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Realme Buds Air8 Pro vs Skullcandy Mod: 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.

  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
  • Skullcandy Mod
HearWiki score
84
70
Sound
8.4
6.9
Noise cancelling
8.4
-
Battery
7.2
7.1
Calls
8.5
6.8
Value
9.2
-
Price (USD)
$74
$53

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 Mod (2021). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.2, Top codec LHDC against AAC and ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds Wear detection.

  • Buds Air8 Pro20265 yr newer
  • Mod2021
What differsBuds Air8 ProMod

Platform

Bluetooth
6.1
5.2
Top codec
LHDC
AAC
ANC type
Adaptive
None

Everyday features

Wear detection
Yes
No

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

Specifications

Buds Air8 ProMod
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$74
$53
HearWiki score
84
70
Released
2026
2021
Availability
Sold new
Still sold new
Driver
2-driver hybrid
6 mm driver
Driver type
hybrid
-
Driver size
11 mm
6 mm
Drivers per side
2
1
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
-
16 Ω
Sensitivity
-
95 dB/mW
Bluetooth
6.1
5.2
Codecs
SBC, AAC, LHDC
SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
Yes
Latency
45 ms
-
Wireless range
-
10 m
Battery life
12 h
7 h
Battery incl. case
50 h
34 h
Full charge time
120 min
-
Quick charge
10 min → 11 h
10 min → 2 h
Wireless charging
No
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
No
ANC type
adaptive
none
Transparency mode
-
Yes
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
Yes
No
Controls
touch
both
Voice assistant
-
Yes
Weight
4.8 g
-
Case weight
53 g
-
Water resistance
IP55
IP55
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
6
1
Call noise reduction
Yes
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 Mod

The Skullcandy Mod delivers a bass-forward sound with a robust feature set for its price, including multipoint Bluetooth and a lengthy combined battery life. While its audio quality is decent rather than exceptional, the IP55 durability and app-based EQ make it a practical budget option for everyday use.

  • Pro:Strong bass response
  • Pro:Long battery life with case
  • Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth support
  • Con:Sound is not neutral
  • Con:Average audio fidelity
  • Con:Single microphone limits call quality

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

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