boAt Nirvana Ivy Pro and Zenith Pro review: Feature-packed earbuds that punch above their weight

When it comes to affordable wireless audio, boAt has built a loyal fan base with its flashy spec sheets and aggressive pricing. The newly launched Nirvana Ivy Pro and Nirvana Zenith Pro continue that trend, promising premium features like spatial audio, Dolby head tracking, and up to 80 hours of playback, all at a fraction of what you’d expect to pay elsewhere.

After spending a couple of weeks alternating between both, here’s my take: they’re solid value buys, but each serves a slightly different audience.

Design and Comfort

The Ivy Pro is compact and slick, with a glossy pill-shaped case and colour options like Mist Blue and Crystal Black. The case fits comfortably in the pocket, and the earbuds themselves are snug without feeling invasive. The matte finish on the stems feels nice to the touch, and the IPX5 rating gives some peace of mind during sweaty workouts or light drizzles.

The Zenith Pro, on the other hand, is bulkier but not unwieldy. It offers a more classic over-ear headphone look and comes in richer shades like Crimson Red and Platinum Gold. Despite its chunkier profile, it doesn’t feel too heavy on the head. Build quality leans plastic but doesn’t feel cheap. With an IPX4 rating, it’ll survive casual splashes but isn’t as gym-friendly as Ivy.

Sound Quality and Performance

Let’s talk audio, the real dealmaker or breaker.

The Zenith Pro surprised me with its 12mm drivers and spacious soundstage, thanks to spatial audio support. Bass lovers will be happy here. There’s a noticeable thump without drowning out mids or highs. It’s not studio-accurate, but it makes pop, Bollywood, and bass-heavy playlists come alive. The Hybrid Adaptive ANC (up to 50dB) does a decent job muting background hums, but it’s not going to beat premium ANC cans. Still, for the price, it’s effective enough in metros and noisy cafes.

The Ivy Pro takes things a step further in terms of finesse. The dual driver setup (11mm + 6mm) offers better separation, and the inclusion of Dolby Head Tracking gives an immersive experience while watching Dolby Atmos content. Audio feels dynamic and layered. Add Adaptive EQ by Mimi, and you can actually customise sound based on your hearing profile, which is rare in this price range. The 52dB ANC here feels more polished than the Zenith, better at cancelling mid-frequency chatter and fan noise.

For low-latency gaming, both support BEAST Mode, with Ivy Pro clocking 50ms and Zenith Pro at 60ms. Casual gaming was fine, but neither would satisfy competitive FPS players relying on pinpoint footstep audio.

Battery and Charging

Battery life is where Zenith Pro pulls ahead. With an 80-hour playback claim, it comfortably stretched about a week of regular use in my testing. The case charges in under 2 hours, and the buds top up in 35 minutes, fast enough to stay worry-free.

The Ivy Pro comes with a more modest 50-hour rating, which is still excellent. It has a slightly smaller case battery (400mAh vs 600mAh) but makes up for it with quicker charging and a sleeker footprint.

Features and Extras

Both offer Bluetooth 5.3 (Ivy) and 5.4 (Zenith) for stable connections. Calls were decent with both, although background noise could creep in during windy conditions. Touch controls work well enough, though I did notice occasional mis-taps on the Ivy while adjusting the fit.

Each box includes extra eartips, USB Type-C cable, and a warranty of 12+3 months, which is a nice touch. No app support out of the box, which is a bit of a miss given the customisation possible with Dolby and Mimi EQ.

Verdict: Which One’s for You?

    •    Go for the Ivy Pro if you’re all about portable design, richer sound, better ANC, and Dolby integration. At ₹4,999, it delivers more polish and premium audio features than you’d expect.
    •    Pick the Zenith Pro if you want marathon battery life, punchy bass, and a bigger, more immersive over-ear experience for less money. At ₹2,999, it’s an insane deal.