After releasing the Buds 5 in February, Redmi added an affordable alternative to the TWS last month. This TWS is a successor to last year’s Redmi Buds Active which left a good impression on us. Priced at Rs 1,500, the Redmi Buds 5A brings Active Noise Cancellation company’s budget offering, something that was missing from last year’s Buds 4 Active. Excited to see what the TWS had in store for us, we used it as our primary audio device for a week. Here is our Redmi Buds 5A review.
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In This Article
Redmi Buds 5A Review: Design
Here’s what you get inside the Redmi Buds 5A retail box:
- Charging case with earbuds
- 2 pairs of extra ear tips
- User manual
Much like the Buds 4 Active, the Buds 5A do not ship with a USB cable.
Redmi has not deviated from the design language it introduced on the Buds 4 Active. The Buds 5A sports a pebble-shaped plastic charging case with a matte finish. It is lightweight and compact, which makes it easy to carry around. A glossy strip runs around the case, offering a nice contrast to the matte finish on the body panel. The charging case was frequently placed in pockets with keys and loose change and it proved to be quite resistant to scratches.
The bottom of the charging case houses the USB Type-C port and a white LED notification light. The Redmi branding is printed on the back panel of the case, right below the hinge. The flexibility of the hinge allows the case to be opened with one finger. We were happy with its strength as it did not show any signs of tear or loosening even after being fidgeted with regularly.
The earbuds follow the in-ear design language. The stems are equipped with tiny notification lights and the inner panel receives a glossy finish. The off-white colour of the ear tips matches that of the body. The design and the colour pattern of the earbuds and the charging case are simple and safe which will certainly appeal to mainstream sensibilities, but it would be nice for Redmi to shake things up every once in a while, especially when their product looks so similar to its predecessor.
The Buds 5A has an IPX4 rating for dust and water resistance. We used these earbuds while working out and were satisfied with their fit and resistance to sweat. However, the touch controls on the earbuds need more work. They were largely hit or miss for us.
Redmi Buds 5A Review: Performance
Delivering the audio output on the Buds 5A are two 12mm dynamic drivers. The TWS supports Bluetooth 5.4 and Google Fast Pair. The latter allows you to connect the TWS to your devices by simply popping the lid. Support for the AAC codec is still missing from the earbuds.
An envelope of bass surrounds the audio output produced by the Buds 5A. Despite the heavy focus on the low end, the mid and high frequencies also get good representation on the soundstage. The output relayed the crispness of the guitar chords while listening to funk numbers and the subtle hits of the clapper were noticeable while listening to rock tunes.
Good mix of frequencies aside, there are some clarity issues with the audio output. Even in lower volumes, the audio output feels a little rough. It could have used more tuning. This situation is exacerbated when you breach the 80% volume level.
The biggest highlight for us on the Redmi Buds 5A is Active Noise Cancellation. The earbuds may only be able to cancel out 25dB of surrounding noise, but it is a great feature in this price bracket. By turning ANC on in an indoor setting, we were able to tune out the ambient noises. The earbuds also offer a transparency mode.
App support for wireless earbuds is something we rate very highly. While the Redmi Buds 5A can be managed via the Xiaomi Earbuds app, the range of functions available for the TWS is very limited. The app allows you to view the battery level of the case and earbuds, toggle between transparency and ANC modes, toggle the Low Latency mode, and change the name of the earbuds. Apart from renaming the earbuds, all other actions can be carried out without the app as well.
We played gaming titles like Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9 with the low latency mode turned on. Even with 60ms latency, the earbuds weren’t able to completely eliminate the audio lag. We were happy with the crispness of the gaming audio relayed by the earbuds, but the audio lag marred our gaming experience. If gaming is a big part of your routine, we suggest looking at other gaming-focused TWS options.
Making calls with the Redmi Buds 5A in an indoor setting was satisfactory. The earbuds do a fine job of extracting the speaker’s sound from the surrounding ambient noise and relaying it to the recipient. However, like every other TWS in this category, the Buds 5A struggles with calls made in an outdoor setting. If a certain threshold of surrounding noise is breached, reverting to the phone’s microphones becomes a necessity.
With the ANC turned off and volume set at 50%, Redmi claims a battery life of 5 hours on the earbuds and another 25 hours in the case. With the ANC turned on, these numbers fall down to 3.5 hours and 23 hours. With mixed usage, the total charge on the earbuds and the case lasted us 5 days. During the review period, we used the Redmi Buds 5A for 4-5 hours every day, primarily for listening to music and making audio calls. It took us just under an hour to charge the TWS.
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Verdict
The Redmi Buds 5A are a good TWS option under Rs 1,500. Its compact design and lightweight body make it ideal for travelling. The audio output is above average, although it could have been a little more clear. What makes this TWS worth its price tag is Active Noise Cancellation. You won’t find this feature in a lot of wireless earbuds in this price range.
Redmi Buds 5A: Pros
- Compact design
- Comfortable fit
- ANC
- Affordable
Redmi Buds 5A: Cons
- Audio output suffers distortion at a high volume
