Redmi's new TWS earbuds are just $23 (and they aren't AirPod clones)

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi has launched a pair of super cheap true wireless earbuds in India.

Called the Redmi Earbuds S, the cord-free earphones are essentially the Redmi AirDots S that launched in China back in April. They come in a familiar pill-shaped charging case and are more compact in size compared to other cheap TWS earphones like the recently launched realme Buds Air Neo.

In terms of features, the Redmi Earbuds S come with IPX4 splash resistance, 12 hours of playback time with the charging case, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Thankfully, Redmi didn’t blatantly copy Apple’s AirPods and instead opted for a more Galaxy Buds-like design approach.

For controls, the Redmi Earbuds S feature a single multi-function button instead of touch gestures. It can be used to take or reject incoming calls, play/pause music, and launch a gaming mode.

The dedicated gaming mode comes on with a double tap of the button and reduces audio lag while playing games. the company claims the latency in this mode is set at 122ms, which means it’ll take 122 milliseconds for the audio from your phone to reach your earholes.

Another function of the button on the Redmi Earbuds S is to control voice assistants. According to Xiaomi, you can summon any voice assistant of your choice by pressing the button.

Redmi Earbuds S: Price and availability

The new TWS Redmi buds are shockingly cheap at just Rs 1,799 (~$23). However, they are a tad more expensive than the Redmi AirDots S in China which cost 100 Chinese yuan (~$14). Still, they come in cheaper than the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 that go for Rs 4,499 (~$59) in India.

At that price point, we don’t expect wonders from Redmi’s wireless earbuds. We can’t really comment on their performance before using them, but don’t expect premium quality like the AirPods or the Galaxy Buds Plus. It’ll be great if they can even match the sound quality of cheap TWS buds like the Edifier TWS 1.

The Redmi Earbuds S will be made available in India through Mi Stores and Amazon starting May 27 at 12PM IST with three different sized silicone tips.