Tired of overpriced earbuds that promise quality but drain your wallet? The Edifier X1 Lite offers a high-value alternative at just $20, breaking the mold by delivering impressive audio performance without the premium price tag.
I’ve been a fan of both Edifier and Baseus for a while now, and with this $15 earbud, Edifier gave budget lovers an edge. In today’s review, we’ll be looking at the Edifier X1 Lite to see if it’s the best budget TWS (true wireless stereo) earbuds you can pick up right now. Here’s what we’ll cover: design, sound quality, battery life, comfort, Bluetooth and range, mic and media playback capabilities, and touch controls.
Design and durability
The Edifier X1 Lite has one of the most impressive designs I’ve seen recently. Weighing just 4 grams per earbud, less than a single AA battery, it’s compact and comfortable. Although less futuristic than high-end models, the design fits the budget perfectly.
This one features a general plastic build, like the Baseus Bowie E19, though it looks much smaller. Its small size is its selling point, as it fits easily on any ear size.
Another catch is its durability. For a $20 earbud, the Edifier X1 Lite is one of the most durable TWS earbuds on the market today. Its IPX5 water resistance protects it from rain and dust, and the build resists falls and scratches. For example, after I dropped it from 1 meter onto tile, it emerged unscathed, showing toughness against typical household mishaps.
Unlike the QCY MeloBuds N50, which was neither durable nor classy enough, the Edifier X1 Lite is very durable for its price. The case, on the other hand, is made out of plastic, but it feels very good and looks classy enough for easy carry-on.
Comfort and fit
The comfort of the Edifier X1 Lite is impressive. Despite its all-plastic build, these earbuds are some of the most comfortable I’ve tested, even more so than the Baseus Bowie E19.
These are in-ear earbuds that sit comfortably on your ears. While some might expect discomfort or sweat with an all-plastic build, that was not the case here. I enjoyed every aspect of using them.
You don’t get irritations around your ears, and these don’t fall off easily, even in cases where you have to do tedious tasks. I enjoyed running, cycling, and even a few gym sessions with this one. Although this might not qualify as a sports earbud, for its price, it packs a punch.
Sound Quality
Sound is where the X1 Lite excels. For $20, you might not expect much, but it far surpassed expectations.
As an audiophile, I’ve tried many earbuds, and some cheaper options deliver more, but this one stands out. Treble, vocals, and bass all impress.
While testing, I enjoyed how these sounded. I could play my favorite Afrobeats songs and didn’t miss the feel compared to pricier earbuds I’ve tried. It performed similarly to the Bowie E19, one of my favorites, but now the X1 might take that place.
This one features 13mm dynamic drivers, which deliver strong surround sound. It lacks active noise cancelling (ANC), which electronically blocks outside sounds, but does have environmental noise cancelling (ENC)—a system often found on budget true wireless earbuds—that helps reduce background noise during calls. It reduced noise to a certain level, and I liked its performance.
Battery Life
This is one of the best earbuds for battery life. In three weeks, I’ve logged roughly 70 hours of listening, charging them fewer than 4 times. That’s about 24 hours of playtime per charge, clearly illustrating the strong battery performance.
I prefer earbuds with good battery life since I rarely have time to charge accessories. Still, the Edifier X1 Lite performed well. Its small body doesn’t bode well for battery life.
Edifier claims 26 hours of use. My tests reached about 24 hours per charge—impressive for such a small design. During testing, volume was around 60%, and I used the SBC (Subband Coding) codec, a common Bluetooth audio compression method. The case also holds a significant charge.
The case offers 19 hours of battery, while the earbuds provide 7 hours. A 15-minute charge gives about 1.5 hours of playtime, so you can get music on the go even if you forget to charge.
In a nutshell, if you need a budget battery, the Edifier is a great option.
Bluetooth and Range
This one features Bluetooth 5.4, a version known for stable and efficient wireless connections. Given that newer earbuds (especially in 2026) feature Bluetooth 6.0, which offers improved speed and connection reliability, this one still holds up.
During testing, Bluetooth connectivity was problem-free. It paired seamlessly and more easily than the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro. The range was acceptable, reaching up to 10m.
You can leave your phone in the living room and move to the garage or backyard without losing your music—a benefit some expensive brands lack.
This one also offers a game mode. Gamers know low latency matters, and this delivers about 50ms. I played a lot of Call of Duty during testing and enjoyed it. You can easily hear your teammates, and they can hear you clearly.
Call Quality, Mic, and Media Playback
The microphone on the X1 Lite is superb. I enjoyed every call I made on it. For its price, it was quite reliable.
I had no issues with call quality; people always heard me clearly. In loud places like subways or markets, these earbuds maintained clarity even in high noise levels.
Media playback is also superb. I like how you can easily watch a marathon of your favorite series without worrying about audio cracking or lagging. Scrolling on social media was seamless, and I enjoyed every part of it.
Touch Controls
The touch controls of the Edifier X1 Lite were nothing short of impressive. Now, I’m not a fan of touch controls because I haven’t had the best experiences with them.
While testing, I could not help but notice that the touch controls on the Edifier were good, but minimal. Note that this one does not feature an app, so you cannot customize the touch controls like on more expensive earbuds, such as the SoundPEATS Air5 Pro and Air4 Pro.
But using the touch controls on this was impressive. The sensitivity was good, and you did not have to struggle to skip to the next song or pause your current media. Picking calls was easy, and I loved how you could end unwanted calls with a tap.
By default, you get:
- One tap on the right earbud = pick calls
- One tap on the left earbud = reject calls
- Two taps on either earbud = pause songs
- Three taps on the right earbud = skip to the next song.
- Three taps on the left earbud = revert to the previous song.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Comfortable for long use with no irritation, and stays in place during activities
- Durable build for the price, plus IPX5 water resistance
- The case feels solid and looks classy enough for daily carry
- Strong sound quality for the price: good treble, clear vocals, and punchy bass
- 13mm dynamic drivers deliver a fuller, more surround-style sound
- Environmental noise-cancelling helps reduce background noise to a certain level
- Excellent battery life: claimed 26 hours, you get around 24 hours in real use
- Fast charging: about 1.5 hours of playback from a 15-minute charge
- Reliable Bluetooth 5.4 connection with good range (about 10m in your test)
- Game mode with low latency, effective for gaming sessions like Call of Duty
- Mic and call quality perform well even in noisy places like markets and bus stops
- Touch controls are responsive and easy to use
Cons
- Design isn’t “futuristic” like some higher-end earbuds.
- Plastic build (buds and case), even though it still feels good
- No Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), only Environmental Noise Cancelling
- No companion app, so you can’t customize touch controls like more premium options.
Price
The Edifier X1 Lite goes for around $15 to $20 on AliExpress and Amazon, depending on your region, and it’s readily available.
Finally, should you get the Edifier X1 Lite? Here’s my verdict.
If you are in the market for budget earbuds, the Edifier X1 Lite is one of the best options you can pick right now. For $20, you get one of the most comfortable pairs at a budget price. I like the design and sound quality this one offers.