So a few days ago, we have already uncovered the basic and fundamental designs that surround the OPPO ENCO Buds 2. Today, let us have a deeper look into what exactly the unit features have to offer. If any of you are interested to give our unboxing session regarding the device read, you may find the article through this LINK. So without any further ado, let us dive right into what OPPO ENCO Buds 2 has to offer.
CONTENTS
The OPPO ENCO Buds 2 came in a white box along with 2 pairs of silicone ear tips (large and small respectively), a set of warranty booklets, and a safety manual. Just a total of items including the unit itself.
RECAP: DESIGN
Being circular in shape, and weighing only 38g on hand (Each earbud weighing 4g while the charging case weighs 30g), the entire ENCO Buds 2 is comfortable to hold and wear. Composed of matte plastic, which is good to look at, but bears one weakness — While the design and structure itself are dust and fingerprint-proof, magnetic static that is usually generated through the friction of most matte plastics leads to one common problem: it attracts larger debris such as denim scarps and wool or tread shards alike. Not to mention it is not smudge-proof, so consistent cleaning is a must. But generally speaking, this aren’t a big issue at all, just make sure that you wipe and clean it from time to time.
FEATURES & PERFORMANCE
Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room. The OPPO ENCO Buds 2 wasn’t made with high-end functionality in mind, if you couldn’t tell by now it was made to fulfill the demand of the budgetary market. But even though that’s the fact the device still has a couple of charms that came with it.
Firstly, and most obviously, the ENCO Buds 2 has no Active Noice Cancelling function (ANC). Which is fair and common with its price tag. But! What distinguishes this device from most of the common wireless earbuds out there is the AI Noise Cancelling feature for phone calls. So whenever you make or receive a call with the earbuds on it will automatically dim the surrounding noises through the buds. This is one of the traits that compensates for the absence of ANC which is quite a niche touch.
Secondly, even without the ANC features available, let’s not forget that the ENCO Buds 2 works hand-in-hand with its companion app — HeyMelody. Leaving users to maintain access to some form of flexibility to a certain degree. So far, the available Enco Live sound effect that could work well with the ENCO Buds 2 is the Bass Boost mode and the Game mode.
Bass Boost
Since the OPPO ENCO Buds were built with 10 mm titanized diaphragm drivers, thus making the Bass Boost easily the highlight among the other modes. If you want a closer experience of the ANC feature, this is the mode for you. When this mode is active, the enhancing bass that comes with any tracks will overlap most of the exterior noise. I can approve of this as I usually travel by public transportation since the train is usually filled with all sorts of annoying noises. But with the Bass Boost mode active, the existing bass within the soundtracks could block out most of the unwanted sound. Is it perfect? No. But it’s still a good perk that the earbuds could offer, albeit in a rather unconventional method. But goes in line with the slogan “Small Size, Strong Bass” that OPPO emphasises. Of course, one must take into consideration that not all tracks have bass in the background so it will only work well with a certain selection of music and tracks.
Game Mode
If you’re a casual gamer this is your usual go-to. With the ENCO Buds 2’s existing binaural low-latency features, the game mode could sync and reduces game lags with no obstruction. Pairs it with the Bass Boost mode and you’ll have yourself the perfect gaming sound experience right at your disposal. Played a couple of rounds of COD Mobile with this mode on and I would say the performance is adequate. Fire shots and explosions can be heard clearly and I basically had a blast with it.
Clear Vocal
There is 1 more Enco Sound Effect available through the HeyMelody app but I would personally not recommend them, namely the Clear Vocal mode. As the title suggest this mode is used to enhance the vocal performance within the soundtrack, but when I was using the ENCO Buds 2 with this mode on, it only diminish the quality of the track by a slight margin. Why is it so? Because this mode compresses the instrumentals of the track in favour of the vocals. For some reason, the compression hindered the instruments to a point it felt like a knock-off stereo, while the vocal can be heard that’s for sure, but it rendered the entire experience a tat bit unbearable. So highly do not recommend switching this mode on.
Users could also customise their smart controls on the HeyMelody app as well. Such as track skips, volume adjustments, auto pairing and also, and camera control. You could definitely play around with the control mapping based on your touch and hold preference.
On a final note, the ENCO Buds 2 supports Bluetooth 5.2 and above, allowing usage for the majority of smartphones out in the wild when it comes to connectivity.
BATTERY
Bearing a 460 mAh battery within the charging case and 70 mAh for each earbud, the ENCO Buds could last for 28 hours long with the charging case, While the earbuds alone could withstand 7 hours of listening time with just a single charge and resulting in an average of 4 hours of listening time per day. Also, since the ENCO Buds 2 uses a USB-C port for charging, therefore it supports fast charging and typically a 10 minutes charge would result in an hour-long playback time. If a comparison were to be made, I’ll say it’s a noticeable improvement compared to its last-gen counterpart which is the OPPO ENCO Buds, which could only last for 24 hours with the charging case usage.
SPECIFICATION
| Product name | OPPO Enco Buds2 |
| Color | Moonlight |
| Model | ETE41 |
| Charging case model | ETE42 |
| Driver | 10 mm dynamic driver |
| Driver sensitivity | 101 dB @ 1k Hz |
| Frequency response range | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Bluetooth codec | AAC/SBC |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth range | 10 m |
| Battery type | Rechargeable Li-ion Cell |
| Battery capacity | 40 mAh (Earbuds) / 460 mAh (Charging Case) |
| Music play time (50% volume) | 7 h (single charge)/ 28 h (with Charging Case) |
| Communication time (50% volume) | 4 h (single charge)/ 16 h (with Charging Case) |
| Charging time | 90 min(Earbuds)/ 200 min( Earbuds + Charging Case) |
| Charging port | USB Type-C |
| Dust & water resistance (Earbuds) | IPX4 |
| Weight | 4.0 g/Earbud，30.0 g/Charging Case, 38.0 g/Product |
| Size (Charging Case) | 57 mm*57 mm*25.6 mm |
| Size (Earbud) | 35.2 mm*20.3 mm*23.3 mm |
| Size (Package) | 100 mm*100 mm*32 mm |
VERDICT
Having significant improvements compared to its previous generation, the OPPO ENCO Buds 2 does make a few things right when it comes to features and performance. However, the sound quality is rather still hit-and-miss depending again on what tracks you’re listening to. But since the unit is made for general usage and has a budgeted price tag in mind, some sacrifices are bound to happen on certain aspects of the device. But overall I would say it’s still a pleasant experience with the unit of you could look passed some of the flaws.
TL;DR :
Pros
- Battery life is similarly long-lasting life as midrange earbuds
- Remarkable bass enhancement
- Provide a certain extent of flexibility through HeyMelody
- Easy to clean
Cons
- It May feel generic and uninspired
If the unit somehow piques your interest, the device is available at RM129 on the OPPO official website or the official Lazada and Shopee stores.