Where to buy? Factory Store at Ali Express.
When I got to know that Edifier was releasing the X3 earphones, initially I thought the product had no reason to exist, because it’s pretty similar to other models of the same brand. But on second thought, well, they’re cheaper at around 25 USD, and after I used them, I found very good qualities for this price category.
The first highlight appealed to me as soon as I took them out of the box. The charging case is considerably small, in addition to coming in a matte finish… To me, this is beautiful and way more convenient in everyday use than the glossy ones already used by the manufacturer.
Side by side with some competitors, it’s easy to notice the size advantage of the X3, that end up being an easy item to be carried on a daily basis. The case still has a micro USB plug at the rear, but that’s OK for a budget model right? I’d love to see USB-C, but they probably will do that in a premium model first.
The capsules are touch sensitive and fit very well in my ears. These are the kind of earphones that make it easy to know the right position in the ear canal. I’ve used the X3s to work out on the threadmill and they never fell; we know that ergonomics is something that varies from person to person, but in my experience these were one of the best in comfort and fit.
However, as they are touch sensitive, they also have a little problem during my workouts: many times when I was just going to wipe some sweat, I touched one of the sides very lightly and the music would pause unintentionally. I always prefer physical buttons because of that.
The product has IPX5 protection against water and dust, so you can sweat and take a light rain with no major problems. And I was happy to know that they are bluetooth 5.0 and support aptX protocol, which in theory guarantees stable and high quality audio transmission. Indeed, so far, I’ve had no problems with signal drop or anything.
The built-in microphones are not that great. Audio is a little muffled and metallic, but it’s audible anyways. I guess all these budget pieces are the same in that sense. On the other hand, I watched videos on youtube and noticed audio syncing issues with the X3s. But when I played some Free Fire matches, yes, there was a small delay that should be noticed by hardcore players.
What about audio quality? Well, I’m quite satisfied. The sound profile ends up being similar to what we find on the TWS1, a more expensive model from Edifier. They’re not the type of earphones that lean on bass: there’s a very interesting audio range, with the medium tones, the vocals, having some prominence.
Let’s be clear: there is bass here, and it actually sounds nice, as it won’t make the whole sound muffled. To end the comparison with the TWS1, I’d say that the main difference is that the more expensive model has a slightly more intense bass, but overall, sound profile is the same.
The main highlight for me will be battery life. With volume at around 60%, I got about 6 hours and 10 minutes of autonomy, and the case recharges the earphones 3 times. This is an excellent result. As a reference, Xiaomi’s famous Redmi AirDots will last half of that in a single charge, and its case many times won’t provide 3 full charges.
My final impression about the X3 can only be great, as they bring a series of little aspects that justify them as a good option: they’re small, built quality is nice, sound signal is stable and there’s a pleasant audio profile. To wrap up the package, battery is excellent for the price.
These easily enter the hall of my favorite earphones for those who are on a budget. I do recommend them if you have either an iPhone or Android, because I’ve tested with both systems with no issues. If you’re interested in purchasing the X3s, check the link at the beginning of this review.