Realme Buds Air 2 Review: Good ANC, Ordinary Sound
Realme’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, and the company has made a concerted effort to establish a strong presence in the audio market. Their diverse range of earphones, encompassing wired, neckband-style wireless, and true wireless options, has proven successful, particularly within the true wireless segment. Realme’s dedication to this category is evident in their impressive offerings, boasting features like active noise cancellation (ANC) and app support. A prime example is the newly released Realme Buds Air 2, a true wireless earphone model promising top-notch features at an incredibly affordable price.
Priced at just ₹3,299, the Realme Buds Air 2 stands out as one of the most budget-friendly true wireless earphones with ANC available in India. Couple that with features like app support and touch controls, and it becomes a truly tempting proposition. This new model succeeds the company’s very first true wireless offering, the Realme Buds Air. But is it truly the best true wireless earphone for under ₹3,500, or is it too good to be true? Let’s delve into our review to find out.
Better Fit and ANC on the Realme Buds Air 2
With its pricing and name, the Realme Buds Air 2 occupies a middle ground between the original Realme Buds Air (released over a year ago and still selling for ₹3,999) and the more recent Realme Buds Air Pro (priced at ₹4,999). The feature set and specifications of the Buds Air 2 mirror those of the Buds Air Pro very closely, making the pricier Pro model somewhat redundant in my opinion.
A noticeable design change between the Realme Buds Air 2 and its 2019 predecessor is the adoption of a proper in-canal fit. Not only does this improve isolation for enhanced ANC performance, but also ensures a secure fit for the user. The stalks boast a glossy finish, and the earpieces are quite visually appealing for the price point. This headset is available in two color options, white and black, both of which offer a tasteful and understated aesthetic.
Each earpiece features a touch-sensitive upper section on the stalk, used for controlling various functions like playback, activating the voice assistant, and toggling ANC. These controls are customizable through the Realme Link app, allowing you to even set different commands for left and right earpieces.
However, the responsiveness of the touch sensors was a point of frustration. The lack of a clearly defined touch area combined with the curved stalks resulted in multiple attempts needed to get the earphones to respond to touch commands. Even when gestures were successfully registered, there was a lag in response time.
The pebble-shaped charging case for the Realme Buds Air 2 complements the color of the earpieces. It sports a discrete pairing button on the side and a USB Type-C port at the bottom with support for fast charging. The case itself is compact and surprisingly high-quality for its price point. The package also includes a short charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips for a personalized fit.
Realme Link, the company’s app designed to control various IoT devices and accessories, is accessible on both iOS and Android. Unfortunately, the audio product range isn’t supported on the iOS app, meaning you can only manage headsets like the Realme Buds Air 2 through the Android app. When paired to an Android device, the app immediately detects the earphones and displays specific settings and controls. The app even integrates with Google Fast Pair, linking your headset to your Google account upon initial setup with an Android device.
The app displays the battery levels for both earpieces and the charging case. It lets you cycle between noise control modes, switch to game mode for low-latency audio transmission, and adjust sound modes to fine-tune the sonic signature. Other customization options include changing touch controls, enabling/disabling in-ear detection, and updating firmware. It’s remarkable to see such a comprehensive app experience offered with an affordable true wireless headset.
From a specifications and features standpoint, the Realme Buds Air 2 shines on paper. Equipped with 10mm dynamic drivers, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity (supporting SBC and AAC codecs), and a claimed response delay of 88ms in low-latency mode, the earphones are impressive. Combined with active noise cancellation that claims up to 25dB of noise reduction, and IPX5 water resistance, the package seems complete.
Fast charging is enabled on both the charging case and the earpieces of the Realme Buds Air 2, promising up to 120 minutes of playback with just 10 minutes of charging. In my testing, the earpieces achieved around 3.5 hours of playtime at moderate to high volumes with ANC activated. The charging case provided an additional four full charges for the earpieces, translating to approximately 17-18 hours of listening per charge cycle. Charging both the case and earpieces from empty took under two hours.
Good ANC, Ordinary Sound on the Realme Buds Air 2
A standout feature dominating the Realme Buds Air 2 is its inclusion of active noise cancellation. Being one of the few affordable true wireless headsets to offer this premium feature, it’s unsurprisingly a key attraction for many potential buyers. While the ANC performance is commendable for the price, there are nuances to be explored.
The sound quality of the Realme Buds Air 2 aligns with the typical expectations for a true wireless earphone at this price point, but it doesn’t stand out as the best in the segment. The sonic signature leans towards the lows, but isn’t excessively bass-heavy. While the sound is clean at moderate listening volumes, it lacks detail, and higher volumes tend to introduce a slight shrillness in the high frequencies.
Testing with "Answers" by Astropilot, the track commenced smoothly, revealing a hint of sharpness in the highs. However, as the beat kicked in, the powerful lows took center stage and further amplified the shrillness in the highs. These extremes in frequency tended to overshadow the mid-range significantly. The drivers struggled to keep pace with the track at times.
Switching to the faster and more energetic "My Mind’s Made Up" by Kraak and Smaak, the bass dominated the track, often hitting too hard. The track’s tempo highlighted the limitations in detail and precision offered by the Realme Buds Air 2. Although sounding noticeably better than the Boat Airdopes 441, a significant gap in sound quality persisted when compared to the OnePlus Buds Z, our current top recommendation at around ₹3,000.
The aggressive bass, shrill highs, narrow soundstage, and simplistic sound quality only truly made a difference when the volume surpassed 75 percent. At lower volumes, these issues were less pronounced and noticeable, but this resulted in a generally bland sound. While I didn’t dislike the sonic signature of the Realme Buds Air 2, I felt it was lacking. Realme attempts to compensate for this with its ANC, and indeed, if that’s your priority, you’re receiving decent ANC performance for the price.
Similar to the Realme Buds Air Pro, the ANC on the Realme Buds Air 2 is basic but effective and practical. It effectively reduces low droning sounds such as air conditioners and the typical hum of urban environments. However, the earphones didn’t offer significant reduction of sounds like ceiling fans or vacuum cleaning robots. While it did improve the listening experience for music, the quality of the ANC falls short of mid-range options like the Oppo Enco X and Huawei Freebuds 3i.
The transparency mode was fairly good, though it did sound a bit sharp compared to the Realme Buds Air Pro, lacking the naturalness. The connection and call quality on the Realme Buds Air 2 are decent; voices were clear on both ends of calls, and even at distances around 10-12 feet from my paired smartphone, connection stability and sound quality remained unaffected. The low-latency mode effectively reduced latency while maintaining connection stability, but it negatively impacted both battery life and sound quality.
Verdict
The Realme Buds Air 2 true wireless earphones stand out for one significant factor: decent, functional active noise cancellation at a relatively low price. Besides this, you also get a good design, reliable connectivity, and impressive performance on voice calls. However, my praise for these earphones ends there when it comes to sound quality. The Buds Air 2 doesn’t sound bad, but it’s best described as ordinary. The bass-heavy signature may appeal to some listeners, but the lack of detail and character ultimately hold these earphones back.
If your budget is under ₹3,500 and you absolutely need active noise cancellation, the Realme Buds Air 2 is a viable option. However, if you can forgo ANC, the OnePlus Buds Z, a better-sounding earphone at a lower price, will offer a more satisfying overall experience. Alternatively, consider options like the Lypertek Levi or Oppo Enco W51 if you’re able to increase your budget to around ₹5,000.
