If you’re looking for TWS earbuds that offers in-ear detection, dual-device connection, customized audio tuning, an immersive Dynamic Bass Boost driver and Active Noise Cancellation without going beyond a Php 4,000 budget, then the realme Buds Air 3 may be something that you’d like to check out. This wireless device introduced as the first TWS earbuds with TÜV Rheinland’s high-performance certification with Active Noise Cancellation of up to 42db has been around since March but we only got to test it out recently.

Here’s a closer look:

INSIDE THE BOX

Compared to its predecessor, the realme Buds Air 2, the Buds Air 3 comes in a white premium-looking box instead of their classic yellow packaging. To be honest, I like this packaging more as it’s also sturdier than the previous version.

Each box contains earbuds, a charging dock, a short USB Type-C cable, two pairs of extra ear tips in different sizes, a User Guide, a Safety Guide, and a quick info sheet.

DESIGN AND FIT

The realme Buds Air 3 reminds me so much of the Buds Air 2, but this one is shorter and more pebble-like in shape. It sports a similar glossy finish and an LED indicator for battery and pairing. Due to its smoothness, you’d have to be careful when putting it on top of glass tables and uneven surfaces as it tends to slide easily. The realme Buds Air 3 comes in two colors — – blue and white, but personally, I prefer the overall appearance of the white variant.

To set it apart from other realme earbuds and TWS brands, realme added a neat-looking logo on the top portion of the charging dock, which makes it easier for users to identify it even if they own multiple TWS earbuds. At the bottom, you’ll find the USB Type-C port for charging. On the right side of the device is an almost unnoticeable multi-function button.

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Inside the charging dock, you’ll find the earbuds which have a different-colored stem. In this case, the white earbuds have a silver stem which is shorter than similar stemmed earbuds. It still has rubber eartips, which makes it a better fit for those who use earbuds during workout or while doing other tasks. It didn’t fall off even as I attended a dance and workout session online. No need to worry about it getting wet, too! The realme Buds Air 3 has IPX5 water resistance so you can sweat all you want or even run in the rain.

FEATURES AND SOUND QUALITY

First of all, I have to commend realme for making the Buds Air 3 extra fast in automatically detecting Bluetooth devices nearby. As soon as I opened the lid of the charging dock, I immediately received a prompt to connect the device to my realme smartphone. For non-realme devices, I had to pair it manually via Bluetooth settings, but it was also a breeze. Same goes for laptops, too! Aside from the connection speed, it’s also possible to connect it to two different devices at the same time. It’s now easy to switch between laptop and smartphone, given this feature.

Another feature that I extremely loved is how the Buds Air 3 comes with customized audio tuning. People have different hearing capabilities. For people who have problems hearing on one of their ears, the realme Buds Air 3 provides enhanced audio after a user takes an in-app audio test. All you need to do is open your realme Link app, connect the device, and select “Customised Audio Tuning” to get started.

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Everything is customizable via the realme Link app, too. For those who use earbuds for calls, there are three Noise Control options to choose from: Noise Cancellation, Normal, and Transparency. For those who love listening to music, you can choose between three types of Sound Effects: Bass Boost, Balanced, and Bright. For gamers, you can easily toggle Game Mode to get 88ms low latency for a more immersive gameplay. You can even choose a specific environment profile or scenario-specific profile (smart, movie, gaming, or music) under the Dolby Atmos tab to help you get the best audio possible. Other options available in-app include Earbud Fit Test to help you determine whether you’re using the correct ear tips for your ear canals, in-ear detection to automatically pause your video or music when one earbud is removed, and auto-answer for quick device connection when taking calls.

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This can help you focus on what you’re listening as it can block off background noise like whirring fans, vehicle sounds from the street (if ever you also live near busy roads), and distant animal sounds (barking, scuffling, and even rooster sounds). However, if you’re way too close to the source of noise and when the wind’s too strong, the earbuds wouldn’t be able to block it off completely.  

With the different features that you can mix-and-match, the realme Buds Air 3 can definitely fit any kind of lifestyle, but I highly recommend it for multi-taskers!

BATTERY

One full charge of the realme Buds Air 3 is good enough for around two days or 30 hours straight in Normal mode, thanks to its 546mAh battery. Take note, however, that it can only provide up to 5.5 hours of playback with the noise cancellation feature on. When charging, it will take you a little over an hour but that’s a reasonable amount of waiting time compared to the audio experience that it delivers.

In case you’re wondering, you can only charge the case via the USB Type-C cable since it does not support wireless charging.

SPECS

• Weight (earbuds): 4.2g
• Noise Cancellation Features: Active Noise Cancellation, Environmental Noise Cancellation
• Audio Codecs: AAC, SBC
• Water Resistance Rating: IPX5 (earbuds only)
• Sound Driver Size: 10mm
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Maximum use time (at 50% volume in AAC quality)
  22 hours with Noise Cancellation on/Transparency Mode
  30 hours with Normal Mode
• Maximum use time (without charging case)
  5.5 hours with Noise Cancellation on/ Transparency Mode
  7 hours with Normal Mode
• Colors: Starry Blue, Galaxy White

PRICE

Considering the features mentioned, the realme Buds Air 3 is reasonably priced at Php 3,990 and is being offered exclusively on Lazada. It was initially offered at Php 2,990 as an introductory price last March 16, so I would suggest to keep your eyes peeled for future discounts on their page.

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