OPPO Enco Air3 Pro Review – Premium Features on a Budget

Looking for a TWS buds with ANC that doesn’t break the bank? Consider checking out this OPPO Enco Air3 Pro review before making a decision.

A few weeks ago, OPPO released the device here in the Philippines. For full disclosure, they sent a unit over for me to check out. Everything that I will write about the product, though, will be my honest, unbiased opinion. Hopefully, this OPPO Enco Air3 Pro review will give you enough information for you to decide if you want to buy it or not.

What’s Inside the Box

Before we get to the review itself, let’s check out what it comes with out-of-the-box. To be honest, we’re not expecting anything special on the unboxing experience. Aside from the buds itself, it also comes with the user guide, USB Type-A to USB Type-C charging cable, and some extra ear tips in different sizes.

Design

At first glance, OPPO’s new TWS buds share some similarities with the design of Apple’s AirPods Pro. They also come in two colorways: White, and Green (which is what we have). I’m not sure if it has the same materials used on the other shell as most of the buds in the market, but it does feel similar. It also has an L and R cutoff to differential the left from the right, which I personally like. Paint comes off over time, so a cutoff was a very smart design choice.

The charging case has a similar shape as some of its competitors, which is actually not a bad thing. This compact shape has always been convenient to carry in any pocket. Don’t fix it if it’s not broke, I always say. But to set it apart from the others in terms of design, its top part is transparent which is visually appealing to me.

Comfort

Now the buds are actually quite comfortable to use. Personally, I prefer those in-ear types, but I definitely enjoy using these. Its extra ear tips are also able to accommodate different ear size. The default tip already fits snugly in my ear and is actually quite stable. I tried using it while walking, jogging, and even while taking a quick ride on my bike, and it hasn’t fallen off yet. I even tried shaking it off my head with no success. It’s also important to note the device is noticeably lighter than its competitors. This is thanks to its innovative bamboo-fiber diaphragm dome. It not only provides quality sound, but also shave some of its weight, which ultimately leads to better comfort.

Audio Quality

Speaking of which, this OPPO Enco Air3 Pro review won’t be complete if we don’t talk about the audio quality. And it’s surprisingly very good. It has a balanced sound profile that I personally like. It has pronounced highs and mids, and has a not too loud bass. Bassheads who want a very loud bass can adjust it in the settings, but I think they would enjoy other products more.

These buds also support LDAC. I use to enjoy listening to hi-res music via this codec on my Sony XM4, so I was a bit surprised that it is supported on this device. And it does sound amazingly good while listening to my FLAC tracks. The downside to this codec though is that it is only available on Android 8.0 and newer. This means you can’t enjoy this codec if you’re on iPhone, or a much older version of Android.

OPPO Alive Audio is the company’s own version of Spatial Audio. This mode aims to give you a more immersive audio experience. In my experience of it, it makes the audio louder and does expand the soundstage, but only a little bit. The small difference is noticeable though, at lease on my ears. And I do admit that I enjoyed it on.

My favorite of all its features though is Golden Sound 2.0. It performs a scan of your ear canal, perform a hearing test, and then you can get a hearing compensation plan that is tailored to you. Now I actually have a minor problem with my hearing from my previous checkup. My doctor found out that I now have trouble hearing certain high tones at low volumes. This feature actually compensated it and I immediately noticed the difference while listening to Stairway to Heaven.

Noise Cancellation

Another selling point of the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro is probably its Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The brand claims that it supports up to 49dB of ANC. Unfortunately, I can’t test it if this is true with my current equipment right now so we’ll just take it with a grain of salt. I will say that the noise cancellation is pretty good despite its affordability. It’s not as good as my XM4’s, but those were some pricey buds. Transparency Mode is as you would expect, it’s not as good as some buds in the market but still decent. You can clearly hear the ambient sounds around you as you listen to music, which is important to prevent accidents when taking a stroll.

It also has noise cancellation features that improves call quality. Its Wind Noise Cancellation Algorithm suppresses wind noise. This way you can enjoy clear calls as well as listening to music, even in windy environments. The Dual-Mic AI Noise Cancellation Algorithm also effectively reduces ambient noise in a variety of scenarios.

Connectivity

Like most TWS buds, the Enco Air3 Pro’s connection to your smartphone is pretty great. I haven’t really experienced any sudden disconnections. It also feature ultra-low latency which can be used exclusively on Game Mode. The device also supports Google Fast Pair which enables it to quickly and effortlessly pair with your phone. Lastly, it supports Dual Connection. This means you can connect it to two devices at once, saving you the hassle of switching between devices manually. This was convenient when I was listening to music on my phone, then switched to watching videos on my tablet.

User Experience

Aside from Google Fast Pair and Dual Connection, there are other features that help enhance its user experience. These features can be accessed when you install the HeyMelody app. You can then setup earbud controls to make it more personal. Another feature is the earbud fit test. This makes sure you have the right ear tip for improved noise cancelling. Lastly, it also have a Find My Earbuds feature in the off chance that you lose one or both of the buds. It’s important to note though that this feature will not work if the buds are inside the closed charging case and not currently connected to your phone.

For protection, the buds have an IP55 rating. This means its dust and water resistant. You won’t be able to submerge it in water, but you can wear it on mild rain showers and during workouts.

Battery Life and Charging

To top off this OPPO Enco Air3 Pro review, well talk about its battery life. Battery life is pretty decent actually. I got about of 3-4 hours of listening time with LDAC enabled. To be hounest I can get more playback time with some of the other buds I’ve tried. The upside though is its charging case can provide a lots of juice. The charge on the case hasn’t been drained yet after using it for a couple of days. It also recharges the buds fast. On paper, it can provide 2 hours of battery life with only 10 minutes of charge time. The charging case can be charged via its USB Type-C port. Though I wish it supported wireless charging.

Verdict

Overall, the Enco Air3 Pro has a great simple and compact design. It has a well-balanced audio quality with a pretty decent active noise cancelation to boot. It comes with a fair price tag, not cheap but not too overpriced either. Would I recommend it? Yes, definitely.

The OPPO Enco Air3 Pro is priced at PHP 5,499 which is not that bad considering all the smart features that comes with it. If you are interested in getting the device, it is available in all authorized OPPO stores nationwide. You can also get it online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, links below.

OPPO Enco Air3 Pro Specifications