The TWS earbuds market in India is booming. TWS earbuds shipments in India grew by 156% in Q1 2021, as per a recent report from Counterpoint Research. You can now get a decent pair of wireless earbuds for as low as Rs. 999 in India. But Chinese giants like Realme and Xiaomi are beefing up their offerings with premium features such as ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), aptX support, and an IP rating, among other things. Priced at Rs. 2,499 in India, Realme Buds Q2 democratized ANC earlier this year. And now, Xiaomi has unveiled the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro with a dual-driver setup and aptX support at Rs. 2,999. So we decided to pit the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro vs Realme Buds Q2 to see which is the best pair of affordable TWS earbuds under Rs. 3,000 in India. With that said, let’s check out which of these TWS earbuds you should buy.
Note: Before we talk about my experience with both the TWS earbuds, I wanted to mention that the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro was loaned to Beebom by Xiaomi for review purposes. I have been using the pink Earbuds 3 Pro for about 4 days now. I own the pair of Realme Buds Q2 used for this comparison.
- What’s in the BoxDesign and BuildSound QualityCustomization & ControlsBattery LifeRedmi Earbuds 3 Pro vs Realme Buds Q2: Pros & ConsSpecifications Roundup
What’s in the Box
The unboxing experience for both the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro and Realme Buds Q2 is pretty much the same. They both come in a kinda tiny packaging, adorned in their respective brand colors. You get the earbuds, charging case, extra eartips, and user manuals in the box with both these TWS earbuds.
And to round it up, here’s a list of everything you will find in the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro vs Realme Buds Q2 box:
Design and Build
Moving on to the design, there’s quite a difference between what the two earbuds have to offer. Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro comes with a bulky charging case, but I like its soft matte finish a lot. The design of the charging case and earbuds remains the same as the previous-gen Redmi Earbuds launched in India. However, there’s a noticeable difference in size with this third iteration. The earbuds also have a matte finish, except for the glossy finish on the touch panel. I mean, it’s a reliable design, and I have no issues that Xiaomi is sticking with it.
Turning our attention to the Realme Buds Q2, you can see that it features a pebble-like design and the black color variant I have imbibes that idea. The charging case here looks tiny and cute in comparison to the Redmi Earbuds and is more easily pocketable. However, since the Realme Buds Q2 charging case has a curved base, it doesn’t sit stable on a table, especially when you open it to take out the earbuds.
Moreover, both the Realme Buds Q2 and Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro comes with an official rating. While the Buds Q2 has an IPX5 rating, the Redmi earbuds boasts an IPx4 rating. It means you can wear the Redmi earbuds at the gym or when it’s raining, whereas the Buds Q2 can also be worn during a shower. We suggest against it, though.
Sound Quality
Coming to the most important section of the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro vs Realme Buds Q2 comparison, which of these TWS earbuds sounds better? Well, let me give you the answer right away, and then explain why. Realme Buds Q2 will be my pick in the sound department.
Now, there’s no hiding the fact that Indian audio accessory makers love to launch bass-heavy products. The justification being that users in India prefer an “enhanced bass sound signature,” and that’s who they are primarily catering to. Now, both the Redmi Earbuds and Buds Q2 have a bass-heavy sound output by default, but it isn’t as boomy and engulfing on the latter, which is a good thing.
Now I’m not saying the Realme Buds Q2 have a perfect sound signature, but the Realme Link gives you the power to make it sound a little better. You can switch between Bright and Dynamic audio profiles, depending on whether you are in the mood for thumping bass. Also, they are louder than the Redmi earbuds, and the vocals don’t sound drowned and bland on the Buds Q2. Instead, they are clean and get you in the groove, but the highs could be a little sharp for some people’s tastes. The instrument separation isn’t as good due to the high frequencies being too harsh at times, but it’s still decent for the price.
Moreover, both the Realme Buds Q2 and Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro come with touch controls, and we have listed what each gesture does on these earbuds right here:
While the touch controls on the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro are pre-defined and cannot be changed, you can customize each gesture on the Realme Buds Q2. Thanks to the wonderful Realme Link app, you can customize each of the gestures listed above.
Well, the usefulness of the Realme Link app (Free, Android and iOS) doesn’t end there. You can use the app to keep an eye on individual battery levels of each earbud, switch the audio profiles (choose between Bright, Dynamic, and Bass Boost+), and enhance the volume if you don’t already find Realme Buds Q2 to be loud enough. The app also lets you adjust the noise cancellation modes.
Battery Life
Finally, let’s talk about the second most important aspect of TWS earbuds after sound quality.
Now, Realme and Redmi claim to deliver up to 28 hours (with ANC turned off) and 36 hours of total playtime (earbuds + charging case). They both also claim to offer up to 7 hours of music playback via the earbuds on a single charge. Realme Buds Q2 also promises up to 5 hours of playback time with ANC turned on. So, I decided to put these claims to the test.
Moving to the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro, I seemingly stumbled upon a peculiar bug during my testing. The earbuds worked perfectly fine for around 6 hours, with the battery draining from 100% to 25% during this period, which is fine. At this point, I believed that Redmi earbuds would easily offer me over 7 hours of playback, besting its own claim. However, the battery drained quickly from that point onwards and dipped from 25% to 5% in just 35 minutes. It was disappointing.
Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro
Realme Buds Q2
Specifications Roundup
To round up everything, here’s a quick look at the specifications of Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro vs Realme Buds Q2:
SpecificationsRedmi Earbuds 3 ProRealme Buds Q2Weight: EarbudsCharging Case4.6 grams each51 grams4.5 grams each45 gramsDriversdynamic driver + balanced armature driver10mm Bass Boost DriverANC SupportNoYesBattery Lifeearbuds: 7 hours on a single chargecharging case: additional 30 hoursearbuds: 7 hours on a single charge (ANC off)earbuds: 5 hours on a single charge (ANC on)charging case: 28 hours (ANC off)charging case: 20 hours (ANC on)Water ResistanceYes, IPX4 ratingYes, IPX5 ratingSupported Audio CodecsaptX Adaptive, aptX, SBCAAC, SBCActive Noise CancelationNoYes, up to 25dBConnectivityBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.2Color variantsBlue, White, and PinkActive Black, Calm GreyPriceRs. 2,999Rs. 2,499
PROS:
CONS:
PROS:
- tiny, lightweight, and easily pocketablesupports Active Noise Cancellationdecent sound qualitycustomizable via Realme Link appgood battery lifesupports low-latency Game Mode
So yeah, that’s pretty much everything you need to know about the Realme Buds Q2 and Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro in detail. You now know how these two TWS earbuds compare on the build, sound quality, controls, and customization front. Redmi has a lot more misses than hits, and that includes everything from its bulky build and sound signature to its battery backup issues.
