SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus Review: Powerful Noise Cancelling in a Light Design

SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus Review: A good all-round pair of ANC buds for general use.

{Tech} for Travel

In a market filled with lookalike wireless earbuds, SoundPEATS has steadily built a reputation for packing surprisingly advanced technology into compact and affordable designs. The company has become known for pushing features normally found in premium audio gear into products that remain accessible to everyday listeners.

With each generation, the brand seems more willing to experiment with newer audio technologies while keeping the focus on practicality and portability.

On paper, The Air5 Pro Plus combines a dual-driver system that pairs a 10 mm dynamic driver with an xMEMS solid-state driver, aiming to deliver both strong bass response and precise high-frequency detail.

Naturally, that combination sets fairly high expectations. Lightweight earbuds with effective ANC, detailed audio and dependable battery life are exactly what many travellers and daily commuters want from a pair of wireless buds.

The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus is built to bring high-end audio technology into a compact pair of true wireless earbuds. At the centre of the design is a dual-driver system that combines a 10 mm dynamic driver with an xMEMS solid-state driver. That gives the earbuds a more refined balance, pairing strong bass response with precise high-frequency detail.

That hardware is backed up by support for high-resolution wireless audio, including LDAC and aptX Lossless. With a compatible device, the Air5 Pro Plus is designed to deliver more detail and greater clarity than standard Bluetooth listening.

For anyone who wants wireless earbuds without sacrificing too much of the original recording quality, that is a strong part of the appeal SoundPEATS is relying on.

Hybrid active noise cancelling helps reduce the sound of busy surroundings, making the earbuds better suited to trains, flights, cafés and daily commutes. When full isolation is not ideal, transparency mode lets outside sound back in, making it easier to hear announcements, conversations, or traffic without taking the earbuds out.

Comfort also plays a big role in the overall design as the Air5 Pro Plus has a lightweight in-ear fit intended for long listening sessions, while the range of ear tip sizes helps users get a better seal and a more secure fit. That seal is important not just for comfort, but also for getting the best possible sound quality and noise isolation.

The compact charging case keeps everything portable and easy to slip into a pocket.

The earbuds also support dual-device connectivity, allowing them to stay paired with two devices simultaneously. That makes switching between a phone and a laptop far less of a faff, especially during workdays or travel.

Firmware updates, connection settings, and additional customisation features to tailor the listening experience can all be accessed using the SoundPEATS app.

After using the SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus as my daily earbuds for around a month, it quickly became clear that these are aiming slightly higher than the typical budget ANC model.

They sit in that space where the price is still accessible, but the features and audio hardware suggest something somewhat more ambitious.

Because of that, I spent most of my time focusing on the listening experience itself. The dual-driver setup and high-resolution codec support are clearly the headline features, so the big question was whether that technology actually translates into noticeably better sound during everyday use.

Sound Performance

Most importantly, for travellers, the AI Adaptive Noise Cancellation works well, almost too well, in fact.

The Air5 Pro Plus outperformed any of the recent NC buds I have tested in this price range over the last few months. I believe they have done this at the expense of battery life, as you’ll see below.

Active noise cancelling was effective at reducing low, constant sounds, and while it didn’t eliminate louder or sharper sounds, it performed well above its price point, making my music easier to enjoy without raising the volume too much.

Bass has good weight without becoming overly dominant, while vocals and mid-range instruments remain clear and well separated. The xMEMS driver seems to add a layer of detail that helps bring out subtle textures in music and even during a Netflix binge.

Overall, I’d describe the listening experience as pleasant and what it should be for the price paid.

Power, down

Alongside audio quality, I also paid close attention to battery performance and the charging case’s overall usability, and I’m going to start with the positive first.

Despite lacking wireless charging, the case’s build quality and, more importantly, the hinge, are better than some $200+ earbuds.

These are the kinds of things that matter just as much in real-world use.

And, while the case holds around three full charges for the buds, that is where the positivity ends! In testing, I struggled to get 4 hours of noise-cancelling playback before needing a charge.

Earbuds can sound great, but if they consistently overperform in audio and underdeliver on longevity, it will become frustrating.

However, during the SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus Review, the battery life proved more dependable for daily commuting.

A single charge of the earbuds comfortably lasted a couple of hours of travel to and from the office each day, and was enough to get through that first Teams call at the office, during which the voice performance was exceptionally clear.

Thanks to the charging case holding several additional charges, it was easy to go multiple days without needing to plug it in.

The case itself is well-made, and the hinge, unlike other cases, will not let you down.

Overall, the Air5 Pro Plus feels like a well-rounded set of earbuds that delivers strong audio performance while still covering the practical features most people expect.

Sound quality was clearly the highlight for me, but it came at the expense of overall battery performance, which, while good for average daily use, will require you to recharge them more than most people do on a long-haul flight.

SoundPEATS has an app that regularly receives updates for both Android and iOS, but it still has some way to go compared to the competition. The functions are basic, and some of the options require an online connection, again, not ideal when flying.

Taken together, the SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus earbuds offer a feature set that delivers value for money and great sound, and are modern and very easy to like.

From its dual-driver audio design and hi-res codec support to its ANC, transparency mode and multipoint connectivity, it is clearly aimed at listeners who want more than just the basics from a pair of wireless earbuds.

Features	SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus
Dimensions	case: 67x49x25mm buds: 34x27x12mm
Weight	buds: 6g buds & case: 55g
Colour Options	Black
Driver Unit	xMEMS driver 10mm dynamic driver
Battery & Charging	buds: 35*2 mAH case: 520mAH Charging Time: 1H (Earbuds) 2H (Case) 10-Min Fast Charge = 2H Total Playtime: 30 hours
Connectivity	Bluetooth V5.4 USB-C
Supported Codecs	SBC / AAC / LC3 / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless Note: LC3 and LDAC are disabled by default. Enable via the PeatsAudio app.
Features	AI Adaptive ANC up to 55dB Transparent mode Touch controls 6 microphones
Waterproof Rating	IPX5
In the Box	Air5 Pro+ Wireless Earbuds Charging Case Ear Tips (S/M/L) USB-C Cable User Manual
Website	soundpeats.com

The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Plus is currently priced at $129/£96 and is available now on soundpeats.com and Amazon.