Enco Air5 Review: Oppo’s Affordable Earbuds Nail ANC And Battery

There are plenty of affordable wireless earbuds competing for attention, but the Enco Air5 make a particularly strong case for themselves. With 52dB adaptive noise cancellation, 12mm dynamic drivers, Bluetooth 6.1, dual-device connectivity and up to 54 hours of battery life, the specification reads more like something from a considerably more expensive pair of earbuds.

The good news is that the Air5 aren't simply a collection of impressive numbers. After using them day to day, it's the combination of ANC, comfort, battery life and useful software features that makes these earbuds particularly compelling.

Design and comfort

The Enco Air5 use a familiar stem-style design, with the earbuds available in Glossy White and Midnight Black finishes. Each earbud weighs just 4.3g, making them light enough to wear for extended periods without becoming uncomfortable.

The fit matters here because the silicone ear tips provide a useful level of passive isolation before the ANC even gets involved. That gives the Air5 a solid foundation for their noise cancellation while also helping them stay securely in place.

The glossy finish won't be to everyone's taste, but the overall design is understated and practical. The charging case is compact enough to slip into a pocket, and USB-C charging keeps things straightforward.

The earbuds are also IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, which makes them suitable for workouts and everyday exposure to sweat or light rain. The rating applies to the earbuds rather than the charging case, however.

Hardware

Specification	Oppo Enco Air5
Driver	12mm dynamic driver
Noise cancellation	Up to 52dB adaptive ANC
ANC modes	High, Moderate, Low, Smart
Bluetooth	6.1
Codecs	AAC, SBC
Low-latency	Up to 47ms
Battery	62mAh per earbud / 530mAh case
Battery life	Up to 13 hours / 54 hours with case
Battery with ANC	Up to 6.5 hours / 27 hours with case
Charging	USB-C
Earbud weight	4.3g each
Total weight	43.5g
Water/dust resistance	IP55 earbuds
Microphones	Three per earbud
Colors	Glossy White, Midnight Black

Sound quality

Oppo has equipped each earbud with a 12mm dynamic driver, and the resulting sound is energetic and enjoyable.

There's a decent amount of bass without the presentation becoming excessively boomy, while vocals remain clear enough for podcasts, video and spoken-word content. They aren't going to satisfy anyone chasing the refinement and separation of a genuinely high-end set of wireless earbuds, but that's hardly the target here.

What stands out is the amount of control Oppo gives the listener. The HeyMelody app includes several sound profiles and a 10-band equalizer, allowing the sound to be adjusted considerably more than many earbuds in this price category.

Bass can be pushed forward for more energetic music, or the presentation can be pulled back for a more balanced sound. Oppo's Alive Audio feature is also available, creating a wider spatial presentation, and it's worth experimenting with for films and video, though I generally prefer the standard presentation for music.

The Air5 support AAC and SBC codecs rather than the more advanced codecs found on some pricier earbuds. That's one of the compromises that comes with keeping the price down, but it isn't something most casual listeners are likely to notice.

The ANC is the star of the show

Noise cancellation is arguably the strongest reason to consider the Enco Air5. Oppo claims up to 52dB of adaptive noise reduction, with a cancellation frequency range extending to 5000Hz.

There are High, Moderate and Low modes, along with Smart Mode, which automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation according to the surrounding environment. In everyday use, the ANC handles continuous background noise very well.

Air conditioners, fans, traffic and general office noise are all reduced effectively, while the in-ear design's passive isolation adds another layer of protection from the outside world. The 52dB figure shouldn't be taken to mean every sound around you disappears, though: sudden noises and higher-frequency sounds remain audible, as they do with virtually all ANC earbuds.

For commuting, working in a busy office or simply trying to concentrate while the world carries on around you, the Enco Air5's ANC is particularly effective for its price point. Transparency mode is also available when you need to hear what's happening around you without removing the earbuds.

Call quality

The Enco Air5 use three microphones on each earbud, with Oppo combining beamforming and AI-powered call noise cancellation to separate your voice from environmental noise. Oppo claims the system can maintain voice clarity in winds up to 25km/h.

In everyday use, call quality is solid. Background traffic and wind are reduced effectively, although extremely noisy environments can still let some external sound through.

For regular phone calls, video meetings and voice chats, the microphones are more than capable. This is another area where the Air5 feel like a properly rounded everyday product rather than earbuds designed primarily for music playback.

Connectivity and smart features

Bluetooth 6.1 provides a stable connection, while dual-device connectivity allows the earbuds to stay connected to two devices at once. That's particularly useful if, like me, you regularly move between a smartphone and laptop, since there's no need to disconnect from one device before connecting to the other.

The HeyMelody app provides access to the equalizer, ANC settings, touch controls and other customization options on compatible devices. Oppo and OnePlus phones get deeper integration, with many of the controls available directly through system settings.

There are also several less obvious features worth exploring. Tap to Launch can provide quick access to functions such as Spotify Tap, an AI voice assistant and the camera shutter, while AI Translate is another potentially useful addition, though its availability and functionality depend on the phone and software being used.

These features aren't necessarily things everyone will use, but they're a nice demonstration that Oppo hasn't treated the Air5 as a basic pair of budget earbuds.

Gaming

There's even something here for mobile gamers. A dedicated low-latency mode can reduce latency to as little as 47ms, which can make a noticeable difference in games where timing and directional audio matter.

It's obviously not going to turn the Air5 into a dedicated gaming headset, but having a low-latency mode available is a useful bonus, particularly for anyone who switches between music, video and gaming on the same phone.

Battery life

Battery life is another major strength. Oppo rates the earbuds for up to 13 hours of playback with ANC disabled, or up to 54 hours when the charging case is included.

With ANC enabled, those figures drop to 6.5 hours for the earbuds and 27 hours with the case. That's still respectable, particularly considering how much work the ANC system is doing.

The case and earbuds take roughly 90 minutes to fully charge, while the earbuds themselves take around 55 minutes. A quick charge is also useful when you're caught short and need some additional listening time without waiting for a full recharge.

Oppo also says the Enco Air5 have TÜV Rheinland certification for battery health, with more than 80% battery health claimed after 1,000 charging cycles. In practical terms, this is a pair of earbuds that shouldn't leave you constantly hunting for a USB-C cable.

What about the competition?

The biggest problem for the Enco Air5 may actually be Oppo's own product range. The Enco Air5 Pro adds more advanced audio capabilities, including LHDC support, while retaining many of the features that make the standard Air5 attractive.

That doesn't make the Air5 a bad choice. It simply means the price difference between the two models becomes important.

If the Air5 are available at a substantial discount, they're particularly easy to recommend. If the Pro model is only a little more expensive, however, it's worth weighing whether the additional audio features justify the upgrade.

Verdict

The Oppo Enco Air5 get the important things right. The ANC is effective for its class, the sound is energetic and customizable, the earbuds are comfortable, and battery life is excellent.

Features such as dual-device connectivity, Alive Audio, AI Translate and low-latency gaming mode add meaningful value rather than simply padding the specification sheet. The glossy finish won't appeal to everyone, and the sound quality sits firmly in the mid-range rather than challenging premium earbuds.

The lack of more advanced audio codecs is another limitation for enthusiasts, though these are relatively minor complaints. What impressed me most is how complete the package feels: Oppo has combined the features that matter most in everyday use without making the earbuds unnecessarily complicated.

Buy these if you want affordable, comfortable earbuds with best-in-class ANC and battery life for the price. Skip them if you're a codec-sensitive listener chasing hi-res audio, or if the Air5 Pro is only a small step up in price where you're shopping, since the Pro's added audio capability may be worth the extra spend.