Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro have a couple of truly unique features
With Wi-Fi connection for increased audio quality and a built-in audio recorder, the new Buds 5 Pro-series standout from the competition.
Chinese technology company, Xiaomi just announced the Buds 5 Pro, alongside the 15 Ultra phone. The Buds 5 Pro come in two flavors, with the upgraded Wi-Fi model offering increased audio quality on compatible phones.
The Buds 5 Pro feature a familiar, compact, ergonomic, stem-design, with in-ear tips. They are lightweight at just 5.6g per earbud and 53g for the case with the earbuds in. The buds are IP54 dust and water-resistant, providing protection from rain and sweat.
Internally, the earbuds feature coaxial triple drivers and Xiaomi’s first-ever dual amplifier in a pair of earbuds. The triple driver system includes an 11mm dual-magnetic driver, ceramic tweeter and planar driver, ensuring coverage of high and low-frequencies. There are three microphones in each earbud, with an AI-based noise cancellation algorithm to reduce background noise for clear calls in noisy environments.
The tech behind these earbuds is where they really have the opportunity to excel. All models of the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro support Qualcomm aptX Lossless audio, for ultra-high bandwidth, true lossless audio. When connected to select Xiaomi devices, audio will be transmitted at 48kHz/24bit, up to 2.1Mbps.
The Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi model are the first earbuds to feature the Qualcomm S7 chip and their new XPAN technology announced in 2023. This increases the maximum transmission to 96kHz/24bit, at up to 4.2Mbps. This feature is currently only supported on Xiaomi’s brand new 15 Ultra phone, but the company says more models are coming soon. Both devices must be connected to the same wi-fi network, meaning increased bandwidth won’t be available while out and about on mobile data. Thankfully the earbuds also feature Bluetooth to fall back on when wi-fi connection is not available and for connection to other devices.
Both models feature Bluetooth 5.4 and multipoint connection for quicking switching between two devices. LE Audio support and 50ms latency on select Xiaomi phones means audio-visual synchronization for smooth gaming.
The regular model lasts for 8 hours on a single charge. The Wi-Fi model lasts for 10 hours on a single charge. Both pairs support 40 hours of playback when paired with the case. A quick 10-minute charge will provide up to 4.5 hours of playback. The charging case supports Qi wireless charging and USB-C. A USB-C cable is included in the box.
The Xiaomi Earbuds app lets you adjust the sound profile and device settings. There are 6 preset EQ settings, including two dedicated Harman AudioEFX EQ profiles from the Golden Ear Team of audio electronic company Harman. You can also customize the touch controls, noise cancelling and firmware, plus view the battery status.
There’s smart noise cancellation, with up to 55dB active noise cancellation and multi-level modes, letting you manually tune noise cancellation levels or choose adaptive adjustments.
Pinch and hold gestures lets you quickly control the buds, playback and calls. You can use a single pinch, double pinch, triple pinch or pinch and hold to play/pause music, next/previous song, answer/reject/end calls, record audio, and switch ANC mode. A swipe up or down will adjust the volume. These controls are fully customizable in the app.
Another feature we’ve not seen in any other earbuds is built-in audio recording. This effectively turns the earbuds into a compact voice recorder, independent of your connected device. The Buds 5 Pro can record for up to 4 hours when in your ears or in the case. Simply triple-click the button on the case to initiate recording. An indicator light on the case shows when it is recording. Audio is stores in the earbuds and can be exported as an audio file to the app.
There are many other smart features that will improve the overall experience of both models of the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro. One-touch AI translation and transcription is available on select Xiaomi phones. Personalized dimensional audio with head tracking provides an immersive surround sound experience, which intelligently adjust based on the unique ear canal and head size of the wearer. This is available on select Xiaomi and iPhones. Adaptive volume automatically adjusts the volume based on your surroundings.
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro are available in Ceramic White and Titan Gray for €199.99/£159.99 (around $200). The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi are available in Translucent Black for €219.99/£189.99 (around $240).