Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Hands-On

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro has just been launched in the Philippines. It boasts an advanced triple-driver system, enhanced noise cancellation, and high resolution audio.

Other highlights include extended battery life and durable design. We managed to get a pair, so we’re taking one of Xiaomi’s latest premium offerings for a quick hands-on review.

Box Content & Design

Out of the box, users will find the case, a manual, a charging cable, and ear tips. Half of the case has a metallic finish, while the other is made with what feels like polycarbonate material.

While the case does feel premium, we’re not fans of the chrome-like finish. This is because it’s fairly easy to smudge them, plus it’s scratch-prone as well.

Users will also see an LED notification light on the front just below the Xiaomi branding. On the bottom, we have its pairing button, USB Type-C port for charging, and a HARMAN AudioEFX logo.

Once you pop the case open, you’re greeted with the buds. It deviates a bit from the usual kind of charging nest that buds are situated in. The buds themselves have magnets that just cling onto the case.

In addition, the buds have a surface on the stem that works as pinch controls. Users can find two microphones on both sides of the stem, and another mic found near the earpiece.

The buds leverage what seems like similar materials to the case. However, only part of the stem going up to the earpiece has a chrome finish instead.

App, Sound Quality, & ANC

Prior to using the buds, we downloaded the Xiaomi Earbuds app. It automatically appears just by connecting your earbuds via Bluetooth. This was very straightforward, taking just about two minutes to set up.

The app gives users more control to make use of the buds’ features. This includes its battery monitor, noise cancellation profiles, and gesture controls.

Funnily enough, it won’t be an issue should you lose your user manual. It’s available for viewing at any time you’re using the app. I should also note that if a user wants to update firmware for the buds, a Xiaomi account is required.

Once set up and in the ear, the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro feels snug and comfy. I never changed the tips, but they’re soft yet firm enough to provide a good seal. It isn’t heavy on the ears too, which should make it a good workout tool. This is only complemented by its IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance.

As for sound quality, the buds are equipped with an 11mm dual-magnetic driver, a ceramic tweeter, and a planar driver. This delivers a frequency range of 15-50kHz, offering rich bass, clear mids, and crisp highs.

Not only that, the buds support high resolution audio with 48kHz/24-bit lossless audio streaming. These were certified by Snapdragon Sound and HARMAN AudioEFX, which suggests great sound reproduction.

We’ve been able to use the buds in tandem with our phones and laptops. They’ve been great to use for streaming music, videos, and even gaming.

Its default balanced profile provides a full and rich sound with great highs. However, I noticed that the bass overpowers the vocals by just a bit. This is complemented by its impressive noise cancellation.

In detail, the buds can reduce ambient noise by up to 55dB. It was able to suppress my running fan and cars on the road. Plus, if a user doesn’t worry about switching through profiles, it offers a toggle for adaptive noise cancellation.

This automatically adjusts the depth of the noise cancellation feature based on your environment. It also offers variations for transparency mode, which give users options to either enhance voice or ambient sound.

Pricing & Conclusion

Wrapping up, the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro is rated for up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge. This can go up to 40 hours with its charging case.

We’ve yet to run tests on the buds as this is just a quick hands-on, but battery life looks promising so far.

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro is slated to be a well-rounded offering so far. Looking back, my only gripe so far for the buds is its adoption of a chrome finish. Then again, this is subjective.

Looking past that, we have buds with crisp sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and good battery life. For those interested, the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro retails for PHP 9,599. These are available for purchase through Xiaomi’s online stores and authorized retailers nationwide.