Realme Buds Air 5 Pro Wireless Earbuds Review


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The realme Buds Air 5 Pro Headphones in Sunrise Beige offer a combination of boosted bass and brighter treble, perfect for those looking for a studio-quality acoustic experience. These headphones feature an innovative coaxial dual driver acoustic architecture, consisting of an 11 mm bass driver and a 6 mm micro-planar tweeter, ensuring a high and low-frequency listening experience like no other.

Battery life is a significant consideration for many when it comes to headphones, and the realme Buds Air 5 Pro does not disappoint. With up to 40 hours of playback, you can enjoy your music all week long without needing to recharge. And when you’re running low on power, a quick 10-minute charge will give you up to 7 hours of music playback.

In addition to impressive battery life, these headphones also boast a 40ms super low latency in-game mode. This ultra-low latency ensures that audio and video are perfectly synchronized, enhancing your gaming experience and allowing you to fully immerse yourself in intense battles.

One notable feature of the realme Buds Air 5 Pro is their 50dB active noise cancellation, which is an 8dB improvement over the previous generation. This means you can enjoy a quiet listening experience like never before, shutting out distractions and truly immersing yourself in your favorite content.

Furthermore, realme Buds Air 5 Pro offers a 360° spatial audio effect, created in accordance with the HRTF head function model. The self-researched algorithm behind this feature provides a cinema-grade 3D spatial sound, allowing you to experience immersive listening that makes you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.

Key Technical Specifications:

  • Coaxial Dual Driver Acoustic Architecture: Consists of an 11 mm bass driver and a 6 mm micro-planar tweeter
  • Studio-Quality Acoustic Listening: Provides high and low-frequency studio-quality acoustic listening
  • Battery Life: Up to 40 hours of playback
  • Flash Charging: Quick 10-minute charge for 7 hours of music
  • Super Low Latency: Industry breakthrough 40ms ultra-low latency in game mode
  • Audio and Video Synchronization: Ultra-high audio and video synchronization
  • Active Noise Cancellation: 50dB deep noise cancellation, 8dB improvement over previous generation
  • 360° Spatial Audio Effect: Creates cinema-grade 3D spatial sound for immersive listening

realme Buds Air 5 Pro Headphones: A Paradigm Shift in Audio Experience?

If you’re considering a new set of earbuds, the realme Buds Air 5 Pro has positioned itself as a serious contender in the crowded audio market. Sporting a fresh “Sunrise Beige” design, these headphones promise to elevate your listening experience with a plethora of advanced features. But how do they stack up against well-established competitors like the Apple AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM4, and Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

Innovative Acoustic Architecture

The realme Buds Air 5 Pro impresses with its innovative coaxial dual driver system, combining an 11 mm bass driver with a 6 mm micro-planar tweeter. This setup aims to deliver robust bass and brighter treble, theoretically offering studio-quality sound. In practice, these drivers do deliver richer frequencies compared to your standard single-driver earbuds, but they may not reach the level of high-fidelity offered by the Sony WF-1000XM4, which uses a larger 6mm driver that can handle a more intricate sound spectrum, particularly in the mids and highs.

Marathon Battery Life

Battery life is where the Buds Air 5 Pro shines, boasting an impressive 40 hours of playback. This is a step above many competitors, with Apple AirPods Pro offering around 24 hours with the case and the Sony WF-1000XM4 reaching about 28 hours. The flash charging feature allows for 7 hours of playtime with only a 10-minute charge, a boon for those always on the go. Nevertheless, everyday users might not frequently find themselves needing such extended battery life, slightly diminishing its practical benefits.

Ultra-Low Latency for Gamers

Another feature geared towards niche markets is the 40ms super low latency in game mode. To put it in perspective, the majority of leading earbuds don’t even come close to this level of synchronization. This makes the realme Buds Air 5 Pro an attractive option for gaming aficionados. However, if you’re an average consumer more focused on music and calls, this feature might not add substantial value to your everyday use.

Industry-Leading Noise Cancellation

The sub-50ms latency accompanies an industry-leading 50dB active noise cancellation, an 8dB improvement from its predecessor. While impressive, this isn’t the final word in noise cancellation. Competitors like the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II continue to hold the upper hand with more mature and effective ANC technology. As effective as the noise cancellation on the Buds Air 5 Pro is, it may still fall short of creating that hermetically sealed sound cocoon that true audiophiles seek.

3D Spatial Audio Experience

Emphasizing a ‘cinema-grade’ 360° spatial audio effect, realme distinguishes itself from competitors. Developed using the HRTF head function model, the spatial sound experience is immersive, rivaling that of Apple’s spatial audio capabilities in its AirPods Pro. However, this feature’s quality can vary significantly depending on the audio source and the user’s ear shape, creating unpredictable experiences for different users.

Intended Audience

In sum, the realme Buds Air 5 Pro appears to cater to tech-savvy individuals seeking high-spec, cutting-edge features without the premium price tag associated with top-tier brands. Gamers and young professionals, in particular, might find the low latency and extended battery life particularly appealing. While they offer compelling specs, these earbuds may still lag behind in terms of total package refinement compared to stalwarts like Sony and Bose. Yet, for what they offer, they provide a commendable blend of technology and affordability, making them a compelling option in the mid-to-high end of the market.

Price: 126.02

Posted by Matthew Miller

Matthew Miller is a Brisbane-based Consumer Technology Editor at Techbest covering breaking Australia tech news.