Mivi is a new entrant in the Indian consumer electronics space and the company has just announced its latest true wireless earbuds, the Mivi AI Buds.
In a space crowded by multinational brands, the AI Buds, marketed as smart audio devices that deliver good sound quality with artificial intelligence (AI) features, aim to break through. But how do they really perform in everyday use? Here’s our full review, based on hands-on time.
Design and Comfort
The Mivi AI Buds looks, well at the very first glance sleek and stylish and does have a minimalist approach to its design.
They fit snugly into a chargeable matte case and are pocket-sized meaning they’re easy to carry around. The ear buds are light and shaped ergonomically for comfort, and they come in 3 sizes so you can stay focussed on the workout.
The earbuds gripped ears and never fell out during light workouts and every day use. But for those with small ear canals, the fit might be a tad loose and that might hurt the sound while you’re carrying out intense activities.
AI-Powered Features
The standout feature of the Mivi AI Buds is its AI-based features. These features include but are not limited to voice assistant compatibility, smart noise cancelling, and adaptive sound control.
Voice Assistant Support: AI Buds are works well with popular voice assistants including Google Assistant and Siri. Voice commands to call up Siri or Google Assistant mostly worked and made it easy to control music, calls and reminders without picking up your phone.
Smart Noise Cancellation: The noise cancellation acts well with ambient noises such as office chatter or street noise. But it doesn’t perform that well in very noisy spaces, like a construction site or a crowded bazaar. It is obvious that as exciting as the feature may be, on a premium level, it looks unfinished.
Adaptive Sound Control: The device attempts to optimize sound settings depending on the user’s activity (walking, running, sitting, etc). Response time is sometimes a little off and attempted to correct yourself to nullify the delay and sound better.
Audio Quality
Audio quality on the Mivi AI Buds is good enough for its price range. The mids and highs are clear, so they’re fine for podcasts, calls and casual music listening. Bass on these is available but not very deep or punchy, so bassheads might get turned off.
Its speakers are also loud enough for indoor and some noisy settings, though clarity can be an issue in extremely noisy ones. Overall the sound is ok for the average person, but not impressive to any audiophile.
Battery Life and Connectivity
One of the better features on the Mivi AI Buds is their battery life. The earbuds will last you an average of 5 to 6 plays on one charge, the charging case provides 15 to 18 more. This is why they consume less battery and can run for a day without charging.
The Bluetooth connects well and has a good range of about 10m. Pairing was pretty simple and quick, with only isolated dropouts during our testing.
Pricing and Final Verdict
Mivi AI Buds cost competitively in the Indian market and should be a good option for those looking for a budget friendly Buds that come with smart options in them. There is an anticipated price of about ₹ 3,000 to ₹ 4,000 for them, depicting them as a mid-ranger.
Pros:
- Lightweight and comfortable design.
- Decent AI-powered features.
- Good battery life.
- Affordable price point.
Cons:
- Noise cancellation performance needs improvement
- Sound Quality is weak in bass depth
- Adaption sound control can be hit or miss
On the appearance and the audio front, the Mivi AI Buds look and sound interesting, at least in the budget AI earbuds space.
That’s not to say they are a work in progress. Design is pure class and yet to be beaten and the AI features like noise-cancelling and adaptive sound control still lack that final touch that can put them in the same bracket as the very best.
For now they’re a decent enough entry-level option for people who are a bit more casual about their listening preferences, but only if you’re interested in throwing voice assistant support into the mix.
And as Mivi develops its AI chops, future iterations of the AI Buds might, maybe, pose a greater threat to the emerging smart audio market.
