Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro Review: Budget-Friendly TWS Earphones with Impressive Battery Life
Micromax, a name synonymous with affordable smartphones, has recently ventured into the competitive world of true wireless earphones. Their latest offering, the AirFunk 1 Pro, targets entry-level buyers with a price tag of just Rs. 2,499. This review delves into the performance, features, and design of the AirFunk 1 Pro, comparing it to similarly priced options in the market to see if it truly delivers value for your money.
Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro Design: Glossy Look with Sharp Edges
The AirFunk 1 Pro comes in five vibrant colors: black, blue, white, yellow, and red. While the white review unit looked sleek, its glossy finish proved to be a magnet for fingerprints, dust, and lint. This, coupled with the presence of several scratch marks on the case right out of the box, raised concerns about the build quality. The sharp edges on the case, particularly when closing it, could also pinch fingers.
"The case has a glossy finish which attracts a lot of fingerprints, dust and pocket lint. The edges of the cover of the case are quite sharp and can pinch your fingers when closing it."
Despite these drawbacks, the AirFunk 1 Pro’s pebble-shaped case is compact and easily fits in a pocket. The inclusion of a Type-C port and the ability to stand upright both with and without the earphones inside are practical touches. A single LED indicator on the case provides battery status while charging.
The earpieces themselves are similarly designed with a glossy finish and short stems. While the sharp edges aren’t a concern when worn, the earpieces’ slippery surface poses a challenge when pulling them out of the case. Their deep placement and the lack of a dedicated pairing button require you to pinch the silicone tips to extract them.
"What annoyed me the most about the AirFunk 1 Pro’s design is the way the earpieces need to be placed in the charging case. They wind up positioned quite deep within the narrow opening, and their glossy finish makes the tops quite difficult to grip when you need to pull them out."
Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro Specifications and Battery Life: A Strong Performer
The AirFunk 1 Pro boasts a single 13mm dynamic driver in each earpiece, powered by a Qualcomm QCC3040 SoC for Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. It supports AAC, SBC, and Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth codecs, and is IP44 rated for dust and water resistance.
"The Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro has a single 13mm dynamic driver in each earpiece. There’s also a Qualcomm QCC3040 SoC in each one, which enables Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity."
The standout feature of the AirFunk 1 Pro is its impressive battery life. With AAC enabled, it delivered approximately 7 hours of continuous usage, with the case offering 4-5 full charges for a total of 28-35 hours of playback. This closely matches the manufacturer’s claims. Furthermore, charging the case and earphones is quick, taking a little over an hour for a complete charge.
"Battery life on the Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro was impressive. I managed to get about 7 hours of usage from the earpieces, and the case can charge them fully about 4-5 times, bringing the total runtime to about 28-35 hours."
Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro Performance: Decent Sound and Good Noise Cancellation
The AirFunk 1 Pro’s sound signature leans towards bass frequencies, which is common for budget earphones. The bass response is decent, albeit somewhat muddy, while the highs lack crispness. The soundstage feels rather narrow and not as airy as on some higher-priced alternatives.
"Listening to Honeypie by JAWNY, it’s easy to tell that that soundstage is quite narrow and not as airy as it should be. Switching to something slower, such as Juice World’s Righteous, it becomes clear that the emphasis is on the bass frequencies, which is not surprising for a budget pair of earphones."
Despite the limitations in audio quality, the AirFunk 1 Pro performs well for casual listening and gaming, with minimal audio lag during gameplay and movie watching. The range proved decent, with clear audio up to 8.5 meters from the source. However, obstacles such as walls posed a challenge, leading to audio interruptions and difficulty reconnecting.
"Gaming with these earphones was not a problem, and they kept up with all the action during my Call of Duty: Mobile deathmatch tournaments. There was also little to no audio lag when watching movies."
Call quality exceeded expectations, with clear voice transmission on both ends, thanks to good environmental noise cancellation (ENC). The ENC effectively suppressed loud background noise such as construction and fans, making for more enjoyable calls.
"Voices on calls were not crystal clear, but I never got any complaints about my own voice from people on the other end. This was quite surprising given that most TWS earphones in this price range don’t do such a good job."
The AirFunk 1 Pro’s lightweight design is a huge plus. Weighing only 4g per earpiece, you can wear them for extended periods without feeling fatigued. The IP44 rating provides adequate protection against dust and splashes, making them suitable for light rain and workouts.
"Audio performance aside, the AirFunk 1 Pro’s earpieces are quite small and very light at just 4g each. I could have them in my ears all day long and almost forget that I was wearing them. The earphones also have an IP44 rating which indicates they are somewhat protected against dust and splashes."
Verdict: Value for Money with a Few Compromises
The Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro offers good value for money for budget-conscious consumers seeking a decent pair of TWS earphones. Its key strengths lie in its impressive battery life, user-friendly touch controls for volume adjustment, and adequate call quality with effective noise cancellation. However, the build quality with its sharp edges and slippery finish, along with the sound quality limitations, might be dealbreakers for some users.
"The Micromax AirFunk 1 Pro was pretty good at the things that matter when using a pair of TWS earphones. Audio quality is decent at best, which is reasonable given its price. Voice quality is okay, with good noise suppression. However, battery life really impressed me, for the earpieces themselves as well as the charging case. Touch controls for volume are also nice to have."
For those willing to spend slightly more, the Xiaomi Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro offers superior sound quality, better build quality, and a dedicated pairing button at Rs. 2,999. However, if you prioritize long battery life and value for money with some compromises on audio quality and design, the AirFunk 1 Pro might be a good fit.
"Priced at Rs. 2,499 in India, the AirFunk 1 Pro does offer good value for someone looking for a decent pair of entry-level TWS earphones on a tight budget. If you are willing to spend a bit more, Xiaomi’s Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro offer better sound and better build quality along with an easy pairing button."
