Despite being around in other regions for quite some time, Soundcore, a sub-brand from Anker Innovations, is only just making its debut in Malaysia. The Soundcore R50i is their upper-end budget TWS earbuds featuring touch controls and an enticing price tag at RM119. Are they for you? Check out the full review of the Soundcore R50i below.
In terms of design, the R50i follows the general Apple AirPods look with an extended stem and easy-to-slip-in shape. Silicone earbuds cover the speakers, while a single Soundcore logo adorns the top of each stem. Tapping this logo activates the touch controls for each earbud, but the overall design is rather understated. Touch controls are reasonably responsive, as long as you press the Soundcore logo accurately.
The Soundcore R50i in its case
This simplified design is carried forward to the plastic charging case, which also only has a single Soundcore logo on its top cover. While a bit larger than most TWS charging cases, it does come with a lanyard for easier carrying, but it also means it needs just a bit more space in your pocket or bag. The case uses a USB Type C port for charging.
The R50i earpieces don't weigh that much at all. Once you've put them in, you won't even notice them. And unless you really shake your head, they'll stay in your ears quite securely. There are also replacement silicone earbuds included with the earpieces relatively sweat-proof with IPX5 water resistance.
Due to the design, there is natural noise isolation once you insert the earpieces, even though there's no active noise cancellation. However, that also means you have to remove them to properly listen or talk to someone. Pairing and installation are relatively painless. Just install the Soundcore app, take the earpieces out of the case then let it find the R50i. Tap it to pair, and that's done.
The Soundcore R50i touch controls are located on the Soundcore logo at the top of the stem
The silicone earbuds are nice and comfortable
The overall look is rather understated
Vocals are crisp and clear, so listening to songs like Whitney Houston's "I will always love you" and Celine Dion's "A new day has come" is a joy. Strangely enough, the R50i tends to blend individual instruments together, especially for instrumental-only or orchestra pieces. While the regular Bass is fairly satisfying, it doesn't feel as full as some other TWS. Turning the signature BassUp on does little more than raise the overall volume a bit, so we have to say that the audio performance is a bit of a mixed bag.
Connectivity is strong and stable within the allotted range and works well even with walls or doors in the way. However, many of the extra functions can't be accessed unless you set it in the Soundcore app. For example, turning on the Gaming mode does help you get next to no lag during gaming, and you can access the other 22 equalizer presets. Unfortunately, while there is a Find My Device function, it doesn't work very well. Even on maximum volume, it can be hard to hear the alert tone being played. You can customize tap, double tap and long hold controls quite easily though.
The Soundcore App
According to Soundcore, the dual mics use AI to help improve call quality or recording performance, and we found it to be fairly clear and stable. There was very little background or wind noise, so we suppose that it does help somewhat. Battery life is good, with 10 hours for each earpiece, according to Soundcore. And you can get 30 hours with the charging case. You can recharge back to full in under 2 hours.
Overall, the Soundcore R50i makes for an easy-to-use TWS on a budget with responsive touch controls that you don't often see in devices of this price range. Normally, the R50i would go for RM119 but other contenders in that range usually wouldn't have touch controls or work well with gaming, so we think it's a pretty good deal.
I would have liked it better if the bass was a bit more pronounced. But these should work well for most movies, music, gaming, online meetings, workouts (not swimming though) or other wireless listening purposes with no major problems. What do you think? Would you get the Soundcore R50i for your listening pleasure, or have you already bought a pair? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more reviews.
Features and Tech Specs
Here are the features and tech specs of the Soundcore R50i:
- 10mm drivers
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 10m range
- 10 Hz (min) - 20 kHz (max) frequency range
- Features touch controls, IPX5 water resistance, 22 preset EQ modes, Gaming Mode
- Supports USB Type C
- 30 hour battery life (with Case)
- 10 hour battery life (earpieces)
- 2 hours charging time
- Available in White
Pros and Cons
Pros: Affordable. Responsive Touch controls. Good battery life. Better for voice.
Cons: Rather big case. Not for orchestras.
Summary: A good pair of easy-to-wear TWS with touch controls on a budget
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