At the launch of the Oppo Find X8 series last November, Oppo also introduced their new earphones, the Enco X3i. The Oppo Enco X series is a flagship earphone by Oppo but the Enco X3i is a premium mid-range TWS. I had the opportunity to try the Oppo Enco X3i for myself for a few weeks and in this review article I will share some of my thoughts about it.
SPECIFICATIONS AND DESIGN
Oppo Enco X3i
Type In-ear Headphones
Audio Drivers 10.4 mm woofer + 6mm tweeter
Microphone 3x microphone
Auto pause sensor
58mAh earphone battery
520mAh frame
7 hours continuous
44 hours with charger
Bluetooth 5.3 tethering
Google Fast Pair
AAC, SBC, LHDC 5.0 codec
USB-C charging
10 Minutes for 2 Hours of Use
HeyMelody app support (for non-Oppo devices)
Touch Control
IP55 waterproof capability Earphones
Selling Price RM499
In terms of design, I really like the design of the Enco X3i. Furthermore, the Electric Blue color is not too prominent. One thing I don't like about the Enco X3i is the type of glossy finish used, because fingerprints are very easy to stick to, especially for people like me who sweat a lot. The USB-C connection on the Enco X3i is used for charging, there is a button in the charging pod to do tethering and an LED light to show the battery level.
In addition, the Enco X3i also has IP55 waterproof and dustproof support so there is no problem using it while doing sports activities. One of the things I like about the Enco X3i is that the touch feature on these earphones is very good and you just need to slide your finger up or down to adjust the audio volume. The connection can be made via Bluetooth 5.3 or via Google Fast Pair tethering.
AUDIO QUALITY
The Oppo Enco X3i comes with two different types of audio drivers, namely a 10.4mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter. Coupled with LHDC 5.0 codec support, the Enco X3i produces quite good sound when all these features are combined.
The audio quality produced by the Enco X3i has satisfied me. Before I used the Enco X3i, I was a user of the CMF Buds Pro 2 which focused on high bass. On the Enco X3i, the bass produced is at a sufficient level and not excessive. Every bass in the song can be heard without any problems.
I tried a lot with 'post-hardcore' genre songs, where the low bass in them can be heard clearly with the Enco X3i. If you feel that the bass produced is still not enough, there are Bass Boost and BassWave features in the HeyMelody application for a deeper beat.
If you are like me who likes Rock or Progressive Rock genre songs, you will definitely like the guitar sound produced by the Enco X3i which is quite melodious and not too loud. At high frequency sounds, the Enco X3i can do its job well without any broken sounds. The 'Sound Stage' is also quite wide where you can hear each instrument well from every direction and not clash with each other.
Like most TWS Premium out there, the Enco X3i also comes with ANC features, sound-permeable mode and additional features such as Golden Sound 2.0 and Oppo Alive Audio. I am a public transport user and I really like the noise cancellation feature on the Enco X3i because the ambient noise can be significantly reduced.
However, I recommend that you activate the smart noise cancellation feature according to the surrounding conditions. The sound-through mode is quite good, where I can hear the surrounding conditions clearly. One of the features that I don't like is Golden Sound 2.0 because the audio will be as if 'distorted' than it should be. Oppo Alive Audio also does not produce satisfactory spatial sound because I feel the spatial sound on the CMF Buds Pro 2 is more immersive.
APPLICATION
I tried this Enco X3i with a device from Oppo as well so I didn't need to download the HeyMelody application separately. Using the application for me is quite convenient. You can change the EQ in the Enco Master EQ through preset profiles. The ANC mode rate can also be selected in this application giving users more flexible control.
BATTERY
Oppo advertises this TWS as an audio product that can last up to 5.5 hours with LHDC, ANC or sound-through mode settings. When I tried it, these earphones could last for 6 hours with the same settings and this was an impressive experience.
If you want longer battery life you can use the AAC codec and turn off ANC. Through the charging pod, the battery rate can be extended to 28 hours. Charging is also quite good with only 10 minutes of charging you can get up to 7 hours of use.
CONCLUSION
Basically, the Oppo Enco X3i can provide good enough audio quality for many people. The entire audio from low to high frequencies can be heard clearly. However, some additional features on the Enco X3i do not have too much of an impact on the sound produced.
The build quality is also very beautiful and feels premium, comfortable enough to wear for a long period of time in accordance with the battery life. The Oppo Enco X3i is sold at a price tag of RM499 which is lower than the previous Enco X2 but at that price the Enco X3i competes closely with other brands such as Nothing Ear (a).
PROS AND ADVANTAGES
Attractive color choices
Good ANC performance
Produces good sound.
The touch feature is very responsive and useful.
CONS AND DISADVANTAGES
Glossy finish that gets dirty easily.
Less than satisfactory additional features.
Relatively high selling price.