Realme Buds Air 3 Review Summary
Editor’s Rating- 3.75/5
Design
Audio Quality
Battery
Comfort
Connectivity
ANC
Pros
- Good sound quality
- Decent ANC
- Stylish Design
- Good Battery life
Cons
- Case is slippery
- Case has no IP Rating
- Bass Boost+ mode is not up to the mark
Realme has launched the 3rd member of the Buds Air TWS series in India. Realme Buds Air 3 have gone official in India and are already available for purchase via various online and offline platforms. Buds Air 3 is a budget offering from the brand which comes under Rs 4,000 and is loaded with various premium specs like Active ANC and multi-device pairing. Are the Realme Buds Air 3 worth purchasing for their price? Read on to decide.
JUMP TO…
- Price and availability
- Unboxing
- Design
- Features and Companion app
- Usage
- Sound Quality and Fit
- Battery life
- Should you buy it?
Realme Buds Air 3 Price and availability
Realme Buds Air 3 are available at an introductory price of Rs. 3499 in India. They come in 2 colors- Starry Blue and Galaxy White and are already on sale via Flipkart, Realme e-store, and offline partner stores.
Glance: Realme Buds Air 3 Specs
| Specs | Realme Buds Air 3 |
|---|---|
| Companion App | Realme Link |
| Driver | 10mm Dynamic Driver |
| Chipset | R3 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2; 10m |
| Size (charging case) | 64.5×48.3×24.3mm |
| Weight (charging case) | 37.2 grams |
| Weight (single bud) | 4.2 grams |
| Battery (each bud) | 43mAh |
| Battery (charging case) | 460mAh |
Realme Buds Air 3 Unboxing
Realme Buds Air 3 TWS comes in a regular white cardboard box. The front side of the box has an image of buds with their case and the name written in bold. The backside has information like specs, MRP, and more. Inside the box, you will find-
- Realme Buds Air 3 -1 pair
- 1 charging case
- 3 Earbud tips (different sizes)
- Type-C charging cable
- User Guide
- Safety Standard card
- Warranty Card
- Info guide
Realme Buds Air 3 Review: Design
Realme Buds Air 3 has similarities in design with its predecessor but there are a few tweaks as well. The stems of the buds are shorter than Air 2 which has made buds more comfortable to wear and lightweight. The buds were a perfect fit for my ears and come with extra tips as well If you want to adjust the size. The silicone tips are soft in the ear and interchangeable.
The Top of the case has a glossy design with Realme branding on it. The lid which opens has Realme branding and it has a different look from other cases. I got the Starry Blue variant and the first thing I noticed when I unboxed the device was my name is engraved on the back of device. Realme personalized the device for me and my name was written in a silver color font which looked cool.
The buds have an all-plastic design but give a glossy look from certain angles which gives the device a premium look. The case and buds both have a matte finish and don’t catch smudges which is great and the case is oval and flattened which makes it comfortable to hold in hand.
The case is slippery so make sure it doesn’t slip out of your pocket. The bottom has a USB Type-C port for charging and the right side has a button that has to be pressed for 3 seconds to pair the device. The front has an LED indicator that turns white when buds are ready for pairing and remains green on opening the case.
The case holds the buds upright through a magnet and the lid is solid closing with a snap. The buds have an IPX5 rating which makes them resistant to water and sweat. This made sure I could use them while working out. The case unfortunately doesn’t claim this IP rating.
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Realme Buds Air 3 Review: Features and Companion app
Realme Buds Air 3 comes with adjustable ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, and low latency gaming mode. They can pair with Bluetooth 5.2 and supports SBC and AAC audio codecs. It has Dolby Atmos sound support and a smart mode that can automatically select the optimal conditions based on one’s environment.
Multi-device pairing allows you to pair your buds with 2 devices simultaneously and this leads to a seamless experience while switching between laptop and phone. In-ear detection pauses the audio as soon as the buds are plugged out of one’s ear.
Each earbud has dual microphones which block out 42dB of noise around you and the transparency mode allows you to get a good listening experience while being aware of one’s environment. There are battery indicators for both buds and cases, which is helpful. All these smart features make Realme Buds Air 3 a very convenient and smart device.
Realme Buds Air 3: Usage
Pairing the Realme Buds Air 3 TWS via Bluetooth is very simple. Just follow the given steps-
- 1. Open the lid of the case. Press and hold the button on the case for 3 seconds. The device will enter pairing mode.
- 2. Turn on the Bluetooth of your smartphone and connect to Realme Buds Air.
- 3. Press your index finger against the earphone head, then press your thumb against the earphone rod, and then take out the earphone with a little force with both fingers.
- Realme Buds Air 3 connects with Realme Link App.
- 4. Touch area is in the black circle on each bud. Functions are as follows-
- Touch twice- play/pause music, answer/end a call
- Touch 3 times- skip/forward
- Press and hold 2 seconds on either side- switch noise control modes, decline an incoming call
- Press and hold 2 seconds on both sides- switch to normal/game modes
Realme Buds Air 3 Review: Sound Quality and Fit
The Realme 3 buds come in three different sizes of earplugs so you can attach one according to your comfort. The Buds 3 is lightweight making them comfortable to use for longer durations. The case is compact and can be slipped into one’s pocket. Call quality is decent as the user on the other end reported clear reception of my voice even in a busy shop.
Looks aside, the most important aspect of any audio device is its sound quality. Realme Buds Air 3 doesn’t disappoint in this area. They have 10mm dynamic drivers which give loud, crisp, and paunchy audio while listening to music or watching videos. The sound quality is balanced means it doesn’t sound too low and nor does it feel like blocking every sound around you.
The mids in songs by B Praak (Teri Mitti, Filhaal, Mann Bhareya) sound crystal clear and immersive. Teri Mitti has drumbeats too which don’t get overpowered by trumpet or other beats, making lows impactful. Guitar strings in Mehram and Maiya Mainu from Jersey are precise as well. At high volume, the bass does get jaded, but otherwise, the listening experience was decent.
ANC is decent as it allows blocking out static noise but doesn’t cut you off from the environment completely. The buds sealed well in my ears but still, I was aware of what was happening around me. The buds come with 3 sound profiles- Balanced, Bass Boost+, and Bright options, and the latter is selected by default. The bright Mode works best as it gives a good balance between audio and ANC level. You can also tune the audio output according to what suits you. The Bass Boost+ mode doesn’t work well as the audio sounds jaded in this mode.
Realme Buds Air 3 Review: Battery Life
Realme Buds Air 3 claim to give 30 hours of battery life with their case. This is when ANC is turned off. In practical usage, the buds easily have around 27 hours of battery life with the case, ANC turned off. With ANC on, it gave 21-22 hours of battery life. The buds themselves give about 5 hours of battery life on their own, that too with ANC enabled.
Both buds have a 43mAh battery each and the case has a 460mAh battery which is strong enough for an audio device. A quick 10 minutes charge gives 100 minutes of music playback, which is decent enough and there is a USB Type C port at the base of the case for charging. Wireless charging is also available.
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Review Verdict: Should you buy Realme Buds Air 3?
Realme Buds Air 3 is an able successor in the Realme Buds Air Series. Priced at under 5K, this one comes with good audio quality, a stylish lightweight design, and loads of smart features. It is IP rated for water and sweat resistance and has a decent battery life as well.
Although the case is slippery in hands and has no IP rating, it is good to hold in one palm. ANC is good but the bass boost+ mode is not satisfactory. All in all, it has more pros than cons and if you are looking to buy earbuds for everyday use that are too within your budget, then Realme Buds Air 3 are the ones for you.
