Boult W10 TWS Earbuds Review: Affordable ₹999 Earbuds Offering Great Value!
Key Takeaways
- The Boult W10 delivers an impressive audio experience featuring robust bass and prominent treble.
- Housed in a stylish leatherette case, these earbuds provide excellent value.
- Unfortunately, the dual pairing and spatial audio functions underperform.
- Considering sound quality and affordability, the earbuds are quite commendable.
Nearly ten years since their debut, TWS earbuds have become essential for audio enthusiasts. Without a neckband or traditional Bluetooth headphones, the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack on mobile devices can pose a challenge for listening to music or watching videos discreetly in public. Luckily, advancements in TWS earbud technology have made it possible for even budget models to pack a plethora of features into a reliable and appealing design.
The Boult W10 exemplifies a well-crafted pair of budget earbuds that excel beyond basic needs like sound quality and durability, effectively challenging products priced almost double its cost.
If you’re looking for quality on a tight budget, here’s why the Boult W10 stands out.
Pros👍
- Remarkable sound profile with deep bass and clear highs.
- Sleek leatherette carrying case.
- Outstanding price-to-value ratio.
Cons👎
- Dual pairing functionality struggles with device switching.
- Spatial audio mode lacks quality.
Boult W10: A Strong Foundation
With a budget-friendly price of Rs 799, the Boult W10s provide a dependable listening experience, covering the essentials—sound quality, battery life, controls, and build—effectively. Let’s explore how it fares in these aspects.
Audio Quality
The foremost consideration, regardless of price, is ensuring satisfactory sound quality. The Boult W10s do not disappoint in this department.
Equipped with 13mm drivers, the earbuds deliver commendable sound quality for their segment. They provide a punchy bass that is pleasing without being overwhelming, making any genre enjoyable.
The treble stays sharp and clean, without distortion or muddiness at higher volumes, which is a notable improvement over more expensive models like the Truke BTG Flex. Thanks to Boult’s Signature Sound mode—activated by default—these earbuds also support AAC format for enhanced audio fidelity.
While the Boult W10s include a Spatial Sound setting, it falls short in quality and doesn’t add value to the listening experience, resembling a poorly recorded version of the track. Therefore, it’s recommended to stick with the Signature Sound, which is quite impressive on its own.
Bottom Line: The Signature sound offers a fantastic balance of bass and clarity while the Spatial option is not worth utilizing.
Microphone Performance
Budget-friendly earbuds generally feature a quad-mic configuration with environment noise cancellation, and the Boult W10s are no exception. Indoor performance of the microphone is quite strong, where callers can hardly distinguish these from pricier models like the Sony WF-C500. However, outdoors presents challenges with wind and traffic noise interfering with clarity, though it remains adequate for most situations.
Battery Life
Boult claims a 55-hour battery lifespan (including the case). On a full charge at maximum volume, I was able to use them for a solid 6 hours, with potential reach of up to 7 hours at lower volumes. A quick 10-minute charge provides approximately 100 minutes of usage, slightly less than the advertised 150 minutes but nonetheless satisfactory. A complete recharge takes about an hour, which is standard for this category.
Design and Fit
The lightweight plastic construction meets expectations, yet the leather accents on the case are surprisingly upscale compared to typical glossy or matte finishes.
The earbuds fit easily into the case, indicated by a single white/green LED for charging and pairing status.
While I found them not to fit perfectly—occasionally feeling loose during vigorous movement—this can be highly subjective. Despite this, I prefer the Boult W10’s streamlined case over the Truke BTG Flex, as it is compact and carries a rugged leatherette aesthetic that hints at a premium feel. The packaging is also thoughtfully designed, enabling easy access with a single hand.
Gaming Experience and Latency
With a latency rate of 45 milliseconds, gaming with the Boult W10s is quite enjoyable. Although brief audio cutouts may occur occasionally, which is not unusual at this price point.
Dual Pairing Issues
While the Boult W10 supports dual pairing, the feature can be problematic. My tests revealed significant issues similar to those found with the Truke BTG Flex: the connection often defaults back to the PC, sometimes resulting in audio loss on both connected devices. To remedy this, disconnecting from both devices and re-establishing a single connection is required.
For those needing to switch devices, manually disconnecting from one before connecting to another is advisable. Luckily, Bluetooth 5.4 facilitates swift pairing, typically in under two seconds, which is a notable advantage.
Control Features
Controls are located atop the earbud stems and are somewhat overly sensitive, making accidental activation while adjusting the earbuds a frequent occurrence.
Fortunately, navigating the controls is straightforward, and volume controls are included as well. Here’s a summary of the control functions:
Left Earbud | Right Earbud | |
Music Functions |
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Calling Functions |
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Game/Music Mode |
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Switching Modes |
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Since there’s no app available, equalizer adjustments are off the table, but given the solid performance of Boult’s signature sound, this might not pose a significant drawback.
My Experience with the Boult W10
With the default Signature sound profile, the Boult W10 earbuds comfortably stay in place while providing music at maximum volume for extended periods. Although the fit isn’t flawless for me, it’s manageable. I leave the other audio modes aside as they don’t seem to resonate with my preferences.
When I’m not using my preferred Audio Technica for movies, the Boult W10s serve as a dependable secondary option, particularly as the dual pairing feature is unreliable in my experience. In a pinch, just a quick 10-minute charge can power the earbuds long enough for an average-length film.
The presence of volume controls is greatly valued, even though tweaking the volume through triple taps results in minor adjustments. Nevertheless, this feature is a notable upgrade compared to the Truke BTG Flex, which costs over a thousand rupees yet offers no volume controls whatsoever.
Final Thoughts
The Boult W10s are among the leading budget-friendly TWS earbuds, delivering excellent value. At this price point, they surpass expectations in terms of sound quality, battery life, and build. However, the dual pairing and spatial audio features may not live up to their promises. Nonetheless, the Boult W10 boasts a solid foundation, making it a trustworthy choice for everyday use.
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