We were at the India launch of Redmi’s K50i where the brand also unveiled the Redmi Buds 3 Lite at a price point that is likely to be lower than a meal for two at your neighbourhood pizzeria. The sub Rs 5,000 TWS Bluetooth earbuds segment is a busy segment and these buds add to the clutter in a space where everyone from Chinese MNCs to homegrown Indian brands want a piece of the action. The Rs 1,499 asking price helped us set realistic expectation levels and yet these buds were a pleasant surprise.

Budget ain’t cheap

The box packaging is quite basic with room for customisable ear-tips and ear hooks. The case itself is very compact, you might be able to slip into the watch pocket (the small fifth pocket on the right front) of your jeans. We like the matte finish and the magnetic mechanism that is reassuringly sturdy. The case doesn’t look cheap; it’s the same for the buds that feature a glossy finish. The other handy touch is the IP54 certification for dust and splash resistance

Feels good in your ear

Each of these buds weigh just 4.04g each and feature what Redmi calls a unique ‘lock-in fit’ design that ensure these buds don’t fall off easily. I didn’t have to play around with the in-box accessories for the perfect fit but I believe that most users will manage to keep external sounds out with the perfect ear seal for passive noise cancellation. You weren’t expecting ANC (Active noise cancellation) at this price, were you?

High on bass

Sound quality is good not exceptional. Again, you have to temper your expectations based on the price point. The Redmi team played up the bass creds of these buds during the launch; these buds sort of walk the talk. The high bass didn’t kill the overall experience when I checked out Imagine Dragons’ Sharks and had the Vikram background score on loop. These buds sound best at 50-70% volume levels and jarred somewhat when I pushed the volume to max. The buds paired instantly (I paired them with the Google Pixel 6a) and offer easy tap-based shortcuts like play/pause and shuffle.

The other stuff

Battery life is decent and depends on the volume levels. We think you should manage about 4-5 hours for the buds and about 16-18 hours for the case. The fast charge option gives you 100 minutes of playback with a 10-minute charge. Call quality is acceptable but takes a slight hit in crowded environments but that’s an acceptable compromise at this price. The call quality and acoustics sum up the overall experience – the Redmi Buds 3 Lite delivers bang for your buck at its sticker price.

The Redmi Buds 3 lite are available at a launch price of Rs 1,499/-.