Amazon has introduced its new Echo Buds TWS (True Wireless Earbuds), for the first time, in India with active noise cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging support. The Alexa-powered Echo Buds is the second-generation pair of wireless earbuds with support for the hands-free Alexa voice assistant. You can actually ask Alexa to control the music and volumes, and even make calls, without touching the earbuds. Sounds cool, isn’t it? We just got the new Echo Buds and here’s what we have to say about it in our Amazon Echo Buds review.
Amazon Echo Buds Specifications
- Driver: 5.7 mm Dynamic drivers
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C
- Protection: IPX4 water resistance (earbuds)
- Features: Active Noise Cancellation, Hands-Free Alexa, touch controls, in-ear detection, privacy features, Alexa app
- CPU: Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth System on Chip with integrated Audio Codec, NXP Digital Signal Processor
- Battery Runtime: Up to 15 hours playback (ANC and Alexa On), up to 19.5 hours (ANC and Alexa Off), 12 hours calling (with case), 4 hours calling (single charge), up to 6.5 hours playback (each bud, ANC and Alexa Off), up to 5 hours playback (ANC and Alexa On)
- Charging: 2 hours playback in a 10-minute quick charging
- Colors: Black
- Weight: 44.4 grams (wired case), 47.6 grams (wireless case), 5.7 grams (each bud)
- Price: ₹11,999 onwards
- Offer Price: ₹6,149 (wired), ₹8,149 (wireless)
- Availability: Amazon.in
Design, Build, & Ergonomics
A quick look at the highlights and features of the earbuds, the Echo Buds offer an IPX4 water-resistant design, hands-free Alexa, active noise cancellation, wireless charging, 15-minute quick charging, and lasts as much as 15 hours on battery.
The box includes the Echo Buds with the case, colored ear tips, wing tips, user manuals, and a USB Type-C fast charging cable. On the design front, the Amazon Echo Buds comes in a Black-colored matte-finish case that looks pretty much sleek and classic. The case is compact and fits in the hands easily due to its rounded corners. The overall build of the case is very good.
As you can see, the bottom side has the Amazon smile logo for its branding. The front side has an LED indicator while the back side has the pairing button and a USB Type-C for wired charging. You get two different variants – Wired charging and one with wireless charging which you can see in the images below.
Opening the case and you can see the earbuds in a dual-tone design of matte and glossy mix that looks amazing. The outer head is matte while the other side is completely glossy. It has four interchangeable earcups that come in different colors and also comes with wing tips provided in the box for a secure fit and better comfort. Echo Buds are sweat-resistant meaning it has an IPX4 rating but not for the case, earbuds only.
The earbuds are light in weight and fits easily due to their sleek design. The Echo Buds weigh around 44.4 grams for its case (47.6 grams for wireless case) and 5.7 grams for each bud. We liked the fitting of the buds, the wings offer extra comfort, and it doesn’t fall off easily while the case slips inside the pocket seamlessly.
Performance, Features & Connectivity
The Amazon Echo Buds equips 5.7 mm dynamic drivers and 3 microphones, 2 external beamforming microphones + 1 internal microphone. It is powered by Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth SoC (System on Chip) with integrated Audio Codec and NXP Digital Signal Processor. The drivers usually are smaller compared to the other wireless buds that usually come in 10 mm or 12 mm+ drivers.
One of the main highlights of the earbuds is its hands-free Alexa voice that allows you to speak with Alexa using the Echo Buds. If you are familiar with the Alexa devices, you will certainly love this feature. You can actually ask Alexa to control the music and volumes, and even make calls, without touching the earbuds.
Other features of the earbuds include the active noise cancellation that blocks the ambient and outside noise and passthrough mode which enables you to hear your surroundings, more like transparency mode. We didn’t find any low latency mode option and bass mode other than the Alexa app’s standard equalizer that lets you control the Bass, Mid, and Treble.
The earbuds are optimized for an increased fidelity in bass and treble according to Amazon, the audio quality is good, however, for bass lovers, you don’t get any bass enhancement other than Alexa’s built-in equalizer. The sound is a little more on the mids and highs rather than bassy. There’s a good experience when playing the contents like podcasts, audiobooks, or watching speech-based videos. It does offer a decent music experience and microphone quality, the call quality is good and the wireless connection is strong.
The Amazon Echo Buds pairs via Bluetooth 5.0, but you will have to set up the earbuds using the Alexa app to make the most out of it. Once the setup is done, just say “Alexa, how are you? or “Alexa, play the latest songs” or just anything that you usually ask the Alexa voice assistant. It works very similarly to the Echo smart speakers, you can use the most basic commands like make calls, listen to the music, control the volumes, add items to your shopping list, know how much battery is remaining, set reminders, and much more. The Alexa feature works via your phone’s Wi-Fi so that it connects to the Alexa service.
Battery Runtime & Charging
Moving to its battery, the Echo Buds can last up to 15 hours on battery which seems at first mediocre for its price, earbuds in this price range offer longer battery life, take the OnePlus Buds Pro with a stunning 38 hours of battery life. We didn’t like the battery runtimes, but we do understand it has active noise cancellation and Alexa which uses your mobile’s Wi-Fi to connect to the Alexa service, both drastically reduce the battery life.
Each earbud can last up to 5 hours of music playback with the ANC feature turned on and using the hands-free Alexa while it lasts up to 6.5 hours without them. The charging case, on the other hand, can last up to 19.5 hours without these features. For calling, you can expect up to 4 hours of calling on a single charge and up to 12 hours of calling using the charging case. The battery runtimes depend on your usage and vary according to the volume levels and features you use on them.
You do get the 15-minute quick charging that gives you up to 2 hours of battery life. On top, you have the wireless charging feature that comes in handy. It has a wireless charging case compatible with Qi-certified wireless charging pads.
Verdict – Amazon Echo Buds Review
The Amazon Echo Buds are compact, light in weight, and fit in nicely. The audio quality and the set of features they offer especially the Alexa feature which is the most prominent trait of the earbuds, it gives you Amazon’s hands-free Alexa feel, similar to the one you have used on the Echo devices. The active noise cancellation works well, the audio quality is crisp, and sounds impressive. Overall, the Amazon Echo Buds are a great pair of earbuds, you get a solid mix of features for the price it holds. The price for the Echo Buds is ₹11,999 (at the time of launch), however, you can grab them at an ongoing discount on Amazon India at ₹6,149 (wired case), and ₹8,149 (wireless case).
