Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds Review

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Tech Specs

Product:	Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds
Features:	– 9-hour playtime (28 hours with charging case) – Bluetooth 5.3 – IPX5 Waterproof – AI-enhanced calls via 2 mics – Soundcore app – with 22 preset EQs
Price:	£29.99

A pair of Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds were provided for review

The Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds come in at the lower end of the price spectrum but still have a few features to boast. I spent some time testing them out to see what you get for your money and how well those features performed. Read my Rapid Review below to see how I got on.

Purple Is My Colour

I was thrilled to find out that the earbuds came in a shade of purple, even more so when I realised that the pair I would be reviewing were in this colour. They do also come in black and white. The carry and charging case comes in black with the black earbuds, and in white with both the white and purple earbuds. Although there’s a slight difference to the purple earbuds’ case, the interior is purple and the cord has purple woven in.

Pairing the buds with my phone took a matter of seconds following the quick start guide. A really nice touch was that when I downloaded the Soundcore App, the image of the earbuds onscreen matched the purple of the earbuds in my hand. As with the earbuds themselves, setting up the app was quick and simple. Once paired to my phone, each time I took the buds out of the case they connected automatically. Switching between my phone and smart watch was simple and instantaneous – all I had to do was disconnect from one and select the device from the Bluetooth list to connect to the other.

With the portability of the charging case – you can attach it to a belt loop with the cord – I didn’t find myself running out of battery often. The case also easily fits in your pocket, either whilst attached to a belt loop or not. Great for storage whilst out and about too.

I loved the colour and fit

Snug and Comfy

As soon as I put the earbuds in, I noticed that they felt light, comfy and had a secure, snug fit. Often, I forgot that they were in my ears whilst listening to music. I tried them out whilst doing a range of exercise activities and found that they stayed in place while walking, doing strength exercises that included star jumps and whilst completing a 5km run.

I was particularly impressed that they stayed in place during my run. Until I tested out the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds, I hadn’t been able to find a pair (without an over-ear support) that didn’t fall out whilst running. There was no need to adjust them during my run and I felt relaxed and confident about the fit – so much so that once again, I forgot they were there for a while and just enjoyed my music.

While doing each of the different exercise activities, I found that by slightly varying the volume of my music, I could block out ambient sound entirely or have a happy balance between the two. While doing strength exercises, I turned up the volume so I couldn’t hear the TV in the background. However, I didn’t need to turn the volume anywhere near 100% to do this. Whilst running, I turned the volume down a little. This meant that I could hear cars as they approached, while still enjoying my tunes and without compromising the quality of the audio.

Portable charging case, and buds still snug after a 5km run

Pre-set EQs

Of the twenty-two pre-set EQs in the Soundcore app, there were a few that stood out to me and that I used regularly. Before I go into detail about these, I think it’s worth mentioning that the music app I use on my phone – Deezer – also has an equaliser. So, I found that if I had both of them on, some balancing needed to be done between the two at times. When I got the mix wrong, I made the buds buzz a little on the bass, but when I got it right, the combination of the two was brilliant. Alternatively, and probably the simpler option, I could turn the Deezer equaliser off and rely solely on the one in the Soundcore app.

If you’re anything like me and listen to a playlist full of music from a plethora of different genres, the Soundcore signature EQ (with optional BassUp) was a good jack-of-all-trades option. However, the individualised EQs really did crisp up specific genres of music in just the right places. So, if you’re listening to an album all in one genre, they make a great option. A tad too fiddly to keep adjusting for every song on a playlist though. The individual EQs I used most for music were Acoustic, Dance, Electronic and Rock. Both Dance and Electronic worked well for D&B and dubstep.

I also used the Podcast and Spoken Word pre-sets. I used these for listening to audiobooks (using the Audible app) and for language learning (using the Duolingo app). Out of the two, I preferred the Podcast pre-set. Both of them focused the audio on the speech, removing any background or ambient noise and giving it a studio recorded quality.

All the different pre-set EQs and some app options

Gaming Mode

The gaming mode pleasantly surprised me. I wasn’t expecting much but it really did make a difference. It tidies up the sound and brings all the important noises (like footsteps) to the forefront of your attention. I tested it while playing the multiplayer mode on COD via Xbox remote play on my phone. With Gaming Mode off, the matches felt quite chaotic as I couldn’t really hear people approaching until it was too late. With Gaming Mode on, I was able to get the drop on incoming opponents and more accurately pinpoint where sniping attacks were coming from.

Gaming mode is easy to activate

Microphone, Controls and Single Bud Mode

There are built-in microphones in the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds. They worked great for voice calls, blocking out almost all ambient noise and picking up my voice clearly. There was one exception, on a voice call outside when it was quite windy, the wind overpowered my voice so that the person on the other end of the call could barely hear me. Although, I don’t think that’s a massive negative for the price point of these earbuds.

Within the Soundcore app you can assign a range of predetermined commands to a single, double or long tap on each bud. These controls are responsive but not in a way that means you can accidentally activate them – perfect. In addition, you can use the earbuds in single bud mode by only taking one bud out of the charging case. To swap into two bud mode, simply take the other bud out of the case.

The one and only gripe I had was that it was extremely fiddly to change between the different sizes of rubber earbuds. It’s lucky that the medium ones were a good fit for my ears, because initially I couldn’t get the other ones to fit onto the main section of the earbuds.

There are pre-set controls you can assign to a single, double or long tap

Great Value for Money

The features you get for £29.99 with the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds make them a great pair of buds if you’re on a budget. I’d go as far as saying that they function better than some pairs I’ve spent quite a bit more on. The basic sound quality of the earbuds, before downloading the app, is great. Add the pre-set EQs into the mix and you get some brilliant sounding music and extremely clear dialogue from sources such as audiobooks or language learning apps.

The gaming mode really does make a difference and I can recommend using it for mobile gaming and remote play from your console on your smartphone. Battery life is great, especially with the charging case. The buds have built-in microphones which means you can use the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds for voice calls and chats. They fit securely in your ear to go for a run without worrying about them falling out – with the minor caveat that changing the bud size can be a bit fiddly.

Getting set up is easy and the Soundcore app is user friendly. The controls are easy to edit and just the right level of responsive. Without any faffing, you can swap between single or two bud mode. By adjusting the volume, you can decide how much ambient noise to let in – without needing to crank the volume up too high. You also get three colours to choose from. For £29.99, I think that’s a bargain. I can absolutely recommend the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds, budget or not.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5

You can buy the Soundcore A20i True Wireless Earbuds on Amazon here

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