Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker Review: Bang For The Buck

Finding the finest yet portable Bluetooth speaker for your specific needs isn't as simple as it appears at first look. It has nothing to do with a lack of alternatives—but there are very few alternatives at a reasonable price. In response to this demand, Realme has launched its first Bluetooth speaker. I've been using the Realme Pocket Bluetooth speaker for over three weeks now, and in this review, I'll explain why it's the best bang for your buck.

Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker Specifications:

• Weight: 113 grams
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 (up to 10m)
• Codec: SBC
• Audio Setup: Dynamic Driver + Passive Radiator
• Output Power: 3W
• Frequency Response: 110Hz – 18kHz (-10dB)
• Signal to Noise ratio: ≥85dB
• Protection: IPX5 certified
• Battery: 600mAh (up to 6 hours)
• Charging: Type-C (around 2.5 hours)
• Companion app: Realme Link (Android | iOS)
• Color options: Classic Black, Desert White
• Price in Nepal: N/A (INR 1,099 in India)

Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker Review:

Design and Build

• Slim and lightweight
• 113 gm, IPX5 certified

To begin with, the Realme Pocket keeps it simple in terms of design. It’s oval in shape, and as implied by the name, can easily fit in your pocket. The speaker is entirely composed of plastic and weighs only 113 grams. Despite the fact that it is made of plastic, it feels sturdy and can withstand a fall or two. Furthermore, it is IPX5 certified, so it can easily survive splashes of water—and even low-pressure water jets from squirt guns and such.

Connectivity and Controls

• Bluetooth 5.0 (Realme link app)
• Power/playback control button

Over on the connectivity front, this speaker pairs with the Realme Link app on your phone through Bluetooth 5.0, and I had no connectivity issues here. The pairing process is quite simple as well. A brief push on the power button wakes the speaker, and the initial pairing is as easy as scanning and connecting it to the app. After that, it automatically connects to the last paired device. Additionally, you can also pair two of them at once for a stereo sound system. I can't say how well it'll function since I only have one of them, but it sure sounds like a good feature to have. For music controls, there’s an 'M' button that can play/pause tracks with a single click and change the track with a double-click. Similarly, a triple-click lets you route back to the previous song. Moreover, you can customize the actions via the Realme Link app.

Audio

• 3W Dynamic Bass Boost driver

Now, let’s talk about the highlight of the show—which is its audio. The Realme Pocket speaker packs a 3W Dynamic Bass Boost driver that gives it enough oomph to fill a medium-sized room. What’s different here from the regular Bluetooth speakers is that you can change the speaker sound mode from its companion app. There are three modes to choose from—Bass Boost+, Dynamic, and Bright.

Customize according to your taste

Under the first audio preset, the lows have enough bass to please the bassheads and there’s also a great level of thumps. But this is a budget speaker, so make sure to keep your expectations in check. On the other hand, the Dynamic mode offers a balanced sound output while the Bright mode slightly accentuates the vocals. However, the soundstage is not that wide here. Still and all, even at the highest volume level, I couldn't hear any distortion in audio. Moreover, you can access the Game Mode via the aforementioned app, although my testing revealed no exceptional results. A pure gimmick is afoot?

Battery

• 600mAh, Up to 6 hours
• USB Type-C charging

On to the battery, the Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker easily lasted me for 5-6 hours of music playback time with its 600mAh unit. Thankfully, the company has provided a Type-C port for charging which takes around 2 hours and 20 minutes to fully juice up the speaker.

Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker Review: Conclusion

To summarize this review, the Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker reigns supreme in its class with little-to-no competition, owing to its budget price tag. Not only does it offer good sound quality, but it also brings an official IP certification, a decent battery life, stereo pairing ability, and a lightweight design. So, if you're exclusively looking for a budget Bluetooth speaker, the Realme Pocket is simply the best option out there.

Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker Review: Pros and Cons 

Pro:

• Great value for money
• Lightweight design
• IPX5 splash resistance
• Fairly impressive audio
• USB Type-C charging
• Decent battery life

Cons:

• Not that wide soundstage
• Game Mode is a gimmick