True Wireless Earbuds Under RM400: Redmi Buds 3 Pro vs Oppo Enco Air vs Huawei Freebuds 4i

True Wireless (TWS) earbuds are a must for many of us today, especially those who are always on the go. They’re portable and function well so gone are the days of worrying about cables getting pulled from your ears. Most importantly, there are many types and designs to choose from that would suit anyone’s taste and budget.

If higher-end earbuds from brands like Apple and Samsung are a bit too pricey for you, this article might just be for you. Let’s take a look at three candidates for the best true wireless earbuds available now for under RM400.

Redmi Buds 3 Pro – RM239.00

Also known as the AirDots 3 Pro, the Redmi Buds 3 Pro are the latest TWS earbuds from Xiaomi filled with many upgrades and a completely new design as compared to the previous versions. Like its predecessors, the Buds 3 Pro are definitely on the more affordable side, costing RM 239.00. You can choose from the Graphite Black or Glacier Gray colourways.

The oval-shaped charging case includes a USB-C charging port and is also Qi-certified so you can wirelessly charge these earbuds with a compatible wireless charger or smartphone. Bluetooth Multipoint is also a great addition to these earbuds as it gives you the ability to connect seamlessly to two different devices at the same time. One of the strongest points of the Buds 3 Pro is the outstanding battery life. According to Xiaomi, they have a total of 28 hours wireless playback time, with 6 hours on the earbuds alone. The charging case also provides over three additional charges.

In terms of the sound, the Buds 3 Pro have a good sound separation, imaging, and microphone performance. Along with the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and adjustable silicone eartips to block out external ambient noise, audio and calls should be heard quite nicely. Like the other earbuds in this article, they are also IPX4-rated from rain and sweat so you can use them at the gym without a worry.

So if you’re someone who is constantly on-the-go and needs to use TWS earbuds for long periods of time, these are a great choice since they’re long-lasting and comfortable.

Oppo Enco Air – RM299.00

The Enco Air earbuds are the latest in-ear offering from Oppo, sporting a look that is reminiscent of Apple’s Airpods. Available for RM299.00, the Enco Air is a more affordable option in Oppo’s Enco series compared to the Enco X earbuds which cost RM699.00

The almost-circular charging case does not support wireless charging but does include a short USB-C cable. According to Oppo, you can get up to four hours of playback from the earbuds at 50% volume, which is on the more average side. However, the case does provide five additional charges, totalling more than 24 hours of battery life. The case charges quite quickly, going from fully drained to fully charged in about 1.5 hours. Additionally, Oppo states that just 10 minutes of charging can provide up to 8 hours of playback.

The audio quality and touch-controls are standard for what you can get at this price point. With Bluetooth 5.2 support, the earbuds’ connectivity is quite dependable as well so issues with unreliability or dropouts should be rare. 

Despite not having silicone eartips, the earbuds are quite comfortable and secure and being IPX4-rated, the earbuds are safe for your gym workouts. One of the downsides is that there is no active noise cancellation and the lack of silicone eartips means that external noise will find its way into your ears. But if you have no issues with open-fit buds, the Oppo Enco Air will suit you just fine.

Huawei Freebuds 4i – RM379.00

The FreeBuds 4i are a mid-range offering from Huawei’s earbuds and the most expensive candidate in this article, currently priced at RM379.00. It’s available in four different colourways: Carbon Black, Ceramic White, Silver Frost, and Red Edition.

The oval-shaped charging case uses a USB-C charger but unfortunately does not support wireless charging like the Redmi Buds 3 Pro. According to Huawei, the FreeBuds 4i have up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC off and 7.5 hours with ANC on. The case also stores an additional 12-hours of battery life. One downside of the design is the glossy finish which may make it more a little fidgety to take them out of the case at first.

As for the audio quality, the 10mm dynamic drivers  work well to produce neutral tones with well balanced high and lows for a solid listening experience. The ANC and silicone eartips should reduce external noise quite significantly. They are also IP54 water-resistant up to 1m which means you don’t have to worry about them being damaged after breaking out a sweat at the gym or getting caught in the rain.

Although the FreeBuds 4i can be paired with non-Huawei devices, the setup process and functionality of the Huawei AI Life app to control the earbuds’ settings is much more efficient with a Huawei device.

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So what’s our pick?

Although all three earbuds are strong contenders in their own way, we would have to pick the Redmi Buds 3 Pro among them as the best TWS earbuds under RM400.

The Buds 3 Pro reach a sweet spot between sound quality, features (including ANC), and especially price, which is really hard to beat. We also really like the inclusion of wireless charging and Bluetooth Multipoint which the other two earbuds in this article do not have. 

Whether you’re on-the-go or still working from home, we think the Redmi Buds 3 are a solid all-round choice for both heavy and occasional TWS earbud users.