Are the Realme Buds Air 6 Worth Your Ears? A Detailed Review Explores Comfort, Sound, and Battery Life
The Realme Buds Air 6, launched in May 2023, promise a compelling package of features with their 12.4mm drivers, active noise cancellation (ANC) up to 50dB, and a claimed 40-hour battery life. But do they deliver on their promises, especially with a growing market of affordable TWS earphones? We dive deep into the design, features, performance, and battery life of the Realme Buds Air 6 to see if they’re the right fit for your ears.
Realme Buds Air 6 Design and Features: Easy to Carry, Not So Easy on the Ears
The Realme Buds Air 6 sport a traditional in-ear design with rounded stems, familiar to many TWS earphones. These come with three silicone ear tip sizes (small, medium, large) for a customized fit. While the medium tips offered the best fit during our review, comfort wasn’t their strong suit. While the buds didn’t physically fall off, longer usage periods resulted in noticeable discomfort and even pain. Even at their best fit, the earbuds’ design contributed to weariness after prolonged use.
The earphones are vertically placed in individual slots within the case with the charging connectors on the base of the stem. Touch control sensors are conveniently placed on the upper side of the stem. Adding a touch of style, the Buds Air 6 boast a dual-tone finish and are IP55-rated for dust and splash resistance.
The pebble-shaped charging case, while lacking an IP rating, features a USB Type-C port at the bottom, alongside a pairing button. A connectivity indication LED light is located at the front. This popular pebble shape, which the Buds Air 6 share with the Buds Air 6 Pro and other TWS models, is both familiar and quite functional. Weighing in at a light 46g, the case is easy to carry around.
Realme Buds Air 6 App and Specifications: Comprehensive and Easy to Navigate
The Realme Buds Air 6 rely on the Realme Link companion app, which is straightforward to use and well-organized. It presents a clear display of the charging percentage for both the earphones and the case. ANC mode settings – on, off, and transparency – are prominently displayed. Users can select from EQ presets like Serenade, Original Sound, Pure Bass, and Deep Bass, or customize their own settings using a six-band equaliser.
The Realme Link app offers additional toggles to enhance bass and volume or minimize latency through the Game Mode. Touch actions, like double tap, triple tap, and touch and hold, are customizable. The app allows in-ear detection to be enabled or disabled. A unique feature is the MindFlow mode, which includes 11 pre-saved mood sounds designed for meditation, focus, or sleep.
The Realme Buds Air 6 boast IP55-rated earphones with up to 50dB ANC and leverage 12.4mm drivers and six microphones. They support Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and audio codecs including AAC, SBC, and LDHC. Google Fast Pair and a 55ms low latency gaming mode are also supported. Each earbud packs a 58mAh battery while the charging case offers a 460mAh battery with a USB Type-C port.
Realme Buds Air 6 Performance and Battery Life: Good Enough Considering Budget
The Realme Buds Air 6 offer decent ANC with multiple modes and levels. Similar to the Buds Air 6 Pro, these earphones feature Max, Moderate, and Mild ANC modes. Additionally, the Smart mode analyses ambient noise levels and automatically adjusts the ANC level. While the system effectively cancels out most household disturbances, faint fan noise may still be noticeable. The voice assistant notifications about each mode change can be disruptive or even annoying at times.
The Max ANC level has a notable impact on sound quality. The single 12.4mm driver in each earbud produces a bass-heavy sound signature. Initially, the mids and highs sound somewhat muddy. The maximum ANC further flattens the sound, although the punchy bass can be engaging in loud songs, potentially overshadowing the lack of detail.
Slower tracks like Cola by Arlo Parks and Jungle by Tash Sultana reveal this flatness more prominently. However, the casual listening experience isn’t entirely compromised. Most bass-heavy rock, pop, EDM tracks, and even podcasts remain tolerable. Games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Warzone run smoothly without substantial lag thanks to the low latency game mode.
Regarding connectivity, unlike the Pro version, the Realme Buds Air 6 do not allow dual-device connectivity. However, they support Google Fast Pair, Bluetooth 5.3, and SBC, AAC, and LDHC audio codecs. Pairing is seamless with Bluetooth smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Users should be mindful of maintaining a reasonably close proximity to the paired device when using the LHDC codec for a stable connection.
The six-microphone system in the Realme Buds Air 6 struggles to deliver a satisfactory calling experience. Under the same network conditions and location, other earphones provided clearer voice calls. The Buds Air 6 tended to produce slightly distorted and faint voices.
The Realme Buds Air 6 battery life nearly matches the advertised 40 hours. During our review, with ANC off and playback using AAC at 60 percent volume, the earphones, combined with the case, achieved a 39-hour 20-minute total runtime. With the LHDC codec enabled and ANC off, the earphones alone provided a playback time of slightly over eight hours on a single charge. This dropped to four hours with the Max ANC activated.
Realme Buds Air 6: Verdict
At Rs. 3,299, the Realme Buds Air 6 are a viable option for those seeking TWS earphones with decent ANC support and a remarkably long battery life. They are especially suitable for shorter usage periods throughout the day, such as during commutes or between classes. The impressive, nearly 40-hour battery life is a welcome change in a world where constant charging is often required for multiple devices.
However, at the same price point, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro offer a more comfortable fit and a more balanced and well-rounded sound experience.
If your budget allows for some flexibility, consider the CMF Buds Pro 2, which boasts dual drivers, up to 50dB ANC, 43 hours of battery life, and ChatGPT-integrated features through the Nothing X app.
Ultimately, the Realme Buds Air 6 present a solid value proposition for budget-conscious customers seeking a TWS earphone with ANC and extended battery life. However, their comfort issues and somewhat compromised sound quality, especially with the maximum ANC activated, may push some users towards other competitive options in the same price range.
