In 2019, we start witnessing the slow death of the headphone jack on most smartphones. Apple took it away from their phones and found a way to make more money by selling their true wireless earbuds, the Apple AirPods. Of course, most people can’t afford them.

Realme is a brand that’s become synonymous with the term “mid-range” thanks to their below RM1,500 lineup of phones such as the Realme 5 and Realme 5 Pro. Today, they announced a new phone, the Realme 5i and their Apple AirPods challenger, the Realme Buds Air.

In contrast to the AirPods’ RM699 price tag, the Realme Buds Air are retailing for just RM299. That’s not even the best part. On the first day that it goes on sale on Shopee, you can get it for just RM199.

Those of you who are keen on getting a pair should mark your calendars. Starting at exactly 12AM on 21 January 2020, the Realme Buds Air releases online for RM199. It will be sold at that price only on that day. Save this link.

I’ve only tested it for a few minutes but so far I think it’s pretty good. They fit snugly in my ears, not budging even when I jump around a bit. My favourite thing about it is that it uses a USB type-C port for charging. Helps me maintain my “one cable for everything” lifestyle.

One particularly interesting feature is the “super low latency” gaming mode. It promises 120ms of latency which should be fine for you PUBG Mobile addicts. Personally, I think serious gamers should just go for wired earphones but hey, I could be proven wrong.

Check out the Buds Air’s marketing specs sheet:

The other release announced today is the Realme 5i, a budget counterpart of the Realme 5. It seems to be a decent choice thanks to its mid-range Snapdragon 665 processor and its even packing a 5,000mAh battery. However, it uses a microUSB port so don’t expect fast-charging.

As for the display, I’d say it’s just okay. Its a 6.5″ HD+ display with a resolution of 720 x 1600. On the back, it has four cameras. One main 12MP wide lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, a 2MP macro camera, and another 2MP depth sensor.

Retailing for just RM599, it’s definitely a noteworthy entry in the budget smartphone market. A perfect choice for those who can’t afford the Realme 5 or the Realme 5 Pro. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that it’ll come in two colours: Aqua Blue and Forest Green.

The Realme 5i can be bought at stores starting from 18 January 2020. The first online sale will be happening at Lazada on 28 January 2020 at exactly 12AM. Go ahead and bookmark this Lazada link.

I received a pair of the Realme Buds Air so expect a full written review before February arrives. Aside from the usual usages, I’ll be sure to test out that gaming mode and see if it’s actually useful for getting chicken dinners. So stay tuned!