Xiaomi Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro Review: Audio Quality Compared With OnePlus Buds Z

Last Updated on April 5, 2022 by Abid Iqbal Shaik

The Xiaomi Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro is one of the most feature-packed set of truly wireless earphones in its price segment. The earbuds were launched in India last month, and they are priced at just ₹2,999. They have all the features one would want in a set of affordable TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earphones and then some. The Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro has a dual-driver setup, which according to the company, offers improved audio quality. It also features Bluetooth 5.2 with support for aptX Adaptive audio codecs, up to 32-hour battery life, a USB Type-C port for charging, and an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance. But how does it perform in real life? And how does it fare against the popular OnePlus Buds Z? Let us find out in our Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro review.

Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro Review Video

What’s In The Redmi Earbuds 3 Box?

1. Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro
2. Charging Case
3. Ear Tips (Small, Medium, & Large)
4. User Manual

Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro Design & Comfort

The Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro comes in various colours (Blue, Pink, and White), and our review unit was blue. The earbuds come with a fairly standard charging case, and both are made using plastic. The charging case has a rounded base and a relatively flat lid. The case lid feels a bit thin and cheap, but it is not too uncommon among most TWS earbuds in this price segment.

There is a pairing button that lets you quickly pair the earbuds with your smartphones. If you have a Xiaomi smartphone or tablet, you can see an AirPods-style pop-up menu that allows you to quickly pair the earbuds and see the battery level of the earbuds and the charging case.

The earbuds themselves are quite small and feel comfortable in the ears. They have an infrared sensor for automatic wear detection, allowing the audio playback to pause automatically when the earbuds are removed from the ears. The outer area of the earbuds is touch-sensitive, which means that you can control music playback, answer or reject calls, and summon the voice assistant using taps.

The earbuds have a glossy finish on the outside, which means that they can get scratched over time. Thanks to their IPX4 rating for sweat and water splash resistance, you can safely use them during workouts.

Overall, the design is neither bad nor groundbreaking. The earbuds are extremely light but the build quality and materials are nothing better than what we’ve seen in most other true wireless earphones in this price segment.

Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro Audio Quality

When we read that the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro feature a dual-driver setup (Balanced Armature + Dynamic Driver), we were elated because such an audio setup generally improves the audio quality across the board. Xiaomi’s own dual-driver wired in-ear monitors that were launched a few years ago had good audio quality, especially at their price. We were yet to come across dual-driver earphones that sounded below par. However, the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro changed our minds because of its excessively bass-heavy audio tuning.

They don’t sound particularly bad, but we expected more, especially looking at its dual-driver audio setup. Both vocals and highs were influenced by the lower frequencies. Even if you’re a fan of bass-heavy sound, you may not particularly enjoy the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro because the lower frequencies sound bloated. Moreover, there is no companion smartphone app that lets you adjust the audio tuning using an equaliser. Another thing to note is that we found their maximum volume level a bit underwhelming. You may have to use them at 100% volume almost all times, especially in loud environments.

In comparison, the OnePlus Buds Z sounded clearer and more sophisticated. Highs were sharper and vocals were clearer. Bass wasn’t as bloated as the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro. Even if they’re not the best sounding true wireless earphones, we would still prefer the OnePlus Buds Z over the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro in terms of overall audio quality.

Also Read: Best True Wireless Earphones In India

When it comes to gaming, the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro were decent because their latency figures are better than many true wireless earphones in the price segment. The company has used a Bluetooth 5.2 chip (QCC3040) from Qualcomm, which features the aptX Adaptive audio codec. However, we still prefer wired earphones over wireless ones as they don’t have any latency. If you are a competitive gamer, we don’t think you’ll be satisfied with any true wireless earphones. However, when it comes to watching videos, these are

The Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro are average when it comes to voice call quality. Again, this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker as we are yet to see a pair of truly wireless earphones priced under ₹3,000 that have much better voice quality compared to the rivals.

Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro Battery Life

Xiaomi claims that the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro can last up to 7 hours on a single charge, and combined with the battery provided by the charging case, they can last up to 32 hours of music playback. This is where these TWS earbuds shine. We listening to music for 3-4 hours every day during the review period. With one complete charge, we couldn’t drain out the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro within a single week even at 100% volume. This is certainly better than most other sub-₹3,000 true wireless earphones out there.

We were extremely satisfied with their individual and combined battery life. Plus, the inclusion of a USB Type-C port only makes things easier while charging these earphones.

Should You Buy Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro or OnePlus Buds Z?

The Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro certainly offer a lot of features and value. At just ₹2,999, they are the cheapest true wireless earphones with a dual-driver setup. They also have a sweat-resistant design, comfortable fit, low-latency audio with aptX Adaptive codecs, long battery life, and a USB Type-C charging port. But they didn’t satisfy us in the most important aspect: audio quality. Bass overpowered everything else, and that bass wasn’t very enjoyable.

In side-by-side testing, the OnePlus Buds Z clearly sounded more balanced and enjoyable. If you’re someone who prefers balanced audio, you should choose the OnePluds Buds Z over the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro. Still, we wouldn’t say that you shouldn’t buy the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro. If you have a budget of just ₹3,000 and want lightweight earbuds with long battery life, we don’t think other earbuds can match the Redmi Earbuds 3 Pro in those aspects. They are also great for watching videos, thanks to their lower latency.