Straight to the point: I wouldn’t recommend buying the standard version until it drops below 700. For the WiFi version, aside from users of the 15U, I’d only suggest it for those who prioritize battery life.
No beating around the bush—let’s dive in. Since this isn’t a professional review and lacks objective descriptions, please use your own judgment.
First, let’s talk about the positives:
① The build quality is solid, matching what you’d expect from a thousand-yuan TWS.
② The WiFi version delivers impressive battery life, as described in the overview without exaggeration. With noise cancellation enabled (not transparency mode), after three hours of use, both earbuds still had 50% battery left.
The battery life with WiFi and Bluetooth connections is nearly identical.
③ Noise cancellation (excluding transparency mode) has improved significantly compared to the B4P, though there’s still some ear pressure.
④ The recording feature is practical for those who need it, but since I don’t use it, I haven’t done an in-depth evaluation and can’t comment on its effectiveness.
⑤ If you’re into Lei Jun’s ecosystem and want to support the brand, here’s your chance.
Now, onto the negatives:
① The launch price is too high. In my opinion, the non-WiFi version doesn’t offer better value than the enco X3. Paying an extra three to four hundred yuan just for everyday music listening isn’t worth it, even for die-hard Mi fans.
② Transparency mode still has a long way to go—it lags behind competitors like the X3 and is nowhere near Apple’s level.
More details on this experience are in Part 2. If transparency mode is important to you, take a look.
③ Terrible software optimization compared to competitors. It’s hard to believe that in 2025, a brand once praised for its software UI would release a product where connecting its own headphones to its own phone requires navigating through three separate places: system sound effects, Bluetooth settings, and the headphone app.
OPPO integrates its earbud settings directly into the system, avoiding such confusion and eliminating the need for a separate app. What’s going on with Mi Wearables? The wearables division clearly hasn’t been putting effort into their products, and the software team hasn’t been coordinating well. As a result, even great hardware is dragged down by poor software—a recurring issue that hasn’t been addressed.
④ Sound Quality [Subjective]. Everyone’s perception of audio tuning differs based on personal preferences. While the hardware improvements bring noticeable and rich detail enhancements, I personally feel that the B5P’s audio tuning doesn’t match its hardware or justify its initial 1299 price tag. Making the sound appealing to me is challenging, partly due to the issues mentioned in drawback ③.
⑤ The much-touted translation-to-text feature may eventually become a paid service. This feature isn’t useful to me, so I won’t comment on whether it’s worth charging for. However, hiding the “limited-time free” information in small print with low contrast is frustrating. If you don’t scrutinize closely, you’ll miss it entirely.
Isn’t that annoying? (See Part 3)
Postscript: Some additional musings are in Part 4, with further elaboration in Part 5.
In the end, after a few days of use, the poor experience became unbearable, and I decided to sell the headphones.
Second Edit: In April, I also switched my 15U to the X8U, happily using the X3 instead. Worth mentioning, as of the release of the X200U, I still consider the 15U to be the best overall Ultra model.
However, sensing potential price drops due to the motor and straight screen design, I acted quickly to cut my losses and switch to the X8U while waiting for next year’s 16Ultra. Both ColorOS and HyperOS have their pros and cons. Although the current setup works okay for now, honestly, I still prefer Mi’s ecosystem.
Final Edit: As of May 14, 2025, the WiFi functionality of the WiFi version remains exclusive to the 15U.
Mila James 
Katherine Caldwell 
Naomi Dean