Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi Review

With MWC 2025 officially starting on Monday, many brands are announcing new products this weekend.

Xiaomi has announced the global availability of the Xiaomi 15 and has also announced the new Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro, which comes in two variants, the standard model and a new WiFi model which uses Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite with Qualcomm XPAN technology to stream audio at up to 4.2Mbps allowing you to use 96kHz sampling rate with 24bit audio depth, which gives you double the sampling rate of the standard model.

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Specification

Features

Superior Sound System

Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi) offers exceptional audio through its dual-amplifier coaxial triple-driver system. The 11mm dynamic driver with dual-magnet structure delivers improved bass, whilst the PZT tweeter produces clear treble and the planar driver extends frequency range with minimal distortion. Supporting 96kHz/24bit audio transmission, Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite and Qualcomm XPAN technology enable 4.2 Mbps lossless audio via Wi-Fi, providing higher quality sound with better power efficiency than the standard Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro. The Harman Golden Ear Team’s master tuning creates balanced EQ profiles, while built-in dimensional audio, personalised through ear and head movement testing, creates a fully immersive listening experience.

Smart Features for Every Environment

Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi) includes practical features for various situations. The built-in audio recording function captures conversations with a triple-press of the case button, while AI-powered translation and transcription converts recordings to text for easier multilingual communication. These capabilities work alongside the ultra-deep hybrid ANC technology, which provides up to 55dB of noise reduction to block environmental sounds. With adjustable ANC levels, the earbuds smoothly transition between different scenarios, whether you’re listening to music or participating in meetings. The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi) maintains premium sound and functionality across different environments.

Practical Design and Battery Performance

Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi) combines practicality with style through its family-style colour design in Translucent Black, blending gloss and matte textures. The earbuds feature press-based controls for music, calls, ANC, voice assistant and recording functions, with swipe controls for volume adjustment. Battery life extends to 40 hours with the case, and fast-charging provides 4 hours of playback from just 10 minutes of charging, making these earbuds suitable for daily use across various activities.

Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro WiFi vs Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro

The main difference between the models is the Wi-Fi capability for higher-quality audio transmission 4.2Mbps vs 2.1Mbps, which allows for 96kHz/24bit vs 48kHz/24bit streaming quality.

Yeah, get longer single-charge battery life (10 hours vs 8 hours) on the Wi-Fi version and different colour options. The Wi-Fi model also features Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite with Qualcomm XPAN technology for enhanced audio transmission.

It is interesting that Xiaomi has integrated Bluetooth 6.0 with the Xiaomi 15 series but both of these earbuds are still using Bluetooth 5.4.

96kHz/24bit vs 48kHz/24bit

The big question is whether 96kHz/24bit is worth the extra expense of over 48kHz/24bit. In reality, the vast majority of people won’t be listening to music in a format that is high quality enough to benefit from 96kHz/24bit.

In general, 48kHz adequately covers the range of human hearing (which typically extends to about 20kHz). Some audio professionals report hearing improvements with 96kHz recordings.

I’d argue that the sort of person that appreciates 96kHz/24bit, is probably not using Bluetooth earbuds in the first place.

To make the most of this, you need to play audio in FLAC format. In the past, even Tidal would not have been sufficient to take advantage of this audio quality, but since they switched to HiRes FLAC, they now support up to 24-bit, 192 kHz.

Unboxing / Design

I was sent both the WiFi and standard models. They have the same physical design, but the WiFi model is only available with the translucent black case with black and silver earbuds. I was sent the white colour for the standard model.

The overall design is a generic stem design similar to the AirPods Pro, Galaxy Buds 3 and many other earbuds.

One minor gripe is that the silicon ear tips use a non-standard size connecter, which seems to be increasingly common. Due to the popularity of Xiaomi, I’d expect you should be able to get replacements quite easily.

The overall fit is good; with the large tips I get an excellent seal, which requires little to no adjustment even when doing vigorous exercise.

Set-Up

Like most earbuds nowadays, these are quite simple to set up. They support pop up and pair, thought the Xiaomi Ears app seems to want you to reset them and pair them directly with the app.

Xiaomi Earbuds App and Settings

The Xiaomi Earbuds app is well-designed, easy to use and has extensive features.

This includes:

• Battery Levels
• ANC control
• Record Audio
• Gesture Control
• Audio Effects
  • Dimensional Audio
  • Adaptive Sound
  • Adaptive Volume
  • Audio Balance
• Additional Settings
  • In-Ear Detection
  • Ear tip fit test
  • Dual Connection
  • Take Calls Automatically
• Find your Earphones
• Firmware Update

Since getting my earbuds, they have received three firmware updates, so Xiaomi are being quite proactive about improving the performance.

Sound Quality

Like most earbuds nowadays, you can adjust the sound profile via the EQ within the app.

The default profile is the Harman AudioEFX tuning which is a warm sound with a slight emphasis on the bass but not excessive.

You then have Harman Master, which seems to uplift the bass slightly. Then generic sounding profiles including decreased bass, enhance treble, enhance voice, audiophile or you can customise the EQ to your liking

I am not particularly an audiophile and tend to favour a warmer sound. This is especially true for fitness, and I this is what I use earbuds for the most. My preference was either the Harman AudioEFX or Harman Master.

I found that the combination of the tuning and triple driver design allowed the earbuds to produce a pleasant level of bass without muddying the other frequencies. I am very sensitive to treble (hence preferring a warmer sound), and I found that the treble was balanced well with my tastes. There is plenty of detail, the mids don’t drown it out, and you don’t have the harshness or sibilance that some earbuds are prone to.

Active Noise Cancellation

These claim to reduce noise by up to 55dB, which I think is the highest claimed performance of any earbuds I have reviewed.

During my standard synthetic test using aeroplane cabin noise played through Edifier S3000 Pro speakers at 80% volume, the Buds 5 Pro effectively eliminated almost all low to mid-frequency noise, leaving the high-end hiss of the engine. Even though the background noise was intrusively loud, I could enjoy music or watch media at a reasonable volume.  This level of performance puts them among the top performers in their price range.

The performance is excellent for day-to-day use. They effectively block out irritating background noises, whether you are in the office or out on a run.

There are a variety of ANC options, including adaptive ANC, which will adjust the level based on the environment. You also have transparency if you need to speak to people or hear the environment around you.

Battery Life

Xiaomi states these can provide 10 hours of playtime with an additional 30 hours from the case when playing music at 50% volume and using AAC. I assume this is without ANC on as well.

I have not timed the playtime, but the 10-hour claim matches the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, and they drop down to around 6 hours with ANC on.

Using things like aptX lossless will reduce the battery life further.

During my time with them, I have used them for long gym sessions and my long runs. I’d estimate that I sometimes use them for up to 4 hours and have had no issues with battery life warnings.

Call Quality

The information Xiaomi sent over doesn’t discuss the microphone setup and call quality, but based on my limited testing, I have found the performance to be excellent.

I have used them for several Teams and Zoom calls and have had no issues with performance.

Using a similar test to the ANC, I tested the call recording with airplane cabin noise in the background and was able to easily distinguish my voice up to 40% volume which is quite a lot of background noise. Once it hit 60%, my voice at normal levels became hard to make out.

Price and Alternative Options

UPDATE: Price announced

Xiaomi has now officially launched the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro and they re quite a bit cheaper than I expected:

• Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro: Priced starting at £159.99
• Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi): Priced starting at £189.99

At the time of writing, I have not been told the official price of either Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro models.

In China, the Wi-Fi model was launched at CNY 1499 (USD 206), and the standard BT model at CNY 1299 (USD 178).

That’s a premium price point which puts them against some heavy-hitting competition including:

• Bose QuietComfort Ultra at around £300
• Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 for around £260
• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) for around £230
• Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro for around £220
• Sony WF-1000XM5 for around £220
• OnePlus Buds Pro 3 have an RRP of £200 but available for around £180

Considering the lower price than expected, the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro now look a lot more appealing.

Overall

Both versions of the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro earbuds are superb, and Xiaomi deserves credit for pushing the boundaries of tech inside earbuds.  

The extensive codec support, including AptX Lossless, triple driver design and Harman AudioEFX Tuning, make the audio quality of these excellent.

My initial criticism was the price, I expected them to launch at a much higher price point, which made them hard to compete against other premium offerings . However, at £160/190, I think they are priced well for the amount of features and overall performance.

I love the idea of the WiFi functionality, which allows you to achieve 4.2Mbps transmission throughput capable of 96kHz/24bit, but I am not convinced there is much or any benefit to this in real-world settings. Many people argue that there is no benefit to 96kHz/24bit at all, and assuming there is, I doubt many people would make the most of it on a pair of true wireless earbuds. I am not convinced the £30 price difference is worth it for this feature, but when you look at the other options available on the market, I don’t think £190 is excessive.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.