#Review: Mivi DuoPods M80, feature-packed TWS buds at affordable price
Homegrown electronics brand Mivi has expanded its product portfolio with a new pair of truly wireless earbuds - the DuoPods M80. The hearable comes as a higher-end member in the company's existing 'DuoPods' family of TWS buds and promises an immersive audio experience at Rs. 2,999. But, is it really worth it? Well, after spending a week with the buds, here's what we think.
Right off the bat, DuoPods M80 makes a great first impression with its premium-looking, touch-controlled design. The buds themselves are made of plastic and carry a glossy finish. Overall, they are aesthetically pleasing, especially with that stick-like extension that hosts a tiny charging indicator and allows for easy-gripping. The angular top-end lets the silicon tips of the buds to fit in snugly.
DuoPods M80 fits so well that you can easily perform a range of motion-heavy tasks, including jogging, while putting them on. They are fairly lightweight, and hence you can enjoy long listening sessions without feeling the burden of the buds.
Whether you are listening to rock, jazz, classical, or playing a movie, the audio of M80 remains right on the mark, well-synced. Mivi has bundled Qualcomm's aptX codec on the buds, which ensures loss-less HD sound, with clear highs, mids, and lows, all the time. On top of it, the powerful bass just adds to the experience, letting you feel the thump in songs.
Mivi claims that these buds let you hear every single note and beat. According to our assessment, M80 is certainly a step in that direction. Plus, it has super-low latency allowing games to be more indulging.
On the connectivity front, DuoPods M80 offers Bluetooth 5.0 with faster transfer speeds and enhanced range. Once you pair the buds with the device, they connect automatically, meaning you just have to take them out of the case and keep Bluetooth active on the phone/laptop to start listening. Notably, the buds also support dual-pairing, hence you can seamlessly switch between your devices.
As for calls, DuoPods M80 produces loud, crisp audio of the person speaking on the other side and uses Qualcomm's cVc 8.0 noise cancellation tech to direct clear audio to them, with no-to-little ambient noises. The noise cancellation system does not wipe out background noises completely but it minimizes them enough to ensure both the parties are able to hear each other clearly.
To operate the DuoPods, you can simply tap their circular touchpads. Mivi has offered support for various touch patterns which let you trigger functions like playing/pausing songs, answering/rejecting calls, skipping to the next/last track, and triggering Siri/Google Assistant. Granted, it is pretty impressive, but the issue is, these touchpads are way too sensitive and can trigger functions even when you do not intend to.
While inadvertent touch-detection seems like a minor issue, it can be annoying for people who prefer to stream music/movies in their beds. In those cases, as soon as you turn to the other side, the bud will register an action and pause/play the content.
When it comes to battery life, DuoPods M80 lives up to the expectations. The buds alone last for over four hours, letting you watch your favorite movie/show, without charging-related disruption. Meanwhile, the pocket-friendly case, which comes in the shape of a racetrack and includes a Type-C connector, can recharge the buds fully three times, taking the total back up close to 20 hours.
Overall, DuoPods M80 makes a pretty impressive, 4-star level pair of earbuds, thanks to their high-quality audio (during both calls and music), premium-looking design, and long-lasting battery. The problem of oversensitive touch is a downside, but if you are willing to put up with it, we would say this is a great pair of earbuds to pick, especially in the sub-Rs. 3,000 price bracket.
