Realme Buds Q2 review: Inexpensive but capable wireless earbuds with ANC

 

From neckband-style earphones to true wireless earbuds, Realme is one smartphone brand that has significantly expanded its audio range despite being new to the segment. Importantly, the Chinese brand has been consistently democratising premium features like active noise cancellation in its inexpensive offerings. Fresh in its line-up is the Realme Buds Q2, priced at Rs 2,499. These true wireless earbuds seem to be undersell for someone to experience active noise cancellation (ANC) for the first time without actually having to pay much. But how does the product fare in real-life scenarios? Let’s find out:

Design

The Realme Buds Q2 come in active black and calm grey colour themes. Made of plastic, the active black (review unit) colour model has a matte finish with glossy film on the touch area that reflects blue hues. The earbuds are IPX5-rated for protection against water ingress. As for the earbuds’ charging case, it is a pill-shaped unit with a matte black finish. It is curved from all sides, including bottom, which makes it unstable on flat surfaces. On the positive side, the case is small and can easily fit even in the most cramped spaces like a jeans pocket, travel bag, etc. Though the case looks unimpressive due to its cheap plastic build, it covers the basics right. It features the pairing button inside the case cavity, in the available space between the buds storage-cum-charging area. Besides, there is a USB-C port on the back side and a tiny LED on the front for pairing and battery level indication. Read More