The Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3511 surprised me with how much value it packs. There's active noise cancelling (ANC), a four-and-a-half-hour battery life with ANC, and Bluetooth 5.2. The sound is also decent, while the earbuds are comfortable to wear.
Quick specs
- IP44 (which should offer some rain protection)
- Bluetooth 5.2, HSP, HFP, AVRCP, and A2DP
- Battery life: 4.5hr with ANC, 6.5hr without, case has 17hr with ANC, 25hr without
Unlike other in-ear buds which usually come in plastic cases, the E3511 comes in a metal one. This already gives it a premium feel, which is nice. The case adds about 17 hours of battery life, giving it all-day use. However, there's no quick charging for the earbuds (or at least on paper). You will need two hours in the case for a full charge of the earbuds. Note that you will get more battery life with ANC turned off.
Sound-wise the E3511 is decent. It's not the best I've heard, but the 10mm drivers do a good job with speech and audio. Bass is strong, though it feels like it will blend into the mids in a bass-heavy track. That means you somewhat lose the mids. Trebles are warm, but they don't strike me as clear as other headphones. It's particularly noticeable when IU's vocals on Lilac doesn't sound as piercingly clear compared with other headphones. Overall, the E3511 sounds quite balanced, but it's not as clear as higher-end (and more expensive) models such as the Sony WF-1000XM4.
ANC performance is pretty average. It will block out fan sounds, but I could still hear a little hum in the background. It also has an ambient mode for listening to the outside world. As for battery life, the earbuds easily last more than five hours at max volume. I do wish that the Nokia E3511 came with an app to let me adjust EQ settings or configure the touch controls. Speaking of which, the touch controls are terribly slow to react, which made them a pain to use. I do like the fit though, it's quite comfortable to have on the whole day.
Retailing at S$149 officially, I've seen the Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3511 go as low as S$80. That's a pretty damn good deal if you can get it at that price, especially for ANC. It probably will help a bit with annoying drilling noises, but there are stronger ANC earbuds out there. Get it from Lazada or Shopee.
Note: Review unit provided by Nokia.
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