While OPPO has been known for a wide range of Android phones over the past few years, they’ve also built up an impressive range of earbuds, with the Enco X2 earbuds proving to be their latest foray into the premium space. The Enco X2 earbuds certainly have more than a few boxes in terms of providing quality audio, decent active noise cancellation, impressive battery life and IP54 water and dust resistance, just to name a few features.
While its design is rather understated and minimal, the A$349 price tag also wedges itself firmly between competing brands and headsets like the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, which provide very similar specs at a very similar price.
Design
The Enco X2 earbuds are available in both black and white, complete with a polished sheen on both versions. We tested the black earbuds, and I was impressed to see just how premium that case looks, blending into my desk like some sort of shiny pebble. But while the case is smooth and sleek, the black version is also an absolute fingerprint magnet, prompting my obsessive-compulsive nature to clean these every so often.
The first thing you might notice about the Enco X2 earbuds themselves is their striking resemblance to Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, and it’s far from a blatant copy. That being said, they’re actually quite comfortable to wear, providing a snug and comfortable fit. They also come included with three interchangeable sizes of anti-germ ear tips, making this a perfect option for runs and workouts.
While I find the medium-size tips usually work for me, they rarely moved after most workouts, something I can’t say for 3rd generation Airpods. While we had mentioned the included anti-germ ear tips, OPPO has also made the claim that these can also work to prevent a build-up of ear wax blocking the internal speaker, which I wasn’t really willing to test, instead opting for regularly cleaned ears.
The only thing that didn’t immediately stick out to me was the build quality. While it’s made from plastic, these don’t necessarily feel light or cheap in any way. While the case’s lid can give that away at times, you’d be hard-pressed to notice the difference. The Enco X2 buds in their case also weigh in at 56.4 grams, making them incredibly light to carry around. While nothing really jumps out at you, it’s also hard to really pick anything apart, given the sleek design and impressive build quality.
Functionality & Sound
Packing in 11mm dynamic drivers, 6mm planar diaphragms, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and codec support that includes LHDC, LDAC, AAC, and SBC, the Enco X2 buds provide almost everything you could want in terms of sound quality and functionality at this price.
For as loud as these things can go, I was most surprised at the presence of general bass and lower notes, which carry across through the highs and mids, rarely distorting anything along the way. It’s not to say the sound quality blew me away; but for similarly priced earbuds I’ve used like AirPods Pro earbuds and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, these hold up quite well.
The Enco X2 earbuds also feature Active Noise Cancelling, which is also really good. It also applies to phone calls thanks to AI noise cancellation calling with bone conduction, which does significantly improve microphone quality when I’m out and about on the phone. It can be turned on and off thanks to side squeezing controls on the earbuds, while the Hey Melody app can be downloaded on non-OPPO devices for extra customization and a transparency mode.
The Enco X2 earbuds also provide a whopping 40-hour battery life, thanks to the 57mAh battery in the earbuds and the 566mAh battery in the charging case. You’ll only get around 5 hours out of each session from the earbuds themselves, but we recommend turning noise cancelling off during those longer sessions for an extended run. While USB-C charging gets these up and running in no time, wireless charging feels necessary for this price,m and equally handy for someone like me who uses a three-in-one charging tree on my bedside table, making these a perfect replacement for my lower earbuds charging pad.
Software
if you already own an OPPO phone, you’ll be ready to go with the Enco X2’s supporting software. If you’re an alternative Android or iPhone user, you’ll need to download the Hey Meldoy app. It’s incredibly straightforward and at times barebones, but it does enough to get the job done. The earbuds are easy enough to pair and the menus are easy to read, with three main modes up front and available.
Beyond choosing between and customising both ANC and transparency modes, there’s even the ability for dual connection and a game mode that does its best to bring latency down to 94ms during gaming. It’s not replacing a wired or 2.4GHz connected set anytime soon, but I can respect its inclusion for the sake of versatility. You can also customise squeeze controls on each earbud to suit your preferred commands.
Verdict & Value
Overall, the OPPO Enco X2 earbuds provide great value for A$349. Thanks to a lasting battery, decent sound quality and impressive ANC, there’s a lot to love about this as an alternative to something like AirPods Pro earbuds and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. While the black version of the case is an absolute fingerprint magnet and the Hey Melody app feels relatively bland in terms of design, there’s no doubt it’s all as functional as it needs to be to remain competitive at this premium price point.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Solid sound quality; Decent ANC; Impressive battery; Premium build quality
Lowlights: Design lacks individuality and flare; Case is a fingerprint magnet; Hey Melody app is relatively plain
Manufacturer: OPPO
Price: A$349
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by OPPO.
