Oppo has launched its latest TWS earphones, the Enco Buds, in India as a successor to the Enco W11 earbuds from last year and looks like there's a lot has been improved. Priced at a reasonable cost of Rs 1,999, the Enco Buds come in a small package. But you know what they say about things that come in small packages.
The affordable price point of the Enco Buds make it an attractive choice for budget shoppers, but Oppo isn't cutting any corners to accommodate the affordability factor. A quick glance at the earbuds' features will tell you it's packed with some rich features.
- 24 hours battery
- Intelligent call noise reduction
- Low-latency game mode
- 8mm dynamic driver
- IP54 dust and water resistance
But mentioning something on the spec-sheet and delivering on that promise are two different things. Here we bring to you all the observations based on our testing of the Enco Buds.
Design and comfort
Oppo Enco Buds come with a minimalistic design, which isn't anything like the traditional stem design. The earbuds feature a rounded design that sits well inside the ear, immune to sudden jerks and movements. The earbuds fit securely inside the ear and the silicone tips ensure a solid grip. The earbuds are quite light too, weighing just about 4 grams each, making them comfortable for long sessions. To top it all off, the earbuds are IP54 rated for durability.
Oppo Enco Buds come in a glossy white pill-shaped case that fits in your pocket, but it is thick enough to get uncomfortable in skinny jeans. There's a charging indicator on the front and the USB Type-C port on the back for charging. There's also a blue colour variant, which we would recommend considering the white one gets easily dirty and picks up fingerprint marks.
The overall build quality and the comfort that these earbuds offer is modest and built to last. As long as you don't drop them in the pool, the earbuds can handle daily wear and tear.
Audio performance
Oppo has managed to balance the audio output to suit its range. The 8mm dynamic driver is borrowed from Enco W11, but there's added improvement to the bass. The Enco Buds deliver a punchy bass effect, which should suit genres like hip-hop, EDM and pop. The lows and mids could've used some tweaking and the vocals on high volume can be squeaky.
Considering the sub-Rs 2,000 price range, the Enco Buds will meet your expectations. The noise cancelling is missing from the earbuds (not complaining), but the tight seal would give nice isolation for you to enjoy your music without much ambient disturbance.
The Enco Buds work just fine for calling purposes while you're indoors. When subjected to windy situations like a moving car or bike, the microphone loses voice clarity, but you will still be able to hear the other person on the line.
Interestingly, the Enco Buds have low latency, making them ideal for gaming as well. There's a dedicated Game Mode, which is activated with a triple tap on the left earbud, to get real-time syncing of audio, which is crucial in online, multi-player games.
Controls and connectivity
Oppo Enco Buds support Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec and offer 10m range, which is quite common for earbuds in this range. The pairing process is seamless. Just open the case and pair the phone from Bluetooth settings.
The controls are extensive and simple. A single tap on the surface of the left earbud can pause and play, double-tap answers call and disconnects it too. If not on call, the double tap on the left earbud doubles as a function for changing tracks. The triple tap can launch voice assistant or game mode. But the most important function is volume, which is done by touch and hold function. Do it on the right earbud to increase volume, and on the left to decrease volume. On top of it all, the controls can be customised from Hey Melody app, which is available for both Android and iOS phones.
Battery
Oppo claims the Enco Buds can deliver 24 hours battery, but that is only possible with the 400mAh charging case. The earbuds, on their own, offer five hours of battery life. There's a battery preserving feature, wherein the earbuds enter power saving mode if not connected to a phone for more than five minutes. With 100 percent charge, you can easily go for over a week without needing to plug in the charging case, which is where things get tricky.
Although there's fast charge, you can get one hour battery by charging it for 15 minutes. But to fully charge the case, you will need to keep it plugged in for over two hours. But having a USB Type-C port is a nice touch.
All things considered, Oppo Enco Buds still offer the best battery life in the segment.
Verdict
Oppo Enco Buds are easy to recommend as they offer quite a package in the sub-Rs 2,000 price category. These earbuds are a good way to get your toes dipped in the TWS segment without breaking the bank. It has features like IP54 rating, comfortable design, low-latency, excellent battery and the audio quality that favours those who prefer bass-heavy output.
