realme is officially launching their latest audio wearables later today (May 21, 2021 at 12 midnight), the realme Buds Q2 – the successor to last year’s True Wireless Stereo (TWS) In-Ear earbuds. The new update aims to improve on the original in terms of design and functionality, but did it really do so? We’re here to find out in our review of the realme buds O2.
Design & Fit
Design-wise, the realme buds Q2 follows the original buds Q with its pebble-like oblong plastic shell. The size is compact enough that it can fit within your palms comfortably. My only qualm with the design is how round it is. In my time with it, the case slipped through my hands and fell the ground around 3-4 times in total, but to realme’s credit the realme Buds Q2 seemed to withstand these little accidental mishaps. Surviving drop test? Check!
Inside the case, the realme buds Q2 in-ears are built like the original realme Buds Q, except for the touch control area. This time around, there is a wider area for you to place your finger on the earbuds and control the unit.
Using the realme Link App, you can customize the touch gestures on your realme Buds Q2. While there is no swipe function, you can add commands to double tap, triple tap or tap and hold commands.
Fit-wise the realme buds Q2 has soft silicon tips in varying sizes to ensure that these in-ear buds fit your earlobes pretty well. What I like about the realme buds Q2 is how light the devices are so there’s hardly any ear fatigue. I can wear these for hours without my ears hurting.
Lastly, I appreciate that realme decided to add a different color motif to the realme Buds Q2 than the usual black and white colorway. Sure, there’s a sleek black one but there’s also this gorgeous matte pastel blue color edition as well. The contrast of the matte finish with the sleek Intelligent Touch Control area gives it an additional luster as well – I mean, aside from the shifting diamond pattern laser etched on it which realme calls the Kaleidoscope Lamination Process. Ohh, fancy!
Sound Quality
The realme Buds Q2’s sound quality is best described by the word adequate. It’s not the best sounding TWS around, but then it’s not the most expensive among the bunch either. The large 10mm driver should, in theory, provide punchy bass and allow to detect and deliver great low frequencies however, I actually find the bass quite lacking. That’s not to say that you can’t hear anything. Mind you, the realme Buds Q2 could get loud but not the point where it hurts your ears and/or breaks the device’s speakers.
A masterclass in sound mixing, we actually appreciated the musical wizardry of Michael Jackson’s 1982 classic album, Thriller on the realme Buds Q2. With the volume set at about 80%, we were able to hear all the little nuances that they apparently went into making this magnum opus. From the moving background vocals sweeping across left and right channels, to having the King of Pop sound clean and fresh as if they recorded this in 2020’s era to the face-melting guitar solo from Beat It mixed with the iconic bassline, the realme Buds Q2 was able to pick all of those up.
However, there was something lacking in all our time using the device: character. Something that other headsets and speakers have.
You can customize the realme Buds Q2 further via the realme Link App but there’s really only 3 audio equalizer pre-settings: Bass Boost+, Dynamic and Bright and I actually wish they have more.
If you’re a seasoned audiophile, you may want to veer away from the realme Buds Q2. However, for everyday use and people who do not want to spend a fortune on good earphones, the realme Buds Q2 does what it intends to do – which is give you a hassle-free, true wireless, audio-listening device.
Everyday Reliability
It may not have the sound signature that I want, but the realme Buds Q2 is one reliable device. As I mentioned earlier, I accidentally dropped the case along with Buds inside around 3 or 4 times during my time with it. And yet, in any of those cases, speakers didn’t seem to be damaged. There were zero cracks or scratches on the case. This means you can easily lug this around with you every day without needing to place additional care and concern to your realme Buds Q.
With a run time of around 20 hours long (this is with the charging case, of course), you can have a whole day’s worth of music, movie or gaming. If you do need to charge your realme Buds Q, it takes about an hour to the Buds Q2 from 0% to 100% via micro-USB. Personally, I wish they would have used a Type-C port.
The realme Buds Q2 has a dedicated gaming mode which improves any latency issue and prevents you from breaking the immersive experience.
The realme Buds Q2 also has a fairly powerful noise reduction system supported by an Environmental Noise Cancelation algorithm which will significantly reduce noise during calls allowing you to have clearer conversations with your friends, loved ones or colleagues.
Lastly, the realme Buds Q2 is reportedly certified with an IPX4 water resistant rating which prevents splashes and sweat allowing you the bring the realme Buds Q2 with you when you go on a run around the village or simply work up a sweat while exercising. Because it is an IPX4 rating, though, we do not recommend using this for a swim.
Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict
Given all of these, the realme Buds Q2 is a great device to get if you still do not have a TWS in-ear earbuds considering the retail price of this is just PHP 1290. That’s 200 pesos lower than the realme Buds Q when it launched. Plus, if you purchase it at Shopee by 12 midnight tonight (May 21, 2021) you get an additional 400 pesos off making the sale price at Php 890! Now that’s amazing value!
The warranty period for the realme Buds Q2 is 1 year, applicable from the device’s activation date. During the warranty period, if any functional failure occurs, realme will provide maintenance services free of charge through 16 authorized service centers nationwide.
With a much updated design, highly capable audio playback for music, movies or gaming and a tad more functionality, and a price that’s hard to beat, this is definitely one of the best audio deals to get this summer.