I used the OPPO Enco Air 3 Pro almost every day for nearly two years. For me, and for a lot of people shopping under Rs 5,000, it was simply the pair that sounded right. So when the Enco Air 5 Pro showed up after a three-year wait, I wanted to know one thing: does it carry that legacy forward? I have used it for about ten days now, and this is my honest take.
Here is the short version. The Air 5 Pro is a better product than the Air 3 Pro in almost every way you can measure. Stronger ANC, a much better mic, far longer battery, more features. But the single thing that made the Enco Air line special, its balanced and natural sound, is the one thing OPPO changed. Whether that bothers you is what this whole review comes down to.
Quick verdict: The OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro (Rs 4,999) is one of the most complete pairs of earbuds under Rs 5,000 right now: punchy 55dB ANC, an excellent mic, deep clean bass, and battery that just keeps going. The catch is the sound. It has moved from the Air 3 Pro’s balanced signature to a bass-forward tuning, so audio purists will miss the old character. Want a fun, bassy all-rounder? Buy it. Want the most balanced sound for the money? Look at the OnePlus Buds 4 or Realme Buds Air 8.
Oppo Enco Air5 Pro True Wireless in-Ear Earbuds with 12mm Dynamic Driver and 55dB ANC with Hi-Res Audio with LHDC 5.0, 54Hrs Playtime,Low Latency,Fast...Limited time deal₹ 7,999₹ 4,999Amazon.in
Oppo Enco Air5 Pro True Wireless in-Ear Earbuds with 12mm Dynamic Driver and 55dB ANC with Hi-Res Audio with LHDC 5.0, 54Hrs Playtime,Low Latency,Fast...Limited time deal₹ 7,999₹ 4,999Amazon.inWhat actually changed from the OPPO Enco Air 3 Pro
The Air 3 Pro launched in July 2023 and stayed the budget sound king for a long time. The Air 5 Pro upgrades almost everything around the sound, and changes the sound itself. Here is the side-by-side.
Spec Enco Air 3 Pro (2023) Enco Air 5 Pro (2026) Driver 12.4mm bamboo-fibre 12mm titanium-coated Hi-Res codec LDAC LHDC 5.0 ANC 49dB / up to 4,000Hz 55dB / up to 5,000Hz Bluetooth 5.3 6.0, dual-device Mics 2 3 (AI noise reduction) Battery (buds / case) ~7h / ~30h ~7-8h / ~36-40h Volume on touch No Yes (swipe) Price Rs 4,999 Rs 4,999
The driver is the part that matters most. The Air 3 Pro used a bamboo-fibre diaphragm, and that is a big reason it sounded so natural and open. The Air 5 Pro swaps that for a titanium-coated driver and a different tuning. Everything else here is a clear win for the new model. The sound is the trade-off, and I will get to it.
Design, build and comfort
In the hand, the OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro feels premium. The case is smaller and chunkier than before, and this time OPPO went with a matte finish instead of glossy. That is a smart move. My Air 3 Pro’s glossy translucent lid started looking dusty and old after a couple of years, and matte ages far better. The matte black does pick up smudges and can feel a little slippery, but I will take that over a tired-looking case.
You get black and white, as usual. The case now has a proper Bluetooth pairing button, which the Air 3 Pro never had. Small thing, but useful.
Comfort is where it quietly shines. The buds are smaller and lighter, so the fit is better than the Air 3 Pro and easily the most comfortable I have used under Rs 5,000. They hold firmly enough that they never slipped during runs or at the gym, and the IP55 rating means sweat and light rain are not a worry. Compared to the Realme Buds Air 8 or the CMF Buds series, this is the nicer pair to actually wear for hours.
Sound quality: good, but not the old OPPO
This is the section I care about most, so I will be straight with you.
The Air 3 Pro was special because it was balanced. Back then, the realme and OnePlus budget buds leaned bass-heavy, and OPPO went the other way: clean mids, real detail, a wide soundstage, the kind of sound that worked for any genre. Audiophiles liked it and casual listeners liked it. That was the whole appeal.
The Air 5 Pro does not carry that forward. It is not a bad-sounding pair, to be clear. It is just different. The soundstage is not as wide as the Air 3 Pro’s, and the mids sit a step back, so you lose some of that airy detail. There is a Pure Vocals preset and a 6-band EQ that pull the mids forward a bit, but they never fully bring back the old tuning.
There is a reason for this. The bamboo-fibre driver is gone, replaced by a titanium-coated one, and the tuning is now bass-forward, what audiophiles call a U-shaped sound. Credit where it is due, though: the driver quality itself is still good. Instrument separation and tonality hold up, so nothing sounds muddy or smeared. OPPO kept the fundamentals, it just chased a more crowd-pleasing tune.
The bass is the real highlight. It is deep, punchy, and clean, and you feel it from your ears to your chest without that bloated, uncomfortable thump some realme buds have. For its price, this is among the best bass you can buy. Treble is good too, detailed without getting harsh. And the Air 5 Pro plays noticeably louder than the Air 3 Pro, since OPPO bumped up the driver sensitivity. A lot of Air 3 Pro owners complained it was too quiet, so this will please them.
ANC, mic and call quality
The 55dB ANC is a genuine highlight. I tested it indoors and out, and it works. Fan and AC hum drop by roughly 70 to 80 percent, and outdoors it takes a big bite out of car and train noise. It is not quite OnePlus Buds 4 level, which is still the ANC benchmark here, but it is close, and it is a little better than the realme Buds Air 8, CMF Buds 2 Plus, and realme Buds Air 7 Pro. There is a 3-level adjustment with an auto mode, plus a clean transparency mode.
The mic is a proper upgrade. The Air 3 Pro was never great on calls, but the Air 5 Pro’s triple-mic setup is genuinely good, a touch better than the realme options and close to the OnePlus Buds 4. Voices come through naturally, and the wind and background noise reduction holds up even outdoors. If call quality matters to you, this pair handles it well.
Battery life and features
Battery is one of the bigger upgrades. At 50 to 70 percent volume with LHDC on, I got about 7 to 8 hours from the buds alone. Keep ANC on as well and it lands around 6 to 7 hours, which is strong. With the case, normal use gets you roughly 36 to 40 hours. Like every pair, this number will shrink over the years, but there is nothing you can do about that on any earbuds.
On features, you are well covered. Bluetooth 6.0 keeps the connection stable, latency is low, and gaming mode drops it to near-zero, so casual gaming has no lag (the Air 3 Pro’s weak gaming mode is fixed here). You also get LHDC 5.0 Hi-Res audio, dual-device pairing, transparency mode, custom EQ, fit test, wear detection, Google Fast Pair, Spotify Tap, and AI translation. The translation supports Hindi and is handy now and then, though the accuracy is hit or miss. Everything runs through the HeyMelody app, and if you own an OPPO, OnePlus, or realme phone the controls are built into the system. iPhone users get every feature except LHDC.
OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro vs the competition
Here is the part worth thinking about before you spend. On paper, the Air 5 Pro looks almost identical to the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro: same kind of driver, ANC, battery, codec, and feature set, from a company that shares a parent with OnePlus. The Nord Buds 4 Pro usually sells for around Rs 3,799, so you are paying roughly Rs 1,200 more for what looks like a very similar pair.
For pure sound, the OnePlus Buds 4 (around Rs 5,499) uses a dual-driver setup and gives you better detail and a wider soundstage in balanced mode. The realme Buds Air 8 (around Rs 3,599) also runs dual drivers and costs less, and honestly the sound difference between it and the Air 5 Pro is smaller than the price gap suggests. The puzzling part is that OPPO stuck with a single driver while cheaper rivals offer two.
Who should buy the OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro
Buy it if you want a complete all-rounder under Rs 5,000 with great comfort, battery, ANC, and mic, and you enjoy a bass-friendly sound, the kind that suits Bollywood, pop, and hip-hop. For that buyer, it is the best pick at this price.
If a OnePlus Buds 4 ever drops near Rs 5,000 in a sale, take that instead; it is the better pair overall, sound included. If you already own the Air 3 Pro or the realme Buds Air 7 Pro, there is no need to upgrade, keep using what you have. On a tighter budget, the realme Buds Air 8 gets you most of the way there, and bass lovers can look at the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro.
It is a good pair of earbuds. It just is not the OPPO that audio fans fell for. That is my honest take.
Check My Best Earbuds Under 5000 List
FAQ
Is the OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro worth buying?
Yes, if you want an all-rounder under Rs 5,000. It has strong 55dB ANC, deep bass, a great mic, long battery, and excellent comfort. The trade-off is a bass-forward sound, so audio purists who want a balanced signature may prefer the OnePlus Buds 4 or realme Buds Air 8.
They are not officially the same product, but on paper they look almost identical, with a similar driver, ANC, battery, codec, and feature set from companies that share a parent. The main differences are branding, tuning, and price, with the OPPO costing around Rs 1,200 more.
It depends on taste. The Air 5 Pro is louder with deeper bass, while the Air 3 Pro had a more balanced, open, detailed sound thanks to its bamboo-fibre driver. For balanced audio, the Air 3 Pro is still preferred; for fun, bassy sound, the Air 5 Pro wins.
The OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro is priced at Rs 4,999 in India and comes in black and white.
Yes. Its 55dB ANC is effective in real use, cutting indoor fan and AC noise by around 70 to 80 percent and reducing outdoor traffic noise well. It is close to the OnePlus Buds 4 and slightly ahead of the realme Buds Air 8.
Not for sound alone. If your Air 3 Pro still works, keep it. Upgrade only if you specifically want better ANC, a better mic, longer battery, and louder, bassier output.
