OPPO Enco X4 goes global, with a phone-shaped catch for lossless audio

The OPPO Enco X4 would very much like to make your commute less of a group project with every engine and conversation nearby. OPPO announced its new flagship earbuds on October 21, with a gradual global rollout and prices set locally. Dynaudio co-tuning, adaptive noise cancellation and wireless lossless audio lead the pitch. Quite a confident little introduction from something we will eventually have to rescue from the bottom of a tote bag.

Before the audio wish list gets too comfortable, check the phone.

The headline lossless mode has specific company

OPPO’s product page ties up to 2.3Mbps LHDC lossless transmission to MediaTek-equipped Find X10 series phones. Pairing with another Bluetooth device does not automatically unlock that particular mode. The earbuds can be compatible with your phone without every advertised feature coming along for the ride. It is the gadget equivalent of being invited to the party but finding a very specific name on the karaoke list.

That is why we would start with your existing phone and listening habits. Check which app controls work, which audio settings are available and how switching between devices behaves. A technically impressive codec is much less charming if the feature you actually use every morning is three menus deep and mildly sulking.

The hardware pairs an 11mm woofer with a 6mm planar tweeter, each with its own digital-to-analogue conversion. There is also a 10-band equaliser on the product feature list. Those give us things to explore; they do not prove how the earbuds sound. We have not tested their tuning, detail or performance against other models.

Noise cancellation has to fit your ears

Adaptive ANC is designed to change with the surroundings, and OPPO makes improvement claims against Enco X3s using its own lab results. Treat those as manufacturer comparisons rather than a universal promise of silence. A bus, nearby speech and a loose ear tip are different problems. The outside world has a stubbornly varied repertoire.

Try the supplied tip sizes carefully and check comfort with music paused. A snug seal should not require you to tolerate pressure or keep rearranging the earbuds every few minutes. If you can audition them, use a familiar song and a sensible volume, then make a call in an ordinary noisy place. It is perfectly reasonable to want the person on the other end to hear you rather than your neighbourhood’s entire transport policy.

One more little negotiation: that battery headline.

The 53-hour figure includes the case and turns ANC off

OPPO quotes up to 13 hours from the earbuds and 53 hours total with the charging case. Its lab conditions use AAC, ANC off, 50% volume and a 25°C room. Enabling more features changes the workload, so those maxima should not become a timetable for noise-cancelled commuting. The case is doing several shifts in that larger number, bless it.

Before buying, confirm local price, returns and feature support for your exact phone. Our original Bose QuietComfort Ultra explainer gives some useful noise-cancellation context, while our Sony INZONE report follows a more gaming-focused audio direction. The Enco X4 sounds interesting on paper. Its best trick will be letting you enjoy your music without making the earbud settings your new part-time hobby.

Hero image: OPPO. Official image source.