When one looks for TWS on a tight budget, especially close to a thousand Rupees, one inevitably thinks of the compromises one has to make. If one gets TWS that look reasonably good, one can be sure that they will lack features, and even if both those boxes get ticked, audio quality often goes for a six. Which is why we are very impressed with the Soundcore A30i. These TWS from Anker’s sub brand, which is known for its aggressive pricing, were launched in mid 2024 at a price of USD 49.99, but are now much more affordable and are actually available for as low as Rs 1399 from some retailers, which when combined with the right offers and exchanges, can take them below the Rs 1,000 level. Actually even for Rs 1399,which is just a bit above the thousand Rupee level, they are fantastic value for money and well worth spending a little bit extra on.At first or even second glance, not many would be able to tell that the Soundcore A30i are a pair of TWS. This is because of their really stylish and out of the box (pun intended) design. The case of the buds looks like lipstick, so much so that almost everyone who saw it was pleasantly surprised to see us pull the little buds out of the case. It is a pretty neat party trick. We got them in pink colour which made them look all the more like a cosmetic item. They are also available in black, white and blue, but pink is easily the most striking. The case of the buds looks like lipstick. (Express Image)The case is exactly like that of a lipstick– it is rectangular and flat. The case is divided into two parts– the upper part is about 3/4th of the whole case and comes with a matte finish while the smaller lower part is slightly glossy, giving the case a very interesting handfeel. On the base of the lower part is a USB type C port for charging. The upper part is about 3/4th of the whole case and comes with a matte finish. (Express Image)One opens the case by pulling the upper part, which reveals the two tiny buds resting and charging inside the case. The top part can only be pulled enough to uncover the two buds and does not detach completely, again like a lid of a lipstick would. The buds are the same colour as the case, light pink, but their charging space is black, offering a stark contrast between the two shades.Tiny, light…and yes, cute!The buds are not the typical shaped TWS that is very popular in the market right now. They are bulbous and round but do not have a stem. This makes them very tiny and sometimes hard to handle. They are almost invisible in one’s ears. The round back of the earbuds has the Soundcore logo in white which is only visible if you really look for it. The buds are the same colour as the case, light pink. (Express Image)The touch panel for controls is also present right on the back of the buds. The eartips are also pink (which we love) and Soundcore has highlighted the right bud with a small red R on the inside while the left one has a white L. The buds also bring glossy finish to the table and have a distinctly cute look about them.Also Read | Under a Thousand: The best TWS a thousand rupees can get youThey are quite light at just 3.7 grams each and come with IP54 dust and water resistance, which makes them good enough to use in a gym or for outdoor runs. The case can easily fit in a small bag or one’s coat pocket. The buds are comfortable to wear, but the left bud specifically kept falling out during our workout sessions!Story continues below this adSimple to connect and use, and with multi-point and ANC on board!Connecting the Soundcore A30i is a pretty simple affair. There is no button on the case, simply opening the case and taking the earbuds out brings up the Soundcore A30i in the Bluetooth device list. Incidentally, the buds come with Bluetooth 5.4, and also support multi-point connectivity, which is impressive. We were able to connect them with our laptop and our phone at the same time and mostly switch effortlessly between the two – there were a few hiccups here and there but nothing deal breaking.The buds also come with adaptive ANC which means the buds will adapt to the noise around you and customize ANC based on it. There is a manual mode and multi-scene ANC as well – a reminder that these buds were launched at a much higher price. There is support for 3D sound too, but no in-ear detection. The buds also come with adaptive ANC. (Express Image)Controls are pretty simple as well. A single tap is set to nothing (to prevent the buds responding to accidental touches), double tapping on the left bud switches to the next track, while double tapping on the right bud can play/pause audio. One can also double tap on the buds to take a call or press and hold to decline. Pressing and holding while not on call lets one switch between ANC and transparency mode, or turn it off altogether. These settings can be customised through the very comprehensive Soundcore app – one can fix different commands for single, double and triple tap, along with press and hold as well.Super sound, with 22 EQ presetsThe Soundcore A30i surprised us pleasantly with their audio quality. They come with 6mm drivers which might seem rather small, but deliver really good audio output. The buds come with a slightly bass forward sound, but it does not muddy-up the vocals, which remain clear – a rarity in this price segment, where most TWS amp up the bass, butchering the mids and the highs in the process. The highs do not shine as impressively in the standard setting but you can change that thanks to the very clean, easy to use Soundcore app.Story continues below this adThe app is one of the major plus points of the buds, and brings a whopping 22 EQ presets. All of these tweak the audio experience, some more than others, but it is great to have all these options. If these are not enough, you can also customise equaliser settings based on your liking. Mind you, 3D sound does not seem to make a difference to the listening experience. The app is one of the major plus points of the buds. (Express Image)The ANC feature does help a little, but will not kill too much sound in really noisy conditions, and the adaptive ANC feature did not really seem to make much of a difference. The buds come with 4 mics and delivered a decent call experience indoors, although those we were speaking to complained of our voice not being clear when we stepped outdoors with them, although the wind reduction feature does improve matters a bit. We did not face any connection drop issues during our review period, but we would recommend handling calls indoors with these buds.The Soundcore A30i comes with a 310 mAh battery, which the brand claims can deliver seven hours of play time on a single charge, while the case comes with 24 hours worth of battery. However, the buds lasted about four hours on a single charge, although fast charging support gives us 1-1.5 hours of playtime after charging the buds for 10 minutes.Also Read | Under a thousand: This power bank is wired for workThe Soundcore A30i bring a number of premium features including very distinct and good looks, a combination that is rare in the budget TWS world till now. The fact that they come with very good audio, a comprehensive app and handy ANC, make them easily one of the best options for those wanting TWS for about a thousand Rupees. We would advise grabbing them soon as their price can fluctuate – after all, they were launched at a much higher price!