Hi iQOO Fam!

Vishwa here 👋 — and this thread's been a long time coming. The iQOO TWS 1e launched way back in 2024. Two whole years of silence on the audio front, while everyone else kept dropping earbuds every few months. So when the iQOO Buds showed up alongside the iQOO Z11 , it felt like iQOO's first proper audio moment in ages. I've been using a pair since launch — here's the honest verdict. 🎧

Quick Answer: Priced at ₹1,899 (₹1,799 with the ₹100 instant discount across all bank cards), the iQOO Buds trade the TWS 1e's ANC and four mics for a massive 50-hour battery, Bluetooth 6.1, and genuinely better sound tuning. Great pick under ₹2K if you value practicality over spec-sheet flexing — but TWS 1e owners don't need to rush an upgrade.

Build & Design: Stealthy and Featherlight

For the price, these feel surprisingly sturdy — solid hinge, matte case finish, zero rough edges. Love the Black-Yellow theme carried over from the TWS 1e: blacked-out logo outside for a stealthy look, all the yellow saved for inside the case. 🖤💛

The case itself is compact (63 × 47.76 × 28.06mm) and weighs 41.3 grams, featuring a USB Type-C port at the bottom with no physical pairing button. But the real winner is the earbud weight — at just 3.8 grams each, they are featherlight.

The fit was spot-on out of the box with the pre-installed medium tips (large and small bundled in the box), staying secure during runs and workouts. They also carry an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, so sweat or light rain won't be an issue.

A couple of gripes: The earbuds sport a glossy black finish rather than the case's matte texture, so fingerprints show up fast. Also, there is no optical sensor for in-ear wear detection, meaning you have to rely purely on touch controls for play/pause.

Battery: The Real Highlight

iQOO claims 50 hours total playback with the 525mAh charging case. In real-world daily use — commute, hours of streaming, and regular calls at ~50% volume — it easily stretched to 4 to 5 days on a single charge, comfortably hitting close to the promised 12 hours of standalone playback per bud.

Charging is quick and hassle-free: roughly 1 hour for the buds and 2 hours for the case. Hands down the biggest practical upgrade over the TWS 1e.

Sound: Smaller Driver, Smarter Tuning

The buds house a 10mm high-resolution moving coil unit (PU + PEEK diaphragm) — down from the TWS 1e's 11mm, but tuned by iQOO's Golden Ears acoustics team. And it shows.

It packs DeepX 4.0 Stereo Sound Effects with six presets: Standard, Mega Bass, Clear Voice, Clear High Pitch, Esports, and a dedicated Immersive Audiobook Mode. Standard mode delivers great staging and punchy bass, though switching to Mega Bass brought out the vocal clarity and punch I wanted.

Bottom line: Bigger driver not equals better sound. The tuning here is noticeably cleaner than the TWS 1e, and you get a full Custom EQ to dial things in. Tip: Skip the 4-preset spatial audio simulation; it softens instrument separation more than it helps.

Calls & the ANC Miss

You get dual microphones backed by AI Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) alongside a physical cross-flow duct designed to minimize wind turbulence. It cuts through breezy outdoor ambient noise well, keeping call audio clean and intelligible.

The real trade-off: Zero Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). While the TWS 1e's 30dB ANC wasn't top-tier flagship level, it worked well for commutes. Dropping it entirely is the one compromise I wish iQOO had avoided.

Connectivity & App

The leap to Bluetooth 6.1 (up from 5.3) brings Dual-Channel Transmission 2.0 for independent, lag-free earbud sync and flawless dual-device multi-point pairing across laptops, tablets, and phones.

On iQOO/vivo devices, pairing is instantaneous via the Instant Connection pop-up (complete with customizable themes) and includes Find My TWS tracking. For other devices, hold both earbud touch areas for 3 seconds to pair. Note that Google Fast Pair is absent this time around.

Gestures & Gaming

Controls rely on Double-Tap, Triple-Tap, and Press-and-Hold — single-tap is intentionally disabled to prevent phantom touches. The touch response was reliable (~19/20 accuracy) and is fully customizable via the vEarphones app or native Bluetooth settings.

For gaming, the 42ms low latency mode (down from 88ms on the TWS 1e) combined with the Esports sound profile gave noticeably sharper directional audio and footstep cues during Call of Duty: Mobile matches. You also get neat ecosystem perks like using a double-tap as a remote camera shutter.

Quick Specs

• Drivers: 10mm High-Resolution Unit (PU + PEEK Diaphragm), AAC / SBC Codecs

• Battery: 53mAh per bud (12h) | 525mAh case (50h total)

• Fast Charging: 10-min charge = 4 hours playback | USB Type-C

• Connectivity & Latency: Bluetooth 6.1 | Multi-point Dual Pairing | 42ms Low Latency

• Durability: IP54 Dust & Splash Resistance

• In the Box: Earbuds (Flame Yellow accent), Case, S/M/L Eartips, Type-C Cable, User Manual

Pricing & Launch Offers

• Retail Price: ₹1,899
• Launch Offer: ₹100 Instant Discount on ALL Bank Debit and Credit Cards (Effective Price: ₹1,799)
• Availability: Available on Amazon.in  and iQOO eStore in the signature Flame Yellow finish.

Verdict

Yes, shedding ANC, wear detection, and Fast Pair are clear cuts from the TWS 1e. But in return, you get an ultra-lightweight 3.8g fit, rock-solid Bluetooth 6.1 dual pairing, class-leading 42ms gaming latency, crisp AI ENC call clarity, and a monstrous 50-hour battery life.

At an effective ₹1,799, it's a dependable, endurance-first audio package that nails the daily fundamentals.

What do you think of the new iQOO Buds? Drop your thoughts below! 👇

Signing off,

@Vishwa_24, 

@iQOO Connect Ranger