Smartphone maker Oppo is also active in the audio market, where wireless in-ears cannot be dragged on and are therefore a very lucrative market. Still, Oppo has yet to prove itself with its headphones, and the brand makes that very difficult for itself with this Oppo Enco Free2 headset.
Oppo Enco Free2
Recommended retail price €99
Colour black and white
Link Bluetooth 5.2
Battery 44 mAh (earpiece), 480 mAh (charging case)
Weight 4.4 grams (earpiece), 48 grams (charging case)
Features microphone, touch control
To upload usb c
Website www.oppo.com/nl
6 Score 60 
- Pros
- wearing comfort
- app
- Negatives
- Design
- Battery life in noise canceling or ambient sound mode
- Flat sound
It is not surprising at all that as a tech brand you are inspired by, for example, Apple or Samsung. The brands are market leaders for a reason. But what Oppo is doing goes a step further. It is outright copying. In particular, the ‘ecosystem’, as Oppo invariably calls it in its marketing communications, is pure apple-c-a-apple-f-work. The Reno smartphone, the smartwatch and these Enco Free 2 earphones. Although Oppo is a huge brand, especially in Asia, it has yet to prove itself and generate brand awareness here. That’s quite a challenge when you put the products in the shadow of Apple so much.
And the products deserve better too. For example, I previously tested the Oppo Enco X bluetooth in-ears, which came out excellent in the test. I can warmly recommend them to everyone, only if you put them next to the AirPods I would have to look a second time to recognize them. That is also somewhat the case with these Oppo Enco Free 2 earphones. Though they seemed a little less copycat in the small details, thanks to a thinner stem protruding from the ear.
Enco vs. And co
Compared to the previously tested Oppo Enco X, this Free 2 headset is a bit cheaper: about a hundred euros. That is a price point at which there is fierce competition. Oppo presents earphones that score particularly well with their wearing comfort. The earphones are lightweight and the rubber tips are interchangeable, so that they can be tuned to your ear canal.
Furthermore, the app also jumps (HeyMelody) in the eye, which is beautifully designed and offers many adjustment options. Think of an equalizer, firmware updates and configuration of the tap control. You can also go for functions such as noise reduction and sound transmission.
Sound quality
Especially if you compare the Enco Free 2 with the Enco X, you mainly hear the difference in price from the sound quality. Although the earphones are well adjusted with the help of Dynaudio, you have to deal with lesser speakers in which details disappear and high, middle and low tones overlap. The sound quality is acceptable for its price range, but it does affect the sound experience: you are not really gripped by the music because it remains somewhat tame and flat. Sitting at the buttons via the app to improve the sound adjustment is therefore not very useful.
The earphones have different playback modes: normal, noise reduction and ambient sound. The latter two of course have a major influence on the battery life. The noise reduction suppresses some ambient noise, but not enough to really shut you off completely. You really have to look at the more expensive earphones for this. Ambient Sound Mode lets you be quite aware of what’s going on around you. But this does come with a slight whooshing sound.
Battery life
The playback modes therefore have a significant influence on the battery life. Expect about four hours if you have noise cancellation or ambient noise on. That’s not very long. When you use the normal playback mode, the earphones last six hours on a battery charge, which is again acceptable.
The charging case has enough capacity to fully charge the earphones about five times. Charging the box is only possible via USB-C, wireless charging is not possible.
Alternatives to the Oppo Enco Free2
Most Enco Free2 users will probably be people who got the earphones for free with an Oppo promotion. For example, as a gift when purchasing a new Oppo smartphone. For others, the ears fall a bit between two stools: are you looking for AirPods Pro? Then you’re really much better off with the Apple earphones, and it’s better to save for that. Are you looking for good earphones for around 100 euros? Then the Enco Free2 are fine earphones, but you can also buy better earphones for a comparable amount. Think of the Nothing Ear(1) or the 1More Colorbuds2.
For a little more money you can also opt for the Oppo Enco X, which I liked just a bit better. In this price range, however, you also have heavy competition, for example from the Samsung Galaxy Buds2.
Conclusion: Buy Oppo Enco Free2?
The Oppo Enco Free2 is a headset that is hardly noticeable. On the one hand because of the AirPods design, on the other because there are few pluses and minuses. The earphones are decent, but you can get better in the same price range if you look at the sound quality
.