How to check Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro for originality and performance: a step-by-step guide

Buying a Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro means getting high-quality wireless headphones with active noise cancellation, transparent mode and long battery life. But how do you make sure you get the original model, not a fake? Or that the device is completely healthy if you buy it from hand? In this article, we will analyze 7 key tests that will help check the headphones at all stages - from external inspection to deep diagnostics of sound and microphone.

We'll focus on how fakes differ from the original -- they often copy the design, but they can't replicate the build quality, sound and functionality. You'll also learn how to check the serial number, sensors, compatibility with the Mi Fitness app, and even assess the actual battery capacity. If you buy a Redmi Buds 4 Pro used or in an unofficial store, this guide will help you avoid disappointment and save money.

1. External inspection: how to distinguish the original from a fake

The first thing you need to do is to look carefully at the packaging and the headphones themselves. Fakes often come out of poor-quality printing, crooked seams or mismatched labels. The original Redmi Buds 4 Pro box has:

• 📦 A matte coating with a clear embossing of the Redmi logo (without blurring or skewing).
• 🔍 Serial number on the sticker below - it can be checked through the official Xiaomi website.
• 🎧 Security film on headphones with the Mi logo (fakes often don’t have it or it’s of poor quality).
• 📏 The exact dimensions of the box are 185 × 60 × 40 mm (a deviation of more than 2–3 mm is a sign of forgery).

The headphones themselves should have:

• 🔧 Smooth seams between parts of the body (forgeries often show gaps or glue).
• 🎨 A matte coating without scratches and scuffs (even on new headphones).
• 🔊 Clear microphone holes (in copies they can be filled with paint or plastic).

⚠️ Warning: Counterfeit cables are often equipped with cheap USB-C cable without the Xiaomi logo. The original cable is gray, densely swiped and marked 5V==1A.

Verification of serial number and originality

Even if the package looks perfect, it doesn't guarantee originality. Be sure to check the headphone serial number (SN).

• 📦 On the box sticker (under the barcode).
• 🎧 In the headphone settings (via the Mi Fitness app).
• 📱 In the Bluetooth device information on the smartphone (after connecting).

To verify:

1. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
2. Enter the serial number and code from the picture.
3. If the headphones are original, the system will show the Redmi Buds 4 Pro model and the production date.

If a site shows a bug or a different model, it's 100% fake, and if you have a specification, you should also look at the IMEI, which starts with a 208 or 86 on the original headphone.

3. Sound testing: how to check the quality of playback

Sound is the main reason why you buy Redmi Buds 4 Pro. To check its quality, follow this algorithm:

1. Connect your headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth (use an AAC or LC3 codec for better sound).
2. Include a track with a wide dynamic range (e.g., "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Bass I Love You" by Bassnectar).
3. Check the basses: there should be no wheezing or distortion at low frequencies (20–60 Hz).
4. Estimate the high frequencies (from 10 kHz): they should be clear, without whistling.
5. Activate ANC (active noise cancellation) and compare the sound to the off mode.

Note the channel balance: the original headphones have left and right speakers sounding the same loud, and if one headphone is quieter, it could be a defect or a fake.

💡

For accurate sound testing, use the Audio Test (Android) or Frequency Sound Generator (iOS) app, which will help you test your headphones at all frequencies.

Checking microphone and sensors

Redmi Buds 4 Pro are equipped with dual microphones with noise cancellation technology during calls.

• 📞 Call another phone and record a voice message.
• 🔊 Turn on speakerphone on the receiving device and evaluate the quality of voice transmission.
• 🚗 Check how the microphone handles background noise (e.g., turn on a fan or music nearby).

Also, test the sensory control:

• 👆 One touch - playback/pause.
• 👆👆 Double touch - the next track.
• 👆👆👆 Triple touch - previous track.
• 👆 Retention - Enabling the voice assistant.

If the sensors go off over and over again, or if you press hard, it's a sign of marriage or fake, and the original headphones have a fairly light touch.

⚠️ Warning: Counterfeiting often lacks the Transparency Mode feature. Try enabling it through the Mi Fitness app — if the option isn't available, it's fake.

5. Diagnostics of battery and operating time

The original Redmi Buds 4 Pro promises up to 9 hours of battery life (with ANC up to 6 hours) and up to 36 hours with a case.

1. Charge your headphones and case to 100% (use the original cable).
2. Turn on music playback at 50% volume with active ANC.
3. Keep a watch until the battery is 10% depleted.

Test results:

• ✅ 6-8 hours is the norm for the original.
• ⚠️ 4-5 hours – battery wear (if used) or counterfeiting is possible.
• ❌ Less than 3 hours is an explicit marriage or a fake.

Also check the charging speed:

• 🔋 Headphones should charge from 0 to 100% in a case in 1-1.5 hours.
• 🔌 Case from the socket - in 2 hours.

If charging takes longer or headphones quickly discharge – this is a sign of a faulty battery or the use of cheap components (in fakes).

Charge headphones and case to 100% | Turn on ANC and music playback | Check the time before discharge | Compare with the declared characteristics | Check the charging speed-->

6. Compatibility check with Mi Fitness application

The original Redmi Buds 4 Pro fully supports the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Wear).

• 🎛 Set up an equalizer (5 presets + custom).
• 🔇 Adjust ANC (3 modes: weak, medium, strong).
• 🔄 Update the headphone firmware (if available).
• 📊 View usage statistics (work time, charge level).

If the annex:

• ❌ Can't find the headphones.
• ❌ Shows them as an unknown device.
• ❌ Does not allow you to configure ANC or equalizer.

It is a 100% fake or device for another region (e.g. the Chinese version).

Note that in 2026, Xiaomi updated its Mi Fitness authentication algorithm, and now counterfeits can connect to an app, but without access to key features (such as ANC setup).

7. Bluetooth Connection and Stability Test

Bluetooth issues are one of the most common complaints about fakes, to check the stability of the connection:

1. Connect the headphones to the smartphone at a distance of 1 meter without obstacles.
2. Turn on the music and step back 10 meters (ideally, to another room).
3. Evaluate whether there are interference, cliffs or stuttering of the sound.
4. Go back and check how quickly the connection is restored.

The original Redmi Buds 4 Pro uses Bluetooth 5.3 with support for LC3 codec, which provides a stable connection up to 10-12 meters indoors. Counterfeiting often runs on Bluetooth 5.0 or even 4.2, which causes:

• 📶 Permanent communications interruptions.
• 🔊 Stuttering sound when moving.
• 🕒 Sound latency greater than 200 ms.

Also check compatibility with several devices:

• 📱 Connect your headphones to Android and iOS in turn.
• 💻 Try connecting to a laptop or tablet.
• 🎮 If possible, check the game consoles (PS5, Nintendo Switch).

In the original headphones, switching between devices is fast (in 2-3 seconds), and counterfeits often require re-pairing.

💡

If the headphones lose connection at a distance of less than 5 meters or give a strong sound delay, this is a clear sign of a fake or a defect.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi Buds 4 Pro