Realme Buds Air 3 Review: Headset with better sound and ANC at a low price
Realme has launched its latest true wireless headset Buds Air 3 has launched. These are similar to Buds Air 2 but they seem to fulfill some of the shortcomings that were left in the old model. It can be said that after their arrival, the competition in the market has become more tough in which Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro And OnePlus Buds Z2 Also included. Are these the best TWS headsets under Rs 5000? We will find out in this review.
Compact and efficient design of Realme Buds Air 3
Realme Buds Air 3 is priced at Rs 3,999 in India and comes in Starry Blue and Galaxy White colours. Recently, the company has also launched a Nitro Blue version, which also has white racing stripes. The price of this variant is Rs 4,999.
A new product version usually means that you will get some improvements. In terms of design, some useful changes have been made in the Realme Buds Air 3. The earpieces and charging case are slightly smaller than the older model, even though they look and feel the same. They have a good in-canal fit, which improves noise isolation in active noise cancellation.
Like the Buds Air 2, the stem in the Realme Buds Air 3 is moduled separately from the main chamber of the earpiece. Their color is also different. My review unit had a stem in silver color and the earpieces were in white color. Like the older model, this time too the ‘L’ and ‘R’ mark is not given on the earpiece. The earpieces have been given IPX5 rating for water resistance and each of them weighs 4.2 grams.
I really liked the look of the Realme Buds Air 3. Its compact design and comfortable fit worked very well for me. The sale package includes a short charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes to get a customizable fit. The outer side of the stem is sensitive for touch control. These can be customized through the Realme Link app. The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms.
I found the performance of its touch controls to be decent. However, on many occasions the triple tap gesture registered as a double tap, or did not register at all. The touch sensitive area on the earpiece is quite small and is not shown. Perhaps that is why it was not able to read the input. Through these touch controls, it is possible to control playback, switch between ANC and hear-through mode, activate the default voice assistant on the paired device and activate the game mode directly from the earphones.
The charging case of the Realme Buds Air 3 has the same colour and finish as the earpieces. There is an indicator light on the front, a USB Type-C port at the bottom, and a Bluetooth pairing button on the right. There is the Realme logo at the top. The review unit sent to me had my name printed on the back of the case, but Realme has confirmed that it is not yet available for customers in India.
Like the company’s other wireless audio products, the Realme Link app has been provided to support the functions of Realme Buds Air 3. Through the app, users can switch between ANC and hear-through mode, activate game mode and control other features like dual device connectivity. Through the app, you can also customize the touch controls on the earpiece.
Using the app, you can choose from three equalizer presets, or you can tune through a customized audio tuning process. I used the ‘Balanced’ sound preset. While the custom audio signature may suit some people, you’ll need to undergo a hearing test so the tuning can be set specifically for you.
Realme Buds Air 3 has 10mm dynamic drivers and supports SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. For this, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity has been provided in them. ANC is claimed to reduce sound up to 42dB. Latency in low latency game mode is up to 88ms. It also has a feature to connect two devices simultaneously.
Battery life was good in the wearable. It lasted for 4.5 hours on a single charge. You get three full charging cycles in the charging case. The charging case is slightly smaller than the older model and gives more charging cycles.
Improvements found in ANC and sound of Realme Buds Air 3
The older model was average in terms of sound. The active noise cancellation was also very mediocre. Realme Buds Air 3 is a big improvement over that. Support for SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs means that it will provide the same music experience on Android and iOS devices. I used an iPhone for this review. I listened to Martin Solveig’s Intoxicated on it. The sound quality in this was much better than any other Realme headset I have reviewed.
Its sonic signature is tuned for strong bass, but the low points of the track sounded quite clean and tight. Whereas this is not found in other devices of this price range. The high points of the track were also comfortable and clean. The mid range was a bit low. The track felt quite clean, especially during its strong and fast beats.
The detail levels in Feels Like Summer by Childish Gambino were quite good. This is a down tempo and soothing track that sounds great at different volume levels. This is where the Realme Buds Air 3 have improved to deliver a pleasant and relaxing sound.
The sound of Realme Buds Air 3 feels very comfortable in the ears. I did not feel any kind of fatigue while listening to music. However, in terms of attack and drive sound, the earphones seem to be behind Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro and OnePlus Buds Z2.
Active noise cancellation in Realme Buds Air 3 was much better than its older model. This feature worked well even indoors. The hum sound of AC was heard much less. At the same time, office noise and street noise outdoors were slightly reduced. This made listening easier, but you will get better ANC performance in slightly more expensive options like OnePlus Buds Z2 or Nothing Ear 1.
The transparency mode felt a little over amplified but I was obviously able to hear my surroundings better. I found it more convenient to take short calls while listening with one earpiece and rely on the automatic play and pause function. The connectivity is pretty good. The earpieces work pretty well up to a distance of 4 meters. Multipoint connectivity also worked well. I was able to use these earphones for calls without any issues.
Verdict
Realme has a very good track record in terms of value for money products. Realme Buds Air 3 has taken this specialty of the company forward. This time the sound quality and active noise cancellation have improved. Some useful features like multi-point connectivity have also been given in it. If you are looking for true wireless earphones for less than Rs 5000, then you can buy these.
Considering the price, the sound quality and ANC performance of Realme Buds Air 3 is quite good. However, the quality is less than Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro or OnePlus Buds Z2. Still, the overall experience makes this handset worth buying in this price range.
