The demand for so-called wireless headphones has grown at a surprising rate over the past year, in part due to the disappearance of the audio jack. mini jacket of a large part of the mobile phones that are marketed.
If at first only the phones no longer premium They gave up on this connection port, little by little we saw how this trend reached the mid-range and entry-level models, which forced users to buy wireless headphones for listening to music or podcasts.
Design and build quality
The quality of the finishes is something that is generally closely associated with the selling price range in which the product moves, but this time it seems that the design does not affect the fact that the Buds Q2 are the most popular headphones. cheap from Realme.
The firm offers a total of six different models with a charging case, so the Buds Q2 are an evolution of the previous generation which, oddly enough, are still on sale at a slightly higher price.
The charging case is quite compact, slightly oval and with the possibility of acquiring them in both black and light blue. A single LED indicator is responsible to show us visually if the charge is low (red) or when the charging process is complete (green).
The headphones themselves are extremely light, weighing only 4.1 grams per earpiece, which Realme praises compared to the same weight as a sheet of A4 paper. This makes them comfortable on a daily basis without barely noticing you are wearing them.
We doubted that being this light could affect how it fits, but far from reality these headphones fit our ears really well. Its diaphragm and dynamic driver measure 10mm with Bass Boost + support.
In both headsets, a layered surface prevails that emulates the design of a kaleidoscope on which we can deploy our control by keys, playing with keystrokes or keeping our finger pressed to receive a response. We will see that later.
The process of gluing to the case to allow their loading is done quickly thanks to their magnetic parts which allow each unit to be comfortably positioned in its place and charging location, even when you drop them in any way. either on the activated hole.
As a design improvement we would only ask for a better closure system for the case. Although in our testing it did not open up to sudden movements, it can be improved. Note here that the headphones are secure, so that even if the cover has been opened, it is almost impossible for them to come off.
The charging connector of the box is of the micro USB type, an element to be taken into account when you want to recharge them, since most mobiles already do so via USB-C. A pair of different sized ear pads and the charging cable are also included in the box.
It should be remembered that the Buds Q2 support the IPX4 rating, slightly below the recommended IPX5 which guarantees resistance to splashes and intense perspiration when playing sports, but less is nothing.
Characteristics and autonomy
Within the earphone ecosystem that the Buds Q2 belongs to, with their obvious limitations compared to high-end models, some of the features found in these earphones are surprising.
One of them is the ambient noise cancellation mode which is activated in calls. It is far from emulating the ANC system, but if you are trying to communicate with another person on streets with traffic and a lot of noise, the ENC algorithm manages to filter out the most unwanted noise peaks effectively.
The possibility of activating ‘Game Mode’ is also surprising. As standard, you can activate them via the mobile application, or by a long and simultaneous press on both headphones. Buds Q2 now offer 88ms latency synchronizing video and audio signals.
As we said, the potential of the Buds Q2 seems to be revealed when you install the ‘Realme Link’ app on your mobile, with the ability to manage 3 different sound effects, Game Mode, as well as customize the settings of headset management. .
We know that laziness is something that people usually don’t take advantage of, but if it happens that you can establish the movements you want, chances are you’ll remember better what each of them does when controlling the motion. music, call handling or microphone mute. .
These headphones boast of guaranteeing a great autonomy, so that aided by the case with four charging cycles, it is possible to extend its use to about 20 hours in music playback mode.
The total charging time with a standard charger took us 1 hour and 45 minutes of connection for the headphones, and almost three hours for the whole, referring here to the charging case.
What is perhaps interesting is that with just 10 minutes of connecting to the current we can get a charge up to 120 minutes of use. The mobile application offers the charge level of each R and L earbud, but it would be interesting to add that of the case as well.
Sound quality
To meet the sound quality, the Buds Q2 have 10mm drivers that are quite efficient considering their light weight. This weight / power ratio generates fairly responsive dynamic performance.
We have the standard frequency range of 10 and 20,000 Hz based on a connection mode via Bluetooth 5.0 to provide a connection range of up to 10 meters.
Our tests revealed that as long as you keep your mobile close to you, there won’t be any connectivity issues. However, this is not the most efficient, as walking through a 90m2 house you may find an area with poor coverage or interference.
We have codecs, although this is limited to offering the most relevant such as AAC and SBC, those with which to achieve good sound quality. We lack the Qualcomm aptX mode so present in other models, but that doesn’t prevent the bass from resonating with force and at optimal levels.
In general, the tone is rich and warm to the point that the music comes to life, which is what you ultimately want. By managing the three sound effects ‘Bass Boost +, Dynamic and Strong’ we can better refine the type of music or sound reproduced.
Depending on the genre of music, you can play around with the settings to get a better result. It’s not the same as being able to manually vary the graph of high and low frequencies, but the setting of these sound modes is well suited to a wide range of musical genres.
Pricing and availability
As we expected, the Realme Buds Q2 They have positioned themselves as the cheapest wireless headphone solution with a charging case, priced at just $ 29.99, although they are currently still on sale at $ 20.99.
Frankly, for the audio quality they offer, this seems like a pretty tempting price tag, especially considering that this entry-level price is what more traditional wired headphones had with somewhat basic sound quality. .
If you still have doubts about which wireless headphones are best for you, take a look at our ranking of the best cheap headphones and earphones for listening to music, where we include advice for the purchase.
Verdict
Based on the fact that the Realme Buds Q2 are entry-level wireless headphones, priced under $ 50, it’s hard to assess the sound quality that this type of headset should deliver.
In our experience based on other models tested, the sound doesn’t sound bad at all. Calls are also improved thanks to its unique ambient noise blocking methodology, although that doesn’t prevent your voice from sounding a bit tricky.
In general, these are all-terrain headphones with which you can do everything with decent sound quality. The Bass Boost + support surprises us here as to the handling of the bass, for which there is no distortion by increasing the volume.
When it comes to user experience, both with an iPhone and an Android phone, we experienced a good, almost instantaneous connection right out of the box, so we can’t ask for much more.
With no support for active ANC noise cancellation or manual frequency management, something you’ll have to go for more expensive headphones for, this new generation of Buds Q2 faithfully fulfills its most basic mission.
specifications
- 10mm dynamic driver
- Frequency range: 20-20,000 Hz
- Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
- AAC and SBC codecs
- Range up to 10 meters
- Charging time: 1h45
- Battery life: 5 hours (20 hours with charging case)
- IPX4 waterproof rating
- Micro USB charging connector
- Dimensions: 27 x 15 mm
- Weight: 4.1 grams per earphone
- Case and helmet weight: 39 grams
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