realme launched Buds Q2s, its latest true wireless earbuds, in India last month as the cheaper version of the Buds Q2. This has several improvements compared to the first realme Buds Q that was launched back in 2020. This includes improved drivers, better low-latency gaming experience, longer battery life and fast charging while keeping the same price tag. So, are these the best true wireless earbuds for the price? Let us dive into the review to find out.
Box Contents
- realme Buds Q2s in Paper White colour
- Ear tips in Small and Large sizes (Medium pre-installed)
- USB Type-C cable
- User guide and warranty information
Design and Build
Starting with the design, the headset comes in a round charging case that fits in your pocket. You can see the charge indicator on the front. The case that is made of plastic but has a matte finish, so it doesn’t attract fingerprints or prone to scratches, but the white version gets dirty easily. It has a transparent cover, so you can see the earbuds inside the case clearly, but the transparent part is prone to scratches.
The charging case measures 60.35×44.5×32.2mm and weighs just 39 grams, even though it has a huge battery. There is a USB Type-C port is on the back, but there is no function button, so the buds don’t pair with the case.
The headset has a plastic finish, but has a matte finish, so it is not prone to fingerprints or scratches. The earbuds weigh about 4.2 grams, which is light. These feature an in-ear design and also come with medium-sized ear tips pre-installed. You can change to bundled Large or Small sized ear tips if you wish. It doesn’t have an Optical Sensor for Wear Detection like the Buds Q2, so you have to rely on touch control.
The back of the headset has a textured finish where the touch control are ios present, to control play/pause, open Google Assistant and attend or disconnect calls. Overall, the headset has a good build quality for the price.
The earbuds fit your ears perfectly so that they don’t fall off your ears easily, even when running or cycling. The earphones also have IPX4 water resistance rating to prevent splash, rain, and sweat in everyday use scenarios. However, the case is not water-resistant.
Connectivity, Pairing, and Controls
The realme Buds Q2s supports Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC high quality audio codec. The pairing process is very easy, just open the case with the buds inside them, open the Bluetooth settings on the phone, and it shows up as realme Buds Q2s, and you can connect to it. You can take the earbuds out of the case and start using. It doesn’t have Google fast pair mode. The touch controls are easy to access.
| Function | Left earphone (L) | Right earphone (R) |
| Play / Pause audio, Answer call / Hang calls | Double tap | |
| Reject calls | Long press 2s | |
| Next or previous track | Triple tap | |
| Turn on the game mode | Long press both earbuds 2s | |
You can customize the controls from the settings in the realme Link app on Android and iPhone. You can change actions for the double tap, triple tap, touch and hold one bud and also touch and hold both the earbuds easily, but there is no option for volume control.
Audio Quality, Call Performance and Noise Cancellation
The realme Buds Q2s packs a 10mm Bass Boost Driver with PEEK and TPU Polymer diaphragm.
In addition to Balanced and Bright modes, it features Bass Boost+ Mode if you prefer heavy bass. With the AAC enabled, audio quality is good with clear vocals and good amount of bass, thanks to the 10mm driver that handles high, middle and low frequencies well. There is also Dolby Atmos support, if your device supports it.
The low-latency gaming mode is useful when gaming since it reduces the latency to 88ms, same as the predecessor. It is also easy to enter the gaming mode when you long press on both sides of the earbuds.
The earbuds offer a good amount of noise isolation, and dual microphones help when it comes to voice clarity during calls. The earphones also reduce the background noise to a certain extent that helps in a crowded or noisy environment and wind when you are travelling, thanks to its ENC noise-cancelling algorithm. For the price it’s good, but when you are in a loud environment such as heavy traffic, it doesn’t work well.
Battery Life
The earbuds with a 40mAh battery promise up to 7 hours of standalone battery life in 50% volume, better than the Buds Q. During my use with AAC, I got about 5.5 hours with mixed use. It also has fast charging support. The company says that you get 3 hours of playback on 10 minutes of charge (earbuds and charging case combined) which is useful when you need a quick charge.
With the 400mAh charging case, it promises up to 30 hours of total battery life. The green light in the case indicates that the battery is full, and when it turns red, it is low. The realme Link app doesn’t show the charge left in the case since the phone doesn’t pair with it. Charging the earbuds fully takes about an hour, and charging the case takes about 2.5 hours.
Conclusion
Overall, realme Buds Q2s are good true wireless earbuds for the price of Rs. 1999. It offers good audio quality, customizable touch controls, has low-latency gaming and the battery life has also been improved compared to the Buds Q. If you need ANC, the Buds Q2 at a slightly higher price is a better option. It is available for purchase from realme.com, Amazon.in, Flipkart and offline stores.
Pros
- Good audio quality with AAC support
- Low-latency gaming
- Good battery life with fast charging
- Decent call quality
Cons
- No volume control option
- No way to check the battery capacity of the case