5Elements, an Indian brand known for smart gadgets, recently launched X-Buds TWS, designed for mobile gaming. It has Bluetooth 5.3 support, features low-latency gaming mode, and promises up to 30 hours of total playback. After using it for over a week, here is the review of the Bluetooth earbuds.
Design and build
The headsets come in a handy rectangular charging case that fits your pocket. This case has a matte finish that feels smooth to hold and doesn’t attract fingerprints. In addition, the charging case features green lights in an attempt to fit in under the gaming category.
The case is made of plastic with a matte finish, doesn’t attract fingerprints, and is not prone to scratches easily. The USB Type-C port is at the bottom of the case, while the top side has an opening to access the earphones.
The earbuds are light, fit well, and can easily be worn for long hours without discomfort. In addition, the earbuds have touchpads, allowing users to adjust the volume, change tracks, attend calls or trigger the voice assistant with a finger.
Connectivity, Pairing, and Controls
The pairing process in X-Buds is simple, thanks to Bluetooth 5.3. First, enable the Bluetooth function on your device, select the ‘5E X-Buds’ and connect.
The TWS is pairing-ready when you open the top lid, and it’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t have any function button. So far, in my usage, I didn’t face any connectivity issues with the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, it doesn’t have dual-mode connectivity, so you can only pair it with one device at a time.
The touch controls on X-Buds are responsive and work well. However, unlike a few other buds, you cannot customise the settings. All you can do in this bud is answer calls, adjust volume, play/pause the musical tracks and control the voice assistant.
Audio Quality, Call Performance, and battery life
The X-Buds feature 13mm drivers and are tuned for bass. Audio from the X-Buds is decent, vocals are sometimes overpowered by bass, and the treble is decent enough.
Voice clarity was good for calls indoors and below average outdoors. Overall, these have decent audio and average call quality for the price.
According to the company, X-Buds can last 6 hours. During our review, we got about five and half hours on a single charge. The charging case can extend the battery life to 30 hours.
Conclusion
Overall, the 5 Elements X-Buds is a decent Bluetooth true wireless earbuds for the price of Rs. 1,449. There are other options you can consider from companies like boAt, Redmi and realme in the similar price range. You can get it from Amazon.in.
Pros
- Attractive design
- Decent audio quality
- Good battery life
Cons
- Cannot customise touch controls
- Call quality is average