Redmi Buds 5A Review – Gets the Essentials Right

The Redmi Buds 5A, launched alongside the Redmi Pad SE, offers a compelling package of features at an affordable price of Rs 1,499. This budget-friendly earbud boasts active noise cancellation (ANC), a rare find at this price point, making it an attractive option for those seeking a reliable and feature-rich audio experience.

Design, Fit, and Connectivity

The earbuds come in a sleek, oval-shaped case with a matte finish that resists fingerprints and smudges. The case is lightweight and easily fits into a pocket. The earbuds themselves have a minimalist design and fit snugly into the ears. They come with two extra pairs of silicone tips in different sizes, ensuring a comfortable fit for most users.

The touch controls are intuitive and responsive, allowing users to play/pause music, answer calls, switch tracks, and enable low-latency mode with ease. The earbuds feature IPX4 dust and water resistance, providing protection against occasional splashes.

Sound Quality and App

The Redmi Buds 5A use 12mm dynamic drivers, which favor bass and deliver decent audio quality for their price. They support the SBC audio codec, which limits sound quality but is typical for earbuds in this price range. The earbuds get pleasantly loud but may distort at higher volumes. The mids are balanced well, but instruments can sound slightly muffled in some songs.

The earbuds come with the Xiaomi Earbuds app, which offers a simple interface with three sound modes: transparency, ANC, and ANC Off. Users can also enable low-latency mode (60ms) for gaming and rename their earbuds if desired.

Active Noise Cancellation

The ANC mode works to some extent, dampening ambient noises, but the difference between ANC and no ANC is minimal. It is best suited for quiet environments where ambient noise levels are low.

Call Quality and Battery Life

Call quality is average, with ambient noise affecting the clarity of the call. The noise cancellation works well in quiet areas but struggles to drown out loud noises. The earbuds claim to offer up to 5 hours of battery life with ANC disabled and 3.5 hours with ANC enabled at 50% volume. In practice, the battery life is slightly over 3 hours with ANC enabled and higher volume levels. The 440mAh case can recharge the buds roughly three times and takes around 2 hours to recharge completely.

Verdict

The Redmi Buds 5A is a solid choice for budget-conscious users who want reliable earbuds with good battery life, balanced sound output, and features like Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.4. While it may not offer the best call quality or ANC, it is a good option for those looking for a budget-friendly earbud with decent performance.