The Poco Buds X1 is an intriguing addition to the wireless earbud market, blending advanced features with a sleek design. In this review, I’ll share my views on the various aspects of the Poco Buds X1, including design, audio quality, noise cancellation, connectivity, battery life, and the overall user experience.
1. Design and Build
The Poco Buds X1 comes in a classic Titanium color, giving it a modern and premium look. The earbuds are compact weighing just 4.2 grams. This lightweight design ensures comfort during extended wear. The charging case, which holds the earbuds weighs around 38.5 grams with the earbuds inside.
The plastic build quality feels solid, and the earbuds fit snugly in the ear. The case is equally well-constructed, featuring a Type-C charging port for fast and efficient charging. It also features a physical button for Bluetooth pairing. There is a pill-shaped LED available on the front of the case. The IP54 rating means the earbuds are resistant to dust and water splashes, making them suitable for various environments and weather conditions.
2. Audio Quality and Noise Cancellation
One of the standout features of the Poco Buds X1 is its 12.4mm dynamic titanium drivers. These drivers deliver clear highs, deep bass, and well-defined mids. Being a budget-friendly offering, the Buds X1 support SBC and AAC codecs. While they may not offer the advanced audio features found in higher-end models, they deliver solid performance for everyday listening.
The POCO Buds X1 features Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) with a maximum reduction of 40dB. The experience of using ANC with these earbuds is generally positive. In Noise Cancellation mode, the earbuds effectively reduce ambient noise, allowing you to enjoy your music or podcasts without the interference of external sounds. This is particularly useful in noisy environments such as public transportation or busy streets.
Transparency mode, on the other hand, lets you hear your surroundings while still listening to audio. This is beneficial for situations where situational awareness is important, like when walking in an area with heavy traffic. Switching between ANC and Transparency modes is straightforward with the touch controls, though it might take a moment to adjust to the change in audio environment.
The Poco Buds X1 also excels in handling wind noise, thanks to the Dual Mic AI Noise Reduction and Xiaomi’s Anti-Wind Noise Algorithm. During outdoor use, the earbuds managed to minimize wind interference effectively. Even at moderate wind speeds of up to 6m/s, the call quality remained clear with minimal wind distortion. This feature enhances the usability of the earbuds in various weather conditions, ensuring that calls are intelligible, and your audio experience is not overly affected by wind noise.
3. Connectivity and Battery Life
The Poco Buds X1 uses Bluetooth 5.3, which provides a stable connection and efficient power usage. It supports Google Fast Pair, making it easy to connect them to compatible devices quickly. Apart from this, users can make use of the physical Bluetooth button for pairing.
The earbuds do not support dual device connection, which means you can only pair them with one device at a time. This limitation might be inconvenient for users who frequently switch between multiple devices.
The battery performance of the Poco Buds X1 is commendable. With ANC turned off and the volume set to 50% while using AAC, the earbuds can last up to 7 hours on a single charge. The charging case extends this to up to 36 hours of total playback time. When ANC is enabled, the earbuds provide up to 4.5 hours of playback, with the case offering up to 22 hours.
For phone calls, you can expect up to 4.5 hours of usage with ANC off and 3.5 hours with ANC on. The charging times are efficient, with the earbuds taking about 1 hour to charge fully and the case requiring around 2 hours. The fast charge feature is quite handy, providing up to 2 hours of usage with just a 10-minute charge.
4. Controls and App Support
The Poco Buds X1 lacks support for in-ear detection as it lacks the necessary sensors for it. Hence, users will rely have to rely on the touch controls for play / pause, which can be done by a double tap on the earbuds. A triple tap skips to the next song, and pressing and holding either earbud switches between ANC or Transparency modes. These controls are responsive and easy to use, although some users might find the touch sensitivity a bit too high or low depending on their preferences.
You can also pair the earbuds with the Xiaomi Earbuds App for additional customization. This app allows you to adjust touch controls and enable the voice assistant feature, which is useful for hands-free operations. The Audio Effects feature in the app allows users to access presets, such as Standard, Enhance Treble, Enhance Bass, Enhance Voice, and Custom (customizable equalizer) for an enriched audio experience
5. Verdict
The Poco Buds X1 offers a balanced combination of features, performance, and design. The audio quality is good, and the ANC performance is commendable for its price range. Therefore, the Buds X1 is a strong contender in the mid-range wireless earbud market. However, a notable gripe is the lack of in-ear detection. If you’re looking for a reliable pair of earbuds that provide good sound quality and effective noise cancellation without breaking the bank, the X1 is worth considering.
Poco Buds X1 price in India
The Poco Buds X1 is priced at Rs. 1799 in India. It is available for purchase via Flipkart.
Disclaimer: All of the opinions in this Poco Buds X1 hands-on review are mine and based on my own experiences. There has been no editorial input from Poco
