True wireless earbuds, aka TWS, are your best buds for watching shows, and movies, listening to music and even attending meetings. Wired earphones have become outdated because of the convenience and usability of truly wireless earbuds.
TWS earbuds have become an indispensable part of our lives since the headphone jack was removed from our phones. Combined with the lockdown, that led to India's meteoric rise in the TWS sector.
Affordable earbuds have seen the most traction in the recent past and the stats for the third quarter of 2021 suggest that around 8 million TWS devices were shipped during that time.
1. OnePlus Buds Z
2. Soundcore Life Note E
3. OnePlus Nord Buds
4. Boult Audio Omega
5. Boat Airdopes 441
6. Redmi Earbuds Pro 3
7. Skullcandy Jib TWS earbuds
8. Noise Air Buds Plus
9. Soundcore by Anker R100
The budget segment products have driven more sales as compared to the TWS earphones priced over Rs 5,000.
Budget TWS earbuds have come a long way from what it was a couple of years ago. We did not get many features in the budget wireless earbuds back then, but now, we have earbuds that even support Active Noise Cancellation in a budget of under Rs. 3,000.
In our list of TWS earphones, we have listed down the products that deliver more than satisfactory output. These TWS earbuds provide top-notch performance in terms of audio, comfort, and battery life. Most of them are available at the price of Rs 3,000.
These are the best true wireless earbuds under Rs 3,000:
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The OnePlus Buds Z is hard to miss if you want to buy a pair of true wireless earbuds under Rs 3,000. They offer decent sound, good battery life and a very comfortable fit. However, the limitation of the touch control and not so punchy bass may let you down.
We were impressed with the Buds Z during our review as these buds sounded better than the higher priced original OnePlus Buds. It comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and has 10mm, dynamic drivers, bass boost, dynamic stereo powered by Dolby Atmos and panoramic sound support. The sound signature on the OnePlus Buds is respectable for the price. The soundstage and the separation of the instruments are also decent. There is enough bass, but it could have been punchier.
The battery life on the Buds Z is also on par with others in the segment. You get about 4 hours of playback and there is also support for a quick charge. As for the functionality, the OnePlus Buds Z offer very limited options - double tap and long press. It also brings in-ear detection and IP55 rating onboard which are rare in the segment.
Read our OnePlus Buds Z review
Soundcore by Anker has established itself as a great reliable audio brand in a short amount of time. Its Soundcore Liberty 2 and Liberty 2 Pro is one of the best gets in their respective segments. Soundcore Life Note E is not an exception.
It comes with good audio quality for the price. It comes with a more balanced audio signature. It has a bass mode, which enhances the bass if you prefer that instead.
Soundcore Life Note E comes with a battery life of 8 hours on the buds and 32 hours on the case. And it comes with an IPX5 rating, it can withstand light water drops.
OnePlus Nord Buds is OnePlus's first entry into the TWS space with the Nord brand. As with other OnePlus audio devices, it comes with good audio quality for the price. It comes with a 12mm titanium driver and we can call the audio coming out of it more balanced than focused on a specific frequency range.
It comes with a battery life of up to 30 hours with the case. There is support for fast charging, charging for 10 minutes gives you 5 hours of listening time. And it also comes with an IP55 rating for dust resistance.
If you fancy the ANC feature that you'd normally find in many higher-priced earbuds, this is the one to get.
Boult Audio Omega comes with good audio quality for the price, and the Active Noise Cancellation feature should work well as it claims to block out noise of up to 30dB.
It comes with a battery life of 8 hours for the buds and 32 hours with the case, with ANC on.
Boult Audio Omega comes with gaming mode and it brings down latency to 45ms. It comes with an IPX5 rating, so it has a little water resistance, but don't expect to dip it in water and still work.
There is no budget wearable or audio buying guide complete without the inclusion of a Boat product. It is not only one of the leading audio and wearable makers in India, but it also offers some good products under its belt. The Boat Airdopes 441 is our pick for the TWS under Rs 3,000. The Airdopes 441 packs 6mm dynamic drivers and offers touch controls. It is also IPX7 certified making them safe from water and sweat during the workout sessions.
The Boat Airdopes 441 are powered by Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity, and you also get an Instant wake and pair feature for faster connectivity. Each bud has an in-built 35mAh battery and the case is packed with a big 500mAh battery. Boat claims with the included case these TWS will last up to 25 hours. There is a USB Type C port present to charge the case.
Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro could be dubbed as the best TWS available by the brands in the budget segment. The earbuds are based on the aptX Adaptive audio technology created to deliver a high-end audio experience and seamless Bluetooth connectivity.
The earbuds offer extremely low latency to enhance the gaming experience of the users. They include dynamic and balanced armature dual drivers for enhanced audio experience with crystal clear sound.
The earbuds can be controlled by multifunctional touch control for playing or pausing the music, adjusting volume, and answering or rejecting the calls. They also have an IPX4 certification for splash and sweat resistance.
Furthermore, the earphones offer a smart in-ear detection feature that pauses the music every time the user takes off the buds automatically. the user has to do nothing just wear the buds back to resume music.
The earbuds can go on for 7 hours straight on a single charge without the case. When they are used along with the vase then the same can go for around 30 hours which is sufficient for a majority of users.
- Best True wireless earbuds under Rs 2,000
- Best true wireless earbuds (TWS) in India for 2021
- Best true wireless earbuds under Rs 5,000
Skullcandy has been at the top of the game when it comes to producing high-end audio accessories. The Skullcandy Jib, a budget segment TWS, has a sporty look and the buds can be used separately too.
The earbuds come equipped with dual microphones to make sure that you get high-quality audio calls. For water and seat resistance, the earbuds come with an IPX4 certification.
Without the case, these buds can last for around 6 hours when they are completely charged. However, if they are used with the case, then the playback time offered by the earbuds is around 22 hours.
One thing to mention here is that the charging speed of these earbuds is quite slow as they come with a micro-USB type cable support. Apart from that, the earbuds are light in weight and users can wear them for long hours without any sense of discomfort.
Noise, another homegrown brand, has been trying to snatch the top position from Boat in the Indian TWS market. The Noise Air Buds Pro Plus has a no-fall design along with silicone ear tips for a better grip.
These earbuds come with HyperSync technology that lets them connect with the devices in an instant. The earbuds carry an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance. The individual mics offered in the earbuds make sure that the user gets high-quality output at the time of calls.
Coming to the battery, these earbuds have a battery life of 20 hours with the charging case. If you are not using the charging case along with them, then the buds can go on for four hours when charged completely.
Apart from that, Noise has offered a unique feature named InstaCharge in the Air Buds Pro Plus. The feature charges the earbuds for up to 80 minutes of playback in just 8 minutes. They also support various voice assistants like Siri and Google Voice Assistant.
Soundcore by Anker R1000 earbuds come with 10mm dynamic audio drivers that deliver a high-end audio experience. The audio drivers of the earbuds work on the Bass Up technology that makes sure the user gets high bass output.
Users will have the liberty to switch between the normal mode of the earbuds and the bass mode. These earbuds have a sporty look and an ergonomic design that makes them ready to wear all day.
A major highlight regarding these earbuds is that they offer fast charging which is missing in most of the products in a similar price segment. They carry an IPX5 rating for water and sweat resistance which makes them a perfect workout companion.
As for the battery life, the earbuds can go on for around 25 hours once charged completely with the case. Without the case, the earbuds have a playback time of 6.5 hours. As claimed by the company these buds can last for an hour on a charge of just 10 minutes.
