Realme Buds Air 6: Affordable ANC Earbuds with Competitive Battery Life, But Comfort Lags Behind

Realme Buds Air 6 fully wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds were unveiled last month in a new Royal Violet color, joining the original Flame Silver and Forest Green options released in May. Our review unit features the classic silver variant. These earbuds boast 12.4mm drivers, support for the LHDC audio codec, and can deliver up to 50dB of active noise cancellation (ANC). When combined with the charging case, these TWS earbuds claim to provide up to 40 hours of playback time without ANC. Do they actually fulfill this promise? Let’s delve into that and more in the review below.

Realme Buds Air 6 Design and Features: Portable yet Uncomfortable

• Weight — 46g
• Water and dust protection — IP55 (Buds only)
• Colors — Flame Silver, Forest Green, Royal Violet

The Realme Buds Air 6 features a conventional in-ear design with a rounded stem. They come with silicone ear tips available in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The medium size provided the best fit for me, but even then it wasn’t perfect. While they don’t physically fall out, prolonged usage can lead to significant discomfort. For instance, after a couple of hours of continuous wear, some discomfort and pain may occur.

The fit is not ideal for long-time, continuous usage

The earbuds are stored vertically in their respective slots within the case, as the charging connectors are located at the base of each stem. Conversely, the touch control sensors are positioned on the upper side of the stem. The earbuds also feature a dual-tone design and have an IP55 rating for resistance against dust and splashes.

The magnetic charging case, which lacks an IP rating, is equipped with a USB Type-C port at the bottom, alongside the pairing button. A connectivity indicator LED light is located at the front. The pebble-shaped case resembles the design of the Buds Air 6 Pro and several other TWS models available today. While some may consider this design to be overused, I think it has gained popularity for valid reasons. Weighing 46g, the case is compact and easy to carry along with the earbuds. However, it’s worth noting that the charging case is not rated for dust and splash resistance.

Realme Buds Air 6 App and Specifications: User-Friendly and Detailed

• Driver — 12.4mm
• Companion App — Realme Link
• Gesture controls — Yes

The Realme Buds Air 6 is compatible with the Realme Link companion app, which is straightforward and user-friendly. In addition to displaying the battery percentage for both the earbuds and the charging case, one of the first features you’ll see is the ANC settings—on, off, and transparency modes. The app also enables users to select from EQ presets like Serenade, Original Sound, Pure Bass, and Deep Bass, and allows customization through a six-band equalizer.

Other features in the Realme Link app let users enhance bass and volume or decrease latency with the Game Mode. Touch commands such as double tap, triple tap, and press-and-hold can also be personalized through the app. Users can enable or disable in-ear detection as well. The MindFlow mode provides 11 pre-set mood sounds that assist with meditation, concentration, or sleep.

The Realme Link app allows users to manage the ANC levels

The Realme Buds Air 6 features IP55-rated earbuds, designed to deliver up to 50dB of ANC. Each earbud is equipped with 12.4mm drivers and six microphones. The TWS earbuds are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 and support AAC, SBC, and LDHC audio codecs. They also support Google Fast Pair and offer a low latency gaming mode at 55ms. Each earbud has a 58mAh battery, while the charging case, which also has a USB Type-C port, houses a 460mAh battery.

Realme Buds Air 6 Performance and Battery Life: Adequate for the Price

• ANC — 50dB
• Battery — 58mAh (Earbud), 460mAh (Case)
• Bluetooth — v5.3

The Realme Buds Air 6 provides satisfactory ANC with various modes and levels available. Similar to the Buds Air 6 Pro, these earbuds enable users to select from Max, Moderate, and Mild ANC modes. Each name corresponds to the intensity of noise cancellation. There’s also a Smart mode that analyzes surrounding noise levels and automatically adjusts the ANC strength. It effectively reduces most household noise, except for very soft background sounds like fan hum. However, the voice assistant that announces each mode change can be somewhat distracting or even irritating.

At the Max ANC setting, there’s a slight impact on sound quality. The single 12.4mm driver in each earbud tends to produce a bass-heavy audio experience. Initially, the mids and highs can feel somewhat indistinct. The added ANC tends to suppress a detailed sound profile. Still, the prominent bass keeps you engaged during upbeat tracks, making you less aware of the sound’s lack of clarity.

However, slower tracks like «Cola» by Arlo Parks and «Jungle» by Tash Sultana more readily expose this lack of definition. This doesn’t ruin the casual listening experience entirely. Most bass-heavy genres like rock, pop, EDM, or even good old podcasts are bearable with these earbuds. Games such as BGMI or Call of Duty: Warzone function smoothly with low latency mode activated.

The earbuds have the charging connectors placed on the base of the stems

Regarding connectivity, as with the Pro version, the Realme Buds Air 6 do not support dual device connections, yet they include Google Fast Pair, Bluetooth 5.3, and support for SBC, AAC, and LHDC audio codecs. They can conveniently connect to any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, or laptop. When using the LHDC codec, it’s best to stay close to the paired device to maintain a stable connection.

Unfortunately, the six-microphone system in the Realme Buds Air 6 fails to deliver a satisfactory calling experience. In similar conditions, competing earbuds provided clearer voice call quality. The Buds Air 6 produce slightly distorted and faint audio during calls.

Battery life for the Realme Buds Air 6 nearly meets the advertised 40 hours. With ANC disabled and listening via AAC at 60 percent volume, I achieved a total playback time of 39 hours and 20 minutes with both the case and earbuds. With LHDC enabled and ANC off, the earbuds alone offered nearly eight hours per single charge, which decreased to four hours with Max ANC active.

In the box, the earphones are packed with S, M and L-sized silicone eartips

Realme Buds Air 6: Conclusion

For Rs. 3,299, the Realme Buds Air 6 presents a suitable option for those seeking TWS earbuds with reasonable ANC capabilities and a fairly strong battery life. They are better suited for short usage sessions throughout the day, such as during travel or between classes, rather than extended use. Given the modern need to continually charge multiple devices daily, the impressive nearly 40-hour battery life of these earbuds is a refreshing feature.

However, for the same price, you might also consider the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro Review, which offer a more comfortable fit and an overall superior audio experience.

If your budget allows for some flexibility, consider the CMF Buds Pro 2, which includes dual drivers, up to 50dB of ANC, and a battery life extending up to 43 hours. They also support features integrated with ChatGPT via the Nothing X app.