Review Verdict:  the Edifier X3 is arguably the smallest pair of TWS earbuds you can buy right now in the Philippines, but despite their small size, they don’t compromise on sound quality. They are incredibly affordable and even manage to pack support for aptX.

However, its diminutive size means it has its fair share of compromises, including dodgy touch controls and the use of a MicroUSB port. Despite these small issues, they’re perfect for people looking for small buds that don’t compromise on sound quality.

Pros

• Tiny and compact
• Support for aptX
• Good sound quality despite its diminutive size

Cons

• Dodgy touch controls

Edifier is a name you’d often hear when it comes to affordable audio products. Their portfolio ranges from speakers to wireless TWS earbuds, with the X3 being part of their ultra-budget offerings. The X3 promises to deliver excellent audio and aptX tech despite being small and affordable. Should you spring for this tiny powerhouse?

Design

If there’s one thing you’d notice about the X3 or specifically, its case, it’s how tiny this thing is, as it’s small enough to fit in the small pocket of your jeans. It matches the equally tiny size of the Omthing AirFree, though the X3’s earbuds are more compact than the AirFree because of the form factor.

While it is similar to the AirFree because of its straightforward, minimalist design, the X3’s case comes with an ancient MicroUSB port for charging. It definitely feels dated in 2021–at a time where practically all gadgets are using USB-C.

Both the case and earbuds have a matte finish and a hint of glossy accents throughout the body. The only branding you get here is the stylized X on the earbuds themselves.

User Interface and Fit

Like with most budget earbuds I’ve reviewed so far, pairing the X3 involves popping open the case and removing the earbuds to prompt pairing. Once your device detects and pairs with it, you’re good to go.

Being a basic pair of TWS earbuds, you don’t get any companion software with the X3. Instead, you get a pretty basic set of controls–one tap for play/pause, and two taps for music playback.

Despite having a relatively large area for the touch controls (remember that these pair of TWS earbuds are really, really small), I was annoyed at how inconsistent the controls are. At times where I want to change tracks, the earbuds would just pause the music instead. In some cases, they don’t detect single tap gestures properly, prompting a quick double-tap in order for them to respond.

Using them as my daily driver, I figured that the best possible way to remedy the dodgy touch controls is by adjusting the fit of the earbuds to your ear–where your fingers can touch the whole area properly. It is a quirk that can annoy people but is something that they can get used to in the long run. That aside, their compact form factor makes them very comfortable to use even for long listening sessions.

Audio Quality and Battery Life

Because it is tiny and priced affordably, going for balanced armatures (like with the 1More ColorBuds) is definitely out of the option for the X3. Instead, Edifier equipped them with 8mm dynamic drivers, which do quite a good job as far as audio quality is concerned.

The soundstage of the X3 is quite close to the more expensive Colorbuds, though I noticed that I had to burn them in a bit longer than usual, as I had to use the X3 for a little over 5 hours to bring out its true soundstage. On most TWS earbuds I reviewed so far, an hour or two is normally enough to warm up the drivers.

Given its similarities to the ColorBuds, the X3 shines better with the mids and highs while lows can be inconsistent at times–especially with tracks that are loaded with lots of deep bass drops. While the X3’s soundstage is not as detailed as the ColorBuds, is it impressive to see a pair of under-Php 2k TWS earbuds to have support for aptX. With the said codec, you can make the most out of high-bitrate audio files on any aptX-supported Android device.

For battery life, the X3 can last for up to 6 hours on a single charge, and up to 18 hours with the case. That’s lower than usual for any TWS earbuds but is expected given the tiny size of the X3’s case. Charging is done via an ancient MicroUSB port, and it takes around two hours to top it up to 100% since you don’t get any form of fast charging.

Wrap Up and Conclusions

Our review makes it clear that if you want a pair of TWS earbuds that you can easily put in your pocket, the Edifier X3 is a compelling offering for under Php 2k in the Philippines. Aside from its tiny size, these pair of TWS earbuds pack good value with a decent soundstage and aptX support, making you ignore its aging MicroUSB port and dodgy touch controls.

Edifier X3 Review Philippines Price

The Edifier X3 is priced at Php 1,750 and can be purchased via TekPlay Store.