Realme Buds Air8 Pro vs Soundcore Life P2i: 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 5 of 7 measures.

Realme Buds Air8 Pro
Soundcore Life P2i

HearWiki score

Sound

8.4

6.5

Noise cancelling

8.4

Battery

7.2

7.4

Calls

8.5

6.1

Value

9.2

6.5

Price (USD)

$74

$48

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 Soundcore Life P2i (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 Multipoint pairing, Wear detection, Custom EQ and Companion app.

Buds Air8 Pro20265 yr newer
Life P2i2021

What differsBuds Air8 ProLife P2i

Bluetooth: 6.1; 5.2
Top codec: LHDC; AAC
ANC type: Adaptive; None
Multipoint pairing: Yes; No
Wear detection: Yes; No
Custom EQ: Yes; No
Companion app: Yes; No
Water resistance: IP55; IPX5

Level on: USB-C.

Specifications

Buds Air8 ProLife P2i

Type: True Wireless; True Wireless
Price (USD): $74; $48
HearWiki score: 84; 61
Released: 2026; 2021
Availability: Sold new; Discontinued
Driver: 2-driver hybrid; 10 mm dynamic
Driver type: hybrid; dynamic
Driver size: 11 mm; 10 mm
Drivers per side: 2; 1
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz; 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance: -; 16 Ω
Bluetooth: 6.1; 5.2
Codecs: SBC, AAC, LHDC; SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing: Yes; No
Latency: 45 ms; -
Wireless range: -; 10 m
Battery life: 12 h; 8 h
Battery incl. case: 50 h; 28 h
Full charge time: 120 min; 120 min
Quick charge: 10 min → 11 h; 10 min → 1 h
Wireless charging: No; No
Active noise cancelling: Yes; No
ANC type: adaptive; none
Transparency mode: -; No
Companion app: Yes; No
Custom EQ: Yes; No
Wear detection: Yes; No
Controls: touch; touch
Voice assistant: -; Yes
Weight: 4.8 g; 4.4 g
Case weight: 53 g; -
Water resistance: IP55; IPX5
Foldable: -; No
Detachable cable: -; No
USB-C: Yes; Yes
Microphones: 6; 2
Call noise reduction: Yes; Yes
Call NR technology: AI ENC; noise-cancelling mic

Specification comparison of Realme Buds Air8 Pro vs Soundcore Life P2i
Spec	Realme Buds Air8 Pro	Soundcore Life P2i
Type	True Wireless	True Wireless
Price (USD)	$74	$48
HearWiki score	84 / 100 Outstanding	61 / 100 Average
Released	2026	2021
Audio
Driver	2-driver hybrid	10 mm dynamic
Driver type	hybrid	dynamic
Driver size	11 mm	10 mm
Drivers per side	2	1
Frequency response	20 Hz - 20 kHz	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance	-	16 Ω
Wireless
Bluetooth	6.1	5.2
Codecs	SBC, AAC, LHDC	SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing	Yes	No
Latency	45 ms	-
Wireless range	-	10 m
Battery
Battery life	12 h	8 h
Battery incl. case	50 h	28 h
Full charge time	120 min	120 min
Quick charge	10 min → 11 h	10 min → 1 h
Wireless charging	No	No
Features
Active noise cancelling	Yes	No
ANC type	adaptive	none
Transparency mode	-	No
Companion app	Yes	No
Custom EQ	Yes	No
Wear detection	Yes	No
Controls	touch	touch
Voice assistant	-	Yes
Design
Weight	4.8 g	4.4 g
Case weight	53 g	-
Water resistance	IP55	IPX5
Foldable	-	No
Detachable cable	-	No
USB-C	Yes	Yes
Calls
Microphones	6	2
Call noise reduction	Yes	Yes
Call NR technology	AI ENC	noise-cancelling mic

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

Soundcore Life P2i

The Soundcore Life P2i offers dependable wireless audio at a budget price, pairing a comfortable in-ear fit with a punchy, bass-forward sound profile. Its standout feature is the impressive battery endurance, making it a solid pick for long listening sessions without breaking the bank. While it skips premium extras like active noise cancellation, its passive isolation and straightforward physical controls keep things simple and effective.

Pro:Excellent battery life with the charging case
Pro:Comfortable and secure fit for extended wear
Pro:Energetic, bass-emphasized sound signature

Con:No active noise cancellation or transparency mode
Con:Lacks app-based EQ customization
Con:No Bluetooth multipoint for switching between devices

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

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