OPPO Enco X4 Review: Bye Bye Airpods

If you’ve read any of my previous earbuds reviews, you’ve probably seen something like, “Yeah, these earbuds are good, but you know what, OPPO has better alternatives.” And I promise it’s not a paid promotion, but OPPO earbuds do really have great value, even if they’re not perfect. That said, the premium TWS space has belonged to Apple AirPods Pro for quite some time. Yes, there’s the Sony WF-1000XM series, but they’ve always felt too focused on sound quality, while ignoring many of the conveniences that make AirPods so popular. When OPPO finally announced the return of its flagship Enco X series in India, with the X4, I was super excited.

It’s been almost a month since I started using the OPPO Enco X4, and they’ve accompanied me through pretty much everything: everyday listening, gym sessions, work calls, and even a flight. While there’s plenty to talk about when it comes to sound quality, if you can’t wait, yes, the Enco X4 are great. But are they worth ₹19,999? Let’s find out.

Design & Controls

If you’ve used previous Enco earbuds, the X4 will look familiar. OPPO hasn’t tried to reinvent the design, sticking with the stem-style layout and pebble-shaped charging case. The combination of matte and glossy finishes, metallic accents, and subtle Dynaudio looks very premium. Anyone I handed the buds to felt the same, and the slight heft adds to that expensive feeling. The rest of the case is compact and easy to carry around. It has a USB Type-C port and supports wireless charging, which was awesome. I could just leave the earbuds on the desk, and they’d be fully recharged by the time I had done my chores. Each earbud weighs around 5.6 grams, but I barely noticed the weight once they were in my ears.

OPPO has also introduced redesigned silicone-foam ear tips that provide a snug seal without putting too much pressure on the ear canal. You get four sizes in the box, so finding the right fit shouldn’t be difficult. I’ve worn them during workouts and on a flight without experiencing noticeable ear fatigue, even during longer listening sessions. There’s also an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, although it applies only to the earbuds, not the charging case, so please don’t jump in the pool with the case or leave them inside the pocket before washing.

One of my favorite improvements is the touch controls. Previous Enco models weren’t always the easiest to control, but the X4 gets responsive pinch and swipe gestures. You can control playback and adjust volume directly from the stems, and I rarely had to repeat a gesture because it hadn’t registered. It’s a small improvement that makes everyday use considerably more convenient. You can also customize all these controls, which I’ll cover more in the app section.

Sound Quality: Dynaudio Does Its Magic Again

Let’s get to the most important part: sound quality. The Enco X4 uses an 11mm dynamic woofer and a 6mm planar tweeter, each with its own DAC. OPPO has once again worked with Dynaudio on the tuning, and the result is a sound signature that’s detailed and engaging. The bass has plenty of punch, but it doesn’t overpower vocals or instruments. Mids are clear, and there’s enough detail in the higher frequencies to make familiar tracks sound interesting all over again.

What I really like is the instrument separation. Some earbuds make complicated tracks sound like everything is happening in one place, especially when several instruments and vocals come together. The Enco X4 does a much better job of keeping individual elements distinct. The soundstage is wide enough that I could feel the difference compared to other OPPO earbuds. It feels like I’m hearing more of the song than I did before.

OPPO also gives you five Dynaudio-tuned sound profiles, including Original Sound, High-Resolution, Pure Vocals, Crisp Highs, and Thundering Bass. There’s a 10-band equalizer if you prefer to tweak things yourself. I’d recommend experimenting with the presets first, as the default tuning is already quite good. If you find the higher frequencies a little sharp, though, the equalizer gives you enough control to tone them down.

The Enco X4 also supports LHDC lossless audio at up to 2.3Mbps on compatible devices. iPhone users are limited to AAC, while compatible Android phones can use LHDC. The full lossless experience requires a supported OPPO device, which I had for this review, so not everyone will get to enjoy it. Still, I wouldn’t buy these earbuds solely for lossless audio support. The standard listening experience is already excellent.

ANC and Transparency Mode

Another area where I failed to find any flaws was active noise cancellation (ANC), of which you get multiple modes. I’ve used the Enco X4 in several environments, including busy streets, the gym, and on a flight. The noise cancellation does a great job of reducing background noise, whether it’s traffic, general chatter, or the constant hum of an aircraft cabin. It makes listening to music much more enjoyable, particularly when you’re somewhere noisy. Some people find high ANC uncomfortable, and I belong to the same group. That said, OPPO has done a great job of reducing that “sucked out the world” feel.

Transparency mode is equally important when you’re wearing earbuds throughout the day. Thankfully, the Enco X4 doesn’t make external sounds feel particularly artificial or robotic. But the feature I liked the most is Conversation Awareness. Once enabled, the earbuds automatically lower the music volume and switch to transparency mode when you start speaking or someone talks to you. When the conversation ends, your music returns to its previous volume.

Another thing I want to highlight is the call quality. The X4 belonged to the small category of earbuds where my friends could hear everything I said, even in a lower voice, without me having to repeat myself.

HeyMelody App & Battery Life

As a surprise to no one, the Enco X4 earbuds work best with an OPPO phone, where you can access several earbud settings directly through the phone’s Bluetooth menu. If you’re using another Android smartphone or an iPhone, you’ll need the HeyMelody app to access the full set of controls. These include customizing touch gestures, adjusting ANC, switching between sound profiles, enabling features such as Conversation Awareness, and adjusting the 10-band equalizer.

There’s also spatial audio with head tracking, dual-device connectivity, Spotify Tap, and head gestures to answer or reject calls. OPPO has added AI-powered features, too, including live translation and access to Google Gemini. However, some advanced features are restricted to compatible OPPO and OnePlus devices, so keep that in mind if you’re using a Samsung, Google Pixel, or iPhone.

OPPO claims up to 13 hours of playback on a single charge and up to 53 hours with the charging case. However, those figures are achieved with ANC turned off and AAC playback at 50% volume. With ANC on, the claimed endurance drops to six hours for the earbuds and 26 hours with the case. Using LHDC with ANC brings it down further to 5.5 hours and 22 hours, respectively.

OPPO Enco X4 Verdict

After almost a month of using the OPPO Enco X4, I can confidently say that these are among the best premium earbuds OPPO has brought to India. They get the important things right: sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and the everyday features that make wireless earbuds convenient.

The sound is detailed, the bass has plenty of punch, and instrument separation is genuinely impressive. ANC is effective enough for daily commutes, workouts, and flights, while Conversation Awareness is one of those features that makes you wonder why more earbuds don’t offer something similar. They’re comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, and the controls are a meaningful improvement over previous Enco models.

At this moment, I usually say, “But they are not perfect because of so and so reason.” I don’t have any such reason to give you, as I didn’t find any flaws. If you’re in the market for premium TWS earbuds, you definitely need to have the OPPO Enco X4 on your radar.