Introduction to POCO Buds X1
POCO has launched its latest true wireless earbuds, the POCO Buds X1, in India earlier this week. The main highlights of these earbuds are their lightweight design, 46dB Hybrid ANC, and long battery life of up to 38 hours with the case. Priced at Rs. 1,699, are these earbuds worth it? Let’s find out.
Comfort and Build Quality
The earbuds have a glossy plastic finish, making them prone to fingerprints. The mics are on the bottom, with a vent on the top. Each earbud measures 31 x 21.4 x 23.45mm and weighs about 4.2 grams. The in-ear design ensures that the earbuds stay put even during strenuous activities like running or cycling. The earbuds also feature IP54 ratings for dust and water resistance, making them splash-proof but not submersible.
Controls and Fit
The earbuds lack sensors for in-ear detection, so you will need to use the touch controls for play/pause. The earphones come with charging contact points at the bottom. They fit securely and comfortably in the ears without falling out easily.
Battery Performance
Each earbud packs a 45mAh battery that promises 7 hours of standalone battery life without ANC. During my usage with AAC and noise cancellation enabled occasionally, I got slightly over 5.5 hours at about 50% volume, which is impressive. For calls, the battery lasts around 4 hours with ANC enabled, thanks to the call noise cancellation technology.
Charging Case
The 480mAh charging case promises up to 36 hours of total battery life without ANC. Fully charging the case with the earbuds takes about 2 hours. It also supports fast charging, providing 2 hours of playback (case and earbuds combined) without ANC with just 10 minutes of charging.
Active Noise Cancellation
The POCO Buds X1 features Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that blocks ambient sound up to 46dB. It effectively cancels out noise, and you can switch between noise cancellation, transparency, and no noise cancellation with a tap and hold gesture.
Transparency Mode
The earbuds excel in calls with dual microphones and AI noise reduction, even in windy conditions. They cut out wind noise up to 6m/s, ensuring clear calls. The AI call noise cancellation is trained with 2200 hours of voice data from different dialects and genders, along with 1000 hours of noise data from subways, railways, and junctions. This setup works well for calls, cutting out wind noise and most traffic noise effectively.
Call Quality
The earbuds excel in calls with dual microphones and AI noise reduction, even in windy conditions. They cut out wind noise up to 6m/s, ensuring clear calls. The AI call noise cancellation is trained with 2200 hours of voice data from different dialects and genders, along with 1000 hours of noise data from subways, railways, and junctions. This setup works well for calls, cutting out wind noise and most traffic noise effectively.
Audio Performance
The POCO Buds X1 packs 12.4mm dynamic drivers with titanium-plated polymer diaphragms. They handle high and middle frequencies well, but the bass is a bit low, which can be managed with EQ adjustments. The earbuds offer enhanced treble, bass, and voice options, along with a manual EQ mode. However, there are no multiple custom EQ options. The earbuds are loud enough even at 50% volume, but there is some audio leakage at high volumes.
Conclusion
The POCO Buds X1, available at an introductory price of Rs. 1,699 on Flipkart starting August 5th, offer excellent value with good ANC, long battery life, and solid build quality. While the audio leakage and lack of custom EQ options are minor drawbacks, the overall performance and features make them a worthy budget choice.