Entry-level TWS headsets have come a long way in the last couple of years. With midrange smartphones ditching the headphone jack, the demand for affordable wireless earbuds has never been higher. In India, this category is dominated by the likes of boAt, Noise, and Boult Audio, with new players like Truke and Mivi stepping in and massively elevating the standard of competition. We’ve tested a range of affordable TWS products through the years and the good ones are generally priced within the Rs 1,000 – Rs 2,000 bracket. Itel’s newest S9 Pro wireless earbuds are priced at Rs 799 and give the entry-level headsets a serious run for their money. We’ve been using these earbuds for the last week. While we didn’t hold high hopes for a TWS priced under Rs 1,000, we were surprised by how well it held up. Here is our review of the Itel S9 Pro earbuds.
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In This Article
Itel S9 Pro Earbuds review: Design
Inside the Itel S9 Pro retail package, you get the charging case with earbuds inside, a USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable, two extra pairs for ear tips, and a user manual. The S9 Pro is available in two dual-tone colour variants – Dark Blue with green highlights, and Nebula Black with blue highlights.
For a TWS priced at just Rs 800, the quality of materials used in the product is very good. The plastic used for the charging case is not flimsy and the hinge is strong. Flipping and shutting the lid is very snappy. We only used the TWS for a week, but it displayed good strength. We don’t expect the lid to lose its snappiness even after months of use.
The only downside is that the charging case is very scratch-prone. We kept the case in pockets with loose change and keys, and it did not take much time for minor scuffs and scratches to appear on the surface. Even if you’re very careful with your usage, escaping the scratches is nearly impossible. However, the charging case can easily survive minor knocks and falls without any damage.
The oval charging case has a translucent lid which allows you to see the silhouettes of the resting earbuds. The Itel branding can be found just below the lid on the front panel. An LED notification lid lies below the branding. The USB Type-C charging port has been housed at the bottom of the case. There is no pairing button on the device.
Flipping open the lid, you will notice the green/blue cutouts for the earbuds. The silicone ear tips also receive a contrasting colour tone. The earbuds follow the traditional in-ear design. Even though they have a glossy interior panel, the fit was snug and comfortable. We experienced minimal ear fatigue after an extended period of use.
An IPX5 rating means the Itel S9 Pro can weather through minor splashes of water. We used the earbuds while hiking and working out. They remained unfazed in sweaty conditions. However, due to the glossy inner panel, the sweat impeded the fit, leading to the earbuds slipping out on a couple of occasions.
Itel S9 Pro Earbuds review: Performance
The audio output on the Itel S9 Pro is produced by 10mm bass boost drivers. The TWS supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is very easy to pair with your device. We did experience the odd glitch where one earbud failed to pair with the device. Placing it back in the case and pairing it again should do the trick. Another drawback of these earbuds is that they don’t disconnect automatically when they are placed in the charging case and the lid is closed. This led to a few missed calls (because the audio output was still relayed to the earbuds while they were in the case) during the review period.
The Itel S9 Pro punches above its weight when it comes to audio performance. As is the case with most entry-level headsets (wireless or otherwise), the output is bass-heavy. However, on the S9 Pro, it does not overpower the other frequencies. What you get is a delectable mix, something that even a lot of TWS in higher categories cannot replicate. A hint of distortion does creep in when you push the volume to its maximum level, but that is to be expected on most headphones.
We played a range of genres on the Itel S9 Pro, including post-punk, thrash metal, grunge, and hyperpop. The earbuds showcased their versatility by expertly producing a diverse soundstage no matter which song we played. While playing Television’s Marquee Moon, we could distinctly hear the cymbals in the background and the crispy hits to the hi-hat. The midrange frequencies were given ample attention, while the bass loomed in the background.
The lack of ANC on this TWS isn’t surprising, but the level of noise that it manages to suppress passively is quite impressive. While travelling, you can tune out the general humdrum around you, but the louder sounds manage to creep in nonetheless. The S9 Pro is equipped with ENC, which elevates the calling experience on the earbuds. In indoor conditions, the call quality was very clear. The earbuds did a good job of extracting the speaker’s voice and minimising the suppressing the surrounding noise. However, this does not work in challenging conditions. While taking a call outdoors, we had to revert to the smartphone’s microphone.
The touch controls on these wireless earbuds are smooth and very seamless. We did not experience any accidental touches while using the earbuds. This isn’t something we can say for every pair of earbuds. There is no companion app to remap these controls. Hopefully, Itel’s development team is on the case. No companion app means there is no way to tune the equaliser either.
Triple tapping either earbud toggles the gaming mode. This gaming mode offers a latency of 45ms, which is optimum for playing games like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, Asphalt 9, and others. We used the S9 Pro while gaming and were happy with how they performed. There was no significant lag between the audio output and the gameplay. However, the detailed sound profile of dedicated gaming earbuds is something that the S9 does not have. If you’re a casual gamer, this will not bother you too much.
The charging case is equipped with a 400mAh battery pack while the earbuds hold an additional 35mAh each. The earbuds offer up to 6 hours of music playback on a full charge. This means you can get up to 40 hours of playtime when the charging case and earbuds are fully charged. We used the Itel S9 Pro earbuds for an average of 3 hours per day during the review period and we were left with a 40% charge at the end of the week. It takes just over 90 minutes to fully charge the TWS.
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Verdict
If you’re only concerned with the audio output, the Itel S9 Pro is an absolute steal at Rs 799. Its soundstage is not overly dominated by the bass. The audio output is detailed and makes for a fun listening experience. The touch controls work perfectly as well. However, the plastic case attracts a lot of scratches and the earbuds tend to glitch from time to time. Luckily, these glitches can be fixed easily.
Itel S9 Pro Earbuds: Pros
- Very affordable
- Good audio output
- Fun colour pattern
- Seamless controls
Itel S9 Pro Earbuds: Cons
- Earbuds do not automatically disconnect when the case is closed
- No companion app
