Recently I reviewed the realme Buds Air8 Pro for 9 thousand rubles, featuring a dual DAC, LHDC, 55 dB noise cancellation, and jewelry-inspired design. Now — the complete opposite. I found earbuds under a thousand rubles that turned out to be significantly better than their price suggests. The Soundcore P20i are currently selling for 980 rubles. And this isn’t a random find — it’s the optimal choice for those who need decent sound without overspending.

Truly the best earbuds for a grand

What Is Soundcore, and Why It Matters at 980 Rubles

Soundcore is a sub-brand of Anker, an American company that specializes in charging devices and accessories. Anker has long been synonymous with reliability in its category: people buy them not because it’s trendy, but because they work. Soundcore is their audio division, following the same philosophy: reasonable price, honest specs, real quality.

The price of the Soundcore P20i — 980 rubles. This isn’t some nameless Chinese manufacturer with no history or accountability. This is a company with a reputation it has something to lose. In the budget segment, this is a fundamental difference: buying earbuds from a no-name brand that might disappear tomorrow is one thing, and buying from a brand with years of history is quite another.

Soundcore P20i Review

The case is compact, matte, shaped like a sea pebble — it easily fits in any pocket. It opens like a clamshell, the hinge is springy, the closure uses strong magnets, and there’s a soft layer inside to prevent scratches. Charging via Type-C, meaning no outdated microUSB. The case has a loop for a lanyard, which is included in the box.

The case is solid for its price

The earbuds’ shape somewhat resembles Apple products. The microphone is at the edge of the stem, the touch zone is on top, and the sound port is standard-sized. Three sizes of ear tips are included — not undersized ones, but full-fledged tips.

The fit is very comfortable

The fit is comfortable: you can wear them for several hours without discomfort. IPX5 protection: rain and gym workouts are no problem. Each earbud is lightweight — you barely feel them in your ears.

Sound in Budget Earbuds

Wireless earbuds’ sound in this price category is usually a compromise between “at least you can hear something” and “well, it’s tolerable.” The Soundcore P20i break out of this pattern. A 10mm driver with a 16 dB bass boost: the bass is dense, meaty, and really thumps. And without being muddy: the midrange stays even, vocals are clear, and the highs aren’t noisy.

These earbuds pack a serious bass punch

These are clearly bass-heavy cheap wireless earbuds — if you need neutrality or analytical sound, these won’t work. But for pop music, electronic music, hip-hop, and just casual background listening on the go — they’re perfect. A cozy, warm, energetic sound signature without aggression or harshness.

App for Wireless Earbuds

Here’s what really surprises about the Soundcore P20i earbuds: they have a full-featured app. The Soundcore App is available for free on Google Play and offers:

  • 22 equalizer settings (you can customize to your taste or use ready-made presets);
  • gaming mode with minimal latency (useful for mobile games);
  • find a lost individual earbud;
  • gesture customization: assign any function to double tap, triple tap, or long press;
  • firmware updates right from the app.

This is functionality that not every pair of budget earbuds costing 3-5 thousand rubles has. At 980 rubles — it’s simply unexpected.

What Else You Need to Know About the Soundcore P20i

10 hours of battery life without the case — good. 30 hours with the case — very good. Charges via Type-C. There’s no auto-pause when you remove an earbud — that’s a minus, you’ll have to stop playback manually. As for codecs: only SBC and AAC, no LDAC or aptX. For most everyday listening scenarios, this is sufficient, but Hi-Res Audio enthusiasts will be disappointed.

Nothing better exists for this money

Call quality — clear enough. Not flagship level, not a VPU sensor like in the realme Buds Air8 Pro, but the other person hears you fine under normal conditions. In a noisy subway — worse, but overall tolerable.

Should You Buy the Soundcore P20i for 980 Rubles

I think you’ll agree that the Soundcore P20i review makes it clear: this is the best you can get for the money.

The Soundcore P20i are worth buying if:

  • you need budget earbuds with good sound for everyday use;
  • you want emphasized bass for pop music, electronic music, and hip-hop;
  • you want a proper app with an equalizer without overpaying;
  • you need earbuds with water protection for sports or walks in any weather.

Being honest about the compromises: there’s no ANC, meaning no silence in the subway. No auto-pause: you’ll have to stop music manually. Only SBC and AAC codecs. The Soundcore P20i wireless earbuds for 980 rubles — they’re not “good enough for the money.” These are genuinely good earbuds that just happen to cost less.