Oppo Enco Air 3: The Affordable True Wireless Earphones Redefining Budget Sound Quality

The selection of true wireless earbuds from Oppo stands out as one of the most formidable options available in the budget and mid-range category. This brand offers several products regarded as top-tier, attributed to its keen attention to aesthetics and cost-effectiveness. While brands like OnePlus, Realme, and JBL typically receive significant attention, I believe Oppo may very well hold the most impressive and competent range of products — particularly in the accessible segment for this type of device.

The newest addition to Oppo’s true wireless earphone series is the Enco Air 3, retailing for Rs. 2,999 in India. This model succeeds the Enco Air 2, maintaining a similar design philosophy, featuring a transparent charging case, an outer-ear fit, and weighing under 4g per earpiece. Is this the optimal true wireless earphone under Rs. 3,000 currently on the market? Read on to discover more in this review.

The charging case of the Oppo Enco Air 3 showcases a transparent lid and a USB Type-C port for charging.

Design and Features of Oppo Enco Air 3

True to its name, the Oppo Enco Air 3 is designed to be a lightweight true wireless headset. Like its predecessor, the Oppo Enco Air 2, the Air 3 features an outer-ear fit (no in-ear tips), ensuring comfort even during extended listening periods. The earpieces are available exclusively in a single hue, ‘glaze white,’ and are designed with a captivating translucent finish throughout the stems, which harmonizes with the transparent charging case lid.

The upper sections of the stems are touch-sensitive, allowing for customizable controls via the companion app. The earpieces are rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, and they bear no markings or logos.

What’s striking about the Oppo Enco Air 3 charging case is its distinct design, differing significantly from typical options in the budget true wireless category. The see-through lid allows for a full view of the earpieces, which do not ‘slot’ in but rather hold in place magnetically, effectively creating a ‘display’ of sorts. An indicator light situated just beneath the lid remains visible even when closed due to the case’s design, with the Oppo logo prominently featured on the front.

Located at the bottom of the case is the USB Type-C charging port, while the back presents a less pleasant aesthetic due to regulatory text. The Oppo Enco Air 3 does not offer features such as wireless charging or active noise cancellation, but it does support some app-based functionalities, including multi-point connectivity for connecting to two devices simultaneously.

Specifications and App for Oppo Enco Air 3

Similar to other models from Oppo, the Enco Air 3 integrates with the Bluetooth settings of selected Oppo and OnePlus smartphones. For all other devices, the HeyMelody app is accessible on both Android and iOS, which also supports the Enco Air 3.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 is a budget-friendly true wireless headset lacking many features, making its app focus primarily on basic functionalities. Users can check the battery levels of both the earpieces and charging case, utilize three equalizer presets, enable Oppo Alive Audio for spatial sound (restricted to compatible audio apps and formats), activate game mode for low-latency audio, toggle dual connections, and customize touch controls extensively.

The earpieces of the Oppo Enco Air 3 are IP54 rated for dust and water protection.

The touch controls are comprehensive, allowing users to manage playback, volume, access the default voice assistant, and activate game mode entirely from the headset. I preferred deactivating the single-tap function to minimize accidental taps, which naturally limited my control options, but you can find a setup that suits your preferences.

Equipped with 13.4mm dynamic drivers, the Oppo Enco Air 3 boasts a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz and a driver sensitivity rating of 125dB. Connectivity is facilitated through Bluetooth 5.3, supporting SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. Notably, the sales package includes only the earphones and charging case; the absence of a charging cable might be inconvenient for some users.

Performance and Battery Life of Oppo Enco Air 3

Navigating the positioning of Oppo’s budget true wireless earphones can be slightly convoluted, particularly when assessing how the Oppo Enco Air 3 distinguishes itself from the more economical Enco Buds 2, raising questions regarding the justification for the higher price. However, the Air 3 redeems itself through solid performance, especially considering the diminishing presence of outer-ear fitting true wireless earphones.

For this evaluation, I primarily connected the Oppo Enco Air 3 to an Android smartphone, utilizing multi-point connectivity to pair with an iPhone for calls simultaneously. This functionality operated seamlessly, without any degradation in audio quality, as the headset utilized the AAC Bluetooth codec for music playback on both devices.

Like most earphones with this type of fit, the audio experience can vary based on how you position the earpieces — even a minor adjustment in angle can impact sound quality. However, the variations were less pronounced than I’ve experienced with many other models featuring this design, with only the bass intensity adjusting if I tilted the earpieces inward.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 delivers impressive loudness and maintains sound clarity across various volume settings.

With a loose fit, I found the overall sound quality of the Oppo Enco Air 3 to be commendable. The sub-bass frequencies impressed for this type of earphone, while there was a good degree of detail evident in the rhythmic beats of “Paper Cranes” by Andrew Bayer.

However, the mid-bass frequencies did come off as somewhat flat, lacking a certain aggressiveness; nonetheless, the audio remained engaging and well-balanced overall. The sonic presentation is relatively even, offering a decent mix of intensity and clarity, aligning closely with the expectations from a headset within this price range.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 boasts a sensitivity rating of 125dB, making them notably loud. This outer-ear fit allows for a considerable amount of ambient noise, a reason many opt for such designs; however, moderate volume levels are sufficient to mask most surrounding sounds.

Lowering the volume below 50 percent provides a better balance between audio and ambient sound, particularly indoors. That said, the audio remained clear, fairly detailed, and enjoyable across most volume levels, with distortion becoming audible only at extremely high, potentially unsafe volumes.

Herein lies the strength of the Oppo Enco Air 3 — it merges the advantageous outer-ear fit and the ability for natural ambient awareness, alongside sound quality and levels you’d typically expect from in-canal earphones. The sizable drivers are effectively tuned, resulting in a user-friendly and pleasurable listening experience across different volume levels.

Call quality was satisfactory in both indoor and outdoor environments, with environmental noise cancellation effectively highlighting voice clarity in various settings. The game mode provided a slight latency reduction for mobile gaming, albeit with a minor compromise on sound quality.

Battery performance for the Oppo Enco Air 3 is adequate, considering the earphones’ size, weight, and present features. Each earpiece offers approximately five hours of playback on a single charge, with the charging case providing three additional full charges, leading to a total usage time nearing 20 hours per complete charging cycle.

Conclusion

The latest true wireless headset from Oppo presents a compelling proposition for a unique reason — it merges excellent design and comfort with audio that is both loud and clear, aligning well with expectations for earbuds priced under Rs. 3,000. Maintaining lower volume levels allows for awareness of your surroundings, yet the earphones possess enough power to overpower ambient sounds, despite the semi-open fit.

While active noise cancellation is absent, practical features like multi-point connectivity and comprehensive touch control customization through the user-friendly app partially compensate for this limitation. The Oppo Enco Air 3 is an overall strong contender in terms of both design and performance at its price, but if aesthetics are less important to you and you’re comfortable with in-ear fits, alternatives such as the OnePlus Nord Buds and Oppo Enco Buds 2 offer comparable quality for a lower price.