Ultima Atom 320 Review: Decent Affordable TWS Earbuds

Update (Dec 7, 2023): Ultima has dropped the price of the Ultima Atom 320 to Rs. 2,199.

Along with other accessory products such as smartwatches, speakers, and power banks, the local accessory brand Ultima Lifestyle also offers a range of earbuds. Nepal has witnessed the launch of numerous earbuds by this brand, among which is the Ultima Atom 320.

The Ultima Atom 320 price in Nepal is Rs. 2,299. It is available at retail stores across the country and online at Daraz. As part of Daraz’s campaign, Atom 320 is available for just Rs. 2,089 for a limited time period.

I got to use the Ultima Atom 320 for a few days and here is my Ultima Atom 320 review.

Ultima Atom 320 Review

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Design and Fit

• Glossy finish
• IPX5 rating

The Ultima Atom 320 comes in a rounded rectangular cuboid-shaped charging case with a glossy finish. I have it in black color and it is quite the fingerprint magnet.

There is a USB-C port on the bottom side of the case and an LED indicator next to it. The indicator lights up when charging. The front of the case has the Ultima branding, while other than that, the case remains minimalistic with no buttons.

The case opens easily and works as intended. There’s a satisfying magnetic click when you close it shut.

Now, let’s talk about the stemmed-designed earbuds. The flat stems make it convenient to hold them securely with your fingers.

The earbuds come with silicone tips, and when viewed from the front, they bear a resemblance to Apple’s AirPods Pro. However, the rear design sets them apart. The part where the stem connects to the body of the earbuds protrudes slightly and serves as a touch-sensitive area. Ultima has included a fingerprint icon on each earbud to indicate this touch-sensitive feature.

The stem display the Ultima branding, while the bottom of each stem features a dual connector for charging when placed inside the case.

The Atom 320 includes two additional silicone ear tips, and personally, I found the default medium-sized ones to fit snugly. They do a decent job of passively canceling out noise.

However, I did experience slight discomfort when wearing the earbuds for extended periods. To clarify, it wasn’t painful or physically uncomfortable, but there was a noticeable sensation that reminded me of their presence in my ears.

Ideally, I would prefer to forget they were even there. I hope that makes sense. It’s nothing major, just something I wanted to share.

Ultima states that the earbuds have an IPX5 rating, which should make them resistant to sweat and splashes of water. The charging case however is not water-resistant.

The earbuds magnetically attach to the earbuds. The magnets are not particularly powerful, but it gets the job done. And, by the way, there are no LED lights to indicate whether the earbuds have been taken out of or placed back into the case.

Touch Controls

For controls, the earbuds support capacitive touch. You can single-tap any of the earbuds to play or pause the songs. There is a slight delay, but it works. However, there is a slight delay in the touch control function.

Similarly, users can skip to the next song by double-tapping the right earbud or play the previous song by double-tapping the left earbud. It works most of the time, but know that the earbuds may not always register every tap, making it less reliable.

The earbuds provide the option to receive calls by single-tapping the earbud or reject calls with a double-tap. I personally do not trust these, though. Sometimes, it may fail to register the second tap, resulting in unintended call pickups.

Upon removing the earbuds from the charging case, they automatically power on. In case this doesn’t happen or if you have manually turned off the earbuds, you can manually turn on the earbuds by long-pressing both of them for three seconds. Similarly, to power off the earbuds, a long press of five seconds on both earbuds will suffice.

Moreover, the Ultima Atom 320 can also trigger the voice assistant. By long-pressing either earbud for three seconds, you can activate the voice assistant. It worked as it should for me.

Sound Quality

• 13mm dynamic audio driver

Now, let’s discuss the most crucial aspect of the earbuds: the sound quality. Firstly, the Ultima Atom 320 produces a sound that aligns with what you would typically expect from budget earbuds. This means it offers an enjoyable listening experience for the majority of users, who primarily seek to listen to songs in isolation.

When it comes to noise isolation, these earbuds do not feature active noise cancellation (ANC), which is understandable considering their price point. However, as in-ear earbuds with silicone ear tips, they do provide passive noise isolation that does a decent job of reducing external noise.

Now, delving into the sound quality itself, it can be described as average. The voices lack clarity and tend to sound somewhat muffled.

In terms of bass, the earbuds offer an average level. The instrument separation while playing music is also not particularly impressive. The overall sound tends to be loud, but different sources of sound tend to blend together, resulting in a lack of clarity.

For reference, Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” is one of the many songs I listened to. Unfortunately, the stereo separation while playing this song was not as good as expected, and the same issue arose with instrument clarity.

Similarly, when listening to Nepali folk band Night’s song “Putali ko Bhesha Barilai,” which prominently features traditional Nepali instruments, the instrument clarity was not up to par, and the separation between them was also subpar.

The earbuds also have a “beast mode,” which can be turned on by tapping three times on any of the earbuds. This is a gaming mode that optimizes latency for better gameplay.

Regarding the latency, Ultima advertises the buds to have a low latency of 50–60ms. While I can’t verify the numbers, I did observe a noticeable difference in latency when switching between the gaming mode being on or off. The beast mode has a noticeably lower latency.

However, the latency, even in beast mode, is not sufficient for fast-paced games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty.

Connectivity

• Bluetooth 5.3

The Atom 320 supports Bluetooth 5.3, as labeled by the company. I did not face any connectivity problems. It connects seamlessly.

When the earbuds are removed from the case, they automatically connect to the previously paired device. Likewise, they disconnect when placed back into the case. Additionally, if desired, you have the option to use only one earbud for listening.

Pairing the earbuds with a new device for the first time is also a straightforward process. When taken out of the case, the earbuds enter pairing mode, which is indicated by flashing lights on each earbud. In this mode, you can connect it via Bluetooth.

Battery

• 300mAh (case)
• 40mAh (each earbud)
• USB-C port

Ultima claims a remarkable battery life of up to 17 hours for the Atom 320. While I couldn’t personally put it to the test for the full duration, I must say I’m satisfied with its battery performance. On a single charge, the earbuds lasted me multiple days, even with several hours of usage on average.

The earbuds have a USB-C port for charging, which is good to see over the dated Micro-USB port. Ultima says a 5-minute charge will deliver 75 minutes of playback time.

Final Thoughts

The Ultima Atom 320 is a decent, affordable TWS earbuds. The basic functions such as touch controls and seamless connection required for the earbuds are all present on the Atom 320 and they work well.

When it comes to sound quality, the earbuds is not particularly impressive, but given the price, it does not come out as a surprise.

On the positive side, the earbuds provide good battery life and feature a USB-C port. Additionally, the IPX5 rating adds a level of durability for activities that may involve sweating.

What do you think about the Ultima Atom 320? Let us know in the comments!