Truke mainly operates in the entry-level TWS segment, but its products regularly punch above their weight. We have reviewed several of its products in the past and have been impressed by the exquisite sound profiles offered by them at relatively affordable prices. If you’re looking for a pair of wireless earbuds under Rs 1,000 right now, Truke has multiple offerings that may interest you. The most recent one is the Q1 Lite, which is priced at Rs 1,000. We’ve been using this TWS for the last week. Here is our in-depth review of Truke Buds Q1 Lite.
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In This Article
Truke Buds Q1 Lite: Design
Here’s what you get inside the Truke Buds Q1 Lite retail box:
- Charging case
- Earbuds
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- 4 extra eartips
- User manual
- Warranty Card
The Buds Q1 Lite is available in three colour variants – Black, Eggshell, and Red. We used the eggshell variant for this review. The form factor of the charging is pretty standard. Its oval shape makes it very convenient to slide into pockets. The bottom of the case houses the USB Type-C charging slot. A glossy, gold-coloured strip runs across the body of the case, just under the lid. The rest of the case has a matte-like finish.
The lid can be easily flipped open with one finger. The hinge of the case is covered with the glossy strip, but it feels strong. We like the snappy response it offers and after fidgeting with it throughout the week, it did not show any signs of loosening. The ‘truke’ lettering is printed on the front panel of the case and just below it lies the small LED notification light.
The earbuds follow the traditional ‘in-ear’ design language. Like the charging case, the outer panel of the stems on the earbuds have a gold-coloured chrome strip. The upper end of the stems are touch sensitive. The earbuds offer a comfortable fit and cause minimal fatigue after multiple hours of use.
The inner section of the earbuds is glossy, which leads to them slipping out in sweaty conditions. We used the earbuds while working out and had to adjust them quite often. On the bright side, the excessive sweat did not hamper the TWS’ performance at all.
Truke Buds Q1 Lite Review: Performance
Truke’s earbuds always deliver on the performance front. The Buds Q1 Lite is equipped with 12.4mm titanium drivers. Bluetooth 5.4 ensures that swift connectivity is not a concern, but the TWS lacks Google Fast Pair support.
Moving on, the soundstage offered by the Q1 Buds Lite is very satisfactory. The low end is slightly boosted, which is something that is expected of the earbuds in this price range. If you’re a basshead, you won’t mind this too much. The mids are also mixed well, but the higher frequencies do not carry that ‘punch’. The hi-hat and cymbal sounds lack the ideal ‘crispness’.
These earbuds can go very loud and limit the distortion that comes with listening to music at the highest volume. The overall listening experience is very enjoyable. During the review period, we played everything from post-punk to industrial on the Truke Buds Q1 Lite and the TWS showed good versatility.
Good soundstage aside, the Buds Q1 Lite has something for the gamers as well. The TWS can reach a latency of up to 40ms, making it ideal for gaming. We played titles like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile while wearing these earbuds. We were happy with the audio output and the lack of annoying audio delays.
Taking calls on the Q1 Lite left us wanting more. The earbuds are equipped with 4 mics and ENC tech, but the audio relayed on the call is tinny and lacking details. This is not as big of a concern in an indoor setting as it is while taking calls outside the house.
There is no companion app for Truke products yet, which is disappointing given the fact that the tech outfit has been active in India for multiple years now. The lack of an app means there is no way to customise the touch controls on the earbuds. Thankfully, the default controls are easy to use and take care of all the essential functions.
The battery performance of the Truke Buds Q1 Lite is very impressive. The charging case is packed with a 300mAh battery while either earbud is equipped with a 35mAh unit. We were able to get an entire week’s worth of battery life out of the TWS upon using it for 3-4 hours every day. It took just over 2 hours to fully charge the device.
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Verdict
Truke Buds Q1 Lite’s versatile performance and affordable price tag make it a very exciting product. Its soundstage is bass-driven, which isn’t a surprise given its price tag, but it offers a pleasant listening experience. What’s surprising is its form factor and strong build. This is not something you see often in a TWS priced at Rs 1,000. Adding extra value to the price tag is the ‘low latency’ mode. The only downside is that it doesn’t have a companion app yet.
Truke Buds Q1 Lite: Pros
- Portable form factor
- Strong build
- Good soundstage
- Affordable
Truke Buds Q1 Lite: Cons
- No companion app
- Voice quality struggle while taking calls in noisy environments
