The TWS earbuds space is a highly competitive market, at least in India, where many brands come and go. Unlike others, OPPO has actually made a name for itself by consistently launching quality earbuds with balanced sound. The newest contender is the Enco Buds 3 Pro, which come with 12.4 mm drivers at just INR 1,799.
I had the opportunity to test the Enco Buds 3 Pro for over a week, where I took them on road trips, sweaty gym sessions, and even in the rain. This review will highlight my experience with using the earbuds and help you make an informed buying decision.
OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Review
Summary
At INR 1,799, the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro are a decent pair of earbuds. The design is elegant, they are super comfortable, and the sound quality is balanced without overpowering bass. Sure, the omission of ANC is a bummer, but the overall package is still compelling.
Design & Comfort
If you’ve used TWS earbuds before, the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro would feel right at home. The company has gone with a minimalist white design, and it’s pretty sweet. The design is unassuming, with subtle OPPO branding in the front and an LED indicator. I love the shape of the case because it allows users to open it with one hand and also makes for a fun fidget toy.
The opening and closing mechanism is pretty satisfactory, too. Unfortunately, OPPO hasn’t incorporated a physical pairing button, which is a huge bummer. If you want to switch devices, you’ll have to hold both earbuds for 10 seconds.
Also, the white variant, which I received, features a shiny finish, whereas the black one has a matte finish. So, if you don’t like scratches, go for the black ones.
Moving to the earbuds themselves, comfort has always been an issue since my ears aren’t the standard size. Fortunately, the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro fit perfectly in my ears, and that’s high praise. I took them to my gym and not once did I feel the earbuds falling out of my ears. I also wasn’t constantly adjusting the earbuds to make sure they stayed in place.
Controls & Companion App
Controls are always a mixed bag when it comes to TWS earbuds, as most are super confusing and fiddly. Fortunately, the controls on the Buds 3 Pro are easy to learn and aren’t triggered every time you remove the earbuds. A single tap on the left/right earbud plays and pauses the music, which was useful since the buds don’t have in-ear detection.
A double-tap can be configured to play/pause, skip to the previous or next track, and even trigger the Voice Assistant or Game Mode. Finally, a long touch and hold can be used to adjust the volume up or down.
All of this is controlled by the Hey Melody app or the Bluetooth settings, if you own an OPPO phone, like me. In the app, you can choose between different sound profiles and can even make a custom equalizer, which is a godsend.
The earbuds also support OPPO’s Alive Audio feature, which works similarly to surround sound, placing different instruments around you. There are also options to customize controls, add another device to the dual connection feature, and locate your earbuds using the Find My Earbuds feature.
Sound Quality & ANC
The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro feature 12.4mm drivers, and like other OPPO TWS, the sound signature is well-balanced. I tested the earphones with various music genres, including rock and jazz, and the vocals were always clear, without overpowering the bass, and with balanced treble. The highs were once again spot on, and I had no issues hearing all the different elements of a particular song.
If you aren’t a fan of the sound profile, the equalizer lets you change that. After tuning it a bit, the experience was even better. Moving on to call quality, my experience was generally decent in areas without a loud background noise. People could hear me well on calls, and sound isolation was pretty good.
Speaking of ANC, there isn’t any. OPPO has decided to sit out the ANC hype train, and I didn’t miss it much. That’s because the fit of the Enco Buds 3 Pro is amazing, which limits most background noise itself. That said, if you often commute with the metro, you’ll miss ANC.
Battery Life
Battery life is another highlight of the Enco Buds 3 Pro. They last approximately 9 hours on a single charge, and the case can top up the battery around five times, making the total listening time around 40 hours. I didn’t have to charge the buds once during my week-long review period.
The buds also support fast charging, where just 10 minutes of being plugged in can provide 4 hours of listening time.
Should You Buy The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro?
At INR 1,799, the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro are a decent pair of earbuds. The design is elegant, they are super comfortable, and the sound quality is balanced without overpowering bass. Sure, the omission of ANC is a bummer, but the overall package is still compelling.