Today I would like to share with you Redmi Buds 4 Lite (also known as Redmi Buds 4 Youth Edition) – an entry-level true wireless earbuds recently launched by Xiaomi. The advantages of the earbuds are high cost performance, stylish appearance and support for game modes. The disadvantage is that the sound quality is average, there is no noise reduction mode, no dual device connection, etc.
Redmi Buds 4 Lite specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC codec
- 5 hours playback of per charge
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 3 times
- 12mm dynamic driver
- IP54 waterproof and dustproof
- $14 – Check latest price on AliExpress or Banggood, Amazon US or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design – Comfortable Fit
The charging case has a rounded square design as a whole. The surface of the upper cover is made of glossy material, embellished with green strips (green version only), and the Redmi brand logo is in the middle.
There is a groove at the opening of the charging case for easy opening. The surface of the lower half is made of matte material, which contrasts with the upper cover, highlighting the respective textures of the two materials. On the back of the charging case is the Type-C charging port.
Redmi Buds 4 Lite earbuds is a short headset stem semi-in-ear design. The outside of the headset stem is also made of glossy and matte materials, which echoes the charging case design. The appearance design of Redmi Buds 4 Lite and Redmi Buds 4 Pro on the outside of the headset stem is relatively similar.
The earbud head is equipped with a pressure relief hole, which can balance the internal and external pressure, maintain air circulation, and improve the acoustic performance of the earbuds. The sound outlet is a larger oval shape, covered with a metal mesh to prevent foreign matter from entering the earbuds. There are charging contacts and L/R logos on the inside of the headset stem, and a call microphone hole at the end.
Another microphone is set on the top of the earbud, and it works with the call microphone to realize the call noise reduction function. The high-sensitivity microphone cooperates with the call noise reduction algorithm to effectively reduce environmental noise, accurately extract clear human voice, and make the call voice pure and accurate.
After actual measurement, the overall weight of Redmi Buds 4 Lite is about 33.8g, the thickness of the charging case is 22.2mm, which can be easily put into any pocket. The weight of a single earbud is only 4g, which greatly reduces the discomfort caused to the ear when wearing it.
The semi-in-ear design can fit the curve of the auricle well, and it is comfortable and stable to wear, suitable for long-term use. The headset stem is shorter, compact and not easy to drop.
Connection – Controls
Redmi Buds 4 Lite adopts Bluetooth 5.3 technology and has strong anti-interference ability. When earbuds are connected to bluetooth devices, the delay is lower and the stability is better. When connecting for the first time, just select “Redmi Buds 4 Lite” in the bluetooth device list on your phone to connect quickly. Open the charging case for subsequent use to connect to a successfully paired bluetooth device.
When used with Xiaomi or Redmi phones, just open the charging case near the phone and a connection interface will pop up, click to quickly pair. At the same time, the pop-up window will display the remaining power of the charging case and earbuds.
The control of earbuds is very convenient, and the touch control area is above the outside of the headset stem. Double-tap to answer, triple-tap to reject or hang up when incoming call. When playing music, double-tap to pause or play, triple-tap to go to the next song. Long press the earbuds for 1.5s to turn on/off the game mode.
Calls – Games – Movies
Redmi Buds 4 Lite has a built-in high-sensitivity microphone, which works with the call noise reduction algorithm to effectively reduce environmental noise and accurately extract clear human voices. Even in a noisy environment, the other party can hear your voice clearly. Through actual measurement, the voice is very clear when talking in a quiet environment. In an environment with complex background noise, the sound clarity will be significantly weakened.
Earbuds can reduce the latency in the game mode, and the experience of playing MOBA games is not a problem. For FPS games with higher latency requirements, some delays can still be felt. When watching a movie, the picture and sound can be well synchronized.
Sound Description – Battery Life
Redmi Buds 4 Lite uses a 12mm double-layer polymer composite diaphragm dynamic driver. After careful adjustment by Xiaomi Acoustic Lab, it pursues to restore the real sound effect, showing more sound details while bringing transparent treble and deep bass.
The actual sense of hearing is good at the price of $20, the low-frequency quantity sense is sufficient, and the human voice is natural. But the demand for sound quality varies from person to person. The low-frequency quantity sense is a bit too much for me, and the sound is too “pop”. Moreover, Redmi Buds 4 Lite only supports SBC codec, and the code rate is relatively low, so it cannot fully utilize the “advantage” of its tuning.
The earbuds have a single battery life of up to 5 hours, the charging case can provide an additional 15 hours of battery life, and the overall comprehensive battery life can reach up to 20 hours, which is no problem for daily commuting. In terms of charging, it takes about 120 minutes to fully charge the earbuds and charging case.