If you’ve been following OPPO’s earbuds lineup, you’d know the Enco Air series has always played the value game well. This time around, OPPO threw a curveball with the OPPO Enco Air5s. Instead of the usual silicone-tipped in-ear design we’re used to seeing on budget TWS earbuds, OPPO went the semi-in-ear route, similar to what Apple did with the AirPods 4. And somehow, they still crammed in Active Noise Cancellation into that open-style fit, which on paper sounds like a bit of a contradiction.
I’ve been living with the OPPO Enco Air5s for a good while now, using it for my daily commute, gym sessions, and the usual mamak WFH sessions where I just need something in my ears to drown out the world a little. Priced at RM299 in Malaysia (the standard Enco Air5 goes for RM249 if you want the more conventional in-ear version), the OPPO Enco Air5s sits in that sweet spot where a lot of Malaysians are shopping for their next pair of daily buds. So let’s get into it and see if this is worth your ringgit.
Design And First Look
Let’s talk about the biggest factor that’ll determine whether the OPPO Enco Air5s works for you or not. This is a semi-in-ear design, meaning there’s no silicone eartip that plugs into your ear canal. Instead, the bud just rests against the outer part of your ear, kind of like how the AirPods sit. OPPO ships the OPPO Enco Air5s in three colourways, Midnight Black, Starlight Purple, and Lunar White, each with its own little personality.
The Lunar White comes in a pearly matte finish, the Starlight Purple has this shimmering colour shift depending on how light hits it, and Midnight Black is the understated, professional pick if you don’t want to stand out too much.
The build quality itself genuinely impresses me for the price. OPPO uses something they call Excimer Craftsmanship on the case, which is a fancy way of saying the surface finishing is smoother, more scratch resistant, and has this almost translucent sheen to it compared to your typical plastic charging case. And speaking of the case, this thing is genuinely one of the nicest looking cases I’ve handled in this price range. It’s shaped like a little pebble, compact, rounded, and honestly quite pretty to look at.
If you’re buying this for your girlfriend, wife, or any of the ladies in your life, this case alone is going to score you brownie points. It just looks good sitting on a table or peeking out of a handbag, way more premium than the RM299 price tag suggests.
Each earbud weighs just 4.9g, and the whole thing including the case comes in at a featherweight package that you genuinely forget is in your pocket. This is where OPPO nailed the lightweight aspect they were clearly going for. No silicone tips also means there’s nothing to fuss over when it comes to buying replacement eartips down the line, which is honestly one less thing to worry about.
Now here’s where I have to be real with you. As much as I appreciate the design direction, the semi-in-ear fit didn’t quite work out for my ears. My ear shape is on the larger side, and I found the OPPO Enco Air5s to be a little too small for a proper snug fit. Instead of sitting securely, the buds kept drooping down over time, especially after an hour or so of wear.
This isn’t a dealbreaker in terms of them falling out completely, but it does mean the earbuds shift position slightly throughout the day, and because of that drooping, I couldn’t quite get that “locked in” feeling where the sound properly fires into my ear canal. It affected how much bass and overall fullness I could feel from the audio, since semi-in-ear designs already rely heavily on positioning to deliver a proper listening experience.
If your ears are on the larger side like mine, I’d genuinely recommend trying these on at an OPPO store or roadshow before committing, because fit really is subjective here. Some of my friends with different ear shapes wore the same unit and had zero issues with it staying put. Ear anatomy is just that personal.
Performance and Audio Quality
Despite my fit concerns, I have to give credit where it’s due. OPPO’s Real-time Adaptive Noise Cancellation genuinely surprised me on a semi-in-ear design. Normally, ANC on open-style earbuds is more of a marketing checkbox than something that actually works, since there’s no physical seal to block outside noise in the first place. But the OPPO Enco Air5s manages to tone down consistent background noise like air conditioning hum, traffic drone, and general café chatter noticeably well. It’s not going to give you the same isolation as a proper in-ear ANC bud, but for something that doesn’t even seal your ear canal, it does a respectable job.
I tested this during my usual work sessions at cafes around the Klang Valley, and the noise cancellation did cut through the clatter of coffee machines and background conversations enough that I could focus without cranking my volume up. On the LRT and MRT though, it’s a different story. The rumble of the train and the constant PA announcements are tough for any semi-in-ear ANC to fully tackle, and the OPPO Enco Air5s does let quite a bit of that through. If you’re someone who commutes daily on public transport and needs strong isolation, this might leave you wanting more.
Sound quality wise, the OPPO Enco Air5s runs on a 12mm dynamic driver paired with Adaptive Sound Enhancement, which OPPO says compensates for the natural sound leakage that comes with an open-ear design. Through the HeyMelody app, you get access to different EQ presets, with Ultimate Sound being the default profile that leans towards clearer vocals and a brighter overall tone.
There’s also a Thunderous Bass preset if you want a bit more low end, though don’t expect these to hit like a proper in-ear or over-ear setup. Because of the drooping fit issue I mentioned earlier, I found the bass response inconsistent for me personally, sometimes punchy when the bud sat right, sometimes thinner when it shifted. This is likely more of a fit issue on my end than a driver limitation, since reviewers with better fitting ears reported a fuller, more satisfying sound signature.
Where the OPPO Enco Air5s does shine is in everyday listening scenarios. Podcasts, YouTube videos, voice notes, these all sound crisp and clear through the buds. Vocal clarity is genuinely one of the stronger points here, which makes sense given OPPO tuned the default profile to emphasise vocals over bass. For casual music listening during your commute or while doing chores at home, it holds up well enough that you won’t feel like you’re missing out for a RM299 pair of buds.
Battery life is where OPPO really delivers. The OPPO Enco Air5s promises up to 48 hours of total playback with the charging case, and in my daily usage of about 3 to 4 hours a day, I found myself only needing to top up the case once every week or so. That’s genuinely impressive for something this small and lightweight. Charging is via USB-C, no more fumbling with old micro-USB cables, and there’s also a physical pairing button on the case for quick Bluetooth setup.
Connectivity runs on Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and SBC codec support, and you get dual device connectivity so you can jump between your laptop and phone without manually re-pairing every time. There’s also Spotify Tap built in for instant playback access, and if you own an OPPO phone, you unlock the AI Translate feature which lets you use the earbuds for real time cross language conversations. It’s a neat bonus feature that I didn’t get to test extensively since it needs the OPPO ecosystem to work, but it’s a nice touch for those already living in OPPO’s ecosystem.
Gaming mode is also onboard, which OPPO says reduces audio latency and sharpens sound cues like footsteps and gunfire for mobile gaming. I gave this a spin with a few rounds of Mobile Legends and casual matches, and the responsiveness felt tight enough that I didn’t notice any noticeable lag between visuals and audio cues. If you’re someone who games casually on your phone during commutes or lunch breaks, this is a solid addition to have.
Call quality, based on what I experienced and what’s echoed in other reviews I referenced, tends to be the weaker link here. Your voice comes through a bit muffled on the other end, particularly in noisier environments. If calls are a big part of your daily usage, this is worth keeping in mind, though for casual quick calls it’s passable.
The IP55 rating also deserves a mention. It means the OPPO Enco Air5s can handle sweat during workouts and light rain splashes, so you don’t need to baby them too much during your gym sessions or if you get caught in one of our sudden Malaysian downpours while walking to the car.
Conclusion
The OPPO Enco Air5s is a genuinely interesting proposition in the Malaysian budget TWS market. You’re getting a semi-in-ear design with working Active Noise Cancellation, solid battery life, a gorgeous pebble shaped case, and features like Spotify Tap, gaming mode, and AI Translate, all for RM299. That’s a lot of value packed into a pair of earbuds this size.
But the semi-in-ear format really comes down to personal fit. If your ears naturally hold this style well, you’re going to enjoy a comfortable, lightweight pair of buds that don’t dig into your ear canal and still block out a fair amount of background noise. For me personally, the fit didn’t sit as securely as I’d have liked, and that drooping affected how immersive the audio felt. It’s not a flaw in the product itself so much as a mismatch between my ear shape and the design OPPO went with.
If you’re the type who finds regular in-ear buds uncomfortable after long wear, or if you just want something light and unobtrusive for daily use, the OPPO Enco Air5s is worth trying on before you commit. And if you’re shopping for the ladies in your life who appreciate good design as much as good sound, that pebble case alone might just seal the deal.
OPPO Enco Air5s is priced at RM299 and is available now via the OPPO Malaysia online store and authorised retailers nationwide.
Pros:
- Lightweight and comfortable design (subject to ear shape)
- Surprisingly effective ANC for a semi-in-ear design
- Gorgeous pebble shaped charging case, great gift option
- Excellent 48-hour total battery life
- Useful extras: Spotify Tap, gaming mode, AI Translate (with OPPO phones)
- IP55 rated for sweat and splash resistance
Cons:
- Semi-in-ear fit may not suit smaller or differently shaped ears
- Bass and overall immersion can feel inconsistent if fit isn’t secure
- ANC struggles against louder environments like MRT/LRT
- Call quality comes through a bit muffled on the other end