The Noise Air Buds Pro 2 comes with cool features like ANC and gaming mode at just Rs. 2999. The brand has completely redesigned these earphones compare to its predecessor and these looks really appealing to me. But is there any compromise that Noise did in order to provide these awesome features? Let’s find out in my in-depth review of the Noise Air Buds Pro 2.
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Noise Air Buds Pro 2 Review
The Air Buds Pro 2, at a price of under Rs. 3000, competes directly with the OnePlus Nord Buds, Oppo Enco Air 2, and Realme Buds Air 2. And thankfully, they maintain their on-paper stature by offering features like active noise cancellation, triple mic ENC, and low-latency game mode. Here’s the full Noise Air Buds Pro 2 review for you to see how they perform in the real world.
Box Contents
- Noise Buds
- Two extra pairs of Eartips
- Type-C charging cable
- Documents (warranty and quick start guide)
- Stickers
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Design and Build
The Noise Air Buds Pro 2 got a complete design overhaul compared to its predecessor. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you prefer. The brand has opted for a new case design with this one; the form factor is not too bulky but it sure is a bit bigger than most TWS earphones on the market.
The case and buds both got the matte finish all over unlike its predecessor. And I must say, the matte looks better than glossy most of the time. Worth mentioning, that the earbuds are IPx5 rated, meaning they can sustain slow, low-pressure water exposure including sweat.
The earphone’s case got an LED indicator to show battery charging and it also indicates when the battery is low. There is also a button in the case that when pressed once, shows the battery status and when being held for 10 seconds, resets the earbuds. The case equips a Type-C port to charge it which is always a preferred feature in any gadget nowadays.
The Air Buds Pro 2’s case weighs about 50 grams with buds included which is pretty manageable. Each earbud weighs about 5 grams which is also quite lightweight.
The case is also not too bulky and easily slides in and out of any pocket easily. And since the case opens vertically not horizontally, you don’t get to use it as a fidget to release stress. Jokes apart, the case has a loose hinge and you need two hands to open it. The magnets on the buds and case are strong enough so the buds sit easily in their cavity without having to align them.
The buds got an in-ear design which is always preferable is earphones with ANC features to create a better seal. The earphones got a stem that includes a touch sensor to control various features of the earphones. Overall the design and build of the Air Buds Pro 2 is pretty impressive compared to its predecessors. It sure looks and feels like premium TWS earphones this time.
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Fit & Comfort
Noise Air Buds Pro 2 comes with a very stylish design with the stem connected to the buds at an angle which ensures that the mic is directed toward your mouth. This angled buds design also ensures a stable fit for the buds in the ears.
The Air Buds Pro 2 are pretty comfortable in the ear and it doesn’t feel like you are wearing them at all. The finish on the buds does not create any problems even after wearing them for a long time. Furthermore, the buds lock in the ear cavity perfectly and don’t fall off even if using them during light workouts.
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Sound Quality
The Air Buds Pro 2 comes with 10 mm drivers and these are pretty loud when you are listening in a quiet environment. But as soon as you step out of the door, the loudness starts to fade out. This is where the 40db Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation(ANC) comes to the rescue.
The sound quality is pretty decent for video content consumption but audiophiles may not budge much. The lows and mids are great but as soon as the bass kicks in, the mids tend to fade out. This is not a big issue since it is a single-driver earphone and we cannot complain at this price.
Overall, the audio is rich and the bass is good as well. So, if you listen to bass-heavy songs, this will be the best option for you.
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Active Noise Cancellation(ANC)
Active Noise Cancellation is one of the major features of these earphones and it really works great. The noise cancellation is always a premium feature but getting it at an affordable price is always good to see. There are two modes- ANC mode and Transparency mode, you can switch them easily with three taps on the right earbud.
The ANC works great and it seems to be canceling noise pretty well. When the ANC is on and nothing is playing on the earphones, the earphones start to hurt a little. But using a size smaller ear tips made the situation a lot better. The transparency mode is what disappointed me, it feels like just noise with a filter-feeding directly from a microphone to the ears.
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Connectivity and Gaming Mode
Noise Air Buds Pro 2 comes with Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity which ensures a very stable connection with all modern devices. Pairing these earphones with a new device is very easy and quick. You just have to get the buds out of the case to enable pairing mode and you can easily connect to them from the smartphone’s Bluetooth settings.
Air Buds Pro 2 comes with a Gaming mode which reduces the latency to make the gaming experience a bit better. You can enable the Gaming mode by double tapping the left earbud. In my testing, this feature worked really well and you can easily tell the difference when the gaming mode is on. I used a sound delay app to check the latency and it confirmed that the latency drops under 100ms during gaming mode.
Noise Air Buds Pro 2: Battery
The Air Buds Pro 2 comes with a big battery claimed to offer up to 25 hours of playtime with the case’s battery included. It also comes with an Instacharge feature which gives 120min of playtime with just 10 minutes of charge.
In my testing, the claims that Noise made seem correct and you get about a similar battery time. I didn’t have to put it on charge for a whole week with minimal usage.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Premium and comfy design
- Full stem tap detection
- Type-C fast charging
- Long playback time
- ANC is decent
- Good pricing
Cons
- Case is a little bigger than usual
- No wear detection feature
- Bit confusing controls
- No app support
Noise Air Buds Pro 2 Review: Final Verdict
Air Buds Pro 2 is overall a great pair of TWS earphones that you can find at this price. These earphones got almost every premium TWS feature that you can think of, except for wear detection. If that doesn’t bother you much, then you can go for these earphones without giving them another thought.