realme, in March, launched its newest TWS earbuds in the Philippines, the realme Buds Air 3. It boasts an elegant design, 10mm Dynamic Bass Boost driver with customized audio tuning, and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). How do these sub-PHP 4K earbuds deliver? Find out in our hands-on.
The realme Buds Air 3 seems to be a refinement of the realme Buds Air 2 of 2021. Design-wise, it still has this pebble-like form but is more compact. It comes in glossy Galaxy White and metallic Starry Blue, which is what we have right now.
Found above the case is the realme branding, while on the front is the LED to indicate battery and pairing status.
On the right side is the multi-function button, while at the bottom is the USB-C port.
The package includes a short USB-C cable and ear tips of different sizes.
Open the lid and you will be greeted by the earbuds. Compared to the Buds Air 2, the stems of the Buds Air 3 are shorter. Touch functions are still here so you can pause/play trackers or answer/end calls with taps.
The housing is also a bit chunkier, but the size is just right to fit our concha. It’s comfortable and doesn’t fall off even if you shake your head vigorously, which is a good thing for those who want to bring this to the gym.
Quality-wise, the Buds Air 3 is mostly plastic but has a high-quality appeal to it. It has a glossy finish with a nice paint job, and a nice heft, which is what we prefer in most TWS earbuds. It also has IPX5 water resistance, so you don’t have to worry about rain or accidental splashes.
The earbuds are already ready for pairing via Bluetooth 5.2 upon opening the lid. If you have a non-realme device, all you have to do is open your device’s Bluetooth settings and select the Buds Air 3 from there to pair. Things are easier, though, if you have a realme device. Once you open the lid, your realme smartphone will immediately detect the Buds Air 3 and all you have to do is approve the pairing.
You can start using the earbuds right away, but if you want to take advantage of its features you’ll have to download the realme Link app. This will give you access to ANC features and controls. There’s Noise control, Mode Switching, Wind noise reduction, Sound effects, Customized audio tuning, Volume enhancer, Dolby Atmos, Game mode for 88ms low latency when gaming, Dual-device connection, Earbud fit test, In-ear detection, Auto-answer, Button settings, and Firmware upgrade. We’re actually surprised that these budget earbuds have plenty of features to offer.
When it comes to its 42dB ANC feature, we can definitely tell when it’s working. Once you put it on your ear, it will immediately remove any noticeable background noises like sounds coming from an electric fan or the hum of the air-conditioning unit. Strong or Mild noise cancelation or Wind noise can still be heard, though, even with wind noise reduction on. There’s also Transparency mode so you can hear your surroundings while listening to your tunes. Still, we’re impressed with the quality of noise cancellation it can provide given its price.
For audio quality, the Buds Air 3 sits between balanced and bassy. It can deliver mids and highs with e enough clarity and detail. The highs can be a bit harsh though in higher volumes, but not really a disadvantage. We prefer that when watching movies with plenty of dialogues as vocals come out clear and lively.
What the Buds Air 3 is really good at is in delivering bass. Even in Balanced mode, the bass is already powerful enough to keep things booming. If you’re playing a bass-heavy track, you can already feel the deep thumping of the beats, but switch on Bass Boost+ and you’re in for a treat. It’s full and rumbling, which reminds us of how cinemas deliver bass. It weakens the highs a bit though, but not really an issue. We prefer using this mode when watching movies, but for music, we like keeping it in Balanced mode.
For the battery life, realme says that it can provide up 5.5 hours of playback with ANC on, which is good. It can deliver up to 30 hours in Normal mode and with the help of the charging case. There’s no wireless charging, so you’ll have to do it via a USB-C cable. Charging the case with the earbuds in will take 100 minutes. You can also get 100 minutes of playback with just 10 minutes of charge.
The realme Buds Air 3 is priced at PHP 3,990. These are budget-friendly TWS earbuds but is packed with good ANC, powerful bass, software features, and above-average battery life. This is a nice addition to your gear, especially if you already own a realme smartphone or tablet.
