- Premium-feeling case and build
- Genuinely excellent sound across profiles
- Adaptive ANC that actually works
- Triple-device connectivity
- Live AI translation
- Strong battery life
- No charging cable in the box
- No wireless charging
- Slight vacuum feel at max ANC
- Some AI features feel early-stage
At its introductory price, the Realme Buds Air 8 undercuts earbuds costing two to three times as much while matching in places beating their feature list. It's not a flawless pair of earbuds, but at ₹3,599, it's close to an unfair advantage.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to spend this much time gushing over a pair of budget earbuds.
When I first unboxed the Realme Buds Air 8, my assumption was the usual: a modest spec bump over last year’s model, maybe a slightly better chip, and a price tag to match. Realme itself seems to know it’s punching above its class here. Features like triple-device connectivity and live AI translation are things you’d expect on earbuds costing three times as much, not something wearing the humble “Air” name.
After using them daily for over a week Calls, workouts, commutes, gaming, and movies. I’m convinced this is one of the strongest value picks in its segment right now. Here’s the full breakdown.
Realme Buds Air 8 Specifications
| Driver Configuration | 11mm dynamic woofer + 6mm tweeter (dual-driver) |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Supported Codecs | LHDC 5.0, AAC, SBC |
| Active Noise Cancellation | Up to 55dB, adaptive smart ANC + manual levels |
| Microphones | Triple-mic per earbud |
| Latency (Game Mode) | Claimed ~45ms |
| Battery (Earbuds) | 62mAh per bud |
| Battery (Case) | 530mAh |
| Playback (ANC Off) | 10–11 hours per charge |
| Playback (ANC On) | ~8 hours per charge |
| Total with Case | 42–45 hours (real-world, with ANC) |
| Charging Port | USB-C (cable not included) |
| Wireless Charging | No |
| Water Resistance | IP55 (earbuds only, not case) |
| Multipoint Connectivity | Yes — up to 3 devices simultaneously |
| Extra Features | Live AI translation, spatial audio, dynamic audio, fit test |
| Companion App | Realme Link (Android & iOS) |
| Available Colors | Gold, Black, Purple |
| Price | ₹3,599 (introductory), MRP ₹5,299 |
Recommended: Realme Buds Air 5 Pro Review
Unboxing & Build
Inside the box, you get the earbuds, two extra pairs of ear tips, and a user guide, but no charging cable, which is a fair omission since most people already have a spare USB-C cable lying around.
The case itself is the first pleasant surprise. Realme has moved to a more compact, boxy shape this year, and it slips into a pocket far more easily than before. The top has a soft, cloth-like finish that feels closer to vegan leather than plastic, while the branding sits off to the side rather than dead center, a small design choice that quietly makes it feel less generic.
The earbuds themselves are matte on the outside and glossy on the inside, so fingerprints and smudges aren’t an issue where it matters. Add IP55 water resistance on the buds, and sweat or light rain isn’t something to worry about, though the case itself isn’t rated, so keep that dry.
Fit-wise, they snug in well and stayed put even during a deliberate head-shake test. The app’s built-in fit test double-checks your seal, which is a nice touch most budget earbuds skip entirely.
Sound Quality
If there’s one section that justifies the price tag on its own, it’s this one.
The dual-driver setup, an 11mm woofer paired with a 6mm tweeter, genuinely separates highs, mids, and bass the way a proper multi-speaker system would, rather than relying on a single driver to do everything. The difference shows up most in the Nature Balance profile, where instrument separation and clarity feel closer to earbuds priced two to three times higher.
The app offers multiple tuning options: Clear Vocals for podcasts and videos, Clear Bass as a well-rounded everyday pick, and Bass Boost for anyone chasing punch, though that last one does introduce mild distortion and lost clarity at higher volumes. A full custom EQ and a “dynamic audio” fine-tuning layer are also available, though the dynamic audio setting is subtle enough that it’s safe to leave untouched if you’re unsure.
LHDC 5.0 support adds a noticeable, if not drastic, bump in fidelity on compatible devices worth turning on occasionally, though it does eat into battery life faster.
Noise Cancellation: Adaptive and Genuinely Effective
Realme claims up to 55dB of ANC, and while any marketing number deserves a pinch of skepticism, the real-world result holds up. In everyday testing, the Air 8 cut out roughly 80–90% of ambient noise; traffic, transit hum, and crowded spaces all become noticeably quieter.
The default mode is smart adaptive ANC, which adjusts its intensity to your surroundings automatically, though manual Max, Moderate, and Mild levels are also available if you’d rather set it yourself. The one drawback: Max mode introduces a slight vacuum-like pressure sensation that not everyone will love— dialing it back to Moderate solves that without giving up much cancellation.
Transparency mode and an “enhanced voice” toggle round things out, letting you hold a conversation without removing the earbuds, and in testing, that worked reliably.
Calls and Connectivity
Each earbud packs three microphones, and the result is clear, noise-reduced call audio both indoors and out, solid enough for daily use without obvious compromises.
The bigger story is connectivity. Bluetooth 5.4 paired with triple-device connectivity means you can stay connected to a laptop, tablet, and phone simultaneously, genuinely useful once you’ve experienced it, though juggling three connections does draw down the battery faster. Game Mode brings latency down to a claimed 45ms, and in practice, both gaming and movie playback felt properly synced, without the lag that plagues cheaper wireless earbuds.
Recommended: Realme Buds Air 7 Pro
The App & AI Features: More Than a Gimmick
The Realme Link app is where the Air 8 quietly justifies its “flagship features on a budget” pitch. Beyond ANC and EQ controls, you get spatial audio, a volume enhancer, customizable tap gestures per earbud, auto play/pause, auto call answer, and a find-my-earbuds tool.
The standout is live AI translation, offered in two modes:
- A face-to-face translator for two people speaking different languages.
- A live translator for on-the-fly phrases.
Language support is broad, covering everything from Korean to Arabic, and it’s a genuinely handy feature for travel. Though like most first-generation AI tools, it feels more like a helpful extra than a fully polished core feature yet.
Battery Life
Realme’s official claim is 8 hours with ANC and around 10–11 hours without it, with total playback stretching to 42–45 hours with the case in real-world use. That tracked closely with actual testing, enough for a full workday or a long commute without reaching for the case more than once.
Wireless charging is absent, and at this price, that’s an easy trade-off to accept.
Anything I Didn’t Like?
Not much. The missing charging cable is a minor inconvenience, Max ANC’s vacuum effect won’t suit everyone, and some AI features like live translation still feel like a first pass rather than a finished product.
None of these come close to outweighing what the Air 8 gets right.
Final Thoughts
After a week of daily use, the takeaway is straightforward: Realme built something that feels like it’s borrowing from a much higher price bracket.
Excellent sound across multiple tuning profiles, genuinely effective adaptive ANC, triple-device connectivity, and a battery that easily clears a full day. All at ₹3,599 during the introductory window.
Is it perfect? Not entirely. But for anyone shopping in the budget-to-midrange earbud space, the Realme Buds Air 8 makes a very strong case for being the easiest recommendation in its price bracket right now.
