user manual, with two taps on either side of the buds, one can play or pause music and answer or end calls. By tapping it three times, you can skip to the next track, and by tapping and holding for a few seconds, one can either decline an incoming call or change the control modes to either noise-cancelling or transparent mode.

One of the best parts of this device is the designated 'touch areas' that have a different texture to them. One can easily find the 'touch areas' while using the buds, and they are pretty responsive.

Realme Buds Air 5 Review: Final Verdict

Honestly, I am quite impressed by the product that Realme has priced at Rs 3,699. Sure, the microphones could have done a better job, but the company has hit the sweet spot with the sound, the noise cancellation, the touch controls, and battery backup on the device. Frankly speaking, it's a steal at this price-point. 

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