Honor not too long ago launched the Alternative Earbuds X5 in India as the corporate's newest actually wi-fi stereo (TWS) headphones with energetic noise cancellation (ANC) help. The wi-fi headphones are claimed to supply as much as 9 hours of playback with the ANC function turned off – or as much as 35 hours in whole with the charging case – whereas the headphones have an IP54 score for mud and water resistance the water I spent a few weeks with the Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 and right here's what I take into consideration this wi-fi earphone.
Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 evaluation: Design and options
The Alternative X5 Earbuds can be found in a single white coloration and the charging case has a rounded design that’s nearly ubiquitous for stem-style TWS earphones. Whereas the case resembles its predecessor, the corporate has modified the place of the headphones in order that the stems are shut to one another, whereas the eartips are on reverse sides. I can open and shut the case simply with one finger, and the headphones are held firmly in place whereas charging.
Because of the all-plastic design, the Alternative Earbuds X5 are very mild. It has a person weight of 4.6 g (every headphone) and weighs 50 g with the charging case. There’s an acoustic vent behind the headset, whereas the microphone is positioned on the backside of the trunk, between the charging contact factors. They don't have a devoted sensor to detect whenever you take them out of your ear, so the music will proceed to play till you utilize the pause gesture.
Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 can be found in a single white coloration
Each the headset and the charging case have a shiny end that pulls mud and smudge marks, and the latter has a single LED indicator on the skin that permits you to know when it's time to cost the headset. There’s a USB Sort-C port on the backside and the headset comes with three eartips within the field. Whereas the match of the headphones may be very subjective, I discovered that these headphones had been snug sufficient to put on for about an hour with out a lot fatigue.
Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 evaluation: App and specs
In case you have an Android smartphone, you possibly can obtain Honor's AI House app that lets you pair the headset and management numerous settings and features. The app requires you to sign up along with your telephone quantity, no strategy to skip the login course of and simply use the app. The AI House app lets you pair the headset along with your smartphone or pill – the headset routinely enters pairing mode for the primary time, whereas you may as well press and maintain the contact panel on every headset to begin the method of coupling.
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After you have paired the headphones, you possibly can select between three equalizer presets – extra on these within the subsequent part – which have an effect on the audio output in Honor Alternative Earbuds X5. It’s also possible to regulate the contact controls on the headset that provide single-tap and double-tap choices, together with help for a long-press shortcut. The placement of the contact sensor is greater on the trunk, which signifies that you’ll not by accident activate it whenever you take the headphones out of your ears.
Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 may be managed by way of an Android software
The contact controls on the Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 are finicky, and I discovered myself tapping the small space on the prime of the earbud stem repeatedly to pause music or change tracks. You’ll be able to faucet twice to reply or finish a name and the identical gesture can be utilized to manage playback, or invoke the Google Assistant / Bixby. The triple faucet gesture enables you to swap to your earlier system or activate low-latency gaming mode.
Nevertheless, it’s value noting that when you have an iPhone, there is no such thing as a strategy to entry any of those features. You’ll be able to nonetheless pair the headset in iOS and entry fundamental sound modes, however you possibly can't change equalizer modes, modify contact controls, or obtain and set up firmware updates.
Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 evaluation: Efficiency and battery life
The TWS headphones function a 10mm dynamic driver and provide as much as 30dB ANC help, in line with the corporate. Additionally they have environmental noise cancellation (ENC) throughout calls. They’ve an IP54 score and are stated to supply as much as 9 hours of playback on a single cost.
The Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 TWS headphones are mild and comfy
The Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 have three equalizer modes – Bass enhance, Default, and Treble enhance. The default mode gives clear audio copy when listening to most genres of music, however you possibly can inform that there’s some emphasis on the bass on the expense of some element. The corporate has not included a graphic equalizer, which suggests you might be restricted to those three presets.
I discovered myself switching to Treble enhance mode when listening to Brahms' Symphony No. 3 in F, Op. 90: III. Poco Allegretto by James Levine, and comparable recordings which have loads of element. You'll additionally wish to use this preset on tracks like Adele's Set Fireplace to the Rain, or Birdy & RHODES' Let It All Go, so the vocals aren't affected.
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The mids are barely muddied from the bass, and vocals sound a bit of distant on some tracks, however these TWS headphones undoubtedly punch above their weight, particularly in these genres. I had no complaints about how the headphones dealt with Carnival of Rust by Poets of the Fall, however they weren't in a position to deal with Your Facet of City by The Killers, which is kind of a busy monitor.
Should you take heed to loads of bass-heavy tracks, the Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 ship loads of punch, even on the default setting. Drive (feat. Wes Nelson) by Clear Bandit & Subject sounds nice, as does Dua Lipa's Bodily and Kylie Minogue's Padam Padam. The headphones additionally deal with Trampoline by SHAED and Zayn fairly nicely, with simply the correct amount of element and reverb.
The Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 offered as much as seven hours of battery life
The ANC mode on the Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 retains low-frequency noises and sounds from family home equipment corresponding to vacuum cleaners and air conditioners at bay. Though it can’t cope with high-pitched sounds, it could actually “muffle” a bit of, which is greater than acceptable for a pair of TWS headphones at this worth.
Honor says the Alternative Earbuds X5 help SBC and AAC codecs, which suggests you need to use these on a variety of gadgets – I used to be in a position to pair the wi-fi headphones with an Android smartphone, an iPad, an iPhone and even an Apple Watch. I get about 5 and a half hours of battery life with ANC on, and about seven hours with ANC off.
Verdict
If you’re seeking to purchase a pair of wi-fi headphones that price lower than Rs. 2,000, the Honor Alternative Earbuds X5 are a strong choice to contemplate. The TWS earphone is at the moment accessible at Rs. 1,999 and gives respectable audio high quality for this worth phase, together with entry-level ANC help. It’s compact and light-weight and gives dependable battery life. The inclusion of SBC and AAC codecs signifies that they’ll work nicely on iOS and Android smartphones.
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A serious drawback is the shortage of an official software in iOS – whilst you can nonetheless pair the headset with an iPhone or iPad, there is no such thing as a strategy to configure any of the settings with out utilizing an Android smartphone. Whereas there are a number of contact management choices accessible, the restricted floor space means you’ll have to faucet the earpiece repeatedly on sure events.
Whereas there is no such thing as a multi-point help accessible, you possibly can shortly swap between the present system and the earlier system with a single gesture – different price range TWS headphones on this worth phase additionally provide the identical performance. These headphones compete with the OnePlus Nord Buds 2R and the Anker Soundcore R50i – these don't provide ANC help, so in case you're in search of a pair that comes with noise cancellation, it's value contemplating the Boult Z40 Extremely and the Boat Airdopes. Flex 454 that are the identical worth in India.
