SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro Take Aim at AirPods—Because Not Everyone Wants to Pay the Apple Tax

The wireless earbud market has officially become a free-for-all. From $29 gas station specials to $300 “Pro Max” status symbols that think they’re reference monitors, there’s no shortage of options—and plenty of hype to match. Somewhere in the middle of this chaos, SOUNDPEATS has quietly built a global following by doing something most brands still can’t manage: offering solid performance at prices that won’t trigger a call from your credit card company.

The new SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro is their latest move in the game. It builds on the foundation of the Air5 and Air5 Lite, but ups the ante with real-world features like adaptive ANC, aptX Lossless support over Snapdragon Sound, and 10mm dynamic drivers that actually deliver some low-end presence. No, it’s not trying to dethrone your $300 flagships—but it’s gunning for the people who care about sound, convenience, and keeping a little money in their wallet.

Let’s see what this budget-friendly “Pro” actually brings to the table.

Air5 Pro Sound Quality and Low-Latency Performance: Budget ‘Studio-Grade’ or Just Marketing Speak?

SOUNDPEATS wants you to believe the Air5 Pro delivers a “studio-grade” listening experience. That’s a bold claim—especially when you’re talking about wireless earbuds under $100. But to their credit, they’re not throwing buzzwords around for nothing. The Air5 Pro is built around Qualcomm’s QCC3091 chip and leverages Snapdragon Sound, LDAC, and aptX Lossless support—rare territory for this price range.

The 10mm driver isn’t exotic, but it’s no slouch either. It’s a composite diaphragm tuned for actual musicality: punchy bass, reasonably clear mids, and highs that won’t slice your eardrums open. You won’t mistake these for custom IEMs, but compared to most AirPods alternatives? These punch cleanly above the average.

Where things get more interesting is latency. The Air5 Pro uses LE Audio and the LC3 codec for tighter audio-video sync—handy if you spend more time on Twitch and YouTube than TIDAL. Just keep in mind: all of this depends on your phone or device playing nice with the latest codec support. If it does, you’re in for low-lag streaming and high-bitrate playback without the usual Bluetooth drama.

For the price? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Adaptive Noise Cancelling and Call Quality: Smarter ANC, Fewer “Can You Hear Me?” Moments

The Air5 Pro is SOUNDPEATS’ smartest ANC effort yet—or at least that’s the pitch. Powered by AI-based adaptive noise cancellation, it claims to cut ambient noise by up to 55dB, adjusting automatically based on your surroundings and ear fit. That’s the marketing line, anyway. In real-world use, it’s solid for the price: subway hum, HVAC droning, and café chatter all get dialed back to manageable levels. Bonus points for the wind noise reduction, which actually does help when you’re out walking and Mother Nature starts acting up.

For phone calls, the Air5 Pro packs six microphones backed by AI noise filtering and Qualcomm’s cVc 8.0 tech. That means your voice comes through cleaner, even if you’re dodging traffic or ordering a latte mid-call. No, it won’t replace your office headset, but for wireless buds in this price class, call clarity is surprisingly good—and your friends won’t constantly ask if you’re underwater.

In short: smarter ANC and better calls without the usual “Pro” price markup.

PeatsAudio App: Because Even Budget Buds Deserve a Decent App

Yes, there’s an app—and thankfully, it doesn’t feel like an afterthought. The PeatsAudio app (available for iOS and Android) gives you actual control over your earbuds instead of leaving you stuck with whatever factory tuning someone in a lab thought was “universal.”

Inside the app, you can tweak the EQ, toggle listening modes (like ANC and transparency), and check for firmware updates—because let’s be honest, half the bugs in this category get fixed after launch. There’s even a “Find My Earbuds” feature in case one of them tries to escape under your car seat or into the couch abyss.

No, it’s not as polished as Apple or Sony’s app ecosystems, but it’s functional, clean, and better than expected at this price. Which, frankly, is the running theme of the Air5 Pro.

Battery Life and Charging: Long Enough to Outlast Your Attention Span

The Air5 Pro holds its own in the battery department. You get up to 7.5 hours of continuous playback on a single charge (with ANC off), and the charging case adds another 37 hours, which puts it ahead of many pricier competitors. Even if you forget to charge them overnight—because we all do—a quick 10-minute top-up gives you 2 hours of listening time. Not bad for the forgetful and impatient alike.

Design and Fit: Lightweight, Low-Drama Comfort That Just Works

At 4.8 grams per earbud, the Air5 Pro keeps things light—literally. The design is ergonomic without trying too hard, and the fit is surprisingly secure without the usual in-ear pressure that makes you want to rip them out after an hour. Whether you’re wearing them for a quick call, a few playlists, or a full workday of ANC-enabled escape, they stay put and stay comfortable.

 Award-Winning Audio

The Air5 Pro has been awarded Japan’s VGP 2025 Gold Award, one of the most esteemed honors in the country’s A/V industry.

Soundpeats Air5 Series Comparison 

The Bottom Line: Not AirPods—And That Might Be the Point

At a quick glance, the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro might look like a set of AirPods doing cosplay. But don’t get them confused—these aren’t trying to be Apple’s next clone. They’re playing a different game entirely: more features, better codec support, and a lot more value for the money.

For under $80, the Air5 Pro delivers a full spec sheet: Snapdragon Sound, aptX Lossless, LDAC, AI-powered ANC, and a surprisingly polished app experience. You’d be hard-pressed to find that combination from the big-name brands at even twice the price. That said, the sub-$100 category is getting crowded. There’s stiff competition from the Nothing CMF Buds 2 (with Dirac-tuned real-time optimization), the Skullcandy Method buds pushing some “Bose-like” enhancements, and even Final’s VR3000, which leans into gaming with spatial-tuned tuning—just over the $100 mark.

In the end, specs and sound quality matter—but comfort is king. If earbuds don’t fit well, it doesn’t matter how many features they have or how lossless your audio stream is. The Air5 Pro manages to tick a lot of boxes without overpromising, and if they fit your ears, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better daily driver for the price.

Price & Availability

Related Reading