Oppo Enco Buds 2 Review: A Stellar Value Proposition in the Budget TWS Segment?
Oppo has consistently impressed with its value-driven approach to true wireless earphones. Their latest offering, the Oppo Enco Buds 2, aims to solidify their presence in the highly competitive budget segment. Priced at just Rs. 1,999, the Enco Buds 2 is a successor to the original Enco Buds, promising improved performance and a completely redesigned aesthetic. But does it live up to the hype and deliver the best value for your money? Let’s dive into this review and find out.
Design and Features: A Refreshing Aesthetic With a Focus on Functionality
The Enco Buds 2 takes a bold departure from the stem-less design of its predecessor, embracing a more conventional design with full-length stems. These stems, coupled with the smaller earpieces, lend a contemporary look while also offering a comfortable, secure fit. Made from durable plastic, each earpiece weighs a mere 4g, ensuring all-day comfort.
The Oppo Enco Buds 2 comes in a single color in India: black. The earpieces boast a sleek matte black finish, while the charging case features a similar matte black exterior with a contrasting glossy light blue interior. This unusual color combination is surprisingly appealing and adds a touch of personality to the overall design.
The earpieces incorporate touch controls for convenient playback management. Located on the top of the stems, these touch-sensitive areas are subtly textured for enhanced tactile recognition. You can personalize these controls through the HeyMelody app or the native Bluetooth settings on supported Android devices, enabling you to tailor gestures for playback, volume control, voice assistant activation, and even game mode.
The charging case also undergoes a design overhaul, aligning seamlessly with the new earphone shape. It’s flatter and slightly wider than its predecessor, with the USB Type-C charging port and an indicator light neatly placed at the bottom. The pocket-friendly size makes it easy to slip into any bag or pocket, making it perfect for on-the-go charging.
While the Enco Buds 2 lacks active noise cancellation (ANC), it offers some notable features. The app support allows for customizability, including the ability to use the earpieces for remote camera shutter control, AI environmental noise cancellation during calls, and IPX4 water resistance for the earpieces. The retail package includes three silicone ear tip sizes for a personalized fit, but disappointingly lacks a charging cable.
App and Specifications: Seamless Customization and Enhanced Functionalities
Like its counterparts from the Oppo and OnePlus audio families, the Oppo Enco Buds 2 seamlessly integrates with the HeyMelody app. This app unlocks a multitude of customization options and enhances the overall user experience. Users of compatible Oppo or OnePlus smartphones can enjoy these functions directly within the native Bluetooth settings menu, accessed by tapping on the earphones.
It’s important to note that while HeyMelody is available for iOS, the Oppo Enco Buds 2 is not supported on iOS devices and only works with Android smartphones. For this review, the earphones were paired with a OnePlus 9 Pro, which benefited from the integrated app functionality within the Bluetooth settings.
Once connected, the app grants access to a range of features, including:
- Equalizer presets: Choose from three distinct sound profiles: Original Sound, Bass Boost, and Clear Vocals, catering to different audio preferences.
- Customizable controls: Tailor touch gestures to your liking, assigning actions like playback control, volume adjustments, voice assistant activation, and game mode.
- Camera shutter control: Use the earpieces as a remote shutter for taking photos.
- Battery level monitoring: Visualize the battery levels for both the earpieces and the charging case for convenient power management.
- Firmware updates: Keep your earphones up-to-date with the latest firmware, ensuring optimal performance and stability.
This comprehensive suite of app functionalities enhances the Enco Buds 2 experience, offering a user-friendly interface and hassle-free customization options.
Performance and Battery Life: A Punchy Audio Experience and Enduring Power
Oppo’s commitment to providing exceptional value in the true wireless earphone segment is evident in the Enco Buds 2. Here, they target the budget-conscious audience with an offering that punches above its weight class.
The Oppo Enco Buds 2 delivers a sound signature that is bold, vibrant, and impactful, with a distinct emphasis on punchy bass that doesn’t compromise on clarity or detail. This is a characteristically aggressive sound profile, typical of budget true wireless earphones, but it remains engaging and enjoyable without feeling overwhelming or fatiguing.
Listening to "Conundrum" by Shur-i-Kan, the deep house track’s mid-tempo beat immediately grabbed attention with its punchy delivery. The soulful melody was allowed to shine through, while the rumbling bass never felt overpowering. The secure fit and good passive noise isolation contributed to a clean, immersive listening experience.
Even at a volume level of around 30%, the earphones produced adequate loudness for typical indoor use. While volumes exceeding 60% felt unsafe in my opinion, it’s clear that these are very loud earphones. Aggressive electronic tracks thrived at lower volumes, while mellow tracks like "Truth" by Kamasi Washington sounded best at around 50% volume.
The bass response, while impressive, didn’t quite match the precision and depth achieved by slightly more expensive headsets like the Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro. This is, however, expected considering the Enco Buds 2’s price point. The tuning effectively keeps the bass under control, but there were moments where it felt like the headset was straining to maintain balance.
The Enco Buds 2’s loud volume output compensates for the lack of active noise cancellation, making it a solid option for voice-based content, such as videos, movies, and TV shows. Call quality was also respectable, both indoors and outdoors.
Battery life is another strong point for the Enco Buds 2. The earphones themselves boast 40mAh batteries, while the charging case houses a 460mAh battery. With the volume set around 30-40%, I managed to achieve approximately six hours of playback on a single charge. The charging case provided three full charges, resulting in a total runtime of around 24 hours per charge cycle.
Verdict: A Solid Choice in the Affordable TWS Earphone Market
In the crowded budget true wireless earphone market, brands often overload their products with features. However, I believe it’s more important to focus on providing a simple, high-quality sound experience. The Oppo Enco Buds 2 ticks all the right boxes for what you’d expect from a sub-Rs. 2,000 earphone. It delivers a music-focused, clean listening experience, coupled with respectable battery life and intuitive app support.
While the sound occasionally felt strained, the Oppo Enco Buds 2 proves to be a very competent true wireless earphone for its price. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, you should also consider alternatives like the Realme Buds Air 3 Neo and OnePlus Nord Buds CE. However, the Enco Buds 2 is a reliable and worthy choice that deserves a spot on your shortlist.
With its impressive design, user-friendly features, punchy audio performance, and long battery life, the Oppo Enco Buds 2 offers incredible value for money. It’s a compelling option for those seeking a balanced audio experience without breaking the bank.
