The UGREEN HiTune X5 was launched on 6 July at an online promo offer of S$47.99 in Singapore and within a few days, it was sold out. So Ugreen asked me to publish my review when stocks return at the end of the month. It goes to show that Ugreen products sell themselves even without reviews, but looking at the HiTune X5 specs, it is hard to give it a miss.
Stocks have just returned and available at S$62.99 after using in-store coupon from and .
The HiTune X5 is powered by Bluetooth 5.2 and armed with aptX and AAC codecs over Qualcomm QCC3040 chip. It uses 10mm dynamic drivers that are tuned with Ugreen Superbass low-frequency enhancement technology and enhanced treble clarity. The earbuds last up to 7 hours on a single charge, or 28 hours with case. It supports gaming mode with 70ms low-latency, and able to control playback and volume with touch controls. Finally, the earbuds are IPX5 water and sweat resistance.
The design is unique, with the fat rounded stem and in-ear mould appearing like 2 tiny pebbles fused together. The glossy coat on the earbuds and the charging case enhances the pebble-ish feel, but they feel slippery during handling. The silicone ear tips are a little thin, and the default size did not fit my ears properly, so I switched to the largest size provided in the package.
The earbuds go into auto-pairing mode when no devices are connected. Control playback by tapping on the touch sensor. Tap once to play-pause, tap twice to adjust volume, tap three times to change tracks, tap four times to toggle gaming mode and reduce latency to 70ms.
The audio quality is purposefully tuned to produce a deep satisfying sub-bass to emphasize the intensity, while keeping the upper bass and midrange lightweight. Treble is also clean-sounding and lean while maintaining sparkle and presence. With a strong V-shaped tuning, they are fun to listen to, though not if you prefer balanced and neutral tuning. I would have to say that this Superbass low-frequency enhancement is not commonly found in budget earbuds at this price and so this is a key selling point above all other premium features.
- Bass – 8.5/10. Prominent deep bass, slightly lacking in warmth.
- Midrange – 6.5/10. Thin and clean that does not bloat the sound.
- Treble – 8/10. Sizzling treble.
Call quality is quite good in quiet places, the voice is chesty and full, and speaking at a normal level gets picked up well. When playing background noise like airplane sound and cafe sound, they get correctly suppressed, but when I speak, the noise-cancelling struggles to let in my voice. The mic switches between the two earbuds seamlessly when one of them is docked in the charger. The earbuds remain in the respective L-R channel and do not switch to mono when one of them is switched off.
Verdict
UGREEN has built the brand over the years through product reliability, quality design, and affordable price. While they are not known for audio products, the HiTune true wireless earbuds series have offered surprisingly good technical features, quality material and design, and enjoyable audio with an attractive price point. The HiTune X5 delivers satisfying low bass and bright treble that makes music pop. Visit the official product website for more info. Also available from and .
