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QCY MeloBuds ANC 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.

  • QCY MeloBuds ANC
  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
HearWiki score
73
84
Sound
7.3
8.4
Noise cancelling
6.9
8.4
Battery
6.2
7.2
Calls
5.5
8.5
Value
8.1
9.2
Price (USD)
$54
$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 QCY MeloBuds ANC (2022). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.2 and Top codec LHDC against AAC. It also adds Multipoint pairing and Water resistance IP55 against IPX5.

  • MeloBuds ANC2022
  • Buds Air8 Pro20264 yr newer
What differsMeloBuds ANCBuds Air8 Pro

Platform

Bluetooth
5.2
6.1
Top codec
AAC
LHDC

Everyday features

Multipoint pairing
No
Yes
Water resistance
IPX5
IP55

Level on: USB-C.

Specifications

MeloBuds ANCBuds Air8 Pro
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$54
$74
HearWiki score
73
84
Released
2022
2026
Availability
Still sold new
Sold new
Driver
12 mm dynamic
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
dynamic
hybrid
Driver size
12 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
1
2
Frequency response
-
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
32 Ω
-
Bluetooth
5.2
6.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing
No
Yes
Latency
-
45 ms
Wireless range
10 m
-
Battery life
8 h
12 h
Battery life (ANC on)
6 h
-
Battery incl. case
34 h
50 h
Full charge time
90 min
120 min
Quick charge
5 min → 1 h
10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging
No
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
-
adaptive
Companion app
-
Yes
Custom EQ
-
Yes
Wear detection
-
Yes
Controls
-
touch
Weight
-
4.8 g
Case weight
-
53 g
Water resistance
IPX5
IP55
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
6
6
Mic sensitivity
-9 dBV
-
Call noise reduction
Yes
Yes
Call NR technology
ENC
AI ENC

What reviewers said

QCY MeloBuds ANC

The QCY MeloBuds ANC deliver a well-rounded budget-friendly experience, pairing a punchy 12mm dynamic driver with effective noise cancellation and customizable controls via the app. They offer dependable battery life and modern features like USB-C and IPX5 resistance, making them a solid everyday choice. While not class-leading, they provide excellent value for those prioritizing sound and ANC on a tight budget.

  • Pro:Strong value for the price
  • Pro:Effective ANC for the cost
  • Pro:Customizable controls and sound
  • Con:App feels unfinished
  • Con:Pairing/reset process is awkward
  • Con:ANC not best-in-class

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 comparisonQCY MeloBuds ANCRealme Buds Air8 Pro