Oppo has been killing it in the audio segment for a few years now and earbuds like the Oppo Enco Buds X2 that we recently reviewed have been best-in-class audio products. But he more expensive Buds X2 aren’t for everyone, and a large number of people still want to spend less than Rs 3000 for good sound quality. For these users, Oppo had launched the Enco Buds 2, which adds a new design and features over its predecessor and comes in at Rs 1799. On paper, the earbuds do feature a lot of good features like 28 battery life and AI noise cancellation, but is this worth the money? Find out in my full review below.
Oppo Enco Buds 2: What’s good?
Design
Be it the circular case, the matte-finish design, or the two-tone finish on the inside, it is difficult to see the Enco Buds 2 as a budget product priced below Rs 2,000. These are well-built, but also light in weight. The case looks unique and is easy to pocket, while the earbuds themselves are comfortable even after long hours.
A major change here from the previous Enco Buds is the implementation of the stem-design unlike the stem-less predecessor. I personally prefer stemmed TWS earbuds as they’re simply easier to handle and in my experience, better at call quality (more on that later), and the Oppo Enco Buds 2 is no different.
The new stem-design makes wearing the buds and gestures easier. (Image Source: Chetan Nayak/ The Indian Express)
The tap gestures are easier to trigger, while the stem makes it easier to put the earbuds in your ears and back out. This is an underrated aspect of TWS earphones I hope more brands pay attention to – I have used a number of stem-less earbuds that functioned well but are not the easiest to put in your ears with a secure fit.
The case of the earbuds also gets a nice LED status indicator not on the front, not on the back, but on the bottom, right beside the USB Type-C port. This design choice quickly grew on me when I saw the handy plus side of this – being able to monitor your earbuds’ charging even when the case is plugged in. Unlike some other cases, you will never be able to hide this LED by, say, placing the case upside down, and will always be able to see the charging status. This is a small addition, but it is useful.
Sound quality
I wouldn’t call the sound signature of the Oppo Enco Buds 2 balanced, as they tend to lean a little more towards a bass-heavy output. But by no means is this a bad implementation, because for those who like a little extra bass-punch in their music, these sound great.
The earbuds sound great for the price. (Image Source: Chetan Nayak/ The Indian Express)
I enjoyed a whole day of my classic rock favourites like ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ by Guns and Roses and ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ by AC/DC and really enjoyed how the bass guitar sounded on the earbuds. Hip-hop hits like Bohemia’s ‘Daddy’s Home’ or ‘What’s up danger?’ by Blackaway and Black Caviar are where the Oppo Enco Buds 2 really shine, giving you that deep bassy feel earbuds in this segment often miss out on.
Yes, the 10mm drivers don’t provide the depth you’d get in more expensive earbuds, but tracks don’t end up sounding shallow either. You also get some companion app support via the HeyMelody app on Android that lets you customise gestures individually on both earbuds as well as switch between three preset modes to tune the sound to your liking.
Call Quality and Battery Life
The Oppo Enco Buds 2 surprised me with their call quality. Typically with budget TWS earbuds, calls were bad enough for me to simply switch to the phone’s inbuilt-speaker when I received a call. While there have been sub-Rs 5000 earbuds that have featured good call quality, the Enco Buds 2 does it at a lower price, which is great.
The earbuds also have great battery life, leaving you with well over 20 hours of use including the earbuds and the case in a single charge (including music and calls).
You also get IPX4 certification with the Oppo Enco Buds 2. (Image Source: Chetan Nayak/ The Indian Express)
Oppo Enco Buds 2: What’s not good?
The Oppo Enco Buds 2 doesn’t get much wrong for the price tag, but if I were to nitpick it does miss out on a small but very useful feature on TWS earphones that is very handy, and that’s a dedicated pairing button on the box. While this isn’t a deal-breaker, a pairing button on the box would have made connecting to multiple devices a breeze on the Oppo Enco Buds 2. Currently, to put the earbuds into pairing mode when they’re already paired to another device, one must trigger the pairing mode by long-pressing the stem of both earbuds.
Verdict: Is the Oppo Enco Buds 2 for you?
If you’re looking for good earphones that deliver good sound and call quality while being comfortable and having great design, the Oppo Enco Buds 2 is a solid option to consider.
