Dizo Go Pods D review: Can Realme's ultra-low-cost brand Dizo dazzle?

The battery life is a good 4.5 hours, but microphone quality is bad. Sound has a high bass, but lacks depth. But for their price, they can be a catch

Realme has been gaining traction among smartphone users and expanding its retail footprint in the country. The company, famous for its phones, has forayed into low-cost accessories like earphones in recent years and has been competing with Xiaomi and OnePlus. With its Dizo brand, Realme TechLife wants to make a splash in the ultra-low-cost market.

The company has launched three products under the new brand — wireless buds, earphones and a smartwatch. It faces stiff competition in the space from the likes of boAt, pTron, and Mivi, among others.

Design

The Dizo buds are not too different in design from Realme Buds Q2 or Samsung Galaxy Buds. The buds have a matte finish body with a glossy texture around the touch panel to make it easily distinguishable. While there is not much in the design to draw envy, it is functional. The matte black colour does give them a distinguished look and does not become an eyesore for other users. Given the bloated structure, though, the pods/buds are recognisable from afar.

The case again picks up elements from its parent concern with a matte black look. The oval case fits snugly into your pocket. It is lightweight, but it could have been a bit smaller. The problem is the flimsy quality of the case. Although the review unit was not subjected to rough use, it might not have survived rugged use. Also, good luck trying to keep the case on the table. Given its oval design and little flat surface, it is prone to slips.

Fit

With wireless earphones, the fit is an essential factor. If the earphones come loose, they can fall, and it is trouble looking for them across or ensuring that they are still functional. Fit is one category where the Dizo Go Pods disappoints a lot. The buds are not made for rigorous activity as they tend to slip quite often. With the regular ear tips — at least for me — they fell even with a slight touch of a hand or during walking. Even when I replaced them with smaller tips, the fit was not perfect. Removing the ear tips is another hassle; it takes another level of tact and skill, and lots of patience. That’s a problem with all Realme buds and wireless earphones.

As the pods are IPX4-rated, they can handle a few splashes of water. And, don’t forget to carry the charging chord. The pods support a USB micro for charging.

Sound quality and battery

With most wireless earphones and buds, the range issue has been eliminated with the new Bluetooth technology. Dizo does not face any such problems, either. On the battery front, the pods give a satisfactory 4.5 hours of performance. The charge time is quick, and the case does get fully charged within a couple of hours.

Although the sound levels are high, there is no active or passive noise cancellation. The buds connect right out of the box, and new pairing requires Samsung-like pressing on the back of both buds. The response of the touch panel is not as quick as one would want, and there is a noticeable lag. The sound has pitch but not depth. The bass is good with some songs, but nothing to sing about. Given the price, though, it is pretty good. The app, however, is disappointing.

It only offers three modes for audio modulation, and none feels too different from the other. The gaming mode does not have much to offer, and configuration requires too many shenanigans. Realme also asks you to register your number before using the app which is entirely unnecessary.

There is a slight variation among modes, but the absence of EQ levels makes the task challenging. At higher decibels, the sound gets shaky, so it is better to keep the volume in the 60-70 per cent range.

Mic quality, however, is inadequate. The pods catch a lot of ambient noise and transfer it into the microphone.

Price

Priced at Rs 1,599, the pods do make a difference. If you are looking for wireless buds in this price range, Dizo can be considered. With some more discount, they become an attractive proposition in the price range. However, if you are willing to spend more, there are better options available.