TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - With great call quality, around 8 hours battery life on a single charge and a non-intrusive sound, the Edifier TWS5 may just be the wireless earphones you want on the work floor.
Edifier TWS5 specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX codec
IPX5 water proof (rain and sweat resistant)
7-8 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sets ear tips and a micro-USB charging cable
$60-75 on AliExpress or Amazon US - check current price!
Below this review you can find direct comparisons between the Edifier TWS5 vs Edifier TWS1, Shanling MTW100, Mpow T5/ M5 and Aukey EP-T10.
Important note, February 22, 2020: After a new big sound test with the Edifier TWS5 against many (new) competitors, the Edifier TWS5 didn't convince anymore. Click here if you're looking for the best cheap wireless earbuds for phone calls.
Design, charging and comfort
Edifier has been making decent audio products for a long time, without being too crazy in its design. The Edifier TWS5 is no exception. The earpieces and the charging case have a good build quality and even have a kind of business-like appearance.
The charging case comes with a 500mA battery that can recharge the earpieces four times fully via micro-USB. It looks formal, with its dark grey look and the Edifier branding on the lid. By opening and closing the lid, three LED-lights indicate the battery status of the case. You can shut off the earpieces by putting them in the case; however, the connection between the earpieces and the charging spikes isn't the best. A sudden movement of the case may suddenly turn on the earpieces of the TWS5.
Happily, their batteries won't deplete anytime soon: they offer up to 8 hours of playtime on a single charge.
The battery life has to come from somewhere, and in this case, it shows in size. The earpieces of the Edifier TWS5 are relatively large, and the pebble-like design on the inside really fills out your ear. With the same kind of design, the Wavefun X-Pods 3 offers way more comfort. The delivered three sizes ear tips don't help: they are a bit less round than with most earphones, making them feel bulky in your ear canal. If you have other tips laying around, do try them - they may increase the comfort.
On the plus side of the pebble-like design and the sturdy ear tips: the fit of the TWS5 is quite good. They don't feel as if they will fall out of your ears soon.
Connectivity and controls
The connectivity on the Edifier TWS5 is mostly good, with its stable Bluetooth 5.0 connection. It holds its signal up to ten meters and fares mostly good in areas full of wireless signals as well.
While the design may imply the Edifier TWS5 has actual buttons; the earpieces are touch-controlled. Touch them once to play or pause the music, tap the right one twice to skip a song, the left one twice to return one. Unfortunately, the functionality stops there. A long press? Three taps? Both don't do anything. It's not possible to change the volume or to activate a voice assistant.
Calling and watching movies
Calling is perhaps the strongest suit of the Edifier TWS5, as long as you stay indoors. To the other end of the line, you are perfectly audible. Surrounding noises are kept to a minimum, and your voices come through loud and clear.
Watching videos on the Edifier TWS5 is the same old story. That means audio-video synchronization is perfect on Android smartphones supporting Bluetooth 5.0 and when watching video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime on iPhones. The only exception is YouTube on the iPhone, as always, where there is a noticeable delay in the sound.
Update February 22, 2020: check the results of a new and comprehensive test on call quality here. The score here is reduced from 5 to 3 stars.
Sound quality of Edifier TWS5
The business-like appearance of the Edifier TWS5 comes back into the sound. It won't have you dancing on your feet, but it does suit other circumstances perfectly.
Just as wired and wireless headphones of Edifier, and the cheaper Edifier TWS1 pair of wireless earphones, this Chinese brand doesn't jump on the bass-bandwagon of so many other brands. The bass is surprisingly decent. It gives a gentle thump in easier going songs but also doesn't exaggerate it in bass-heavy songs. It behaves, with a subtle slam of the mid-bass and only a moderate amount of rumble from the sub-bass, when challenged in songs like James Blake's Limit to Your Love.
What renders the sound of the Edifier TWS5 unique between so many competitors, is the emphasis on upper-mids and highs. Not the way KZ or the Sabbat E12 Ultra approach these frequencies, by making them loud and sometimes even shouty - no, by doing it subtly. Especially vocals sound forward, are somewhat louder than other frequencies. Therefore, they resolve details and nuances. It can give the music a bit of a 'hissy'-feeling, however, especially coming directly from another pair of earphones. There's also a bit of sibilance, meaning an audible emphasis on sss in songs.
The mids, such as guitars, piano's, and keyboards, don't enjoy the same attention, however. They merely play a background role every now and then. The same applies for darker electronic tones. It's the vocals that color the Edifier TWS5, supported by the bass-area. You can call it cold, or a bit restricted perhaps.
If you're digging for a tremendous amount of detail, this approach won't win you over. If you like a laidback approach you can listen to an entire workday, the Edifier TWS5 may be right up your alley. It may never sound exceptional; it always sounds good.
Selected comparisons
Edifier TWS5 vs Edifier TWS1
The Edifier TWS5 may not be bass-heavy; the Edifier TWS1 is almost bass-anemic. It has an old-fashioned approach to music, which respects old pop-music, but doesn't work too well for modern music genres. The Edifier TWS5 is a lot more versatile, servicing old and new music with its approach. It has more vocal detail too. Both offer the same battery life - with the TWS1 being 20 dollars cheaper, however.
Edifier TWS1 review here
Edifier TWS5 vs Shanling MTW100
The excellent Shanling MTW100 with balanced armature (around $80) has a more natural sound than the Edifier TWS5. It offers more presence in the mids and has a more accurate instrument tonality. However, the Edifier is capable of resolving more detail in the vocals due to the emphasized upper-mids. Bass strength is comparable, except when a song really calls for it - in which case the Shanling outperforms the Edifier. The TWS5 wins on battery life; the Shanling takes the crown when it comes to comfort and overall sound quality.
Edifier TWS5 vs Aukey EP-T10
The Aukey T10 is another pair of truly wireless earphones with a sound signature that is both all-round and relaxing. It's twice as expensive and doesn't offer the same battery life as the Edifier. However, the build quality of the Aukey is better, and the earpieces come with rings to make them stay steady in your ear, even when you're sporting.
Edifier TWS5 vs Mpow T5/ M5
The Mpow M5 or T5 offers a lot more detail than the Edifier TWS5, with more presence in the lower-mids, a bigger soundstage, and way more detail in the bass-area. The Mpow gives a hefty thump and can rumble deep, where the Edifier behaves. Battery life and call quality on the Edifier are better.
Verdict
The Edifier TWS5 is a great truly wireless earphones for workdays and weekdays. Its battery lasts all day, it's a joy to make a call with them, and it has just the sound signature to support you during your work.
FOUR STARS - very good
Buy Edifier TWS5/ check current price:
I bought the Edifier TWS5 for testing and reviewing purposes myself. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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