Note: This review was first published on 4 September 2024.
OPPO EncoAir4 Pro in Midnight Black. Photo: HWZ
There's no shortage of feature-packed and relatively affordable earbuds these days. The latest addition to this crowded space is the OPPO Enco Air4 Pro. Like many of its rivals in this price segment, the Enco Air4 Pro comes with features normally found on pricier earbuds. Features like active noise cancellation and an ambient sound mode. Does it have what it takes to stand out? Let's find out.
The TL;DR version:
The OPPO Enco Air4 Pro’s competitive price and respectable performance make it a compelling option for anyone seeking high-quality audio without breaking the bank.
Note: You can find the OPPO Enco Air4 Pro on Shopee, Lazada, and OPPO’s official store.
Comfortable yet stylish
The design of the Enco Air 4 is nothing to shout about. It look just like any other true wireless earbud. Photo: HWZ
The Enco Air4 Pro sports a minimalistic aesthetic that is reminiscent of the AirPods Pro. Available in Midnight Black (which was my unit) with a matte finish and Moonlight White with a glossy finish, the earbuds are surprisingly small and light, weighing just 4.4g each.
The Enco Air4 Pro fits snugly in the ears, and I experienced no issues with them falling out during my daily use including light exercise and even sleeping. That said, fit is subjective, and your experience may vary. The earbuds come with an IP55 water and dust resistance rating, making them suitable for workouts and outdoor use.
Out of the box, they come with medium-sized silicone tips pre-installed, with additional sizes included in the box. Besides the eartips, there’s only the short USB A to C charging cable that comes along with the earbuds. On the topic of charging, the charging case is compact and pocket-friendly and takes roughly an hour to fully charge up.
Features and Companion app
The application is simple and intuitive. Photo: HWZ
Setting up the Enco Air4 Pro is straightforward, requiring only the HeyMelody app for full functionality. The app allows users to customise the touch controls, adjust the noise cancellation levels, and change between the three different EQ presets which include the default EQ, vocals, and bass boost. It would have been nice to have greater EQ customisability but the default three options provided are arguably sufficient for its target audience.
The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.4 and support multipoint connections for up to two devices. I experienced no issues with stuttering or dropouts during use and overall, the switch between my laptop and phone whilst using the earbuds was relatively fast. It took two seconds at most to switch source devices – the earbuds will even emit a chime to let me know it has switched to another source device.
There’s also a Game mode that can be activated to improve audio-video synchronisation during gaming or video playback. OPPO says that while turned on, audio latency will be as low as 47ms. Game mode, along with the different noise control modes can all be controlled via the touch controls on the upper part of the steam of the earbuds. These were a bit finicky to use at first, especially if you assigned another function to touch and hold on top of the default noise control toggle. However, with some practice, I thought they worked well enough.
During my time with the OPPO Enco Air4 Pro, I thought its battery life was good. It lasted more than 10 hours on a single charge using transparency mode during a recent road trip in Malaysia. With ANC turned on, I found that it lasted about 7 hours. For whatever reason, OPPO's quoted battery claims are without ANC. It says these earbuds can last up to 44 hours with the charging case, and that a quick 10-minute charge can give users up to four hours of playtime (again, without ANC).
Audio and ANC performance
The earbuds get surprisingly loud. Photo: HWZ
Inside the earbuds are 12.4mm titanium-plated dynamic drivers that deliver clear and balanced sound. Without any EQ adjustments, the Enco Air4 Pro offers a balanced sound profile, with noticeable bass presence. Compared to the Creative Zen Air SXFI or the Airpods Pro 2nd-gen, I was pleasantly surprised that the earbuds have a soundstage that can be considered wide and immersive – at least for earbuds in this price range. It can't hold a candle to high-end open-back headphones, but it did reveal nuances in songs that I previously wouldn't have noticed before.
Readers will also be happy to know that on top of the usual AAC and SBC codec, the earbuds also support LHDC 5.0. That's great for fussy listeners who have compatible devices that can take advantage of this higher-resolution codec.
There's a pairing button found on the bottom of the case. Photo: HWZ
The ANC on the Enco Air4 Pro offers three levels of noise cancellation strength: Mild, Moderate and Max. The ability to adjust the ANC strength is a welcome feature, allowing users to find the perfect balance between complete noise isolation and a little bit of awareness of their surroundings. Additionally, there is also an automatic mode that adjusts the ANC based on your environment.
While the noise cancellation may not reach the levels of premium earbuds costing two or three times as much, it performs well enough for its price point. I discovered that it significantly reduced ambient noise in various environments ranging from busy fast-food restaurants to bustling streets.
Complementing the ANC is the transparency mode. The transparency mode on the Enco Air4 Pro strikes a decent balance in allowing external sounds to come through clearly without being overwhelmingly loud. Overall, I thought the transparency mode sounded quite natural. It certainly did not sound as processed or digitised as some other earbuds in this price range.
One major issue I have with the mode is just how weak the incoming voices are. Though the Enco Air4 Pro features a triple-mic setup, voice capture in the transparency mode is lacking and I have to lower the volume of my music or strain my hearing just to have a conversation with the earbuds on.
Speaking of the microphones, they do provide good call quality in quieter environments but really struggle in noisy areas.
Closing thoughts
Good sound, good anc, good price. Photo: HWZ
In conclusion, the OPPO Enco Air4 Pro offers good sound quality, decent noise cancellation, and a comfortable, stylish design at an affordable price. The long battery life is also a plus, particularly if you are the kind who always forgets to charge devices. While the transparency mode could be improved, it's by no means a dealbreaker – especially at this price point. At S$129, the Enco Air4 Pro is a great pick for budget-conscious readers who are seeking maximum bang for their buck.
While the Enco Air4 Pro is a good option, it would be remiss of me to not mention some of its rivals. Creative's Zen Air SXFI is even cheaper at S$109 and boasts ANC and Super X-Fi. And then there's the Nothing Ear (a), which is slightly pricier at S$159, but also offers ANC, has ChatGPT integration, and a striking design. Regardless of which earbuds you pick, know that they are all very solid options.
Note: If you’re keen on getting the OPPO Enco Air4 Pro for yourself, they are available for sale on the Official OPPO Storefronts on Shopee and Lazada, as well as the official OPPO website for S$129.
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