ASUS Adol AS-172: Low Latency, But Not For Serious Gaming | ★★★☆☆

ASUS, typically associated with high-end motherboards and screaming RGB gaming laptops, is an unexpected player in the budget TWS market. The ASUS Adol AS-172 model aims to leverage the brand’s name recognition and tack on “gaming” features to appeal to the cost-conscious mobile user.

These earbuds are clearly designed to be mass-market fodder, but they do offer a surprising set of specifications that, on paper, should make them a contender. Let’s see if they escape the crushing weight of mediocrity.

1. Audio Joy Index

Adol attempts to sell itself on sound quality, even featuring prominent “Deep Bass” claims in its marketing. In reality, the sound profile is textbook budget fare.

It is loud, which counts for something, but it is entirely lacking in depth and definition. Bass is present but flabby, the mids are hollow, and the highs often pierce rather than shimmer. Listening to complex music feels like hearing the orchestra through a cardboard tube. This score reflects that while the sound works for podcasts and basic functional listening, it offers zero enjoyment for anyone who actually likes music.

Score: 2/5 (A low-res broadcast)

2. Charging Negligence Score

This is where the Adol truly earns its keep in the budget bracket. Boasting around 5 hours of continuous playback in the buds and a total runtime of approximately 35 hours with the case, the Adol is an endurance champion.

This easily outpaces many competitors and means these earbuds can handle a heavy commute schedule, multiple workouts (though we would not go jogging with these), and even a full day of conference calls without requiring a mid-day top-up. The sheer battery longevity is a major selling point and a huge relief for the charging-negligent among us.

Score: 3/5 (Endurance champion)

3. Pocket Presence Factor

The Adol excels in physical design. It adopts an open-ear or “ear-clip” style, placing zero pressure on the ear canal. For users who find traditional silicone-tipped earbuds painful or irritating over time, this design is a revelation.

They are ultra-lightweight and sit flush, making them exceptionally comfortable for hours of wear. The charging case is small and ergonomic, easily slipping into a jeans pocket. This combination of subtle design, lightness, and superior comfort earns it a rare perfect score.

Score: 5/5 (Endurance champion)

4. Control Usability Score

The Adol employs standard touch controls, which, thankfully, include functionality for volume adjustment (triple-tap) and voice assistant activation (long-press).

While the inclusion of all necessary controls is a plus—earning it a higher score than the Philips—the execution remains fiddly. The small touch area and the need for multiple, fast taps to adjust volume mean you still have to slow down and be precise, often leading to mis-taps. The ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) for calls, however, works reliably to keep your voice clear.

Score: 3/5 (Feature-rich but awkward)

5. The Wireless Commitment Meter

As an ASUS product, the Low-Latency Gaming Mode is a predictable, yet welcome, addition. Running on Bluetooth 5.3, the connection is stable and the specialized mode significantly reduces audio lag when watching videos or playing mobile games, making them better suited for media consumption than many of their rivals.

Score: 4/5 (A gamer’s handshake)

Should you buy it? Yes, if you are a mobile gamer, take long conference calls, or primarily listen to spoken word (podcasts, audiobooks), and you require an extremely comfortable fit. If music quality is your top priority, keep scrolling. The high scores in comfort and battery life push its overall rating up, making it a surprisingly good value for specific uses.