Oppo Enco M33 Review: How does it stack up against other budget-friendly neckbands?

June 06, 2024, 12:58 PM
by Shahriar Rabab

UNB News
Publish- June 06, 2024, 12:58 PM
Shahriar Rabab
Update- June 06, 2024, 01:19 PM

Oppo Enco M33

The Oppo Enco M33 neckband marked a significant shift from the previous two iterations in terms of both specs and designs. While the M32 was considered a downgrade from the M31, the M33 is slated to be a contender with the hugely popular OnePlus Bullets Z2 ANC. So how does it stack up against other budget-friendly neckbands in the market? Let’s find out the specs, pros, cons, and price of the Oppo Enco M33 in Bangladesh.

Key Features of Oppo Enco M33

Design and Build Quality

This year, Oppo has moved away from the traditional pill-shaped earpiece design of the M31 and M32. The design is almost a replica of the OnePlus Bullets Z2 ANC regarding ergonomics and physical functions.

Now given that both Oppo and OnePlus come from the same parent company, a rebranding of Bullets Z2 ANC at least in terms of design on the M33 doesn’t seem unlikely.

The neckband is made from a soft silicone material which is supposed to be skin friendly according to Oppo. The wire is considerably thicker this time suggesting better durability all around. The earpiece also adopted the Bullets Z2 design with a better ergonomic fit compared to the previous generation.

There’s an inline play pause and volume controller button on the right earpiece wire.

Technical Specifications

The Enco M33 comes with a 12.4 mm dynamic driver which is an upgrade over last year’s 10 mm driver on the M32. The Bluetooth connectivity has been upgraded to 5.2 resulting in a smoother and fast switch between devices. The connection stability has also increased with the headphones steadily holding its 10 m range. The rest of the features are more or less carried on from the M32.

The M33 comes with AAC and SBC codecs. The lack of LDAC or AptX codec is a bit disappointing considering many budget-friendly Android-oriented headphones come with the latter.

The usual sound range of 20 Hz to 20 KHz is maintained on the Enco M33 covering the entire human hearing spectrum. Oppo also included an omnidirectional MEMS microphone for better call clarity and sound recording.

In terms of ANC, users will be getting noise cancellation up to 45 dB. Oppo claims that their ANC can cancel up to 99.4% of all effective noise.

Oppo kept the magnetic switch from last year’s M22. The sensors on the earpiece can conveniently detect a magnetic connection to on/off or play/pause music.

The M33 also comes with IP55 water and sweat resistance. It makes the neckband perfect for runs and gym usage.

Sound Quality

The sound quality of the M33 can be best described as bass-heavy. The audio profile felt similar to the Bullets Z2 with punchy bass and high notes.

But the punchy bass is in no way overpowering. In addition to the bass, other frequencies were also distinctly presented. The mids on the Enco 33 were distinguishable with a clear focus on the vocals. The trebles also held up great. However, the top trebles might sound a bit unnatural in high volumes.

The vocal clarity was great up to 80 to 90% volume. Anything more than that would bring slight noise and distortion. In short, the sound stage, stereo imaging, and separation were all on par for a budget-friendly neckband.

The ANC worked well combined with the punchy bass. The new ergonomic design ensures a better snug fit in the ear which enhances the overall ANC performance. The transparency mode did a great job of presenting the surrounding sound in a boosted manner.

The microphone also worked pretty well while calling. The sounds felt a bit muffled but it was able to clearly cut off surrounding noises.

Users can download the HeyMelody app from the Play Store and App Store to customize the Enco M33. You can turn on/off the ANC, enable transparency mode, set ‘find my earbud” or choose from 4 preset EQs on the app.

Battery and Charge Time

The battery on the Oppo Enco M33 can last up to 28 hours in one full charge. However, this number can be achieved with ANC disabled and volume at 50%. With ANC on, the neckband can last up to 20 hours. Oppo also claims that a 10-minute charge can provide up to 20 hours of music.

However, in day-to-day use, expect to get around 12 to 16 hours with ANC at around 80%. Volume.

Pros and Cons of Oppo Enco M33

Pros

- Strong bass
- Updated design
- Skin-friendly silicone material
- IP54 water and sweat resistance
- 12.4 mm driver
- Multi-point connection
- Long battery life
- Dedicated app for control

Cons

- No dedicated gaming mode
- The call quality could’ve been better
- Lacks higher audio codecs.

Price of Oppo Enco M33 in Bangladesh

Oppo Enco M33 is available in the Bangladeshi market for around BDT 3500. However, the price may vary depending on the sellers.

Verdict

The features of the OPPO Enco M33 are almost like the Bullets Z2 ANC. It offers the same design, drivers, sound profile, and battery as the Bullets. However, the M33 is available at a slightly cheaper price than the OnePlus counterpart.

If you’re not into heavy bass, then the M33 might not be the neckband for you as its sole focus is on thumping resonance. For a more toned-down, vocal-centric experience, consider checking out the Honor Choice AM 61.