Xiaomi just launched a new set of True wireless earbuds dubbed the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro at its March Xiaomi 12 series global launch event. The Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro aim at taking on Apple’s Airpods Pro at almost the same price range. But looking more closely at the Xiaomi product ecosystem, the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro looks more like last year’s Flipbuds Pro in design and form-factor and less like the Redmi Buds 3 Pro.
Priced at a whopping $199, the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro is not your usual Xiaomi budget-friendly product. These earbuds are about $50 shy of Apple’s 3rd Gen 2021-released Airpods Pro which currently go for $190 $249 on Amazon. Comparatively, the Flipbuds pro comes in about $150 and the Redmi Buds 3 Pro at about $50. This sets the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro as the most premium Xiaomi TWS earbuds of 2022. Don’t be surprised though for lite models of these earbuds to come out in a few months from now though.
Since we already know much about the Flipbuds Pro and Redmi Buds 3 Pro from last year, I want to compare these TWS with the newly announced Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro. Let’s start with the Specifications;
Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro Specs
Product model: M2115E1
Form-factor: In-ear TWS Earphones
Release date: 15th March 2022
Bluetooth version: 5.2
Bluetooth protocols: Low Energy/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP
Bluetooth range: 10m(open space free of obstacles)
Bluetooth codecs: LHDC 4.0, SBC, AAC
Net weight: Approx. 48g
Charging port: Type-C
Battery life on single charge: Approx. 6 hours
Battery life with charging case: Approx. 24 hours
(noise cancellation off, 50% volume, AAC encoded)
Wireless charging: Yes(Qi)
Charging case input parameters: 5V/1A MAX (wired)
Waterproof rating: IP55(dust and water resistant)
Active Noise Canceling support: Yes (Hybrid ANC with dual transparency modes and adaptive ANC modes)
Noise reduction(db): 40db
Dual-device connectivity: Yes
Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro unique features
The Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro has a powerful DLC dual-magnet driver unit with a CCAW coil. This gives the earbuds upto 40dB Hybrid Active Noise Canceling(ANC). These earbuds come with 3 ANC modes namely Light, Balanced and Deep modes for various environments such as when you’re at home listening to music or in an airplane cabin. Xiaomi says, you can shuffle through these modes depending on your environment. Borrowing from the Buds 3 Pro, these earbuds also have Transparency mode which helps you hear ambient sound without taking out your earbuds.
Xiaomi decided to use Sony’s LHDC 4.0 codec of the usual SBC codecs we see in other Xiaomi earbuds such as the Redmi Airdots 3 or Buds 3 Pro. Xiaomi has also added what it calls Dimensional audio which is like Apple’s Airpods Pro Spatial audio. Dimensional audio brings head movement tracking and also enables you to hear sounds from all around you instead of the traditional left and right approach by most audio output devices.
Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro vs Flipbuds Pro
Now both the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro and Flipbuds Pro feature a 40db ANC, Active Noise Canceling(ANC), touch controls, USB-C charging, Qi wireless charging, touch controls, transparency mode, MIUI pop ups, wear detection, dual-device connectivity which intelligently connects the earbuds to two devices at the same time. In terms of design, both follow an in-ear wireless earphones form-factor akin to Apple’s Airpods. So you could say the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro are actually Flipbuds Pro with a different name and slight upgrades we discuss below.
The main difference between this year’s Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro and last year’s Flipbuds Pro is with the codecs supported. While the Flipbuds Pro supports Qualcomm’s aptX codes, the Buds 3T pro comes with Sony’s LHDC audio codec. Another difference is the support of Spatial audio with the new Buds 3T Pro that’s absent in last year’s Flipbuds Pro. When it comes to battery life, the Xiaomi Buds 3T pro can go upto 6 hours on a single charge and upto 24 hours when paired with their charging case with ANC turned off. Last year’s Flipbuds Pro on the other hand has a slightly better battery life. They can go upto 7 hours on a single charge and upto 28 hours with charging case with ANC turned off. When it comes to price, the Xiaomi Buds 3T pro are expected to retail for $200 while the Flipbuds Pro are somewhere between $120-160 depending on where you buy them from.
Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro vs Redmi Buds 3 Pro
The Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro and Redmi Buds 3 Pro are vastly different both in design and price. The Redmi Buds 3 Pro follow a bean-like form factor while the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro are wireless earphones similar to Apple’s Airpods in design. You can get the Redmi Buds 3 Pro for about $50 today. So these TWS have about a $150 price difference, which puts them in two different leagues.
That said, you don’t miss much if you do with the Redmi Buds 3 Pro. Just like their premium cousin, they feature Active Noise Canceling(ANC), touch controls, USB-C charging, Qi wireless charging, transparency mode, MIUI pop ups, touch controls, wear detection and dual-device connectivity.
What you miss out from the premium Buds 3T Pro is spatial audio, IP55 dust and water resistance and slightly better sound. We have not tested the Buds 3T Pro, but from the specs, they feature a more powerful premium driver which means better sound. The Redmi buds 3 pro spot SBC/AAC audio codecs while Buds 3T Pro come with LHDC 4.0 audio code.
| Redmi Buds 3 Pro | Flipbuds pro | Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Sept 2021 | March 2021 | March, 2022 |
| Model | TWSEJ01ZM | TWSEJ20GT | M2115E1 |
| Weight | 4.9g (per earbud) | 6.5g per earbud 60g with case | Approx. 48g (net weight) |
| Size(Case) | 65 x 48 x 26 mm | ||
| Driver unit | 9mm | 11mm | |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC/AAC | aptX | SBC, AAC, LHDC |
| Dual-device connectivity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial audio | No | No | Yes(Dimensional Audio) |
| Function button | Touch | Touch | Touch |
| Battery capacity | 35mAh (Earbuds), 470mAh (Charging case) | 600mAh (Charging case) | |
| Music playback battery | 6 hrs(earbuds), 28 hrs(with charging case) | 7h(Active noise cancellation off state), 28h(with charging box) | 6 hrs (single use), 24 hrs (with charging case) |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wear detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MIUI pop-up for fast pairing | Yes | Yes | yes |
| Charging port | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Active Noise Cancelling | 35db with transparency mode | 40db ANC | 40db Hybrid ANC, Dual-transparency mode, |
| Waterproof | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP55 Water and dust resistant |
| Price | $55 | $140 | $199 |
Conclusion
If you’re looking to buy TWS earbuds from Xiaomi this year, then these three options — the Redmi Buds 3 pro, Flipbuds Pro and Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro are your best bet. Both are offered at different price points but have a lot more in common both in specs and features. The most premium of these is this year’s Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro. However, for $50-70 more, there’s little Xiaomi has added to justify an upgrade from last year’s $150 Flipbuds Pro. At just $50, Redmi Buds 3 Pro remain the best value for me even in 2022.
