This Isn’t OnePlus Buds 3?! 🤯 (OPPO Enco X3i Review)
If you’re wondering why the OPPO Enco X3i looks exactly the same as the OnePlus Buds3, that’s because it is the same product. No kidding. They use the same HeyMelody app, and have pretty much the same menu, spatial audio but with different names. There are some differences, though, and it depends on which platform you’re using.
Check out the EQ settings on iOS. The OPPO has only 4 EQ presets while the OnePlus has a richer set of sound settings to play with, like a BassWave mode which gives you quick control over how much bass you want, and you can even customize your own EQ graphically.
So they’re identical - almost, since the OnePlus has more features for sound. But why are they so similar? That’s because both the OnePlus and the OPPO brands are under the same umbrella company, BBK Electronics, one of China’s largest electronics manufacturers.
BBK Electronics Chart
But they’re for different markets. OnePlus is for the western market, and OPPO is for the Asian market. In fact, if you look at the portfolio of OnePlus and OPPO, you’ll see that many products are somewhat identical, but called by different names, like the Enco X3i and the OnePlus Buds3. But are they totally identical, or do they have some differences, like in sound, noise canceling, transparency and mic pickup?
Mic Quality Comparison
Their mic quality is pretty much the same level of goodness in quiet situations, and in noisy conditions, just as clean in the background with great voice filtering.
👉 Have a listen to the mic pickup samples.
(Mic pickup tested in both quiet and noisy conditions using really loud cafe noise and wind noise from a fan.)
Active Noise Cancelling Comparison
In terms of active noise canceling, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference, really. The OPPO seems to let in a bit more ambient noise, but the difference is so small, it could very well be coupling variances with the microphone rig.
Transparency Mode
Even in terms of transparency, they’re similar. They pass through just as much ambience in the midrange, and just as much of my own voice. Is it a good passthrough? Well, yes, if you need general awareness. But if I want to have a verbal exchange without feeling like my ears are blocked, it needs to amplify voices louder, and they don’t have a mode that focuses on voice passthrough either.
Sound Quality
In terms of sound quality, frequency sweeps on their default settings show that they’re both almost identical, but the OnePlus is a little more bass heavy. That's what I was hearing during the A-B testing. Somehow the OnePlus Buds3 sounded a little heavier, a little smoother, while the OPPO sounded a little more thin and tinny. It’s a very subtle difference, it took me a while playing different types of music to get a sense. But in general, they sounded very similar to each other in terms of soundstaging, track separation, and detail retrieval. Both are quite good.
Verdict
I think its spatial audio feels decently spread out without adding too much reverb or making the sound too diffused, so the tracks are still localizable.
About codecs, I’m a little disappointed that although they’re ‘hi-res’ wireless certified, the OPPO don’t support the more common LDAC codec. Only LHDC V3 which is more common on Chinese smartphones. For the rest of us, we’ll only have access to the regular AAC.
Although they’re so similar in performance, the OnePlus Buds3 definitely has its advantages over its brother from a different mother, the OPPO Enco X3i. Some would argue that the sound settings alone makes it a better choice, but if in your location, you could only buy the OPPO, you’re not going to lose out on much because I think the OPPO Enco X3i are great. Biggest reason to get them is their mic quality, but they also sound good, decently noise canceling, very thin and compact case which makes it easy to tote about.
If you want to check their latest prices on Amazon, links are below.
Check latest price:
OPPO Enco X3i - https://s.lazada.sg/s.cf0Xk?cc (Lazada Singapore)
OnePlus Buds3 - https://amzn.to/3UXCF53 (Amazon)
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