Realme Buds Air8 Pro vs Skullcandy Indy ANC: 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.

True Wireless

Realme Buds Air8 Pro

84Outstanding

$74

Full review data

True Wireless

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.

Realme Buds Air8 Pro
Skullcandy Indy ANC

HearWiki score

Sound

8.4

5.8

Noise cancelling

8.4

6.7

Battery

7.2

4.5

Calls

8.5

5.2

Value

9.2

5.0

Price (USD)

$74

$50

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 Skullcandy Indy ANC (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 Hybrid.

Buds Air8 Pro20266 yr newer
Indy ANC2020

What differsBuds Air8 ProIndy ANC

Bluetooth: 6.1; 5.0
Top codec: LHDC; AAC
ANC type: Adaptive; Hybrid
Multipoint pairing: Yes; No
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Wear detection: Yes; No
Water resistance: IP55; IPX4

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

Specifications

Buds Air8 ProIndy ANC

Type: True Wireless; True Wireless
Price (USD): $74; $50
HearWiki score: 84; 60
Released: 2026; 2020
Availability: Sold new; Still sold new
Driver: 2-driver hybrid; 2× 12 mm driver
Driver type: hybrid; -
Driver size: 11 mm; 12 mm
Drivers per side: 2; 2
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz; 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance: -; 16 Ω
Sensitivity: -; 103 dB/mW
Bluetooth: 6.1; 5.0
Codecs: SBC, AAC, LHDC; SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing: Yes; No
Latency: 45 ms; -
Wireless range: -; 10 m
Battery life: 12 h; 9 h
Battery life (ANC on): -; 5 h
Battery incl. case: 50 h; 32 h
Full charge time: 120 min; 120 min
Quick charge: 10 min → 11 h; 10 min → 1.5 h
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Active noise cancelling: Yes; Yes
ANC type: adaptive; hybrid
Transparency mode: -; Yes
Companion app: Yes; Yes
Custom EQ: Yes; Yes
Wear detection: Yes; No
Controls: touch; touch
Voice assistant: -; Yes
Weight: 4.8 g; -
Case weight: 53 g; -
Water resistance: IP55; IPX4
USB-C: Yes; Yes
Microphones: 6; 4
Call noise reduction: Yes; -
Call NR technology: AI ENC; -

Specification comparison of Realme Buds Air8 Pro vs Skullcandy Indy ANC
Spec	Realme Buds Air8 Pro	Skullcandy Indy ANC
Type	True Wireless	True Wireless
Price (USD)	$74	$50
HearWiki score	84 / 100 Outstanding	60 / 100 Average
Released	2026	2020
Audio
Driver	2-driver hybrid	2× 12 mm driver
Driver type	hybrid	-
Driver size	11 mm	12 mm
Drivers per side	2	2
Frequency response	20 Hz - 20 kHz	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance	-	16 Ω
Sensitivity	-	103 dB/mW
Wireless
Bluetooth	6.1	5.0
Codecs	SBC, AAC, LHDC	SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing	Yes	No
Latency	45 ms	-
Wireless range	-	10 m
Battery
Battery life	12 h	9 h
Battery life (ANC on)	-	5 h
Battery incl. case	50 h	32 h
Full charge time	120 min	120 min
Quick charge	10 min → 11 h	10 min → 1.5 h
Wireless charging	No	Yes
Features
Active noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
ANC type	adaptive	hybrid
Transparency mode	-	Yes
Companion app	Yes	Yes
Custom EQ	Yes	Yes
Wear detection	Yes	No
Controls	touch	touch
Voice assistant	-	Yes
Design
Weight	4.8 g	-
Case weight	53 g	-
Water resistance	IP55	IPX4
USB-C	Yes	Yes
Calls
Microphones	6	4
Call noise reduction	Yes	-
Call NR technology	AI ENC	-

What reviewers said

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

Skullcandy Indy ANC

The Skullcandy Indy ANC offers a budget-friendly true wireless experience with hybrid noise cancellation and a neutral, enjoyable sound signature. It packs useful features like wireless charging, touch controls, and a custom EQ, making it a solid everyday option for commuters who value versatility over premium performance. While it handles noise blocking well for its price, its overall execution is competent rather than class-leading.

Pro:Effective hybrid ANC for the price
Pro:Neutral, enjoyable sound with custom EQ
Pro:Long total battery life with wireless charging case

Con:Call quality and touch controls can be inconsistent
Con:No multipoint connection for seamless device switching
Con:Battery life drops noticeably with ANC enabled

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

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