TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
4.5 STARS - If you're looking with multipoint connection and good sound, 50 dollars will do from now on. The Realme Buds Air 3S is a great pair of earbuds for all-around everyday use.
Realme Buds Air 3S specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec
IPX5 waterproof rating (rain and sweat resistant)
5,5 hours listening on a single charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$50 - Buy on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other countries
Below this Realme Buds Air 3S review, you will find comparisons of the Realme Buds Air 3S vs Soundcore Life A3i, Fiil T1 Lite, and the $150 JBL Live Pro 2.
Update August 2024: Due to increased competition the overall score has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars. Check out the best $100 wireless earbuds here.
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Design, comfort and battery life
With hundreds of wireless earbuds on the market, you would think it's barely possible to see new models with a unique design. Still, the Realme Buds Air 3S has quite an unique shape. The earbuds combine short stems that go from sleek to wide, wear a subtle metallic effect, and has rubber ear fins around its oval earpieces. The ear fins are only decorative, however. If you have about average sized ears, the fins don't cling in your ears, but rather float in the air.
The oval earpieces itself are a proven concept, and in this case too, the Realme Buds Air 3S is comfortable to wear for hours. The rubber finish on the inside makes the earbuds feel snug and soft, and an IPX5 waterproof rating makes them suitable to run or workout with them, also in the rain.
The Buds Air 3S doesn't have Active Noise Cancelling, but its earpieces do provide some passive noise isolation, cutting some of the higher sounds around you when you use them.
The battery life is the biggest win of the Air 3S design, however. Not the earbuds battery itself: it will drain in about 5,5 hours when playing music on moderate volume. No, it's the case that makes it special.
The charging case only has to recharge the earbuds for 10 minutes to give them another 5 hours! As the case can fully recharge the earbuds four times, these earbuds easily last an entire flight trip across the world, that is, when you take small breaks in between.
The downside of that power is that the charging case is bigger than average. It has a lot of space above the earbuds (and for the text ‘Dare to Leap’ apparently - what does that even mean?), while it doesn't support wireless charging. It's also prone to scratches and fingerprints. Happily though, it's not too bulky: its square and relatively small height still make it comfortable to wear in jeans pockets.
Controls and connectivity
The touch panels of the Realme Buds Air 3S are placed on the top of the stems, and respond well to your input, with subtle and nice click sounds to confirm your input. The standard control scheme is convenient:
Double-tap L or R to play/pause music
Triple-tap L or R to skip to the next track
Hold R to increase volume (takes a little while)
Hold L to decrease volume (takes a little while)
Hold L and R to activate the gaming mode
You can change the controls from the Realme Link app for Android phones (and iPhone soon), including the possibility to add the ‘previous track’ function to the triple-tap command of the left earbud. Lastly, you can add the voice assistant to one of the controls. The only thing that's missing is automatic pausing of music when you take an earbud out.
Still, there's little to complain here. Just like the controls, connectivity is great. The earbuds pair and connect quickly after opening the case lid, and the Bluetooth connection holds strong up to 10 meters away from your device.
Best of all, is that you can activate a dual device connection from the free Realme Link app (Android only, at the moment), after which you can connect the earbuds to either two phones or a phone and a laptop. It works wonderfully: the earbuds switch to the device that gets a call, or when you push pause on one device, and play on another. Switching from Spotify on your work phone to YouTube on your private phone isn't a problem - a great function and execution at this price point.
Phone and video calls on Realme Buds Air 3s
The ear fin does nothing for the fit: it floats in your ear
Calling is a bit hit-and-miss on the Realme Buds Air 3S, but thankfully, the microphone output is more of a hit than a miss. Your voice sounds full and loud, and workfloor noises like chatter and laughter around you are reduced well in both phone and video calls.
Sudden brighter sounds, like door slams, can make your voice a little too dark on short moments, but your voices clarity recovers quickly once the sound effect is over. Wind noise is a bigger threat to your voice - as is the case on almost all wireless earbuds.
Video and games playback
Playing videos is a smooth ride on both Android and iPhone, with perfect lipsync in both YouTube and other streaming services, like Netflix and AppleTV.
The Realme Buds Air 3S also comes with a dedicated game mode you can activate from either the earbuds or the app. It synchronizes the sound effects in a game like Call of Duty mobile very well with the action on your screen, and the sound character of the earbuds provide a sense of your surroundings - meaning you can locate footsteps and shots around you - and give shots and explosions impact. This is one of the most engaging wireless earbuds for gaming to date.
App Support of Realme Buds Air 3S
At the moment of writing, the Realme Buds Air 3S only supports app support from the free Realme Link app on Android phones. iPhone support is announced in the app, but can't be activated right now.
The app is an upgrade to these already capable earbuds, adding multiple useful features:
See the battery percentage of the left and right earbud
Customize controls
Check for firmware updates
Choose between 4 sound presets: Serenade, Original sound, Pure Bass and Deep Bass,
Create and save your own equalizer
(De)activate a Volume Enhancer to bypass the maximum volume of your phone
(De)activate the game mode
Initiate dual-device connection
The app is a breeze to use, with all features on a single page
You can change all the controls to your liking - convenient
The app is easy to use, with almost all important features on a single page. Changing the controls or setting up your own equalizer is only a page away. Even with the dual-device connection, all changes immediately apply to the earbuds. You can listen to music on iPhone, change the equalizer from the Android app, and the sound immediately changes. Impressive.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $50
Sound quality of Realme Buds Air 3S: B-A-S-S (Updated!)
The Realme Buds Air 3S writes Guilty Pleasure in capitals. An incredible amount of bass and a wide sound? Yes please!
‘Hahaha. This can’t be right.’
‘Wait.’
‘This is actually kind of fun.’
Those were my first few minutes with the Realme Buds Air 3S. It has a different sound than many other wireless earbuds from Chinese phone brands, like Xiaomi Redmi, Oppo, Huawei and other Realme models, which often combine a rather cold and metallic treble with a fuzzy bass.
Not the Air 3S. This is a bass monster, and I mean that in the best way possible. In the sense that it's fun.
Literally everything that comes near the bass, starts to thump in your ears. Drum kicks thump. Electronic mid-basses of modern dance and electro music thump - or perhaps punch is a better word. Powerful bass guitar chords in easygoing singer-songwriter songs? They thump. Hefty and dark piano strikes? Yes, they thump. They all thump.
And it doesn't stop with the mid-bass either. The darkest bass tones you can feel as much as hear, in other words, the sub-bass rumbles tremendously, both big and deep. James Blake's fantastic test track Limit to Your Love resonates almost thunderous.
With such an amount of bass, it's no surprise that the lowest mid-tones get dragged along with it. But even though these lower tones are boosted and sound warmer and fuller than average, the Buds Air 3S doesn't throw the rest of the music overboard. Yes - center-mid tones like piano play and acoustic guitars have a bit of background role and join the warmth of the lower-mids instead, but from there on up, Realme does things right again.
Both male and female vocals are pushed heavily forward, giving them a power to compete with the bass. Like higher-pitched instruments like violins, trumpets, and brighter electronic tones, they're pronounced and clear, while maintaining the warm undertone of the rest of the sound. As such, the treble doesn't detonate, and neither is it too sharp: it's cut off before it has the chance to become harsh or peaky.
With this outspoken bass and forward treble, the Realme Buds Air 3S already lays a good foundation, but surprisingly, it also throws in an airy feeling. It may be hard to precisely place instruments around you, yet there's an impressive soundstage. Music has a wide, immersive feeling, with details striking you from your left and right.
Add up that these earbuds can go very loud (for your surroundings too, though, mind you) and that the app even has three more sound presets and a custom equalizer next to the described Original sound preset, and well… how to round this up?
The Realme Buds Air 3S doesn't have a balanced sound. It doesn't reproduce music in a faithful way. It doesn't even come close to a neutral sound. Sometimes, in dance songs produced in the Beats-era around ten years ago, the bass can even crackle a bit. But in between 300+ earbuds I have, it's an earphone I can long for. After a workday. When I want it louder, darker, harder. For when I just want to immersive myself with a lot of bass. It's the most listening fun I've had in a while.
The Realme Buds Air 3S is a Guilty Pleasure that puts a big grin on your face.
UPDATE MARCH 19: Realme changed the sound!
Unfortunately, it seems as if Realme deemed the original sound of the Realme Buds Air 3S a mistake. After a firmware update, the default sound has a toned-down bass and the Realme lost its uniqueness in the musical department. It paves more space for the treble and the sound feels lighter as a result.
You can still reactivate the bass with the app presets Pure Bass and Deep Bass, but they go into overdrive the wrong way, giving the bass crackles from overpowering it.
There's still plenty to enjoy in the sound here, but the sound score has been adjusted from 5 to 4 stars. If you want a highly bassy and entertaining sound on the cheap, opt for the Fiil T1 Lite (also mentioned below) or the Soundcore A20i instead.
Realme Buds Air 3S comparisons
Take note: the sound comparisons dated from before the sound update.
Realme Buds Air 3S vs Soundcore Life A3i
The Soundcore Life A3i is another capable pair of wireless earbuds that excels in bass reproduction for 50 dollars. It has a slightly tighter mid-bass, that is a bit better separated from the sub-bass as well. It unleashes a bit more treble on higher volume, making it sound a bit airier, but also sharper than the Realme. The Buds Air 3S also has a thumpier mid-bass and boosts lower-mids more, giving it a slightly fuller sound. Otherwise, it all comes down to your personal preference: the Soundcore has longer battery life, actual buttons and comes with decent Active Noise Cancelling; the Realme can connect to two devices at the same time, quicker charging, and a more comfortable fit.
Realme Buds Air 3S vs Fiil T1 Lite
The long-time Scarbir.com favourite Fiil T1 Lite remains one of the best sub-$50 earbuds with a clear sound, that also has a strong and engaging bass when you activate the Bass EQ from the Fiil+ Global App. The Fiil offers more presence of and dynamics in the mid-tones, with a more natural tonality for guitars, but also the capability to make vocals brighter and dip into the lows - yes, both. The Realme wins in the bass department: the mid-bass is more detailed and punchy, and sub-bass has more impact and a more precise rumble as well. The Buds Air 3S also rocks faster charging, a more comfortable fit, better app support, a better gaming mode, and dual-device connection.
Fiil T1 Lite review ($40)
Realme Buds Air 3S vs JBL Live Pro 2
Now, let's pit the $50 Realme Buds Air 3S against the $150 JBL Live Pro 2. Which is the better bass earphone? Well - the JBL does give you more control over the bass from within its app, where you can adjust different bass frequencies in a more specific manner. When turned up, JBL's bass is even more immersive than that of the Realme, with a deeper and more textured mid-bass, and better separation to both the sub-bass and lower-mids. The JBL has a hotter treble area too, in which it can become a little harsh. The Realme has smoother treble, a more comfortable fit, and rest assured: the Buds Air 3S only costs one third of the JBL.
JBL Live Pro 2 review ($150)
Verdict
With great comfort, battery capacity, decent call quality and a terrific gaming mode, there's already little to complain for with the Realme Buds Air 3S. But when you're a bass lover? Congratulations. You may have found the perfect pair of earbuds… for 50 dollars.
Update August 2024: Due to increased competition the overall score has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars. Check out the best $50 wireless earbuds and best $100 wireless earbuds here.
4.5 Stars - Great
Buy Realme Buds Air 3s/ check price:
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on Amazon Germany
Buy on other Amazon countries
I bought the Realme Buds Air 3S myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.
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