The UGREEN HiTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds is the 2021 flagship earbuds of the brand. This earbud was crafted with user feedback in mind as it offers superb sound quality with aptX™ powered by the Qualcomm® QCC3040 SoC, along with a unique design at an affordable price point. Of course, gamers are not left behind. UGREEN claims that its intuitive form factor aims to provide a middle-ground between conventional and short-stemmed buds which ultimately lead to a minimized form factor to maximize comfort.
Article Content:
UGREEN HiTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds
Specification
| Core Specs | |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth Chip: | Qualcomm® QCC3040 SoC |
| Microphone: | 4 Mics ENC and CVC 8.0 Noise Cancellation Technology |
| Protection: | IPX5 |
| Bluetooth: | Bluetooth 5.2 and Qualcomm® TrueWireless Mirroring technology |
| Codec: | Qualcomm®aptX,AAC, SBC |
| Frequency Response: | 20Hz-20KHz |
| Range: | 33feet(10m) |
| Profile: | HSP, HFP, AVRCP, A2DP |
| Battery | 400mAh (case), 75mAh (estimate each earbud) |
| Full Charge: | 2 hrs (case), 1.5 hrs (earbuds) |
| Playtime: | 7hrs (earbuds) + 21hrs (charging case) |
| Game Mode: | 70ms-low latency in gaming mode |
| Dimension: | 21.9*26.3*28.6mm |
| Weight: | 5.1g(0.18oz) |
| Accessories: | 4 x Interchangeable Ear Caps |
| Port: | USB Type-C |
| Driver: | Hi-Fidelity sound powered by Qualcomm®aptX™, 10mm dynamic driver |
| Controls: | Touch Panel |
Where to buy
 |
 |
Unboxing – UGREEN HiTune X5 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds
The UGREEN HiTune X5 comes in a dark blue packaging box that highlights the X5 marking series. It also highlights the Qualcomm aptX feature as well as the Bluetooth 5.2.
The back of the packaging has not much story to tell. It only highlights the control functionality of the earbud which includes volume control, very nice, and a detailed product specification. Furthermore, the warning label and product serial numbers can also be found here.
All four side of the packaging box doesn’t much have to say either other than the series name of the product.
So let’s go ahead and open the box. Opening the box reveals the charging case, the box for the charging cable, and the manual which is tucked inside the cover of the box.
Taking all the contents out, you will get a free USB Type-C cable for charging the case and the earbud with the case and a user manual. Other than that, you will get 3 extra pieces of silicone ear tips in different sizes to accommodate every ear size.
Closer-Look – UGREEN HiTune X5
The HiTune X5 comes in a glossy dark blue~ish case that provides a premium feel when held. It doesn’t feel cheap at all and the overall build quality is exceptional. At the front side of the case, you will find 3 white LED that acts as the battery indicator display. It is also used as the reset indicator. On the backside, you will find the reset button and on the bottom is the USB Type-C port for charging both the case and the earbud. And lastly, the top highlights the branding logo.
Opening the case after taking it out of its packaging box reveals the earbud pieces. The case has a total weight of 47.6g including both earbuds stored inside. It has an oval shape all throughout the case with flat surfaces found at the top and bottom of the case.
For size reference, here’s my hand while holding one piece of the earbud and the case. The earbud has a cool-looking glossy design and it uses an in-ear ear tip which is to our liking.
Taking both the earbud out reveals the golden pin connectors that charge both earbud pieces. Additionally, you will find the battery capacity as well as the input/output charging rate of the case under its cover.
A closer look at the outer surface of the earbud shows a dot design that with a nice aesthetic overall. The surface is glossy and an LED indicator is also present at this side of the earbud.
Turning on the side that goes in the ears, you will find a solid metal mesh that protects the driver from debris.
Both earbuds are also marked with L or R that indicates which earbud goes to what ear. At the bottom, you will find 2 golden pins used for charging them. Inbetween the pins is one of the built-in microphones. There are a total of 4 microphones spread out on the earbud. These microphones feature the ENC noise cancellation enabled and the advanced CVC 8.0 (Clear Voice Capture) algorithm. UGREEN claims that it filters out 91% ambient sound and that this ensures crystal-clear calls even in a noisy environment.
Performance – UGREEN HiTune X5
Sound Quality and Performance
Out of the box, the sound quality of the HiTune X5 is surprisingly good. The audio quality is crisp and solid with detailed highs to mids and has a strong bass overall. We’re surprised that despite the lack of equalization modes to configure the sound to your preference, the bass department still packs some punch, and that’s a welcome feature to have. Considering its features, functionality, and sound quality, this earbud is definitely one of the best earbuds of 2021. It has excellent sound quality overall that places the earbud on a league of its own. The sound quality is detailed, loud, clear, crisp, and solid overall and it does not lack any form of audio tones. However, it’s far from perfect.
There are some slight issues at maximum volume. Meaning, the volume set for the earbuds and the phone are both maxed out. Yes, the earbuds have their volume value. Once set to max volume, audio quality starts to sound a little bit finicky as if the metal mesh covering the drivers are vibrating too much that it starts to affect the audio quality. Fortunately though that this issue can be averted by not setting the volume to maximum or listening to sounds that are not loud overall.
Overall, everything is there and is a well-round mix from all tones. HiTune X5 offers superb sound quality for its price but don’t expect it to satisfy an audiophile. There are other better sounding earbuds on the market but, of course, it comes with a hefty price.
Pairing was incredibly fast with the HiTune X5. The moment I opened the charging case, my Windows PC and Smartphone already asked me if I want to pair it with the HiTune X5 which is excellent. I didn’t have to perform any steps to set the device in pairing mode. However, the earbud does not support multiple connections which is a bummer. It can, however, be paired to more than 3 devices based on our test.
It’s also worth noting that once paired, it shows an aptX logo on the device which is kinda cool.
If you wish to use the earbud separately, you can by having one of the earpieces stored in the charging case. Once you remove the earpiece from the charging case, it will automatically pair with the one that’s currently in use. This process does not require any step to pair both earbuds again as the HiTune X5 features Qualcomm TrueWireless Mirroring. With mirroring technology, only one earbud maintains the Bluetooth connection with the smartphone, while the secondary bud mirrors the connected bud. This technology is engineered to deliver a rapid, seamless swap in multiple use cases.
Microphone Quality and Performance
To test the microphone quality, we made a recording of our voice. The quality that you will hear from our recording is a good benchmark for the microphone. What this means is that the quality that you will hear from listening to our recording is the quality that you can expect if you use this earbud for phone calls, video chat, and any form of voice communication.
If you listen to our recording, our voice was clear and crisp. It’s by far exceptional as the built-in microphone was able to record our voice clearly.
To test the earbud’s advanced CVC 8.0 (Clear Voice Capture) algorithm that effectively filters out 91% ambient sound as UGREEN claims, we made a short recording involving everyday environmental noises such as fans, animal noise, vehicular noise, and such.
In this recording, you will hear a long static sound but it’s actually an industrial fan running at full speed. Furthermore, it was surprising that it did not record any vehicular noises such as cars passing by and motorcycles running amok. The ambient sound filtering feature clearly works.
Comfort & Fitting: Is it good for Sports?
The HiTune X5 comes with a great fitting out of the box. It really fits well and it’s a great thing that UGREEN went for an in-ear design. It’s is capable enough to hold itself on our ear canal while we walk and listen to music. It is also quite comfortable to use as it doesn’t induce fatigue after long periods of use.
Fortunately, it comes with 3 additional pairs of silicone ear tips. If the default ear tips are a bit too large for you or too small, you can replace them with the included pairs to find your preference. If comfort is still an issue after trying them all out, then we recommend getting yourself foam ear tips instead.
For sports and outdoor activity, the UGREEN HiTune X5 can hold itself for minor fast phase movements such as fast walking, minor exercises, or biking. However, extreme sports or activities such as running, jogging, wall climbing, swimming, extreme workouts in the gym can be a problem. The earbud holds itself on your ear through the pressure it exerts in your ear canal. So once you start sweating, the earbuds start to easily fall out of your ears. So it’s best to keep that in mind if you’re looking for an earbud for the gym. Other than that, there’s nothing else that will support the earbud to stay in its place that’s why it’s not ideal for heavy sports or workouts.
Ease of Use: Functions of the Earbuds
One functionality that most consumers would prefer to have on the earbuds out of the box is the ability to adjust the volume. Most earbuds on the market have neglected such functionality and opted for something else. Fortunately, the UGREEN HiTune X5 comes with volume control.
For more functionality control, refer to the table below.
| Action | Function |
|---|---|
| Tap x1 | Play / Pause / Answer / End Call |
| Tap x2 | Volume Increase (R) / Decrease (L) |
| Tap x3 | Next Track (R) / Previous Track (L) |
| Tap x4 | Game Mode / Music Mode |
| Tap & Hold (2s) | Decline Call / Activate Voice Control |
If there’s one function that this earbud is missing, it would be the equalizer. We’ve tested a number of earbuds in the past and some of those have a functionality set for an equalizer through an app.
Battery: Playtime & Charging
As of this review, we are not certain about the capacity given for the earpieces. However, based on the given data of time to fully charge the case, the battery capacity of the case, and the hours of playtime at full charge, we are assuming each earbud comes with about 75mAh of battery. If this is the case then the HiTune X5 has the largest battery set for an earbud we have seen so far. It has a rated playtime of up to 7 hours in one single full charge and the case comes with a 400mAh capacity which gives the earbud an extended playtime of up to 28 hours. So it’s going to take a while before you actually need to charge the earbuds with its case.
During our test, the earbuds lasted about 7 hours and 30 minutes from listening to music, watching movies, and some YouTube videos in one single full charge. Do not be surprised by this case, this just means that the battery is in good condition that it exceeded its rated capacity but on long-term use, this will inevitably degrade.
At 0% capacity for both the earbud and the charging case, it took us about 2 hours and 2 minutes to achieve 100% full charge for both devices. For our charging test, we used a charging power brick that’s capable of fast charging and supports quick charge technology as well as Power Delivery technology.
UGREEN HiTune X5 for Gaming
One of the nice features that the UGREEN HiTube X5 has is the aptX low-latency gaming mode. What this means is that the earbuds disable certain features in favor of faster data processing for lower latency while in gaming mode. We tested the earbud on how it would perform when used for video gaming such as on a PC, laptop, Nintendo Switch, and smartphone.
To fully test the capability of the HiTune X5 when it comes to gaming, we tested it in different scenarios and setups including playing on a Windows PC, on a Nintendo Switch using a Bluetooth transmitter, and on a smartphone. Our test also includes testing the earbuds in multiplayer mode to saturate the audio transmit rate.
Surprisingly, the UGREEN HiTune X5 performed outstandingly. Out of the box, the latency of the audio in normal/music mode is barely noticeable. A couple of our staff couldn’t even tell the latency of the audio which is exceptional. The only time you can tell the latency is there is once you switch to gaming mode and back to normal mode. The difference is barely even noticeable which is excellent. We can only assume that most users will tend to forget about the gaming mode as it performs really well already in its normal mode. We performed the test playing Overwatch and Eco with voice chat on our Windows PC, Overcook 2, Mario Kart 8, and Just Dance 2021 in Nintendo Switch, and PUBG Mobile, Hot Drift, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Breath of Fire 3 on our Huawei P30. In all tests, the earbuds performed really well.
Final Thoughts
The market right now has a ton of audio equipment offering that it’s almost difficult for a non-techy consumer to purchase the best one for his/her money. The same thing can be said with the earbud industry. There are so many to choose from that consumers tend to get mixed up with phased out from the latest models and buying the one that doesn’t offer them the best value. Fortunately, that’s not the case with UGREEN. With the introduction of the HiTune X5, UGREEN sets to maintain its top-of-the-line earbuds with the HiTune product series. Price-wise, the HiTune X5 offers the best you could have from an earbud this 2021. It features the latest Qualcomm 3040 chip, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, Wireless Mirroring technology, and a stylish design with pleasing aesthetics and extreme comfort.
Overall, the HiTune X5 is a superb earbud. If you’re in the market looking to buy a brand new one, we highly recommend checking the UGREEN HiTune X5 out. It’s a great earbud for most cases except for sports. It has a superb performing microphone and ambient noise filtering that’s true to its claims. For gamers, this is by far one of the best earbuds we have tested for gaming so far. It surprisingly performed well in normal mode and the sound quality doesn’t suffer as much as we expected when in gaming mode. The performance difference is almost negligible.
The only thing we did not like is the lack of EQ customization support, app support to customize controls and functionality, and wireless charging. Furthermore, we find it very odd that the USB port is placed at the bottom instead of the back given the flat surface of the bottom of the case. We can only assume that these caveats are takeaways to offer the earbud at competitive pricing.
You can grab a pair of UGREEN HiTube X5 on either Lazada or Shopee for just ₱2,439 (as of this writing).
Considering the things you get, its performance, and the selling price, we mark this earbud the B2G Silver badge for above expectation performance and extreme value considering the price.
