TWS Buying Guide: Top recommendations and tips for TWS in-ear earphones across budgets

India has seen exponential growth in the TWS space across all budgets. With the budget market being flooded by offerings from brands like Boult Audio, boAt, Dizo, realme, Anker, and the like, we are seeing brands like Nothing, OnePlus, Sony, Samsung, and Bose, and others locking horns in the mid-range and premium price brackets. For the consumers, there is a problem of plenty. Picking the best TWS in-ear earphones in every price bucket takes a lot of consideration from the consumer, with different offerings bringing different sets of features to the table with varying levels of efficacy.

So, to help you make the right choice when it comes to spending your hard-earned cash, I did some digging around across budgets and curated a list of the best offerings across budgets, and what you should look out for, when buying TWS in-ear in-ear earphones. The budget categories are – under 5K (budget), between 5K and 10K (mid-range), and above 10K (premium).

Note: The pricing of the in-ear earphones that will be considered in this article would be the average lowest price of that earbud on popular e-commerce platforms in the last 2-3 months. That is the best price to get the in-ear earphones, as per the research done by the author.

Before going in, as I have said in my reviews for some time now, audio as a category is very subjective. We can give you indicative data about the sound profile of a pair of TWS in-ear earphones, but they might perform differently compared to what we tested, given the shape of your ear. Many brands in the premium and mid-range budget segments address this issue with features like personalised tuning and ear mapping enabled by the accompanying software; it remains something that should be kept in mind when purchasing a pair of TWS in-ear earphones. Additionally, personal preferences, such as the genre of music that you listen to, do play an important role. Even things like fit of the in-ear earphones can affect their sound quality, so keep that in mind when purchasing TWS in-ear earphones.

With that said, let’s have a look at the features and expected sound signature that you should look for when purchasing TWS in-ear earphones in India –

Budget TWS (Under ₹5,000) — Tips and Buying Recommendations

When you are looking at purchasing budget TWS in-ear earphones, you are expected to lose out on a number of creature comforts that you would get with more expensive in-ear earphones. However, increased competition amongst brands has ensured that you can get a taste of features like ANC, well-implemented low latency mode, Hi-Res audio, customisation via a companion app, wireless charging and the like, if you are willing to push your budget slightly the top end of this segment.

With the expectations set right, let’s have a look at the features that you should look at and expect when looking to buy a pair of budget TWS in-ear earphones –

• Environmental Noise Cancelling: This is not to be confused with Active Noise Cancellation; ENC uses AI and ML to ensure that you get clear sound during calls. You can find this feature implemented in TWS in-ear earphones across all price points in this budget segment.
• Quick Switch and Multi-point connectivity: If you are someone who is working across multiple devices, then having multi-point connectivity and quick switch is a great feature. Earlier, it was usually found in earphones on the pricier side, but it has made its way into earphones in the budget categories as well. Certain TWS earphones might not come with Multipoint in their truest form, but they allow quick-switch, which enables you to change devices in a blink.
• Battery Life: Now, this is something that you will have to try before you buy. There are brands in this budget segment that make tall claims about battery life; however, there have been instances where the brands fail to live up to their claims. So, ensure that you read our reviews and other user reviews, or write to us, to get an idea of the the actual battery life of the earbuds.

Something that has made a recent entry into the budget TWS market is Active Noise Cancellation. There are a few offerings around the ₹3,000 mark, like the OnePlus Buds 2 and the Redmi Buds 5 that offer this feature. So, if you are working with ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 you should definitely have ANC on your list of features that you look at. Things like a good IP rating are nice to have, and you can expect earbuds to have an IP X5 or IP 65 rating when purchasing your TWs in-ear earphones in this price range. For gamers, low latency mode is a plus. From what I have seen in my experience with budget TWS earphones, the battery drains faster on budget TWS earphones faster than their expensive counterparts; however, most brands have managed to implement this feature fairly well.

What should you expect in terms of sound signature?

There is enough data that we have gathered after years of testing TWS in-ear earphones that suggests that most TWS earbuds that are available under ₹5,000 tend to have a bass-forward sound signature. Now, the level of bass enhancement depends on the kind of tuning that the brand has done, but you can stay assured that the bass in these earphones will be bloated. So, if you are a fan of genres like hip-hop, pop, and Bollywood music or call yourself a bass-head, then you will definitely not be disappointed by the earbuds in this price range.

Mid-range TWS (Between ₹5,000 and ₹10,000) — Tips and Buying Recommendations

When you come to TWS earbuds in this price range, the lines between the features offered by earbuds and premium earphones blur. Over here, you need to ensure how well the brand is implementing the features that they advertise on their offerings. If you are on the extreme end of this budget spectrum, then you will get close to flagship features, and if you are lucky, then during sales, you could get your hands on a pair of flagship earphones as well! The sky is the limit, with tempered expectations of how you will reach it when talking about the features included in mid-range TWS in-ear earphones.

Let’s look at some features that should be non-negotiable when you are purchasing mid-range TWS in-ear earphones –

• Active Noise Cancellation: With mid-range TWS earphones, you will definitely find yourself some really well-performing ANC TWS earphones. There are often decibel values attached to the ANC efficacy of TWS earphones. However, depending on the scenarios that you are putting yourself in when using your earphones, your mileage will vary. Again, don’t go by the stat sheets.
• Wireless Charging: This is something that has tricked down from the premium category into the mid-range over time. Now, some offerings come with really high-speed wireless charging.
• Battery Life: In terms of battery life, there are some earphones in this price range that champion battery life. You will find some marathon runners in this price range. But again, you will need to temper your usage to get the most juice out of the device that you are using.
• In-app customisations: In-app customisations help you make your TWS earphones truly your own. The design and UX of the app, the level of customisations it offers, and whether or not, you get an EQ, should govern your judgement in this department. I would say, definitely look for cutsomisable controls and EQ. 

As for other features, you should definitely look at getting Hi-Res CODECs supported by your earbuds. LDAC and aptX are the two most popular high-resolution CODECs that you can get in this price range. Additionally, in-app features like ear tip fit tests and sound profile personalisation are things that you should definitely be on the lookout for if you are tending towards the high end of this budget range. 

You also need to pay special attention to the design and build quality with mid-range TWS earphones. A metallic hinge, sturdy materials, and an overall sleek and good-fitting design are something that should be on your list. While the fit is a non-negotiable across all categories, you can play around and find the earbuds that pack all the features you need, along with great aesthetics in this price range. Another thing that you can look at is the inclusion of additional ear tips. The more, the merrier. 

What should you expect in terms of sound signature?

With mid-range TWS earphones, it is a roll of a dice when it comes to the sound signature. You can get a great-sounding pair of TWS earphones in the form of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro and Nothing Ear (2), while there are several others that you will find a slightly bass favouring sound signature. The general trend shows that you will get a balanced sound for the most part, but there will be a slight lean towards bass for the most part. At Digit, we compare and score TWS in-ear earphones against a flat response that is generally considered ideal for purists and people who love every detail in their sound represented equally. But your preferences might vary.

Premium TWS (above ₹10,000) — Tips and Buying Recommendations

When it comes to Premium TWS in-ear earphones, the sky is actually the limit. There is no feature that you can think of that would not be present in a pair of premium TWS earbuds. Many brands market their features under different names. However, the standard feature set remains the same. I believe that with the inclusion of technologies like personalised sound, ear mapping, and the like, there is a ceiling of innovation which we have hit for now. All the brands are busy perfecting the tuning of their earbuds and optimising the performance of their TWS as a whole. 

The ANC that you get in this category will not disappoint you at all, for the most part. There are some earbuds that will let you down from time to time. However, with a little research, you can find some great deals on TWS earphones in this price range. Additionally, if you are in this price bucket, then chances are that you will be one of the first people to try out new tech that is introduced in the world of TWS earphones.

Again, as with all the pricing segments that I included in this article, there will be a difference in terms of the features that you are getting. The higher you go, the more features you will get, and the chances of you getting cutting-edge features in your earbuds will be higher than usual. There is no set list of the features that you should look for. At this price, you should solely focus on the performance of the earbuds and the different features that are packed into them. If you were to go according to our internal testing standards, then the earbuds with the flattest sound signature will be the best performers. 

The rest of the features would complement the great sound that you get from you get from earbuds in this price range. I would suggest taking the time to buy premium TWS in-ear earphones. Wait for price drops and get the most value for your money. And anytime if you are confused, write to us on Instagram @digit.in or editor@digit.in.