How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want an open-ear design that keeps you aware of traffic, teammates and the room around you, choose iWALK Open-Ear Headphones; if you need an in-ear true wireless stereo pair with a huge battery reserve, fast top-ups and dust/sweat protection, choose OPPO Enco Buds3.
• iWALK Open-Ear Headphones — biggest strength: an open-ear, earhook-style fit that leaves your ear canal completely unblocked, so ambient sound comes in while your music plays. Each earbud weighs just 7.6g and the hook is built from soft, skin-friendly silicone, which is the whole point of the design.
• iWALK Open-Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: because nothing seals your ear, there is no noise isolation at all — the spec sheet lists noise control as "None" — so a loud subway or a windy street will compete with your audio.
• OPPO Enco Buds3 — biggest strength: battery and endurance. The case system is rated for up to 48 hours total, a single charge is rated at 9.5 hours of music, and a 10-minute top-up is rated for roughly 3 hours of playback.
• OPPO Enco Buds3 — biggest trade-off: it is a sealed in-ear design with passive noise cancellation, so you lose awareness of your surroundings, and it does not offer the glasses-friendly, nothing-touching-your-canal feel of an open-ear hook.
• Pick iWALK if you run, cycle, lift or work in a space where you must hear what's happening around you.
• Pick OPPO Enco Buds3 if you want maximum playtime, quick charging, sweat and dust resistance, and a more conventional true wireless stereo earbud experience.
The iWALK pair is built around one idea: don't plug the ear. The earpiece sits on an earhook rather than inside the canal, and the spec sheet backs that up — open-ear placement, 7.6g per bud, soft silicone, and a shape the brand describes as contoured to sit without pressing on your ears. If you wear glasses, that last part matters more than it sounds, because a hook that rests above and behind the ear avoids the pinch you get when a stem and a glasses temple fight for the same real estate.
The audio side is air conduction through a 15mm driver with an 11mm titanium-plated diaphragm, with a 20Hz–20,000Hz range and 16 ohm impedance. In my opinion, that combination is aimed at a wide, easy-to-drive sound rather than a bass-heavy, sealed-in thump — open designs trade isolation for a more spacious, "concert-ish" presentation, and the fact that the ear canal stays open is exactly why you can still hear a car behind you or a colleague calling your name. Bluetooth 5.4 handles the connection, the brand claims faster pairing when you open the case, and the low-latency mode is aimed at gaming and video. Four microphones with ENC noise cancellation handle calls, and the brand's claim is that your voice comes through clearly against background noise.
Battery is 7 hours per charge and 35 hours total with the case, and a full top-up of both takes about 1.5 hours. Touch controls are on the buds. There is an 18-month warranty, the case, cable and manual are in the box, and the finish is black.
Who should skip it: anyone who wants to block out a noisy commute, a loud open-plan office or airplane cabin noise. Open-ear means open — there is no noise control here, and no amount of tuning changes that. If deep bass and total immersion are the goal, this isn't the design for it.
OPPO Enco Buds3: Who It's For
The OPPO Enco Buds3 is the classic true wireless stereo earbud done with an emphasis on stamina. It's an in-ear design with a 12.4mm dynamic driver, a 20Hz–20,000Hz range and passive noise cancellation — meaning the seal itself, not active circuitry, is what blocks outside sound. That single design choice changes everything about how you'd use it: sealed in-ear means more low-end presence and much less of the world leaking in.
The headline numbers are the battery system. Up to 48 hours with the case, about 9.5 hours on a single charge, and a 10-minute fast charge rated at roughly 3 hours of playback — that last one is the feature you actually notice, because it turns "I forgot to charge" into a coffee-break problem instead of a dead-bud problem. The brand also claims intelligent charging management that keeps the battery healthy across thousands of charge cycles.
Bluetooth 5.4 is on board with a claimed 47ms latency for audio-video sync, which is the kind of figure that matters in shooters and rhythm games. It supports dual-device connectivity so you can switch between a phone and a tablet without re-pairing. The buds are rated IP55 for dust and water resistance, which is the spec that makes them a realistic gym and outdoor-running option. Touch controls are customizable, and a double-tap can trigger your phone camera or the Google AI Assistant. The listed Bluetooth range is 10 meters, the finish is Slate Black, and the warranty runs 24 months.
Who should buy it: commuters, students, gamers, travellers and heavy all-day listeners who want one charge to last a week and don't want to think about the battery. The IP55 rating also makes it a sensible pick for sweaty workouts where you're not worried about hearing traffic.
Who should skip it: people who need situational awareness — cyclists on open roads, runners on shared paths, anyone working around moving vehicles or machinery. Passive noise cancellation plus a sealed fit is the opposite of what those situations call for.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life → OPPO Enco Buds3. Up to 48 hours with the case and about 9.5 hours per charge versus 35 hours total and 7 hours per charge on the iWALK.
• Best for a quick top-up → OPPO Enco Buds3. A 10-minute charge is rated for roughly 3 hours of playback; the iWALK needs about 1.5 hours for a full charge of buds and case.
• Best for glasses wearers and long-session comfort → iWALK Open-Ear Headphones. 7.6g per bud, soft silicone hooks, and nothing pressing into the ear canal.
• Best for sweat and dust → OPPO Enco Buds3. It carries an IP55 rating; the iWALK sheet lists no IP rating.
• Best for calls in a busy place → iWALK Open-Ear Headphones. Four mics with ENC noise cancellation are aimed squarely at voice pickup.
• Best for gaming and video sync → OPPO Enco Buds3. A claimed 47ms latency and dual-device switching are built for that use.
• Best for blocking out a commute → OPPO Enco Buds3. Passive noise cancellation from the in-ear seal does the work.
• Best for a sealed, immersive listen → OPPO Enco Buds3, while best for a spacious, open presentation → iWALK Open-Ear Headphones.
In my opinion, the right answer here is decided by one question: do you need to hear the world while you listen? If yes, I'd buy the iWALK Open-Ear Headphones — the open-ear hook, the 7.6g-per-bud build, the glasses-friendly fit and the four-mic call setup make it the more thoughtful choice for running, riding and working around other people. If you'd rather shut the world out and never think about charging, I'd buy the OPPO Enco Buds3: 48 hours with the case, a 10-minute charge that buys hours of playback, IP55 protection and 47ms latency are simply more useful, more often, for commuting, gaming and all-day listening. I'd weigh battery and isolation against awareness and comfort — and pick the trade-off that matches your day.
FAQ
how to connect true wireless stereo earbuds
how to use true wireless stereo earbuds
Both use touch controls on the buds themselves. On the iWALK, taps handle playback and calls, with four mics and ENC handling voice pickup. On the OPPO Enco Buds3, the touch areas are customizable, and a double-tap can trigger your camera or the Google AI Assistant.
how to charge true wireless stereo earbuds
Drop the buds into their charging case and charge the case with the included cable. The iWALK needs roughly 1.5 hours for a full charge of buds and case, delivering up to 35 hours total. The OPPO Enco Buds3 is rated for up to 48 hours with the case, and a 10-minute top-up is rated for about 3 hours of playback.
how to turn on true wireless stereo earbuds
With true wireless stereo earbuds, taking them out of the charging case normally powers them on and reconnects them to your last device automatically. Put them back in the case to power them off and start charging. If a bud doesn't reconnect on its own, a quick tap on its touch area usually wakes it.
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