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HearWiki

Mpow M12 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.

  • Mpow M12
  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
HearWiki score
51
84
Sound
5.0
8.4
Noise cancelling
-
8.4
Battery
4.0
7.2
Calls
4.4
8.5
Value
-
9.2
Price (USD)
$46
$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 Mpow M12 (2020). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.0, Top codec LHDC against AAC and ANC type Adaptive against None.

  • M122020
  • Buds Air8 Pro20266 yr newer
What differsM12Buds Air8 Pro

Platform

Bluetooth
5.0
6.1
Top codec
AAC
LHDC
ANC type
None
Adaptive

Everyday features

Multipoint pairing
No
Yes
Wireless charging
Yes
No
Wear detection
No
Yes
Custom EQ
No
Yes
Companion app
No
Yes
Water resistance
IPX8
IP55

Level on: USB-C.

Specifications

M12Buds Air8 Pro
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$46
$74
HearWiki score
51
84
Released
2020
2026
Availability
Discontinued
Sold new
Driver
6 mm dynamic
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
dynamic
hybrid
Driver size
6 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
1
2
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
16 Ω
-
Bluetooth
5.0
6.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing
No
Yes
Latency
-
45 ms
Battery life
5 h
12 h
Battery incl. case
25 h
50 h
Full charge time
120 min
120 min
Quick charge
10 min → 1 h
10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging
Yes
No
Active noise cancelling
No
Yes
ANC type
none
adaptive
Transparency mode
No
-
Companion app
No
Yes
Custom EQ
No
Yes
Wear detection
No
Yes
Controls
touch
touch
Voice assistant
Google Assistant, Siri
-
Weight
9.6 g
4.8 g
Case weight
-
53 g
Water resistance
IPX8
IP55
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Model code
MPBH463AD
-
Microphones
2
6
Call noise reduction
-
Yes
Call NR technology
-
AI ENC

What reviewers said

Mpow M12

The Mpow M12 offers remarkable value for budget-conscious shoppers, packing features like wireless charging, USB-C, and IPX8 waterproofing into a comfortable, compact design. Its sound is smooth and balanced with a rich bass, making it a standout performer at its price point. While it lacks active noise cancellation and app support, its practical features and reliable battery life make it a solid everyday choice.

  • Pro:Excellent value for the price
  • Pro:Comfortable and secure fit
  • Pro:IPX8 waterproof rating
  • Con:No active noise cancellation
  • Con:No app support or custom EQ
  • Con:Limited to SBC and AAC codecs

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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