The Xiaomi earbuds called Redmi Buds 6S were released along with the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 fitness bracelet, but for some reason they didn’t get much attention. I think this is the first hands-on review of the Redmi Buds 6S.

By the way, last week we had a review of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9. You know, I use the new smart band every day, and I’m learning more and more about it.

Back to the Redmi Buds 6S, first, these are budget earbuds because you can buy them for under $30 in China. By the way, I have the Chinese version, because there is no global yet. However, I don’t see much difference between the Chinese and global versions of the Xiaomi earbuds. 

The main features of the Redmi Buds 6s are 14.2mm dynamic driver, active noise cancellation support, spatial sound support, Sound ID customizable sound effects, dual microphone with anti-wind noise reduction, and up to 33 hours of battery life. 

You know, I also have the Redmi Buds 6 Active. Later, we will compare them with the Redmi Buds 6S.

By the way, the Redmi Buds 6 have also already been released. We will try to make their review a little later.

Finally, let’s start the review of the Redmi Buds 6s. 

Unboxing

What’s in the box?

You know, I have the new Xiaomi earbuds in white color, so they are white on the box too. If you buy them in black, there will be black earbuds on the box. 

The back of the box is all Chinese, because I bought the earbuds in China, and this is a Chinese version.  

Inside the box, you will find the earbuds in their packaging, a user manual and a USB Type-C Cable. 

Design

The Redmi Buds 6 series already features 6 models of earbuds

You know, the previous Redmi earbuds series had only two models, such as Redmi Buds 5 and the Redmi Buds 5 Pro. We made videos about them on our Tech Brothers channel. 

When it comes to the new 2024 series, we already have four models: Redmi Buds 6, Active, Redmi Buds 6s, Redmi Buds 6 Lite and Redmi Buds 6 Play. I am sure Redmi Buds 6 Pro will be released before the end of this year. 

So, the new Redmi Buds 6s are the next generation of the Redmi Buds 5, because they have a similar design. To be honest, they even look identical to me. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Redmi Buds 5 right now to compare them side by side.

Charging case is minimalistic but high quality 

However, they have very similar charging cases. There is a Redmi logo on the lid; LED indicator, and USB Type-C charging port on the front; and button on the right side. 

The case looks very simple, and probably even cheap. But the matte plastic is actually pleasant to the touch. 

Opening the lid, we can see two earbuds and a large LED indicator. By the way, the inside of the charging case is not white like the outside, but beige. It is also glossy. 

Semi-in ear design without silicone ear tips

The earbuds are white with a silver stripe on the outside. Touch control panel is located here. 

As you can see, the Redmi Buds 6s have semi in ear design because they don’t have silicone ear tips. Back to the previous Redmi Buds 5, they had silicone ear tips. 

Moreover, this is the first time I have seen the earbuds without silicone ear tips but with active noise cancellation. To be honest, I thought it was impossible! I’m very interested in checking out ANC. 

So, the earbuds, like the charging case, look very simple, but they have many advanced technologies inside. We will talk about them a little bit later. 

By the way, the weight of a single earbud is 4 grams, while the charging case with earbuds inside is 38 grams. 

Are the Redmi Buds 6S water-resistant?

You should also know that the Redmi Buds 6s are IP54 waterproof. This means they are protected from sweat, but not from direct water such as rain or showers. 

A feature of most Redmi earbuds is support for the mobile app. The new Redmi Buds 6s is no exception. Let’s take a look at it. 

Xiaomi Earbuds App 

The companion app for the new Xiaomi earbuds has the same name – Xiaomi Earbuds. 

You can install the app on Android and iOS device.

How to connect the Redmi Buds 6S to smartphone?

First, you need to open the Bluetooth menu on your phone, and then select the Redmi Buds 6S. 

Now, go back to the app, and the earbuds will be automatically connected. 

What are the functions in the app?

I have connected the earphones to both iPhone and Android, and the functions are the same. 

We can see the battery level of the left and right earbuds, as well as the charging case.  

Then, we can turn on the noise cancellation, but the app says you have to put in earphones. Even if you just take them out of the case, the app still says to put them in your ears. 

There are two noise cancellation levels available, such as balanced and deep. Wow, I am really surprised. The noise cancellation really works. We will talk about it a little bit later. 

Then we can customize the gestures or control functions. You can switch between the previous or next song, volume up and down, play and pause. 

The noise reduction is activated by long pressing the left or right earbud. 

In the Audio effects menu, you can turn on Adaptive sound, and select the Audio balance: standard, enhance treble, bass or voice. 

The additional settings include In-Ear Detection, Dual Connection, Take calls automatically, and Rename earphones. 

You can also find your earphones through the app, and update their firmware. 

Latency Test

Where’s a low latency/game mode?

You know, I don’t see a game or low latency mode in the app. I tried pressing both earbuds at the same time, but that only turned Noise cancellation on and off, not game mode. 

Anyway, let’s check out the latency in games. As usual, let’s play PUBG Mobile, but I think the latency is the same in all games. 

You can watch the video with audio latency at the beginning of the article at 06:15.

So, the latency is quite high. The earbuds really lack a game mode. 

Microphone Quality

Another feature of the Redmi Buds 6s is a dual microphone, as well as call noise reduction and wind-resistance. Let’s check the microphone quality. 

You can listen to the microphone quality in the video at the beginning of the article at 06:59.

Sound Quality 

Some flagship features in budget Redmi Buds 6S earbuds

When it comes to the sound quality, the earbuds are equipped with 14.2mm dynamic drivers. They also support AAC and SBC audio codes. 

By the way, the Redmi Buds 6S uses Bluetooth 5.3 technology for connection with mobile devices. The maximum communication range is about 10 meters. 

One of the main features of the new Redmi earbuds is the Adaptive Sound. When you turn it on in the app, the earbuds automatically adjust sound based on your ear shape and environment. I have this function always on because the sound is really better. 

When it comes to Sound balance or equalizer settings, I choose the Enhance Treble for myself. However, it depends on the music you listen to. You may be better off with Enhance Bass, Enhance Voice, or even Standard. The most important thing is that the equalizer settings really work and the sound changes. 

By the way, I saw In-Ear Detection feature in the app. When you take one or both earphones out of your ears, the music stops and when you put them back in, it continues to play. This is a useful feature. 

Active Noise Cancellation

How does ANC work in the Redmi Buds 6S?

Let’s talk a little bit more about Active noise-cancelling. To be honest, I didn’t feel much difference between Balanced and Deep modes. However, ANC really works and does a great job of removing ambient noise. 

By the way, most earbuds with ANC also have transparent mode, while the Redmi Buds 6s does not have it. 

However, I don’t think it is needed here because you can just turn off the ANC, and hear the noise around you because the earbuds have a semi-in-ear design. 

Battery

Battery life is shorter, but still very good

You know, for some reason, the new Redmi Buds 6s have a smaller battery than the previous Redmi Buds 5 – 100mAh versus 150mAh. However, the charging case is the same – 500mAh. 

This had an impact on battery life. The new earbuds last up to 7 hours on a single charge, and up to 33 hours with the charging case. 

Nevertheless, it is still a good battery life for budget compact wireless earbuds. 

What surprised me the most about the Redmi Buds 6S?

So, the biggest surprise for me in the new Redmi Buds 6s was the combination of semi-in-ear design and support for active noise cancellation. To be honest, it is the first time I have ever seen that. Typically, ANC earbuds have silicone ear tips. 

However, the Redmi Buds 6S without silicone ear tips have a good noise cancellation. 

The sound quality is very good for the earbuds under $30. 

Although the battery life has become shorter compared to previous model, I think it is still decent. 

What’s the problem with the Redmi Buds 6S?

Perhaps the main complaint about the new Redmi earbuds from me would be the latency in games. Unfortunately, it is quite high. It would be much better if they had a game mode.