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HearWiki

KZ Krio vs Realme Buds Air8 Pro: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Realme Buds Air8 Pro comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Realme Buds Air8 Pro - Outstanding overall at around $74.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Realme Buds Air8 Pro leads on 6 of 7 measures.

  • KZ Krio
  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
HearWiki score
62
84
Sound
6.7
8.4
Noise cancelling
5.9
8.4
Battery
6.6
7.2
Calls
5.8
8.5
Value
8.0
9.2
Price (USD)
$40
$74

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

New platform

Realme Buds Air8 Pro (2026) against KZ Krio (2024). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.3 and ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid. It also adds Wear detection, Custom EQ and Water resistance IP55 against IPX4.

  • Krio2024
  • Buds Air8 Pro20262 yr newer
What differsKrioBuds Air8 Pro

Platform

Bluetooth
5.3
6.1
ANC type
Hybrid
Adaptive

Everyday features

Wear detection
No
Yes
Custom EQ
No
Yes
Water resistance
IPX4
IP55

Level on: Top codec, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Companion app.

Specifications

KrioBuds Air8 Pro
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$40
$74
HearWiki score
62
84
Released
2024
2026
Availability
Discontinued
Sold new
Driver
10 mm driver
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
-
hybrid
Driver size
10 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
1
2
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Bluetooth
5.3
6.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, LDAC
SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
Yes
Latency
55 ms
45 ms
Wireless range
15 m
-
Battery life
8 h
12 h
Battery incl. case
32 h
50 h
Full charge time
-
120 min
Quick charge
10 min → 2 h
10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging
-
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
hybrid
adaptive
Transparency mode
No
-
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
No
Yes
Wear detection
No
Yes
Controls
buttons
touch
Weight
-
4.8 g
Case weight
-
53 g
Water resistance
IPX4
IP55
Foldable
No
-
Detachable cable
No
-
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
6
6
Call noise reduction
Yes
Yes
Call NR technology
cVc
AI ENC

What reviewers said

KZ Krio

The KZ Krio is a budget-friendly wireless earbud pair that packs hybrid active noise cancellation and a robust feature set for its price. It delivers solid battery life, supports high-quality audio codecs like LDAC and aptX Adaptive, and includes multipoint connectivity. The sound is tuned for a lively, engaging listen, making it a strong value option for everyday use.

  • Pro:Effective hybrid ANC for the price
  • Pro:Long battery life with the charging case
  • Pro:Supports LDAC and aptX Adaptive codecs
  • Con:No transparency mode for ambient awareness
  • Con:Physical buttons may be less convenient than touch controls
  • Con:No custom EQ in the companion app

Realme Buds Air8 Pro

The Realme Buds Air8 Pro are feature-rich wireless earbuds that deliver strong adaptive noise cancellation, clear call quality, and a versatile hybrid driver setup for under $100. They offer a long 12-hour battery per charge, Bluetooth 6.1 with triple-device multipoint, and IP55 water resistance, making them a solid everyday choice. Sound tuning requires some adjustment to get the best performance, but the overall package is impressive for the price.

  • Pro:Strong adaptive ANC and usable transparency mode
  • Pro:Long 12-hour battery life with 50 hours total via case
  • Pro:Triple-device multipoint connectivity
  • Con:Sound tuning needs effort to optimize
  • Con:No wireless charging support
  • Con:Battery life per charge may vary depending on usage

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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New comparisonKZ KrioRealme Buds Air8 Pro