Best True Wireless (TWS) Earbuds around Rs 5,000 in India: From OnePlus Buds 3 to CMF Buds Pro 2

The true wireless earphones or TWS earbuds as they are commonly called, have become immensely popular in India and need no introduction. Their sound quality and battery backup have improved significantly over the years, and now, you get some incredible options in a modest budget of Rs 5,000 (give and take a couple of hundred Rupees). While the segment is packed with dozens of models, you need not look beyond these five options we have shortlisted for you today.

Best TWS earbuds around Rs 5,000 in India

OnePlus Buds 3

Price: Rs 4,499

What’s good about it:

- Energetic sound output, support for LHDC 5.0 codec
- Comfortable in-ear fit, IP55 dust and splash resistance
- Customisable sound and controls through companion app
- Smart implementation of volume control on the buds
- Wear detection, dual-pairing support
- Impressive call quality
- Good battery backup, supports fast charging
- Well priced

What’s not:

- No ingress protection for the charging case
- Smart noise cancellation is not very smart

The OnePlus Buds 3 is one of the best all-round options under 5K. It ticks a lot of boxes, be it sound quality, battery backup or even call quality. This stylish pair of TWS earbuds fit well and feel comfortable in the ears. You get smart touch controls that include slide gestures to change the volume or skip tracks. The companion app lets you customise the sound output to your liking using a 6-band equaliser and other features like the OnePlus Audio ID 2.0.

You get dual-drivers in each earbud that produce a loud and punchy sound output that is enjoyable across various genres of music. The Smart ANC may not be the smartest around but the Max mode does the job well. The call quality on the OnePlus Buds 3 is one of the best with good voice clarity and minimal background noise seeping through. The battery backup is quite strong too with the buds going on for 5.5 hours and 7 hours with and without ANC respectively, and 24 to 30 hours with the charging case.

EarFun Free Pro 3

Price: Rs 5,399

What’s good about it:

- Fun and energetic sound output
- Useful sound tweaks, configurable controls with volume control
- Support for aptX Adaptive codec
- Hi-Res Audio and Snapdragon Sound certified
- Compact and cool design, snug fit
- Dual pairing support, IPX5 rated splash resistant
- Good battery backup, supports wireless charging
- 18 months warranty

What’s not:

- Average transparency mode
- No wear detection sensors
- Touch controls tend to misbehave at times

Though selling for a little over 5K, the EarFun Free Pro 3 is packed with features that one does not expect to see in this budget. It also packs a punch when it comes to performance. These earbuds are quite compact and the same goes for its charging case that looks like a small bar of chocolate. This little package is Hi-Res Audio and Snapdragon Sound certified and supports aptX Adaptive codec too. The sound quality is excellent for the segment, after a few tweaks using the 10-band equaliser or a bunch of presets in the companion app.

Even better, the company shares the EQ config of its audio presets. So if you only need to make minor adjustments to a particular preset that you like, you can do so from the equaliser, rather than starting from scratch to recreate a similar sound profile, as is the case with most audio products. The battery life is good too, ranging between 5.5 to 6.75 hours for the buds and 23 to 28 hours with the charging case with and without ANC respectively. The case supports wireless charging too.

On the flipside, the ANC, though functional, is not the best in the segment, and the transparency mode sounds a bit cosmetic. Similarly, the environmental noise cancellation during calls needs a bit of improvement in noisy areas. Despite its shortcomings, the EarFun Free Pro 3 is an excellent pair of TWS earbuds for its competitive selling price. And you get 50 per cent extra warranty too as compared to the rest.  

Astell&Kern AK UW100MKII

Price: 4,999

What’s good about it:

- Clean and detailed sound output
- Built-in 32-bit AKM DAC
- Customisation through companion app on Android and iOS both
- Support for aptX Adaptive codec
- Unique design, sturdy build
- Dual pairing support, Ambient sound mode
- Good battery backup
- Great pricing for the sound quality

What’s not:

- No active noise cancellation
- Bulky earbuds and charging case
- In-ear fit is not the most reassuring
- Average call quality
- Temperamental touch controls

These Astell&Kern earbuds are a little different from the rest of the pack in more ways than one. On the flip side, this is the only product that does not offer ANC, but on the bright side, it offers plenty to compensate for it. Most importantly, the AK UW100MKII has the closest to neutral sound signature, not just in this budget but probably under Rs 10,000 too. If you truly like such a sound signature without any boosted bass, these $300 earbuds (at launch) are a steal under Rs 5,000.

In addition to great sound quality, you also get features like a built-in 32-bit AKM DAC, support for aptX Adaptive codec, dual pairing support and further customisations through the companion app. Though it lacks ANC, you do get an ambient sound mode that works well. The battery backup is pretty good too with the buds lasting for 8 hours and the case adding another 16 hours of playtime. If you rate detail in audio way higher than other features, the Astell&Kern AK UW100MKII is the product for you despite its shortcomings.

Realme Buds Air 5 Pro / 6 Pro

Price: Rs 3,499 (Air 5 Pro), Rs 4,999 (Air 6 Pro)

What’s good about it:

- Good sound quality after audio tweaks
- Support for LDAC codecs, Hi-Res wireless audio
- Excellent feature set for the segment
- Comfortable in-ear fit, wear detection sensors
- Impressive 50 db active noise cancellation
- Very good call quality, dual-pairing support
- IPX5 rated splash resistance
- Feature-rich companion app

What’s not:

- Battery backup on LDAC codec could have been better
- Fails to utilise the dual driver setup fully
- Average midrange performance

Realme Buds Air 5 Pro and Realme Buds Air 6 Pro are pretty much identical products. So if you find the former at a lower price (as is the case currently on the Croma web-store), simply go for it. In terms of features and performance, they are right up there with the OnePlus Buds 3 and flaunt dual drivers in each earbud. While the sound quality is comparable to the Buds 3, the ANC here is a little better, and these Realme buds also support LDAC codec, which is more readily supported than LHDC on the OnePlus.

The Realme Link app lets you customise the sound and controls, which is necessary to get the best out of these earbuds. After playing with the 6-band equaliser, the Realme Buds Air 5 Pro and 6 Pro deliver a crisp and enjoyable sound output. The 50 db ANC is arguably the best in the segment. The call quality is impressive too. Battery life ranges between 15 to 20 hours on LDAC codec, depending on the quantum of ANC usage. It jumps to 24 to 34 hours when using AAC codec. You get fast charging support too.

CMF (by Nothing) Buds Pro 2

Price: Rs 3,499

What’s good about it:

- Energetic sound output after a few tweaks
- Configurable sound and controls
- Configurable Smart Dial is a cool addition
- Dual-drivers, LDAC codec support
- Lightweight, comfortable in the ears
- Wear detection, dual pairing support
- Good battery backup on AAC codecs, fast charging
- Excellent value for money

What’s not:

- Average ANC and Transparency performance
- Battery life on LDAC codec needs to improve
- Dirac Opteo EQ doesn’t work with LDAC codec

If you don’t intend on blowing up close to 5K, the CMF Buds Pro 2, currently going for Rs 3,499, is what you should aim for. We rated them as one of the best budget TWS earbuds of 2024. Some of its features like dual-drivers and LDAC codec support are things you don’t even expect at this price point. Add to that - dual pairing, functional ANC, wear detection and a unique Smart Dial on the charging case to control certain functions of the product.

Most importantly, they sound good and the battery backup is quite solid. Features like Spacial Audio available in the companion app broaden the soundstage and enhance the overall experience. You get more audio presets and an equaliser in the app to create your own. All things considered, these earbuds from the Nothing sub-brand offer exceptional value for money and raise the bar in the budget TWS earbuds category.

Take your pick!