Review: Is the realme Buds Air Neo and Power Bank 2 suitable for our lifestyle?

The world is ever-changing and so are our needs in life. In the early 2000s, headphones and earphones were just nice-to-haves, but now they’ve become necessities as more and more people started to rely on their mobile devices for everything. With smartphones  evolving over time, we must also keep up – from shifting to USB Type-C devices to ditching wired earbuds.

To further help us with this shift while on a budget, we got our hands on two recently released Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIot) devices from realme – the realme Buds Air Neo and realme Power Bank 2.

Here’s a quick look before we share our thoughts and its features:

realme Buds Air Neo

The white variant reminds me of a True Wireless Stereo (TWS) from a different brand, but it’s not really an issue since it’s almost like a default look nowadays. It also comes in the colors green and red if ever you’re not a fan of white.

Let’s start from the outside: The charging dock is just the right size for people like me who use small bags on a daily basis. It’s rectangular, smooth, and has rounded edges – which are all pros for me. However, I’m not a fan of the LED light’s placement since it’s not that visible under bright lights. It would’ve looked more premium if it’s inside the case (but that’s just me). You can find the multi-function button just below the LED, while the micro USB port for charging can be found at the bottom. The last two placements are okay for me.

Opening the case will automatically prompt the LED to give you a signal regarding the device’s battery level. If your Buds Air Neo has already been connected to a device before, it would usually connect automatically.

Inside, you’ll find the earbuds which weighs super light for its size. That’s my favorite thing about the Buds Air Neo – it fits my ears perfectly and it’s so light, but it doesn’t fall off even when I jog or jump around. I can already imagine myself using this even during rush hour commute.

The audio is good for its price as well since I like devices with a prominent bass (it’s good for majority of the music that I listen to). It can only run for around three hours non-stop, but you can charge it in its dock conveniently after every use.  What I found a bit challenging is remembering where the touch control area is located since it’s on the left earbud. I’m a right-handed person so I unconsciously tap on the right earbud from time to time. I also need some time to get used to the appropriate voice volume that it needs during phone calls since my normal voice can’t be clearly heard on the other line. It’s not a big issue for me, though. I prefer SMS over calls.

Other notable features:

  • R1 True Wireless Chip
  • 13mm Bass Boost Driver
  • Intelligent touch control
  • 17 hours playback
  • Customizable via realme Link App

Price: Php 1,990

realme Power Bank 2

My life wouldn’t be complete without powerbanks and I’ve tried a lot of them – most of which ended up being given to someone else because I can’t stand the size and weight. My work (not related to blogging) involves event coverage and that means I need to get up a stage, run from entrance to exit, and cover what’s happening for an entire day without breaks to charge my mobile device in between. That’s how essential it is for me to have a light yet powerful-enough power bank that I can run around with.

The realme Power Bank 2 with 10,000mAh battery is slim and light enough for its size. It’s actually lighter than the current 10,000mAh power bank that I’m using – which is good! It’s also easy to hold because of its stripe-like design and rough texture. Plus points for the yellow variant since it’s easy to spot for days that we need to rush. It’s also available in black for those who prefer a toned down color.

The overall look is similar to other power banks in the market – you’ll find ports, LED indicators, and the power switch on one side. Even though it only has one port, it features a two-way 18W quick charge which allows it to charge a device with 18W of power and also charge itself via an 18W power adapter. Pressing the power button two times also activates its low-current mode to safely charge other AIoT devices.

I also really appreciate the cable that comes with this power bank since it can be used for both micro-USB and Type-C. No need to bring different cables with me every single time!

Other notable features:

  • High-density lithium-polymer battery
  • 13 Layers of circuit protection
  • No capacity degradation after 500 charges
  • 18W charging for devices

Price: Php 1,190

So is the realme Buds Air Neo and Power Bank 2 suitable for our lifestyle?

The answer is yes. If you’re like me – who prefers affordable items that won’t break the bank, the realme Buds Air Neo and Power Bank 2 would be good travel and work buddies that we can rely on. Both look good with any #OOTD – white going well with anything, and yellow adding a pop of color to our neutral outfits. They both deliver what they promise and the controls are easy to understand. Due to its price, I can confidently wear the realme Buds Air Neo outside without worries of it falling or getting damaged.

Both AIoT devices are premium-looking albeit being on a relatively lower price range than its competitors with a similar look, plus it’s easy to bring them around due to their size and weight. I really love that the Power Bank 2 comes with both a micro-USB and type-C port since I hate bringing long cables with me.

Availability

These are now available in Lazada and Shopee! Customers will enjoy a Php 200 discount on each of the new products during a special initial offering promo today (June 19). At the same time, Shopee users can also avail a special discounted price of Php 1,737 and Php 961 for the realme Buds Air Neo and Powerbank 2 from 12 midnight to 8:59 a.m. and from 12 noon to 11:59 p.m.

Add the realme Adventure Backpack to our list to be sure that we’ll be able to go on a road trip without worries! For only Php 1,490, this new branded merch can already store up to 32L, too. More about this one in our upcoming video on youtube.com/cesdimalanta.

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