The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro are the brand’s latest wireless earbuds, offering premium features at an affordable price point. Huge thank you to SOUNDPEATS for kindly sending these out for review. The Air5 Pro is priced around £61.49 (on Amazon), with the earbuds aiming to deliver impressive sound quality, reliable ANC and long-lasting comfort with its compact and sleek design.
The Air5 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm QCC3091 chipset with a 10mm composite bio-diaphragm driver (PU + PEEK), features Snapdragon Sound & Hi-Res Audio, has touch controls, Bluetooth V5.4, six mics, an IPX5 rating and supports a wide range of Bluetooth codecs, including SBC/AAC/ aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, LDAC and LC3. With specs like these, the Air5 Pro are targeted towards users who would want high-definition sound and strong connectivity.
The Air5 Pro arrives in a stylishly designed box that immediately catches your attention from the zoomed-in image of one earbud, surrounded by key specifications neatly printed around it. Inside the box, you will find the following: The Air5 Pro earbuds, charging case, three different sizes of ear tips, a 3-inch USB-C charging cable, a user guide, a pamphlet for the PeatsAudio app, and a sticker sheet featuring adorable cartoon robot pandas in various poses.
One of the most subtle touches is how well-organised everything is inside the box. Each item has its own designated compartment, indicating careful attention to detail. The earbuds themselves come protected with small blue plastic covers, while the charging case is wrapped in a plastic sleeve for extra protection. It’s clear that SOUNDPEATS puts the effort into practicality and presentation, which enhances the unboxing experience every so slightly.
The design for the Air5 Pro is minimalist and sleek. The buds are available in black or white, and our review pair came in black, which goes well with anything. The earbuds are ergonomic and compact, with the fitting snuggling in the ear without any discomfort even after extended listening durations. During testing, I was able to wear them continuously for well over six hours with no irritation. A single earbud weighs 4.8g.
However, there was a minor observation about the stem design that I wanted to point out. The stem design of the buds seems slightly longer than other earbuds I have previously used, and as someone who wears earrings, I occasionally heard a light tapping sound when the two make contact. In fact, this is not a dealbreaker, and the earbuds can easily be repositioned in your ear diagonally to avoid this. With the ANC feature, it does not cancel out the minor tapping noise, but performs well in most other situations.
When it comes to the charging case, it is small, pocketable and made from hard plastic with a smooth matte-gloss finish. The hinge mechanism is particularly satisfying, providing a solid ‘snap’ when closing the lid. The “Hear the Difference” slogan engraved beneath the earbuds adds a nice design touch, with the addition of ‘SOUNDPEATS’ written on the back of the charging case.
During two weeks of daily use, the case held up without any noticeable scratches. The earbuds fit magnetically and securely into their slides, and the lid stays open on its own (which is quite durable). The earbuds also have an IPX5 rating, which means that they can withstand sweat and light water splashes. This is ideal for commutes and workouts without having to worry about damaging them. On the bottom of the charging case, you will find the USB-C charging port and connectivity button for pairing. Additionally, the total weight with the case is 50.3g.
According to SOUNDPEATS, the Air5 Pro delivers up to 7.5 hours of play time with up to 37 hours with a charging case when ANC is off. With ANC, a total of 4.5 hours of play time to 25 hours with the case. In our test, we found that the earbuds with ANC off have up to 7 hours of playtime and with ANC on, roughly 4 hours of playtime. The earbuds performed very closely to the specified figures with slight variations that depended on the user’s volume setting and EQ/codec selection. Additionally, a 10-minute charge of your earbuds back in the charging case provides roughly 2 hours of playback. The charging indicator light at the bottom of the cases uses three colours to show remaining battery levels, and the Bluetooth connection process was seamless across various devices.
When it comes to the controls, the Air5 Pro features touch-sensitive sensors that support single, double, triple taps and short holds. The controls themselves are extremely handy, but they do take a quick browse through the user guide to get familiar with them. The PeatsAudio app allows you to customise control functions, making it tailored to your preferences.
When it comes to sound performance, the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro delivers far beyond what you’d expect. The sound quality on these earbuds are outstanding even before messing around with EQ settings. The overall audio profile is incredibly immersive and crisp, almost as if you’re wearing a pair of high-end headphones rather than compact earbuds.
The Air5 Pro is supported with the use of the PeatsAudio app. The app itself is quite user-friendly, though at times, there is much lag and occasional bugs experienced. There were moments where the app did not immediately recognise that the earbuds were connected. I found that after I had set all my settings once through the app and customised the touch controls, I never found myself opening the app.
Within the app, you can switch between Noise Cancelling, Normal and Transparency modes, each offering unique sound experiences. However, there are some features that cannot be used simultaneously. For example, LDAC, which provides high-resolution audio, can not be enabled alongside ANC or transparency mode. You will have to pick one or the other, which may limit some users depending on their listening preferences. The app also displays battery levels for both earbuds and the charging case and includes a “Find My Earbuds” function that allows you to locate them via location or by making them emit a beeping sound.
It does not just stop there; the PeatsAudio app includes an EQ setting that comes with 12 EQ presets but also allows users to create their own using a 10-band equaliser. The Adaptive EQ feature was quite interesting as it runs a short hearing test using various frequencies to automatically tune your sound profile.
The listening experience with these buds is truly amazing. The LDAC mode enhances clarity, detail, and instrumental separation, offering a well-balanced sound. The bass is deep and satisfying without being muffled, and the vocals sound natural. Whether you are listening to bass-heavy tracks, podcasts, or movies, the sound remains clean and consistent. Another major highlight is the volume output. These earbuds get extremely loud, so I would recommend never turning them up to the max. Even at just three or volume ticks (on the phone), the sound is powerful enough to block out most external noise. Pushing the volume any higher feels as though you have miniature speakers in your ears.
The ANC on the AirPods Pro are impressive for the price of these buds. In testing across various environments, from public transport to university halls, the adaptive ANC manages to tune out most external background noise. The app also allows users to select between Indoor, Outdoor and Traffic modes, each acting as different levels of ANC intensity for optimal performance. On the other hand, you have the transparency mode, which was my least favourite. When no media is playing, there is a faint buzzing sound, almost like the earbuds are lightly filtering the air around you. Additionally, when people are speaking to you in Transparency mode, that can sound muffled or ‘underwater’.
These earbuds are great for calls. The microphone does a great job of capturing your voice clearly, even in noisy environments. In quiet environments, the mic slightly deepens your voice to provide a balanced sound. When outdoors, the buds do a pretty decent job at reducing background noise and wind.
One of the other features that I quite liked was the dual device connection, where you are able to connect to two devices simultaneously. When switching between the use of a phone and a laptop for various reasons, it is much more convenient than having to re-pair the buds to a new device. However, if you prefer the LDAC mode, this disables the dual-connection feature.
There is also a game mode that features low-latency sound, which was quite nice. There does seem to be some delay between audio and visuals that makes them ideal for fast-paced games. Good for a casual pair to listen and play anything really.
The Skullcandy’s Sesh ANC True Wireless Earbuds are priced around €79.99, which are in a similar price range to the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro that go for $79.99 (€69). Since both promise ANC, rich sound and app support, we thought it would be interesting to see how these two compare.
Starting with the sound quality, the Air5 Pro clearly stands out. The audio profile feels more refined, with a clean distinction between bass, instrumentals and vocals. The inclusion of LDAC and aptX Lossless codecs gives the Air5 Pro the edge to deliver high-definition sound, especially for Android users. On the other hand, the Skullcandy Sesh ANC offers a more bass-heavy experience that lacks the level of detail and clarity in vocal and instrumental separation. For everyday listening, the Air5 Pro delivers a more balanced and impressive performance.
When comparing ANC, both models perform decently for their price points, but the Air5 Pro has a slight advantage due to its alternative ANC intensity modes. These modes tailor noise suppression depending on your surrounding environment, making them much more effective and efficient. The Sesh ANC offers a single ANC setting that works well in moderate noise but does not adapt dynamically. The app experience for the SOUNDPEATS earbuds is much better than the Skullcandy app, as it allows for more customisation based on personal preferences.
As for microphone quality, the Sesh ANC are surprisingly good. Voice pickup is clear in quiet settings, and background noise is slightly suppressed. However, the Air5 Pro manages to capture voice tones more naturally with less distortion and slightly better background noise reduction.
When it comes to comfort and fit, the Air5 Pro has a much lighter build and fits in your ear without much discomfort. The Sesh ANC earbuds have a bulkier build, though they are still comfortable, and can feel heavier after extended use. Additionally, both models feature touch controls that are simple and effective to use. The battery life is also better for the Air5 Pro in comparison to the Sesh ANC.
Even though the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro delivers an impressive overall experience, one small feature I would like to see added in the future would be an in-ear detection sensor. This would be where the earbuds would automatically pause audio when removed from your ears for better convenience.
All in all, I absolutely love the sound quality and the endless options for customisation that the Air5 Pro provides. You are paying for real quality, and it lives up to that standard. The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro stands out as an excellent pair of wireless earbuds offering fantastic sound quality, premium codec support and thoughtful design. The combination of comfort, customisation and crisp audio performance makes them easy to recommend. If you are looking for earbuds that deliver superb sound, versatile features, and a modern-sleek design, then look no further, the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro are worth checking out!
Overall: 9.5/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
