You have to admit, much like the smartphone market, the true wireless stereo earbuds one is getting saturated too.
Having tried a few from several different brands, it’s hard for me to really find major differences or make-or-break deals between each one. Overall, I’m pleased with the quality of many on the market, and this time, I got the opportunity to see if the newly launched Oppo Enco X could hold a candle to them.
Cute & Compact
First off, we need to address the way it looks, of course. It’s similar to the design of the popular Airpods Pro, which I’m not particularly opposed to.
It fits well in my ears for the most part, but I noticed something particular to me. Any wireless earbuds with a stem tend to eventually weigh on my ear canals and bring about a minor, dull ache. I experienced this with the Sudio Ett too.
But because the Enco X earbuds actually only weigh 4.8g each, I’d say it’s more of a me problem.
The case itself is very compact and easy to slip into pockets, and its design makes it convenient to open with one hand, which I always appreciate.
In terms of the stems’ functionality, I found controlling the volume by sliding my finger up or down to be something new that I’d never experienced before.
While easy to use, I felt that this method was a little unrefined, as the stems didn’t seem to respond that easily or accurately to my gestures. In the end, it was much easier to just toggle the volume on my device itself.
The Enco X would of course pair the best with an Oppo phone, but Android users can opt to have similar control over the earbuds through an app called HeyMelody.
Control options for the Enco X are as follows:
- Double tap – play/pause, previous, or next;
- Triple tap – voice assistant;
- Slide control – volume or switch track;
- Touch and hold (1 second) – transparency and noise cancellation;
- Long touch and hold (3 seconds with a beep) – switch devices.
Via HeyMelody, I could also easily update the earbuds software and see the battery levels for each earbud and the case.
One thing missing from this app is the ability to control the equaliser or make customisations to your music routines, features that someone who routinely uses wireless earbuds would come to expect by now.
Outstanding Audio Performance
The Enco X’s audio quality was where I was most impressed. To be honest, I was expecting subpar quality, though my biases were unjustified since I’ve never tried a single Oppo audio product.
One of the things I’m most particular about when it comes to earbuds is their bass quality. The Enco X got a pass in this department with its ability to deliver pretty rich bass notes.
At the same time, its treble quality didn’t sound metallic or sharp. The only thing I noticed was that when there was too much going on in a song, the treble and bass notes become less distinct, leading to a slightly “muddy” sound.
Noise cancellation on these was pretty great, and there was definitely a difference with it on and off. I’m the sort to prefer having it always on, which means sacrificing battery life.
That being said, I would still get a good few hours of non-stop music before needing to place the earbuds back into their case.
VP Verdict
In all, the Enco X made for a very enjoyable audio experience, and it’s something I would definitely reach for again. Compact, simple in design yet packing in audio quality, it’s a good bundle that would serve well and make a nice gift.
Taking a look at some of Oppo’s other wireless earbuds, they’ve had prices from RM369 to RM499, but the Enco X is on the higher end with a price tag of RM699.
For the quality it offers, I can’t really argue with the price tag, but if made to choose between the Enco X and the slightly older Samsung Galaxy Buds+ (RM599), I’d pick the latter as it also performs well.
The only real dealbreaker for me would be how incompatible it is with Apple products. It connects fast to my Samsung Galaxy S20 and the A72, but my iPhone 6s was totally unable to detect it for whatever reason. To add, Apple users would pretty much have little to no control over the earbuds’ controls, which is something that consumers have come to expect by now.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great audio quality for treble and bass | Volume control on the stems feels less refined |
| Compact case and decently comfortable earbuds | No full control over the earbuds controls via a proper app |
| Good noise cancellation | Bad compatibility with Apple products |
VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion into our Facebook page.
