realme Buds Air 5 review: Great value quality earbuds

These days, wireless earbuds are the norm rather than the exception. How often do we really still see wired earphones? With more and more brands pushing for the wireless form factor, we as consumers can’t help but lean towards the options that provide great quality and exceptional value for money. The realme Buds Air 5 is exactly that, especially given its improved quality and features which make it a worthy successor to the realme Buds Air 3. 

Design and Build

The realme Buds Air 5 comes in two colorways: Deep Sea Blue and Artic White. I would’ve loved to see a bit more variation, but you can’t really go wrong with either option. Luckily, I had the chance to test out the Deep Sea Blue colorway. The matte finish gives it a sleek look while also adding a ton of personality. 

Its charging case has a lightweight and compact design at 45.5 grams (with both earbuds in) and dimensions of 68.1mm x 50.8 x 23.8mm which makes it hassle-free to carry around in your pockets. 

The earbuds themselves are ergonomically designed to fit various ear sizes comfortably over long periods of time. For someone who has odd-shaped ears, I struggle to find earbuds that fit me well. To my surprise, I didn’t experience any troubles as the realme Buds Air 5 fit my ears very nicely. You also get three options for the earplug sizes straight out of the box.

These buds are also equipped with IPX5 water resistance which makes it an excellent choice for gym-goers who need some beats to hype themselves up for the next set. The water resistance also provides peace of mind while it’s raining in Manila (hindi ka ba nilalamig). 

Touch Controls

Gestures on earbuds either tend to be too sensitive or not that responsive. Personally, I felt that the realme Buds Air 5 provided good balance, while ever so slightly leaning on the sensitive side. 

The intelligent touch controls include double tap to play and pause music or answer and end a call, triple tap to skip to the next song and a long press for two seconds on either side to switch from noise cancellation mode to transparency mode or to reject a call. These gestures can also be customized through realme Link App.

Sound Quality 

More often than not, sound quality is what dictates our preferences when it comes to earbuds. The realme Buds Air 5 did not disappoint in this category. It is equipped with a 12.4mm Audio Driver, which has been increased compared to its predecessor. The larger audio diaphragm also comes with a titanium coating to help produce more solid and crisp audio quality. The buds are also equipped with Dolby Atmos Quad Speakers which provide a more immersive sound experience.  

The device also features Dynamic Bass Boost. It is able to intelligently detect portions of the audio wherein bass is lacking, thus compensating for it through enhancement without sacrificing mids and highs. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the audio experience provided by these earbuds. For someone who enjoys genres such as pop and K-pop, the instrumentals and vocals never sounded clearer and allowed me to appreciate the music even more. 

Noise Cancellation 

Noise cancellation is a feature that is sought after especially due to the prominence of hybrid work and learning. It allows for less distractions for the user, as well as those on the other end of calls. The realme Buds Air 5 cancels up to 50dB which is around 19% more than its previous iteration. 

The 6-Mic Call Noise cancellation is also able to enhance your voice while in call while also being able to cancel out unnecessary ambient noise. During online meetings, do you ever hear comments about your fan being too close to you? Well this will no longer be a problem thanks to this feature. 

The earbuds are also equipped with Smart Adaptive Noise Cancellation wherein the device is able to detect excessive ambient noise and adjust the amount of noise cancellation it delivers to match the environment. 

Last but not the least, the earbuds are able to achieve 4000Hz ultra-wide band noise cancellation which allows for a great listening experience when it comes to music. 

Overall, the noise cancelling features of the realme Buds Air 5 make it an excellent choice especially when it comes to providing a seamless experience to your virtual setups. Whether it’s listening to music while attending virtual meetings, these earbuds will not disappoint. 

Wireless Connection

The realme Buds Air 5 supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. It also has a super low latency of 45ms. This is a welcome upgrade to the 88ms of the realme Buds Air 3. Its maximum range is also at 10m even while you’re moving around and about. 

The device is also equipped with Google Fast Pair. It is able to detect and connect with a compatible device seamlessly with just one click. 

Battery and Charging 

The realme Buds Air 5 allow for a total of 38 hours of use with the batteries of the earbuds and the charging case combined (with noise cancellation turned off and at 50% volume). Each earbud is powered by a 43mAh battery that can last up to 4.5 hours with the volume at 50% and the noise cancellation turned on (7 hours when noise cancellation is turned off). This was incredibly useful for me especially as I used these for my four hour plane ride to Japan recently. From boarding to disembarking, these earbuds didn’t fail me. 

The device is also equipped with fast charging. The 7 hours of playback time (with noise cancelling turned off at 50% volume) can be achieved with only 10 minutes of both earbuds charging inside the case. The full charging of the time of the case with both earbuds in is at a decent 2 hours as well. 

Verdict 

Overall, the realme Buds Air 5 provide great quality in terms of the audio experience, coupled with useful noise cancellation features. They are an excellent option for everyday use – be it listening to music, streaming videos and using them for your hybrid work and learning environment. For me, the best thing about it is value for money as it is priced at Php 3,499. You get everything you look for in a pair of wireless earbuds without having to break the bank. 

The realme Buds Air 5 is available at any realme store nationwide, as well as their online flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada.