Mivi AI Buds Review: Are They as Smart as They Sound?

Mivi has always been one of my favourite brands when it comes to earbuds. I've reviewed a few of their models before, and what I like most is their stylish design - always cute and eye-catching, with a touch of a girly vibe.

This time, Mivi has taken a different approach with its flagship Mivi AI Buds, priced at ₹6,999. These buds come with built-in AI and are designed for voice-only conversations. I've been using the Champagne colour variant of the Mivi AI Buds as my daily driver for a while now. The buds coming from a relatively newer brand, sit among the mid-range category, where many established players have options around 5-6K price tag. Here's my experience with the buds - let's find out if these AI-powered earbuds are truly worth the ₹6,999 price tag.

PROS

• Effective ANC
• AI Features with support for multiple languages
• Punchy, detailed Sound

CONS

• Average battery life
• Transparency Mode is weak
• No wireless charging

Design and Fit: Catchy Design, But Doesn't Justify the Splurge

The Mivi AI Buds have a metallic body with hourglass-inspired stem design. The charging case has an oval shape with a Type-C port placed at the bottom. In terms of fit, the earbuds stay secure even during walking or running, and you can swap the ear tips for a better fit, and extra tips are included in the box.

While the design is eye-catching and stylish, it doesn't quite feel premium enough to justify the ₹7,000 price tag. Mivi has offered similar-looking earbuds (Mivi SuperPods Concerto) at much lower prices, making this one feel a bit overpriced.

Moreover, the buds are extremely lightweight - you'll barely notice you're wearing them. Even the charging case is compact and easy to carry, fitting effortlessly into your sling bag without taking up much space.

Detailed Sound with LDAC Support and Effective Noise Cancellation

The Mivi AI Buds are equipped with 13mm dynamic drivers and support for the high-resolution LDAC codec, which offers richer, more detailed audio. The addition of a 3D soundstage and spatial audio support creates an immersive listening experience, while the quad-microphone setup ensures clear voice calls and enables effective Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that blocks out much of the surrounding noise.

When I used the buds in my balcony where there's constant noise coming from outside, the ANC worked well and blocked most of it. So, whether you're travelling or in a noisy office, these earbuds can help you stay focused. However, the Transparency Mode isn't very strong. It doesn't let outside sounds in clearly, so it might not be useful when you want to stay aware of your surroundings.

You can also download the Mivi AI app from the Google Play Store to access more features. After pairing, it shows your earbuds' battery level and lets you switch between Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, and Normal Mode. It also includes sound presets like Bass Boost, Electronic, Pop, Jazz, and Podcast, so you can choose the one that suits your taste. There's a Kids Mode as well, which turns off the bass boost for safer listening.

AI Features

This is where Mivi has put its focus. You just need to say "Hi Mivi" to start a conversation. The built-in AI feels quite natural, giving you the feeling that you're chatting with a friend. Although it takes a little time to respond to some questions, it surprised me by supporting nine languages, including my native language, Bengali, which it understood and replied to quite well.

Another interesting part is the AI avatars. Whether you need help preparing for an interview, shopping suggestions, cooking recipes, or updates on local news, the Mivi AI Buds can help - all without touching your phone.

Battery Life and Smart Features

Mivi claims its AI Buds can offer up to 40 hours of total playtime. In my testing, it took about 2 hours to fully charge the case using the Type-C port. There's no wireless charging, which is expected at this price point. Some other earbuds in this range even offer over 50 hours of battery life.

After a full charge, I used the buds for around 10 days, listening for about 2 hours daily-sometimes with ANC on, sometimes off, and even using gaming mode.

The smart touch controls worked well while answering calls or changing tracks. The buds also support dual connectivity, allowing me to attend calls on my phone while watching a movie on my tablet without any hassle. They come with Bluetooth 5.4 and are mostly connected to my phone automatically, although a couple of times I had to connect them manually. It's also worth noting that Mivi AI Buds currently support only Android devices.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy?

The built-in AI assistant, LDAC support, and effective ANC make the Mivi AI Buds stand out in the segment. However, some rivals offer better value. For example, the OnePlus Buds 4 (Review), priced at ₹5,999, comes with adaptive ANC, up to 55 hours of battery life, LHDC 5.0 codec, and real-time translation support.

While the Mivi AI Buds' design looks stylish, it doesn't feel premium enough for the ₹6,999 price tag. So, it may not impress everyone. If you're an Android user looking for AI-powered earbuds with effective ANC and punchy, detailed sound, this can be a good pick. However, if battery life, fast charging, and a premium look are your top priorities, there may be better options in this price range.