Xiaomi’s true wireless stereo earphones launched in India alongside the Mi Box 4K Android media player and Mi 10 flagship smartphone. Key features include LHDC audio support, quick charging, and environmental noise cancellation on voice calls, but is it worth the Rs 4,499 price tag? Here’s what you need to know about the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 review.
Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Specifications
- Driver: 14.2 mm dynamic drivers
- Impedance: 32 ohm
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (44.1 kHz), 20 Hz – 40 kHz (LHDC 96 kHz, 900 Kbps)
- Connectivity & Ports: Bluetooth 5.0 (Dual Mode), USB Type-C
- Protection: N/A
- Wireless Range: 10 meters
- Others: BLE/HEP/HSP/A2DP/AVRCP Bluetooth Profiles, SBC/AAC/LHDC Audio Codec Support
- Battery: 30 mAh, 250 mAh Case, 5.2 V, 1.1 A Input, Quick Charge Support
- Battery Runtime: 4 Hours Single Charge, 14 Hours With Case
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Weight: 50 grams
- Color: White
- Price: Rs 4,499
Design & Build
On the design front, it clearly follows Apple’s AirPods design, however, no rounded edges or curves but sharp corners and bulky form factor makes it a little less appealing to us even though some of you may like its angular form factor. Rival realme Buds Air follows a similar design pattern of the AirPods but gives a subtle look and feel.
Unlike the earpods and the Buds Air, the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 offers a pretty good matte finish design which also helps to reduce the fingerprints as compared to the glossy look. Opening the case and the earbuds look quite big and muscular, it wasn’t too comfortable to wear for us, it may fit securely for some users, not all.
The front side has an LED indicator for charging and pairing, a Bluetooth pairing on the right side while the bottom has a USB Type-C for charging with quick charge support. No wireless charging is supported nor the design is water-resistant.
Features & Connectivity
Features of the wireless earphone include smart in-ear detection and gesture controls. It comes with built-in optical sensors that detect when you hook up the earpods into ears. The sensors are smart enough to automatically pause the music when you take them off and resumes the music when you put them back on.
It also comes with touch music controls and calls using simple touch gestures. To play or pause music, simply double tap on the left earbud whereas to activate voice assistant, double tap on the right earbud. To answer calls, double tap on any earbud (works on both)
In addition to that, it works with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant. It is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows operating systems. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.0 for faster transmission response and quicker connection.
Audio Quality & Battery Life
The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 is certified for Hi-Res Wireless Audio for delivering a great audio experience. It equips two 14.2 mm dynamic drivers with support for LHDC 96 kHz audio.
The major highlight of the wireless earphones is the LHDC codec support which is a high-quality audio codec for intense sound quality, but the codec isn’t much popular among smartphones until the rise of Android 10.
Starting from Android 10, LHDC is a part of the Android Open Source Project enabling every OEM to integrate this standard into its own Android devices freely. Having said that, not all smartphones may support high-quality LHDC audio, rivals such as Qualcomm’s aptX HD and Sony’s LDAC codecs are more popular among smartphones.
The LHDC improves the sound quality, however, works with certain devices especially those with integrated LHDC support. Xiaomi devices with MIUI 11 are optimized for LHDC. The about the audio quality over standard AAC is loud and decent, the mids and vocals sound better while the bass and trebles are just above average as far as the price is concerned.
The LHDC audio might be better in terms of the competition, if your smartphone doesn’t support LHDC, then the Bluetooth falls back to the standard audio technology i.e AAC, SBC.
The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 packs a 30 mAh battery on earphones and 250 mAh battery on the case. With all these, the earphones last up to 4 hours on a single charge and a total of 14 hours with the charging case. Although the battery life varies according to the volume you set, that doesn’t make a significant difference.
At this price range, you can expect earphones to give you a better battery life, rivals like realme Buds Air can last up to 17 hours which is far better deal since the price is Rs 500 less as compared to the Rs 4,499 Mi True Wireless Earphones 2.
What’s good about the earphones is it charges faster, takes about 1.5 hours or less to completely charge the earphones with the charging case. It takes about 30 minutes to charge the earphones under the case.
Verdict
For people who want a completely wire-free experience under Rs 5,000, the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 fits the need. The voice clarity of the earphones is good, supports quick charging, and the advantage of having high-quality LDHC audio codec support gives the earphones a great value.
But, the average battery life running 14 hours with the case might be a deal-breaker. Plus, there’s no water-resistant design and wireless charging support which puts behind the competition in this price range.
Speaking about the competition under Rs 5,000, the realme Buds Air comes with total 17-hour battery life and wireless charging support costing about Rs 3,999, but no Hi-Res Audio. Look for alternatives if you want better battery backup and more versatile features in this price range.
Rivals
Strength
- Matte Finish Design
- High-Quality LDHC Audio Support
- Good Voice Clarity | Works With Voice Assistant
- Smart In-Ear Detection | Gesture Controls
- USB Type-C With Quick Charge Support
Weakness
- Average Battery Life (14 Hours)
- Not Water Resistant
