Truly Wireless Stereo or TWS earphones as they are usually called is a trending category in the electronics segment these days. The audio devices are increasingly gaining traction in the market. According to Counterpoint Research, India’s TWS market recorded a growth of 723 percent year-over-year during the quarter ending September 2020.
If you are not aware of what TWS earphones are, they are simply earphones that allow the user to pair two audio devices via Bluetooth. Some years ago, most of us suffered from the frustration of tangled earphone cables while taking them out for usage. This is where TWS earphones come to the rescue as they are completely wire-free. They were a huge leap from the traditional wearable offering a hassle-free and convenient audio experience.
Just like how the smartphone market is flooded with a lot of options across price brackets, the TWS category is also seeing tons of devices offered by brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, Samsung, Apple, boAt etc. The audio devices are also quite affordable and offer a value for money experience.
In this post, we will compare three earphones i.e. OnePlus Buds, Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 and OPPO Enco W51 that are priced under Rs 5,000.
OnePlus Buds vs Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 vs OPPO Enco W51: Design
The OnePlus Buds, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 and OPPO Enco W51 feature a semi-in ear design with a long stem that is identical to Apple’s AirPods. The former comes inside an oval-shaped case that is similar to the Google Pixel Buds while the other two devices come with a square-shaped case.
Each earbud of the OnePlus Buds and Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 weighs 4.5 grams while the case weighs 36 grams and 50 grams respectively. The OPPO Enco W51 is lighter than its competitors with each earbud measuring 3.9 grams on the weighing scale. All three TWS earphones are dust and water-resistant.
The OnePlus Buds is offered in White, Gray and Nord Blue (with coloured accents on the touch panel) colours. The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 can be availed in a single White colour. The OPPO Enco W51 ships in Velvet White, Azure, and Feather Black colour options.
OnePlus Buds vs Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 vs OPPO Enco W51: Audio
The OnePlus Buds is equipped with a 13.4mm with Dolby Atmos and Bass Boost. The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 come with a 14.2mm dynamic driver which is said to be the largest in TWS category under Rs 5,000 price in India. Both devices feature environmental noise cancellation.
On the other hand, the OPPO Enco W51 is equipped with dual-core processor and 7mm speakers. It packs active noise cancellation (ANC) that is a rare feature in budget earphones. The device is claimed to eliminate up to 35dB on bus, subway or aeroplanes. The Enco W51 also features triple-mic noise cancellation technology that lets the other person hear your voice on calls in outdoor environments.
All three audio devices come with low latency mode that reduces lag during gaming and media consumption.
OnePlus Buds vs Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 vs OPPO Enco W51: Other features
The OnePlus Buds, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 and OPPO Enco W51 come with touch controls. Users can double-tap on the left or right earbud to control various functions like music playback, triggering voice assistant, answer an incoming call etc. All three audio devices feature automatic earphone removal detection that pauses the music playback when the user removes an earbud.
The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 work with Google Assistant, Siri and Amazon Alexa. The OnePlus Buds and OPPO Enco W51 lack voice assistant support. All three devices pack Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for fast and seamless pairing with smartphones, laptops and PC.
OnePlus Buds vs Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 vs OPPO Enco W51: Battery
The OnePlus Buds is backed by 30 hours of battery life with each earbud offering 7 hours of playback time. The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 is claimed to offer 4 hours of usage on a single charge and up to 14 hours with the case. On the other hand, the OPPO Enco W51 delivers 4-hour music playtime on a single charge.
All three TWS earphones can be topped up via a charging case that supports USB-C port. The OPPO Enco W51 also features wireless charging via Qi-compatible chargers.
OnePlus Buds vs Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 vs OPPO Enco W51: Price and Verdict
The OnePlus Buds is priced at Rs 4,990 while the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 is available at Rs 3,999. The OPPO Enco W51 retails at Rs 4,999. All three TWS earphones can be purchased from Amazon, Flipkart as well as brand’s official websites.
Coming to the verdict, the OnePlus Buds seems like a good buy for OnePlus users and its solid battery life with fast charging as well as premium design. However, it lacks voice assistant support.
The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 makes it worth buying for its infrared in-ear detection, large sound driver and supported voice assistants. But its thick stem design is noticeable.
Meanwhile, the OPPO Enco W51 packs some high-end features like ANC, excellent call quality and wireless charging that is not found in budget TWS earphones. However, the charging case looks quite flimsy and cheap.
The touch control customizations on OnePlus Buds and OPPO Enco W51 are also restricted to only the brand’s smartphones which is a big letdown.
