Bluetooth earbuds were not a thing when Apple’s AirPods hit the scene in 2016. A lot has changed since then with this product category going from ‘nice to have’ to a bare essential especially at a time when WFH and virtual meetings have become the norm. While it’s easy to find reliable earbuds that deliver on sound, call quality and battery life once you cross the Rs 5,000 price threshold, product quality is usually a hit or miss once you go below Rs 3,000. This is a segment that’s dominated by a mix of homegrown brands and budget offerings from major international brands. That’s one reason OPPO’s all-new Enco Buds have our attention, given its asking price of Rs 1,999.
It might be positioned as a budget offering that is also aimed at first time TWS earbuds buyers who are keen to ditch wires, but it certainly doesn’t look cheap. The capsule shaped case and the earbuds might remind of the first-gen Samsung Galaxy Buds. The case is compact, and the glossy finish looks quite refined. We also dig the design aesthetic of the buds that sit quite comfortably in your ears. At 4gm (the case weighs 45 gm) these buds are almost weightless in your ears. There are extra silicon tips in the box to help you find the perfect fit and ear seal. While there’s no ANC (Active Noise cancellation) advertised, the ear seal does a decent job of reducing external sounds. I sat under a fan with the volume of the music at around 60% and the buds did a good job of shutting that noise out.
OPPO also claims that these earbuds have an AI-based noise cancellation feature that differentiates between different types of noises to counter background noise during calls. While a couple of callers noticed an ‘echo’ during calls, most of my callers could hear me clearly, suggesting that these buds handle calls with reasonable ease.
Pairing was quite intuitive. I first hooked these buds up with an iPhone 12 Pro Max. All I had to do was open the lid of the case and the phone automatically detected the buds. OPPO has kitted these buds with 8mm dynamic drivers; the buds have a frequency range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz. OPPO claims these drivers allow the Enco buds to deliver a ‘concert-like bass’. Sound quality is quite good. These buds do a good job when the volume is in the 30 – 60% range. Most buds at this price point don’t always handle very high volumes effectively.
OPPO is also aiming to woo first-time users and compulsive gamers with a low-latency Game Mode that delivers an impressive 80ms of latency. All you need to do is activate it with a triple tap gesture. The touch controls are quite easy to operate, and you can configure these on the Hey Melody companion App that’s available for the iPhone and on the Google Play store. We were also impressed with the battery life in our tests that validated OPPO’s claims – 6 hours for the buds and 24 hours for the case (with a 400 mAh battery that takes about 90 minutes to power up). OPPO’s Enco Buds are among the best buds you can snag for under Rs 2,000 and should please most first time TWS Bluetooth earbuds users.
OPPO Enco Buds come in white and cost Rs 1,999. There’s a special launch offer – Rs 1,799 valid until September 16, 2021.
