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HearWiki

QCY T18 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 T18
  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
HearWiki score
63
84
Sound
6.4
8.4
Noise cancelling
-
8.4
Battery
7.0
7.2
Calls
6.5
8.5
Value
7.3
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 QCY T18 (2022). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.2, Top codec LHDC against aptX Adaptive and ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds Wear detection and Water resistance IP55 against IPX5.

  • T182022
  • Buds Air8 Pro20264 yr newer
What differsT18Buds Air8 Pro

Platform

Bluetooth
5.2
6.1
Top codec
aptX Adaptive
LHDC
ANC type
None
Adaptive

Everyday features

Wear detection
No
Yes
Water resistance
IPX5
IP55

Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Custom EQ, Companion app.

Specifications

T18Buds Air8 Pro
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$40
$74
HearWiki score
63
84
Released
2022
2026
Availability
Discontinued
Sold new
Driver
4× 10 mm dynamic
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
dynamic
hybrid
Driver size
10 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
4
2
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
32 Ω
-
Sensitivity
106 dB/mW
-
Bluetooth
5.2
6.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Voice, aptX Adaptive
SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
Yes
Latency
-
45 ms
Wireless range
10 m
-
Battery life
7 h
12 h
Battery incl. case
30 h
50 h
Full charge time
120 min
120 min
Quick charge
-
10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging
No
No
Active noise cancelling
No
Yes
ANC type
none
adaptive
Transparency mode
No
-
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
No
Yes
Controls
touch
touch
Voice assistant
Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri
-
Weight
4.7 g
4.8 g
Case weight
43 g
53 g
Water resistance
IPX5
IP55
Foldable
No
-
Detachable cable
No
-
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
4
6
Call noise reduction
Yes
Yes
Call NR technology
ENC
AI ENC

What reviewers said

QCY T18

The QCY T18 MeloBuds are an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds that stand out by offering reliable multipoint connectivity at a budget price. They deliver a decent, balanced sound with support for aptX Adaptive, though call quality and overall audio refinement leave some room for improvement.

  • Pro:Affordable multipoint connectivity
  • Pro:Supports aptX Adaptive and AAC codecs
  • Pro:Compact and lightweight design with IPX5 rating
  • Con:Call quality could be better
  • Con:Sound lacks some refinement compared to pricier rivals
  • Con:No ANC or transparency mode

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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