Oppo Enco Air
Since the launch of the Apple AirPods, many a brand has attempted to replicate their look for less. This is certainly the case with the Oppo Enco Air.
Oppo isn't a big name in the earbuds market just yet, despite having made quite a name for itself in the world of smartphones. However, it's clear that with the Oppo Enco Air, the firm is hoping to stand out as a cheap alternative to fancier wireless earbuds. Does it succeed? Partially, in a way that works well enough for the price.
At only £69 / about $95 / AU$149, the Oppo Enco Air are considerably cheaper than Apple’s AirPods, and that price is likely to drop further when it comes to sales at third-party retailers.
Of course, if you can afford to spend more, then there are better options available. But if you're not in that position, or simply aren’t interested in spending a lot of money on earbuds, the Oppo Enco Air will still do the job.
Comfortable to wear and impressively lightweight, the Oppo Enco Air are easy to slip into the ears. Setup takes just moments, which is always welcome. Their controls are suitably intuitive, and the touch-sensitive ear stems aren’t too fiddly to use. Like their inspiration, they come with only IPX4 water-resistance – but that’s perfectly fine for gym workouts or the occasional splash.
And did we mention that the Oppo Enco Air are comfy? Well, they are, slipping into your ears without bother and feeling suitably secure in use. Convenient, given that there aren’t any eartips that you can swap out.
Where things get a bit more average is audio performance. It's fine, but nothing to rave about. At times, music can sound reasonably punchy – but never in an exceptional way. The Oppo Enco Air aren't earbuds for audiophiles, but nor should you expect that for this price.
They’re found wanting when it comes to detail or finesse, with the likes of Childish Gambino's Feels Like Summer and Billie Eilish's No Time to Die lacking the wow factor you'd get elsewhere.
There's no active noise cancellation, but there is a form of AI-powered noise cancellation for taking calls – which helps to ensure that calls sound more crisp than usual.
Battery life resembles that of the Apple AirPods. Expect four hours of use from the buds and 24 hours overall, once you factor in the charging case. Thanks to USB-C support, a 10-minute charge provides eight hours of playback, which is hugely convenient. On the downside, however, the Enco Air’s charging case looks and feels pretty cheap.
Overall, then, the Oppo Enco Air aren't perfect – but that shouldn’t be a surprise at the price. If you're simply after some good-looking earbuds, and don’t want to pay a fortune, you'll be happy with the Enco Air. They’ll work perfectly fine as an accompaniment to your workouts – but just expect to turn to a different set when you’re wanting to get the most from the listening experience.
Oppo Enco Air price and availability
- Available now
- Priced at £69 / about $95 / AU$149
- Only currently available in the UK and Australia
The Oppo Enco Air are available in the UK and Australia now for £69 / AU$149. There's no sign of an American release yet, but that works out at around $95.
The earbuds are only available in white, presumably to ensure they match the AirPods aesthetic well. There's no sign of a price cut at third-party retailers, but history suggests prices will come down if you’re willing to wait.
Design
- Comfortable fit
- AirPods-esque look
- Touch-sensitive controls
It's obvious that the Oppo Enco Air are trying to emulate Apple AirPods – and they do the job well. Pull out the earbuds from the plasticky charging case and you'll be good to go in no time at all; pairing takes only moments.
There are no spare silicone tips in the box, since the Enco Air sport a more solid design. Nevertheless, these buds are lightweight and smooth; they fit our ears well, without ever feeling like they were going to fall out.
The charging case is the letdown, however. It has a plasticky finish and looks rather unattractive. A transparent top gives the impression of a cheap toy from a vending machine – but at least it’s light weight means it’s comfortable to carry. There's no wireless charging here – no surprise, given the price – but USB-C support means that powering up is speedy. More on that later.
An IPX4 sweat- and water-resistance rating isn’t the best, but is at least on a par with the AirPods. It’s perfectly sufficient for sweaty workouts or getting caught out in the rain; but you won’t be able to take a dip in the pool with these buds.
The Oppo Enco Air’s touch-sensitive controls can be found on the antennas. Tapping is intuitive and simple, plus you won't have to worry about accidentally tapping the controls while placing or removing the earbuds from your ears. There's voice-assistant support, too, which is always a nice bonus.
Audio performance
- Average sound quality
- Unexciting
- Crisp call performance
Fine is the overriding sentiment when listening to anything through the Oppo Enco Air. They're far from the worst when it comes to music playback, but neither are they the best. Listening to The Beach Boys' God Only Knows, it's the lyrics that will hit you rather than any depth or detail from the music itself.
Switch over to something bassy such as The Beatles' Come Together and, well, the bass isn't really there. It's all perfectly functional and not a jot more. It's hard to wax-lyrical about the Oppo Enco Air's audio quality when it simply 'just works'.
However, that does at least mean the Oppo Enco Air don’t sound particularly weak, either. They’re solidly middle-of-the-road – your music will sound fine, just don’t expect it to stir up much in the way of emotion.
On the plus side, while noise cancellation is lacking elsewhere, the Oppo Enco Air deliver crisp call quality, which is rather useful. It's down to the use of some clever AI that picks out vocals no matter how noisy your surroundings may be, and it does genuinely help.
Battery life and connectivity
- Up to 24 hours of battery life
- Bluetooth 5.2 support
- Up to 4 hours of playtime
Perfectly in keeping with the expectations from the Apple AirPods, the Oppo Enco Air will last about four hours of playback and up to 24 hours when combined with the charging case. Useful, if unremarkable then.
The standout point here is that thanks to USB-C connectivity, a 10-minute charge results in eight hours of playback. That's ideal if you often leave charging to the last minute before you head out.
Connectivity is solidly dependable, too, thanks to Bluetooth 5.2 support. We didn’t experience any issues with dropouts or unreliability in my time with the Oppo Enco Air.
Should I buy the Oppo Enco Air?
Buy them if...
You're on a budget
Perfectly priced for those on a budget who still want to feel they have AirPods, the Oppo Enco Air do the job at a low price.
You're an occasional user of earbuds
If you use multiple different earphones for different purposes, these are your low-risk pair – the pair for the odd walk or your commute, rather than for using in a dedicated fashion for extended periods of time.
You forget to recharge often
Regularly forget to stick your earbuds on charge? Fast-charging functionality means you won't be caught out here.
Don't buy them if...
You want great sound quality
The Oppo Enco Air aren't for audiophiles. Hardly surprising at this price. The Enco Air are better suited to users who want earbuds that look good and work.
You want wireless charging
Want the convenience of placing a charging case on a wireless pad? You'll need to spend more for the privilege.
You can afford to spend more
The Oppo Enco Air are fine for the price, but if you can afford to spend more then you should. You'll gain many extra features as a result.
- Looking for more? Check out our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds
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