TOP 8 TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS (TWS) UNDER 5000
The True Wireless Earbuds niche has seen a major boost over the past year or so. The same result is seen in 2021
which is showing great results. The primary reason for this boost is the rise of quality budget TWS earbuds. Earlier
this week, we published a post – Top 6 True Wireless Earbuds(TWS) under 3000. E-commerce giants are
running a festive season sale and the products launched this year are available at a major price cut, making them
more affordable than ever. According to us, these are the best TWS under Rs 5000:
- Oppo Enco W51
- Realme Buds Air Pro
- OnePlus Buds
- Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro
- JBL C115
- CROSSBEATS Evolve
- Jabra Elite 65T
- Realme Buds Q2
Xiaomi made a strong comeback with the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro. With the entry of various true wireless earbuds in
India, there is a lot of value for money TWS that offer a great audio experience along with a decent overall
experience. In this list, we have included eight true wireless earbuds from various brands. The budget true wireless
earbuds niche now includes a few earbuds with ANC like the ones from Oppo and Realme. The battery life is also
improving in these true wireless earbuds every year. Let’s get into the details.
Oppo Enco W51
Oppo launched their flagship Oppo Enco W51 in the true wireless earbuds segment in May 2020. It is available in
two colors, Starry Blue and White. The Enco W51 feels plush and better than the rest. It comes with a strong
personality and incredible grip which ensures safety.
The charging case is robust and comes with a USB-C port. Along with the case, the weight of these true wireless
earbuds is around 50 grams which is lighter than a lot of bulky earbuds. Moreover, these earbuds have an IP54 rating
which offers protection against accidental water splashes and are also dust resistant. At 60% volume, the W51 can
offer music playback for 3.5 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled and around 4 hours with ANC turned off. So,
you get around 20 hours of playback time with the charging case.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery life – 3.5h for earbuds, up to 20h with charging case
- Charging time – 1h for earbuds, 1h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IP54
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Stylish and sturdy design
- Comfy and lightweight
- Active noise cancellation
- Wireless charging
- Balanced sound
- Good mic, decent for calling
- IP54 rating
Cons:
- Touch control limited to Oppo devices
- No supporting app.
You can buy it now for Rs 3990 on Amazon.
Realme Buds Air Pro
Realme Buds Air Pro is available in multiple colors like Soul White, New Wave Silver, Matte Black, and Rock Black.
It comes with Active Noise Cancellation and offers great resistance against external noise to let you enjoy your
music. The sound quality is great when compared with the price. It has a strong bass, and the voice is clear too.
The Buds Air Pro has an IP68 rating so you do not need to worry about sweat or light showers along with AAC and SBC
codec support.
The Realme Buds Air Pro provides a decent bass quality along with a good overall audio experience. Realme Buds
provide a solid 25 hours of playback time at 50% volume with ANC. In reality, it would be somewhere around 9 to 10
hours of battery life in a single day.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 10m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery life – up to 25h
- Charging time – 1h for earbuds, 1h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IP68
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Stylish and attractive design
- Compact and decent build
- Cheapest TWC with ANC
- Comfortable
- Good sound quality
- Mic quality is decent
- Good features with Realme Link app
Cons:
- Need time to use
- Case quality could have been better
You can buy now for Rs 4999 on Flipkart.
OnePlus Buds
OnePlus launched the OnePlus Buds in June 2020 priced at Rs 4990. These true wireless earbuds are available in
White, Gray, and Nord Blue colors. Undoubtedly, these are some of the most good looking earbuds available in the
market in this price range. As it is IPX4 rated, it can handle a heavy workout as well as light showers.
One of the most crucial features of these earbuds is the heavy playback time of 28-30 hours with the charging
case. On a single charge, you can use the earbuds for up to 6-7 hours. Moreover, the case provides fast charging,
meaning a mere 10 minutes of charging can offer up to 10 hours of playback time. We feel the only drawback of the
OnePlus Buds is the lack of ANC.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery life – up to 6-7h from earbuds, 28-30h with charging case
- Charging time – 1h for earbuds, 1h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IPX4
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Stylish look
- Comfortable
- Fast charging, good battery life
- Decent sound quality
- Good mic
Cons:
- No Bluetooth codec
- Passive noise cancellation
- App support for only OnePlus phones
You can buy it now for Rs 2999 on Amazon.
Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro
Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro is Xiaomi’s legacy of offering superior value for money products. It is one of the only true
wireless earbuds in this segment that provides dual drivers: a balanced armature driver, and a dynamic driver. The
charging case has a matte finish and sports a LED indicator whereas the USB Type-C charging port is on the rear end.
The earbuds have a capsule-shaped design and fit well in the ears. It has an IPX4 rating which protects the earbuds
from sweat and light splashes.
The Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro is not the best in terms of sound quality but due to the dual drivers, the earbuds provide
a decent and balanced audio quality. Talking about the battery life, the Earbuds 3 Pro can run up to 7 hours and the
charging case provides up to 35 hours of playback time. It is one of the better true wireless earbuds in this price
range.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.2, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, apt-X
- Battery life – up to 28h (earbuds + charging case)
- Charging time – 1.3h for earbuds, 3h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IP54
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Good build quality
- Decent sound quality with dual-drivers
- AptX and AptX Adaptive support
- Good battery life
Cons:
- No ANC
- No AAC support
You can buy it now for Rs 2999 on Amazon.
JBL C115
The JBL C115 is one of the best options in the true wireless earbuds for under Rs 5000. It is the latest edition
of wireless earbuds by JBL launched on January 21, 2021. It is available in a number of colors like Black, Mint,
White and Red. It comes with a user manual, silicone ear tips, and a small USB-C type cable.
JBL C115 earbuds have a robust design with a well-finished look. When it comes to sound quality, JBL has got 75
years of experience. Moreover, the JBL true wireless earbuds have a 5.8 mm driver which offers powerful sound
quality with a rich audio experience. These earbuds are rated IPX4, which means it is water-resistant. It offers a
playback time of around 6 hours and up to 20 hours of playback time with the charging case.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery life – up to 3-4h from earbuds, 25h with charging case
- Charging time – 1.5h for earbuds, 2h for charging case
- Water Resistance – N/A
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Elegant design
- Robust build quality
- Lightweight
- Balanced audio
- Good bass
- Decent battery life
Cons:
- No waterproof rating
- No customized app
- Not suitable for the heavy bass lover
You can buy it now for Rs 3499 on Amazon.
CROSSBEATS evolve
The CROSSBEATS evolve true wireless earbuds have a unique and interesting design compared to other earbuds in this
segment. It has a curved edge and tangled ear tips provide a comfortable audio experience. The design and audio
experience of these true wireless earbuds offer a premium experience for this price. It doesn’t provide touch
control but the multi-function buttons are quite responsive. It has an IPX4 waterproof rating, so no need to worry
about sweat and light showers.
The CROSSBEATS evolve earbuds come with APT-X support and dual drivers for a premium audio experience. It has
heavy bass and is a delight for bass lovers. The overall sound quality is crisp compared to other true wireless
earbuds at this price.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – APT-X, AAC, SBC
- Battery life – up to 5h from earbuds, 15h with charging case
- Charging time – 1.5h for earbuds, 2h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IPX4
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Elegant design
- APT-X support
- Dual drivers
- Decent bass and clear audio
- Good battery life
- USB Type-C charging
- Suitable for mobile gaming
Cons:
- Average mic quality
- Not suitable for all users
You can buy it now for Rs 3499 on Amazon.
Jabra Elite 65T
The Jabra Elite 65T true wireless earbuds are lightweight, comfortable and compact so they can be used for a
longer period of time. Along with a plush design, good battery life, and decent audio quality, the 65T is a steal at
this price. The earbuds are made with soft-touch plastic which is comfortable and looks decent too. There is a
volume rocker on the left earbud and the right earbud has a single button for answering phones, play/pause music,
and enabling the voice assistant.
The Jabra Elite 65T earns brownie points on performance and the earbuds automatically turn on/off when removed
from the case. It offers a balanced sound quality with a heavy inclination towards bass. The microphone quality is
good and there should be no difficulties in taking regular calls or meetings. The battery provides a playback time
of 5 hours and a total playback time of 15 hours with the charging case.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0, up to 8m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery life – up to 5h from earbuds, up to 15h with charging case
- Charging time – 1.5h for earbuds, 2h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IP55
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- Robust build quality
- Comfortable
- Decent battery life
- Microphone quality
- IP55
Cons:
- Sub-par bass
- No APT-X
- Average sound quality
You can buy it now for Rs 4499 on Amazon.
Realme Buds Q2
Realme Buds Q2 has a lot of premium features normally found in only high-end TWS earbuds. The best feature is
Active Noise Cancellation which is not available in any other true wireless earbuds in this range. It slashes the
background noise up to 32db, and it is very helpful for users wanting to work in a quiet environment. There are
three ANC modes, including the transparency mode. Another important feature is the Realme Link app support. It is
easy to switch between ANC and gaming mode using the app.
The Realme Buds Q2 looks decent and has an average sound quality. But, you must also consider the price when you
are comparing it with other true wireless earbuds in this segment. It is comfortable in the ear and has decent sound
output. The battery life is 22 hours with ANC disabled and 17-18 hours with ANC enabled.
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.2, up to 9-10m
- Compatibility – Laptop, Smartphone, PC
- Codec Support – AAC, SBC
- Battery – up to 17-18h (case + buds)
- Charging time – 1h for earbuds, 2h for charging case
- Water Resistance – IPX5
- Warranty – 1 year
Pros:
- ANC at a great price
- Low price
- IPX5
- Decent battery life
- Realme Link app support
Cons:
- Average build quality
- Limited sound stage
Final Word
As you would have noticed recently, there are various options in the true wireless earbuds. Almost all mobile
manufacturers are introducing their earbuds in the “True Wireless Earbuds” segment. Now, some are decent, some are
average but some are extremely good considering the price segment. If you do not take care, you might end up
regretting purchasing the wrong pair of earbuds. What are your criteria for selecting true wireless earbuds? Let us
know your thoughts in the comments below.
Dhruvil is a Writer & Marketeer for Nimblechapps, joining December 2014, based out of Sydney, Australia. He has worked briefly as a Branding and Digital Marketing Manager before moving to Australia. At Nimblechapps, he worked on Social Media Marketing, Branding, Email Marketing and Blogging. Dhruvil studies Business at University of Western Sydney, and also handles Operations for the company in Australia.