SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE on the surface looks to be packing lots of value as it is a dual-driver true wireless earbuds at just S$69. It doesn’t skimp on other features such as Bluetooth 5.0 and has aptX support as well.
Unboxing
In the box, you will receive the following items:
- SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE earbuds
- Charging case
- Silicon ear tips x 3 (S, M , L)
- Comply TrueGrip Foam ear tips
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- User manual
Tech specs
| Driver | Dual Dynamic driver (Titanium-plated speaker and Composite diaphragm) |
| Battery Life | 6.5 hours per full charge 23.5 hours in charging case |
| Weight | Earbuds: 6.0g each Charging case: 40.4g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Supported Codecs | aptX, SBC |
| Water Resistance | IPX5 |
| Charging port | USB-C |
Build quality and features
The SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE comes in a matte black plastic case that has a smooth to the touch surface. The surface is a little grippy but can pickup fingerprint smudges at times. The case is on the thick side, being similar in size and volume of the Harman Kardon FLY TWS. The hinge is firm and sturdy, and magnets in the case is very strong so the earbuds inside do not rattle when I shake the case. The charging indicator, which has 4 levels, is located inside the case .
The earbuds is made from plastic and have the same slightly grippy texture to it. The earbuds have an IPX5 water-resistance rating so it is suitable to use during your workouts. The design of the Truengine 3 SE has a rather unique shape, and have its logo on a bronze plate. There is also a transparent housing that shows off the dual-drivers in the earbuds. The earbuds utilises mainly touch controls.
Controls
The touch controls of the Truengine 3 SE is able to control everything from play/pause, adjusting volume, skipping of tracks, and handling calls.
The touch controls is responsive and are easy to use. The touch surface is not overly sensitive so I do not encounter any accidental mis-touches.
Battery life
SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE is able to deliver 6.5 hours of play time per full charge, which is the standard battery life we’ve come to expect on true wireless earbuds today. The charging case provide an additional 23.5 hours more in the case – giving you a total of 30 hours.
Charging is done via USB-C at the back of the case. Unfortunately, wireless charging is not supported but it is understandable at this price point.
Fit
The Truengine 3 SE fits comfortably in my ears with the contoured curves and grooves of the earbuds allow it to nestle well in my ears. It offers a snug fit, and feels light and comfortable in my ears. However, I found that as the nozzle of the speaker is a little short, the ear tip does not go too deep in my ear canal. And so, it leads to a lighter seal with the default silicon ear tips, which can dislodge slightly during my ‘yawn test’.
At just S$69, SoundPeats was generous enough to supply a pair of Comply TrueGrip foam ear tips which I found provided a much better seal and even more comfortable fit in my ears. I highly recommend using the supplied foam tips over the silicon ear tips as it truly made a difference in my experience with the Truengine 3 SE.
Pairing, connectivity, and latency
SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and utilises a QualComm 3020 chipset. You will see two Bluetooth device on your iPhone, on for the left and one for the right earbud. The connection is stable, and there was no latency or lag when watching YouTube videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11.
If you want to use just one earbud, you can use either the left or right earbud. The connection from one earbud to two resumes instantly the moment you remove second earbud from the case.
Sound quality
The large attraction of the Truengine 3 SE is that it uses a two drivers to produce audio. Dual drivers is advantageous because one driver will focus on the lower frequencies like bass, while the other will focus on treble, to offer more distinct definition across the overall mix.
Let’s start with bass. Truengine 3 SE offers punchy and detailed bass with good presence in the sub-bass to create that enjoyable thump and rumble. Comparing to the Creative Outlier Air, you will get slightly more reverb and thump on the Outlier Air, but it’s unnoticeable unless you have them side by side. But there is more definition in the bass on the Truengine 3 SE compared to the Outlier Air.
As for midrange, it is well-balanced in the mix, but it can sometimes sound a little laid back against the thumping bass on certain songs. But if the song does not have too much bass presence, mids still come across clear. It’s the same story for treble and the upper mid frequencies – the highs seems to be a little rolled off, giving you a warm rather than bright treble. Regarding soundstage, the SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE impresses with music seemingly being played in a roomy space.
Another attraction is that the Truengine 3 SE supports aptX audio codec which is a higher resolution audio than the usual SBC. Android users will largely benefit from this, not iPhone users.
Microphone quality
Microphone on the Truengine 3 SE is pretty okay. It is able to pickup my voice without sounding too distorted or processed. When testing it with a TV playing in the background, the microphone isn’t able to zone in solely on my voice as the background noise can be heard jumbling around in the recording. Probably best used indoors.
Conclusion
SoundPeats Truengine 3 SE offers an incredible amount of value for just S$69. You get reliable low latency connectivity, good bassy sound quality with a wide soundstage, and even have a pair of Comply Foam ear tips to get the best fit in your ears. If you’re on a budget and enjoy warm sound signature with bass, then you can’t go wrong with the Truengine 3 SE.