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I’ve been keeping an eye on the wireless earbuds market for quite some time, and I can confidently say that the quality of budget-friendly models has improved significantly over the past few years. The gap between earbuds priced at $50, $100, and even $150 has become increasingly blurred—at least in the mainstream consumer segment, excluding audiophile-grade brands.
Today, I’m testing a budget-friendly in-ear TWS headset that perfectly illustrates this trend: the SoundPEATS Engine4. In some aspects, this model confidently competes with mid-range earbuds, and in certain areas, it even challenges premium options. However, it remains an affordable TWS solution, meaning some features are either missing or somewhat limited. How is this possible? Let’s take a closer look.
Features and characteristics of SoundPEATS Engine4
SoundPEATS has been a surprising discovery for me in 2024. When we started reviewing their earbuds, I found that the brand offers well-built products with modern features at an affordable price. If you’re looking for good sound quality on a budget, their models are worth considering. The SoundPEATS Engine4 caught my attention specifically because of its promising specs. Most notably, it comes with Hi-Res Audio certification and supports the LDAC codec, which allows for high-bitrate, lossless audio streaming—features not commonly found in budget-friendly TWS earbuds.
- Headphone type: in-ear, closed acoustic design
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Profiles: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/SPP/GATT
- Chipset: WQ7033MX
- Codec support: SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Drivers: 2 pcs for each earphone – dynamic 6 mm and 10 mm
- Frequency: 20-40 kHz
- Resistance: 32Ω
- Microphones: 2 pcs per earpiece, ENC noise cancellation
- Battery: 350 mAh (case), 2x 50 mAh (headphones)
- Headphone full charge time: 2 hours
- Full charging time of the case: 2 hours
- Charging port: USB Type-C
- Headphone battery life at 60% volume: 12.5 hours (SBC) or 8 hours (LDAC)
- Full battery life: 43 hours (SBC) or 28 hours (LDAC)
- Weight of one earbud: 6,5 г
- Weight of the case with headphones: 43 г
- Headphone dimensions: 19.9 x 18.5 x 28.5 mm
- Charging case dimensions: 61.4 x 28.1 x 45.15 mm
- Water protection: IPX4
- Gamer mode: 70 ms delay
- Additional features: dual connection, touch control, app for setting up and updating firmware
A closer look at the specs reveals what keeps the Engine4 from being a flagship product. It lacks active noise cancellation (ANC), proximity sensors, and auto-pause functionality, as well as wireless charging. These omissions are expected in this price range, but they do set it apart from more premium models. With that in mind, let’s move on to the next section.
Read also: Review of SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro: Lightweight and Stylish Open-Ear Clip-On Earbuds
Positioning and price
As we’ve already established, the SoundPEATS Engine4 fall into the mid-range category in terms of features. These earbuds are primarily focused on audio performance. The official website lists them at a standard price of $60, but at the time of this review, they were available on AliExpress during a major sale for just $27. Considering the specifications, this makes them a highly competitive option in their price range.
What’s in the package
The SoundPEATS Engine4 come in packaging made of thick black cardboard, featuring images of the product and key specifications. The included accessories are standard: the earbuds in their charging case, a charging cable, documentation, and two additional pairs of silicone ear tips. A third pair is pre-installed on the earbuds.
Design, materials, build quality
Let’s start with the case, which features a typical flattened-egg design with a flip-up lid. On the bottom, there’s a charging port, an LED indicator that displays three battery levels using different colors (red, yellow, and green), and a reset button. The hinge on the back is accented with the manufacturer’s logo. The exterior is made of glossy, nearly mirror-like dark gray plastic.
The lid of the case is dual-layered. Inside, it features a gray matte plastic. Positioned between the compartments for the earbuds is a built-in three-color LED indicator.
As for the build quality of the case, I don’t have major complaints, but the lid does have a slight wobble and makes a bit of noise when you handle the case. I’m also not particularly fond of the glossy plastic, though on the plus side, it is a relatively practical material.
The earbuds themselves make a very positive impression. In terms of shape, the SoundPEATS Engine4 are nearly identical to the original Galaxy Buds (+). However, the external design differs. The touch surface is made of glossy plastic, adorned with the brand’s logo. The main body is matte plastic, featuring a textured surface with triangular patterns. The inner part of the earbud is made of soft-touch light gray plastic, while the end with the sound tube is crafted from a transparent hypoallergenic polymer. The nozzle is finished with a metal mesh. Overall, the earbuds look quite solid and flagship-level. The quality of the materials and build is high.
Read also: SOUNDPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ TWS Earbuds Review: Hi-Res for $90
Comfort of use
The first thing to note is that the case is quite compact, though a bit thick. However, it fits comfortably in the pocket of form-fitting clothing. In the dark, you can easily determine the correct orientation of the case by touch, thanks to the charging port on the bottom and the hinge on the back. The case can also be opened or closed with one hand.
However, removing and replacing the earbuds is best done with two hands. You’ll also need to switch the case between hands while performing these actions. Thanks to magnetic guides, the earbuds securely snap into place inside the case.
As I mentioned, the SoundPEATS Engine4 earbuds are a copy of the Galaxy Buds (+), which I consider among the most comfortable I’ve used. The inner part of the earbud has an ergonomic shape and is made from hypoallergenic soft-touch plastic. Overall, the earbuds feel comfortable to wear and stay securely in place, so I personally can use them for extended periods throughout the day without needing to take them out.
As for controlling the earbuds, there are no issues here either. The touch buttons are well-defined and positioned correctly, making it nearly impossible to accidentally trigger them. Since the earbuds slightly protrude from the ears, you can easily grip them by the textured areas without any trouble.
However, due to this design feature, you’re likely unable to sleep on your side with the earbuds in. A snug winter hat that covers the ears may also cause some discomfort when using the Engine4, as it will put pressure on the earbuds.
Read also: OneOdio SuperEQ T44 Open Ear Earphones Review
Headphone control
Music playback and headset functions are controlled through two touch-sensitive areas on the outer sides of the earbuds. Single, double, and triple taps, as well as holding the sensors, are all supported. Through the mobile app, you can customize all the button actions. You also have the option to completely disable touch controls via the app.
PeatsAudio mobile app
The headphones have support for the proprietary PeatsAudio mobile application, which is available for download for Android and iOS:
The PeatsAudio app features are typical of modern headphones:
- battery charge control
- function control: dual connection, low-latency gaming mode
- touch control settings, complete button deactivation
- sound customization: preset equalizer profiles and individual presets, as well as a hearing test and the creation of an individual sound profile
- reset and update the headphone firmware
You can see all the features of the program in the gallery of PeatsAudio for Android screenshots below:
Read also: Review of OneOdio SuperEQ S10 ANC: Excellent Budget TWS Earbuds for Everyday Use
SoundPEATS Engine4 sound
When it comes to sound, the SoundPEATS Engine4 make a very positive impression, especially when using the lossless LDAC codec.
This level of sound quality is typically found in earbuds priced between $100 and $150, but it’s worth noting that these are budget earbuds with a base price of up to $60, often available with discounts of around 50%, which is what really surprised me.
In fact, the two dynamic drivers deliver a full frequency range that most people can perceive. The separation of the drivers into individual units prioritizing high and low frequencies results in quite good sound detail, with frequencies not blending into a muddled mess.
I was particularly impressed with the bass and sub-bass, which feel more like a gentle pressure on the eardrum. The high frequencies are slightly blurred at the very top end, as they are handled by the dynamic driver, which doesn’t offer the same clarity as armature or piezoelectric drivers. Nevertheless, the SoundPEATS Engine4 still delivers very good, organic, and spacious sound, which you can easily customize to your liking via the mobile app. I particularly liked the default profile with a slight bass boost. As I mentioned, this level of sound quality usually costs 2-3 times more, so these earbuds can definitely be considered a great find for budget-conscious audiophiles.
The earbuds are also quite loud, providing a very high maximum volume. For instance, indoors, I listen to music at 30-40% of the volume scale, and outdoors at 50-60%. In comparison, with other earbuds, I usually need to increase the volume above the halfway point to reach a comfortable level.
Microphones and headset feature
The microphones in the SoundPEATS Engine4 are average—there’s nothing particularly bad about them, but I wouldn’t rave about them either. This is a fairly typical situation in the current TWS earbud market. My callers didn’t complain about the voice transmission quality during phone calls or voice chats, which is a positive. Yes, the electronic noise cancellation (ENC) makes the voice tone slightly flat by cutting off some frequencies, which is especially noticeable in noisy environments. However, overall, people on the other end always heard me clearly. So, it can be said that the microphone system works fine for voice communication.
Read also: TOZO Golden X1 review: cool hybrid TWS earbuds for music lovers
Connections and delays
There are no connection issues within the Bluetooth range, which works well up to about 10 meters from the streaming source. Even through a concrete wall in an urban apartment, you can still expect a stable music streaming experience.
There is noticeable latency in the standard mode of the earbuds, which can be observed during gaming or video playback. However, enabling the low-latency mode solves this issue. You can activate this mode either through the app or via touch controls.
It’s also worth noting the presence of a dual connection mode in the SoundPEATS Engine4. This means the earbuds can connect simultaneously to, for example, a smartphone and a laptop, and they automatically switch between sound sources. However, when this mode is enabled, the high-quality LDAC codec is deactivated, and the standard SBC codec is used instead.
SoundPEATS Engine4 battery life
Due to the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC), the earbuds offer a commendable battery life. In this regard, the SoundPEATS Engine4 truly meet expectations. On a full charge, they can last up to 12 hours when using the SBC codec. With the AAC codec (common on iOS but supported by most Android devices), the battery lasts slightly less, around 10 hours. Using LDAC results in about 8 hours of battery life. Nevertheless, this is still a very respectable performance for compact TWS earbuds.
With the Engine4, you can confidently expect a full workday of use on a single charge. The case can charge the earbuds about three times. The total charging time for either the earbuds or a completely drained case is around 2 hours.
Read also: OPPO Enco Air4 Pro TWS Headphones Review
Conclusions
As you’ve probably gathered, I was quite impressed with the SoundPEATS Engine4. The sound quality stands out, of course. Overall, it’s a solid example of a well-made product offered at a reasonable price.
Advantages
- Good build quality of the headphones in general
- Comfortable shape of the earbuds
- SOUND!!!
- Convenient touch control
- Functional mobile application
- High autonomy
- High-quality connection, dual connection, good microphones, low latency mode
- Attractive price
Drawbacks
- Glossy case
- No ANC and sound transparency mode
- No proximity and auto-pause sensors
- Lack of wireless charging
As you can see, the drawbacks of this model are mostly nominal, and if all the desired features were included, the price would likely be much higher. At the same time, the SoundPEATS Engine4 is a straightforward TWS headset focused on sound quality and voice communication, which I can recommend to anyone who values good sound at an affordable price.
Where to buy
