How good are some of the newest popular wireless earbuds under 20 dollars? Putting the brand new Redmi Buds 6 Play, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite with Active Noise Cancelling and also the AliExpress-bestseller Baseus E19 to the test!
Underneath, you'll find comparisons with the popular Soundcore R50i and highly regarded Moondrop Space Travel.
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Redmi Buds 6 Play review: Super comfortable ultra-cheap earbuds
$20 — 7,5 hours playtime — SBC Codec — IPX4 splashproof
The Redmi Buds 6 Play is an incredible new pair of wireless earbuds for the smallest budgets. It shines with long battery life, a sleep-proof comfortable fit and a vivid sound.
The Redmi Buds 6 Play is one of those wireless earbuds you may buy for yourself to try out, and then (if you have the money - that is) decide to gift to others. These have a specific set of features that just work for their small price.
The biggest part of that is the comfort. These earbuds are delightfully small and provide an comfortable fit in average and smaller sized ears.
They barely stick out of the outside of your ears and this makes them comfortable enough to sleep on your side with, even without the support of an arm.
The Redmi Buds 6 Play also offers 7,5 hours of playtime on a single charge - and even longer when you play on the lowest volumes. That means these have the comfort and the battery to get you through a night. When you need more battery, a quick 10 minute charge can top up 3 new hours of listening time.
This control scheme can work if you don't want accidental touches
Other convenient features are the IPX4 splashproof level and the option to setup the controls precisely the way you want to from the free Xiaomi Earbuds app for iPhone and Android. That includes track and volume controls to any amount of taps you want.
It's convenient you can also disable single taps, as touching the earbuds to adjust them may trigger a single tap-control; the only annoying part of these little rockers.
It's safe to take a phone call or enter a video conference with the Buds 6 Play: the microphones reduce sounds around you well. There's no specific gaming mode, but the earbuds do synchronise the sounds with the action in games like Call of Duty mobile well.
The app also brings five equalizers into, well, play.
With the default equalizer, the Redmi Buds 6 Play impresses with a tight bass, clean lower mid-tones, and clear yet controlled treble, which pushes singers forward and presents them very crisp.
The most critical listeners may notice a bit of artefacts (metallic edges) on the highest volumes, but the clarity and cleanliness are far above-average at this price and remind of the equally crisp and much more expensive Redmi Buds 5 Pro. The clear vocals also work very well for listening to podcasts or audio books.
If you want more bass, the More Bass EQ preset delivers. It increases the weight of lower mid-tones and pumps up the mid-bass, firing rapid and uplifting thumps. This EQ takes a bit of the clarity on lower volumes, but from moderate volumes on up, the boosted lows and treble create a lively musical scene, with enough space in the sound as well.
There is a downside to this clarity: it can sometimes sound a little sharp.
The Redmi Buds 6 Play doesn't have Active Noise Cancelling or a multipoint connection, meaning you can only connect it to one device at a time. However, there is Google Fast pair available - meaning you can connect to your Google TV or Chromebook quickly when you've already made a connection to your Android phone.
This level of comfort, great battery life and its impressive sound make the Redmi Buds 6 Play an excellent offering among ultra-cheap wireless earbuds.
Design and comfort: 5/5 - Great battery life and size and comfort good enough for side-sleeping
Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - No multipoint, but with Google Fast Pair and fully customisable controls - that can be activated too quickly
Playback: 3.5/5 - Flawless in videos, decent for games
Call quality: 4/5 - Clear voice, barely noticeable background noise, prone to wind
ANC: -
Sound quality: 4.5/5 - Tight bass, clean mids, clear and controlled treble - outstanding value for money
VERDICT: 4.5 STARS (Great)
Update April 2025: Due to increased competition with features like multipoint connection and strong ANC, the overall score has changed from 5 to 4.5 stars.
$20
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on other Amazon countries
Buy on AliExpress
Redmi Buds 6 Lite review: Better ANC than you may expect from this price
$25 — 5 to 7 hours playtime — AAC Codec — IPX4 splashproof
Unlike the Redmi Buds 6 Play, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite has more common stem-design earbuds. It even throws in Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) at its 20-25 dollars price.
Perhaps the Active Noise Cancelling causes the Redmi Buds 6 Lite to often cost a little over 20 dollars, while the Redmi Buds 6 Play can often be bought just under 20 dollars.
As with all stem earbuds that have earpieces you put diagonally in your ears, the Buds 6 Lite are comfortable to wear. They sit snugly and safe in your ears from the moment you put them in.
As always almost with this form factor though, you do swill have to twist the earbuds a bit to get the best ANC performance.
When you do, the Noise Cancellation blocks background sounds convincingly. It heavily dampens electronic humming, a radio playing in the background, and distant traffic. Middle and higher sounds are reduced in volume too; it dampens the typing on a keyboard well - for example.
It doesn't filter out people talking or sudden sounds like door slams nearby well. Yet - if you want to follow a conversation more easily, the Transparency mode works decently, forwarding voices around strong enough to follow a nearby conversation when you're playing music softly.
As the ANC and Transparency don't drown you in wind noise when you're on the move, these functions are executed better than they have right to for this price point.
Because of the ANC, the battery life of the Redmi Buds 6 Lite isn't as good as the Redmi Buds 6 Play, ‘only’ offering 5 hours playtime on a single charge instead of 7,5.
You can increase battery life to 7 hours by turning the ANC off, which is easily done by holding down one of the stems. Besides: a 10-minute recharge in the case also provides you 2 more hours of listening time.
There's more to like, too: the Buds 6 Lite has an IPX4 splashproof rating and it's safe to take a call with them, although your otherwise clear and loud voice may dip a little bit the moment there's a new noise around you.
The Buds 6 Lite's touch panels halfway down the stem are responsive - but not overly - and you can change the controls entirely to your liking with the Xiaomi Earbuds app (for screenshot, see 6 Play review). That includes volume controls, next to track controls and ANC-mode switching. Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out.
Strangely, the Xiaomi app has more trouble finding the Buds 6 Lite than the Play, and musically, it's a bit duller on lower to moderate volumes.
The Buds 6 Lite has a fuller sound than the 6 Play, with a thumpier mid-bass and further boosted lower mid-tones. There's also less emphasis on treble than on the 6 Lite: it doesn't have the same (special) clarity and cleanliness.
That said, from moderate volume and up, vocals enjoy enough clarity, there's plenty of separation between them and instruments, and the entire picture is well-balanced. There aren't any sharp edges, no loose rumbles; everything is controlled perfectly.
With controlled sound, decent Active Noise Cancelling and a comfortable fit, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite offers great value for money.
Design and comfort: 4.5/5 - Solid battery life, comfortable fit,
Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - No multipoint, but with Google Fast Pair and fully customisable controls
Playback: 4/5 - Flawless in videos, decent synchronization in games
Call quality: 4/5 - Clear, minor dips with loud background noise, prone to wind
ANC: 3.5/5 - Heavily reduces constant backgrounds noise, sudden sounds come through. Decent Transparency mode
Sound quality: 4.5/5 - Thumpy bass, balanced, full yet clear enough
VERDICT: 4.5 STARS (Great)
$20 - $25
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on your Amazon country
Buy on AliExpress
Baseus Bowie E19 review: Worth the big popularity?
$20 — 5,5 hours playtime — AAC Codec — IPX5 waterproof
Whereas the Redmi Buds 6 Play and Lite are mere newcomers, the Baseus E19 has been making waves into the $20 wireless earbuds market for a longer time. Is its worth its popularity?
The Baseus Bowie 19 is included in many AliExpress’ welcome and ‘Choice’ sales, and you can often get it as low as 15 dollars. With great effect: the E19 sold over 20.000 units on AliExpress alone.
Now, I'm not a big fan of Baseus earphones. Earlier this year I tested the $15 Baseus E16 and Baseus E12 with the conclusion these models are nearly a scam, with terrible controls, fit, and battery life. Happily, the Baseus E19 sits on a higher level.
The earphones have a solid IPX5 waterproof (rain and sweat resistance) rating, and they last a solid 5.5 hours on a single charge. On top of that, a quick 10-minute recharge in the case gets them 2 more hours of listening time.
The Baseus Bowie E16 has the common stem-design earpieces with earpieces you put diagonally in your ears. They're comfortable to wear for a long time, and they control well enough with the touch pads somewhere on the middle of the stem.
The controls are basic, though. Double-tap to pause/ play, triple-tap to activate the voice assistant, and hold to skip or return a song. Volume controls aren't available, and you can't change the controls as the E19 doesn't have app support.
Apart from not having ANC or a multipoint connection, the E19 also doesn't have a gaming mode. That's a shame, as there's a noticeable delay in sound effects when you're playing a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile.
The call quality is sufficient: even though it's a bit tinny, your voice sounds clear and loud enough. It does get a little harsh edge when the microphones try to filter out surrounding noise, and this doesn't always work well either
Still - there's little to complain about for this amount of money and the same goes for the sound quality.
The Baseus Bowie E19 has a straightforward warm-bassy sound. It consists of a strong if slightly slow thumping mid-bass. Lower mid-tones are strongly boosted and vocals also have a warm tonality. Partly because the lows are quite thick, partly because the E19 doesn't reach far into the highs.
While it's a comfortable listen, it misses the clarity, crispness and separation of both the Redmi Buds 6 Play and Lite. It also has a bit of artefacts - rough edges ‘around’ the music.
The Baseus E19 doesn't really do anything wrong for its little price tag, but the new Redmi's show you can get better at the same low price.
Design and comfort: 4/5 - Decent battery life, comfortable, simple design
Controls and connectivity: 3/5 - Limited controls, no app support, no multipoint
Playback: 3/5 - Good for videos, noticeable delay in games
Call quality: 3/5 - Clear enough, but has some difficulties shaking off noise
ANC: -
Sound quality: 3.5/5 - Typical warm bassy, pleasant but not very engaging
VERDICT: FOUR STARS (Good)
$15 to 25
Buy on AliExpress
Quick comparisons
Now, let's compare these new models to some of the most popular $20 - $25 wireless earbuds.
VersuS Soundcore R50i / Soundcore P20i
The Soundcore R50i and Soundcore P20i are the same model, one name used for the Indian market, the other for the rest of the world. It's beaten by the two Redmi's.
Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Soundcore R50i: The Redmi controls its treble better. It shows more openness, vocals and instruments have more nuances and are separated better from each other. The R50i sounds more metallic. Activate the Bass EQ on the Buds 6 Play, and its bass sounds fuller and more immersive than the Soundcore too. The Soundcore has 2 hours more battery on a charge, the Redmi has clearer calls.
Redmi Buds 6 Lite vs Soundcore R50i: The Redmi has a more even and balanced sound. The Soundcore sounds brighter, especially in higher vocals, but its treble also sounds more metallic than the more rounded Redmi. The Soundcore has 2-3 hours more battery life on a single charge; the Redmi throws in clearer calls and ANC.
Baseus Bowie E19 vs Soundcore R50i: The Baseus has a much darker sound, with a thicker and fuller mid-bass. The Soundcore has lots more emphasis on treble, and brings more clarity. Both have plenty of volume; the Baseus delivers clearer calls, but the Soundcore reaches almost double the battery life.
$20 - See price on Amazon US or other Amazon countries
Versus Moondrop Space Travel
The Moondrop Space Travel is a $25 wireless earphones highly regarded for its sound quality, and it even adds solid ANC. The Redmi's are more practical.
Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Moondrop Space Travel: The Redmi has 7,5 instead of 3 hours battery life, better video + gaming performance and clearer calls than the Moondrop, which in return offers solid ANC. The Buds 6 Play can throw in a stronger, thicker bass with the Bass EQ. The Space Travel has a warmer tonality, better center-mid representation and an airier sound - while the Redmi can go louder.
Redmi Buds 6 Lite vs Moondrop Space Travel: The Moondrop has stronger ANC than the Redmi, blocking middle and sudden sounds a bit better. The Redmi battery lasts 1,5 hours longer with the function on, however, and its Transparency mode is better. Controls, call clarity and video and game playback are all better on the Redmi. The Space Travel has a warmer tonality, more forward (higher) vocals and an airier sound with better left-right separation.
Baseus E19 vs Moondrop Space Travel: The Baseus wins on waterproof level and has 2 hours more battery life, while call quality is comparable. The Moondrop is a much better listen and adds solid ANC on top.
$25 - See price on Amazon US, other Amazon countries or AliExpress
Also read: Best wireless earbuds under $25
Disclaimer: I bought these TWS true wireless earbuds myself or I received these products from the manufacturer or a distributor. 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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