realme has introduced its newest pair of earbuds in the country – the realme Buds Air 5 and Buds Air 5 Pro are currently the latest two TWS earbuds from the brand. The announcement was made alongside the launch of realme 11 5G and realme 11x 5G. The realme Buds Air 5 is actually a toned-down variant of its upper-end Pro sibling. The main highlights of the realme Buds Air 5 are the 50 dB Active Noise Cancellation, IPX5 waterproof design, up to 38 hours of battery life, and more. Here’s more about the earbuds in our realme Buds Air 5 review.
The realme Buds Air 5 Pro comes with an IPX5 waterproof design, 12.4mm mega titanizing drivers, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, AAC and SBC support, Intelligent Touch Controls, 6-mic design AI ENC call noise reduction, 45 ms Super Low Latency Gaming Mode, and realme Link app. On the other hand, the realme Buds Air 5 Pro, which is the Pro variant includes dual drivers (11 mm bass + 6 mm micro-planar tweeter) support for Hi-Res LDAC support, 3D spatial sound effects, and slightly longer battery life of up to 40 hours.
realme Buds Air 5 Specifications & Features
- Model: RMA2301
- Driver: 12.4 mm mega titanizing drivers
- Frequency Response Range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C
- Wireless Range: 10 meters
- Bluetooth Codec Support: AAC, SBC
- Protection: IP55 (earbuds)
- Features: 50 dB Smart Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation 2.0, 4,000 Hz, Ultra-Wide Band Noise Cancellation, Environment Noise Cancellation, Dolby Atmos, Dynamic Bass Boost, Google Fast Pair, 45ms Super Low Latency mode for gaming, Transparency mode, Touch controls, connect two devices at once, realme Link app support
- Battery & Charging: 43 mAh (buds), 460 mAh (case), up to 38 hours of music playback (buds + case, ANC off), up to 22 hours of music playback (buds + case, ANC On), up to 7 hours of music playback (buds, ANC off), 4.5 hours of music playback (buds, ANC On), 7 hours playback in 10 minutes charging, full charge in 1.5 hours (buds), 2 hours (buds + case), USB Type-C (5V, 1A) charging
- Colors: Deep Sea Blue, Artic White
- Price: ₹3,699
- Availability: 26th August 2023 on realme.com/in, Flipkart and offline stores
- Offers: Discount priced at ₹3,499 during first sale
Design, Build Quality, & Ergonomics
In terms of design, the realme Buds Air 5 flaunts a glossy finish oval-shaped casing as you can see in the images. It’s lightweight, handy, and easy to carry and looks pretty good overall. The case weighs about 36.7 grams, and the earbuds weigh around 4.4 grams each.
The realme Buds Air 5 offers an IPX5 dust and water-resistant rating (buds) and comes in two color variants – Deep Sea Blue, and Artic White colors. Opening the case, you can see the Black colored interiors while the outer casing is While or Blue depending on the color model. The earbuds use a stem-style design and fit nicely in the ears, the silicon cups ensure that it doesn’t easily fall off.
The earbuds come with a USB Type-C port for charging, a pairing button for pairing the earbuds, and an LED power indicator on the front. You will see two pins on the buds used for charging, the outer side has gesture control for controlling the music and calls.
Hardware, Audio Performance, & Features
The realme Buds Air 5 comes with 12.4 mm mega titanizing drivers paired with 50 dB Smart Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation. The realme Buds Air 5 uses N52 Magnets, HTW Wire Coil, and Titanizing Diaphragm to deliver high-quality sound. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.3 with Google Fast Pair support and enable users to connect up to two devices at once.
The 50 dB noise cancellation is top-notch in the segment, it can eliminate up to 50 dB of ambient noise, which means it’s highly effective and isolates the environment pretty well. The overall performance of the ANC on the earbuds is remarkable. While the audio performance is excellent for the price, you also get to choose the modes in the app such as the Dynamic Bass Boost, which has a good amount of bass and a balance of mids and highs.
Other features on the realme Buds Air 5 include 45ms Super Low Latency mode for gaming, Dolby Atmos support, Transparency mode, SBC and AAC support, Dynamic Bass Boost, Google Fast Pair, Touch controls, and connecting two devices at once. No LDAC (Hi-Res Audio) support is found on the earbuds, you have to rely on the standard SBC and AAC codecs.
The realme Link app allows you to use all of its features via an interface. The realme Link app lets you connect and use many of its features as well as update the firmware. The app displays battery information, controls for Active Noise Cancellation, audio tuning/equalizer, gesture shortcuts, and more. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.
Battery Runtime & Charging
The realme Buds Air 5 equips a 43 mAh battery (for Earbuds), and 460 mAh battery (for Case) and offers up to 38 hours of music playback (for Earbuds + Case without ANC) and up to 7 hours of music playback (for Earbuds without ANC). With ANC turned on, the earbuds last up to 22 hours on both buds + case and 4.5 hours on buds only. This is on continuous usage, it depends on how frequently you use ANC on the earbuds and set the volume levels, you are most likely getting more battery runtimes if you have mixed usage.
The realme Buds Air 5 uses a USB Type-C charging port which has a 10-minute quick charge support. A quick 10-minute charge can deliver a nice 7 hours of music playback. You can expect the earbuds to fully charge in 1.5 hours (earbuds only) or in 2 hours (earbuds + case). No wireless charging is available since it comes under the midrange category, you might get wireless charging support on premium earbuds priced higher.
The battery life on the earbuds with ANC turn on is fairly reasonable (22 hours) while the normal usage is surprisingly good (38 hours). If used 3-4 hours a day, the earbuds can easily last more than 10 days on a single full charge without ANC and about a week with ANC On. The battery life may vary depending on the use of ANC and volume levels.
Verdict – realme Buds Air 5 Review
The realme Buds Air 5 offers top-notch features including its 50 dB ANC, 6-mic call noise cancellation, long 38 hours of battery life, 12.4 mm drivers, and comes in a sleek and stylish IPX5 design. The realme Buds Air 5 offers excellent audio performance for its price and we had a fantastic experience while using it. For the price of ₹3,699, the realme Buds Air 5 offers a compelling package and is recommended for those having a budget under ₹4,000.
realme Buds Air 5 – Where To Buy
The price for the realme Buds Air 5 is ₹3,699 and will be available from 26th August 2023 on realme.com/in, Flipkart, and offline stores. Offers include a discounted price of ₹3,499 for realme Buds Air 5 during their first sale.
