Soundcore P30i Review 2025: I Used These $49 ANC Earbuds Every Day for a Month – Here’s What Actually Happened

The Soundcore P30i and its clever 2-in-1 case/phone stand after a month of daily use – still looks brand new

Soundcore P30i Review 2025: My Honest Thoughts After Using Them Non-Stop for 30 Days

Let me set the scene: It’s early 2025, I just lost my Liberty 4 NC in a cab (RIP $99), and I’m not about to drop another Benjamin on earbuds right now. Scrolling Amazon late at night, I see the Soundcore P30i for $49.99 with a coupon bringing it down to $39. Reviews looked suspiciously good for the price, so I thought “worst case, I return them.”

One month and hundreds of hours later… these little stems have completely taken over my ears.

Here’s everything that happened – the good, the surprising, and the few things I wish were better.

First Impressions & That Case Is Actually Genius

Opened the box: earbuds, four sizes of tips, short USB-C cable, and the charging case. The case is chunky but for a reason – flip the lid and it becomes a phone stand . I laughed at first. Then I started using it every single day to watch YouTube while eating lunch or TikToks while charging on my desk. It’s one of those features you don’t know you need until you have it.

Pairing was instant (Bluetooth 5.4), and the Soundcore app found them immediately.

Comfort & Fit – I Forget They’re In

I’m a stem guy (AirPods-style fit just works for my ears), and these nail it. They’re super light, the angle is perfect, and with the medium tips they never budged – even on 5km runs or headbanging to metal at the gym. No ear fatigue after 3–4 hour sessions. IP54 means sweat and light rain are no problem.

Sound Quality – Bass Monster, But You Can Tame It

Out of the box? BASS HEAVY . Like, turn-on-BassUp-and-regret-it heavy. First song I played was some Travis Scott and I actually said “whoa” out loud on the subway.

But here’s the thing: open the Soundcore app → EQ → custom 8-band → 5 things:

1. Drop 62Hz and 125Hz by -3dB each
2. Boost 500Hz–2kHz by +2-4dB for clearer vocals
3. Pull 8kHz down if it gets harsh

Five minutes later, they sound balanced, detailed, and way more expensive than $49 . I now prefer my custom “Rock/Metal” preset over my old Liberty 4 NC for guitars. Crazy.

There are also 22 presets – “Acoustic” and “Podcast” are lifesavers.

Noise Cancellation – This Shouldn’t Be This Good at $49

Soundcore claims “strong and smart” adaptive ANC. I was skeptical.

Test 1: NYC subway with ANC on → the screeching brakes and platform announcements drop to a distant whisper. Low-frequency rumble? Almost gone. Test 2: Noisy open-plan office → HVAC and typing disappear, coworker chatter reduced by ~60%. Test 3: Airplane → not Sony XM5 level, but honestly 80% there for low drone.

There’s a tiny bit of hiss in complete silence (like bedtime), but music covers it completely. Transparency mode is natural – better than many pricier buds.

For $49, the ANC is stupidly good.

Battery Life – A Full Week Without Charging

Real-world numbers (60-70% volume, ANC always on):

• Single charge: 7–7.5 hours
• With case: easily 38–42 hours total

I charged the case once a week. That’s it. Fast charging gives ~2 hours from 10 minutes – saved me multiple times.

Calls & Mic – Fine Indoors, Meh Outdoors

Indoors: people say I sound clear and natural. Outdoors/windy: background noise creeps in. Not terrible, but not great. I use my phone speaker for important calls in the wind.

The Little Things I Love

• One-earbud mode works perfectly (both L and R)
• Wearing detection (pause when you remove)
• Find My Earbuds chime in the app (saved me twice)
• Game mode actually lowers latency – mobile gaming is usable

The (Few) Things I Don’t Love

• Treble can get sharp on bad recordings before EQ
• No wireless charging on the case
• No multipoint (can’t connect to phone + laptop simultaneously)
• Slight pressure build-up after 4+ hours (normal for ANC buds)

My Daily Life With the P30i Now

• Morning subway → ANC + bass-heavy playlist = pure bliss
• Work calls & focus → custom EQ + ANC = zero distractions
• Gym → secure fit + sweatproof = no worries
• Bedtime Netflix → case as phone stand on my nightstand

I haven’t touched my old premium earbuds in weeks.

Final Verdict – Yes, Just Buy Them

If you’re on a budget but want real ANC, great customizable sound, and battery that lasts forever – the Soundcore P30i is the no-brainer purchase of 2025.

I paid $39 with coupon. Even at full $49.99 they’re an absolute steal.

I already bought a second pair in white as backup and gifted one to my sister. That’s how confident I am.

My personal score after living with them for a month: 4.6/5 (Only docking 0.4 for outdoor calls and no multipoint – everything else is flawless for the price.)

If you’re still reading this instead of adding to cart… go for it. You can thank me later.

(Still rocking them as I finish typing this – battery at 68% after 5 hours today ✌️)

• Tags:
• Soundcore
• Budget Earbuds
• ANC Earbuds
• Under $50
• 2025