Redmi Buds 3 Lite Review: An affordable TWS for everyday use

Xiaomi is one such brand that keeps coming up with a variety of IoT products that make life easier. TWS products are also a part of this catalogue and the company has now come up with Redmi Buds 3 Lite. The Redmi Buds 3 Lite is a budget TWS device that comes with good features and specs. The Buds come with the latest generation of Bluetooth, AAC Codec, stylish compact design and promises a good battery. Can Redmi Buds 3 Lite be your introduction to the TWS devices? Let’s find out.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite review: Design & Fit

The Redmi Buds 3 Lite come in 2 colours- black and white. I received the black variant for review purposes which does looks compact and stylish in person. The case shape and size seem inspired by a pebble. It’s size of a carrom’s striker but in It rectangular dimensions and rounded edges.  The pebble-shaped case is very prone to smudges and scratches. The front has a single LED light that indicates charging status and bottom edge includes a USB port for charging. The lid contains a magnet and closes sturdily. The buds will pair only when you take them out of the case.

Talking about the buds themselves, they are compact and round-shaped with a silicone fin to give a better fit. The buds have a good fit as they disappear when you wear them. The buds are comfortable to wear for long durations and have a touch surface with various controls. The Buds only carry an IP54 rating so we will advise you to not to use them in rain. Coming to their fit, the buds remain stable in the ear while jogging and the rubber present in them also ensure they have a firm grip.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite review: Connectivity, Controls & Features

Touch controls are present on the Redmi Buds Lite 3 but they are limited. One can hold L or R to play/pause music, double tap L or R to skip to the next song, Triple tap L or R to activate the voice assistant, and Hold L or  R both to activate or deactivate the gaming mode. You can’t return a track or change the volume via touch controls, which makes the functionality limited.

The connection is confirmed via a beep sound and it also beeps to confirm when you switch it to game mode. You will hear 3 beeps when you activate the game mode and 2 slower ones are heard when you deactivate it. Music doesn’t pause automatically when you plug out an earbud. The buds might take a little time to pair and connect to your device, but the strength of the connection is good.

The buds don’t have app support so there is no scope for customization but Bluetooth 5.2 ensures you get a good range of 10 metres. The buds work equally well with Android as well as ios devices, but there is no scope for any future updates.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite review: Sound & Call Quality

Taking calls is allowed via Redmi Buds 3 Lite. The voice is mostly clear but sometimes sounds too loud, which can be annoying. Background noise doesn’t trouble much and the buds work equally well during both phone and video calls. The microphone quality is average and there is no dedicated noise reduction feature. Heavy wind does hamper the audio quality, but then one can’t get everything for a price of less than Rs 2k.

The bass is decent in the audio of these buds. The steady bass thump doesn’t overrule the music but provides the right amount of energy to any song. During songs that have fast beats, this bass is not too suitable, but otherwise, it works well. The treble is a dominant part of the sound. Male and Female vocals are loud and clear while highs are decent as well. The mids are not too pronounced but the sounds are warm and soothing. Overall the music sounds crisp and clear. The buds come with limited SBC and AAC codecs and the low latency mode helps during gaming as it makes sure there are no lag or sync problems. The listening volume is quite high and the good part is that the sounds don’t distort even at the highest volume.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite review: Battery

The buds come with a battery life of 5 hours on a single charge. With the case, the battery lasts for 18 hours and the battery life is pretty much decent. The battery life might not be too impressive but it isn’t that bad as well.

Verdict: Should you buy Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite?

For a price as low as 2k, Redmi Buds 3 Lite offers decent sound quality, good battery life and are comfortable to wear. One can use them for long durations and take calls too using the buds. Though the device does have some drawbacks like no ANC, and limited touch controls, that can be ignored if you need a basic TWS device to meet your daily needs.