OnePlus Buds 3 review: simple and great value

OnePlus has never launched the Buds 2 true wireless earbuds, so the newly launched OnePlus Buds 3 appear as an entirely new product line. Technically, it can be said to be a spiritual successor to the Nord Buds Z2, as it is close to the latter in terms of functionality and price. However, its pricing puts it just below the premium OnePlus Buds Pro 2 in the OnePlus audio range. OnePlus claims to offer premium features at a lower price with its new Buds 3 true wireless earbuds. I’ve been using these for a few weeks now and here’s why I think they’re a great option for 1000 yen. 5,499 in India.

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Design and features

The design of the OnePlus Buds 3 case looks similar to the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. When you pick it up, you’ll notice that it’s a little thicker than the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. This is due to the larger battery in the case. The case has a plastic finish and doesn’t look as premium as the Buds Pro 2’s case, but it’s also half the retail price, so this is fine. Thicker overall dimensions make it easier to open the case to access your earbuds, allowing you to confidently open and close with one hand.

The OnePlus Buds 3 have a non-slip semi-chrome finish and a super comfortable fit.

The earbuds are available in two finishes: Splendid Blue and Metallic Gray. I received a pair of Splendid Blue earbuds for review, and they have a nice chrome finish around the stem, exposing the blue plastic casing that almost resembles a silicone tip. These chrome-plated stems are thicker than those on the Buds Pro 2 and also provide some grip (although they do get dirty) so they don’t slip out of your hands when you remove them from or put them in the charging case. It won’t fall. Similar to the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, the earbuds have a very comfortable fit and I didn’t experience any discomfort even after wearing them for hours on end.

The charging case weighs 40.8 grams and each earbud weighs 4.8 grams, which isn’t too heavy. In fact, they are lighter than the combined weight of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 (more than 50 grams). Like the OnePlus Buds Z2, the Buds 3 have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance. This means the buds can withstand splashes and sweaty workouts. The sales package includes two additional sets of silicone ear tips and a short USB-C charging cable.

The OnePlus Buds 3’s charging case (right) is thicker than the Buds Pro 2’s case (left), but it has a larger battery.

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Apps and specifications

Once connected to your OnePlus smartphone, you can access all settings and customizations from your phone’s Bluetooth settings. Settings> Bluetooth> OnePlus Buds 3> i> Earphone function. From here, you can adjust the effectiveness of the active noise cancellation, tweak the equalizer, toggle 3D audio, and more importantly, adjust the earbuds’ controls. You can also find the earbuds and control the camera when connected to a OnePlus smartphone (not available on non-OnePlus devices).

For non-OnePlus smartphone and iPhone users, there is the HeyMelody app. Available for both Android and iOS devices, it offers a wealth of control and customization. You also get noise control (ANC), adjustable EQ, golden sound, and even his OnePlus 3D audio. You can also toggle between dual connections and check out connected devices on your iPhone. There’s also the ability to toggle game modes for those who prefer low latency, and you can even upgrade the firmware using your iPhone. This is very impressive. Earphone controls are available together in a separate section.

The touch controls that come with the OnePlus Buds 3 are completely new. These work very well and give precise feedback when you slide your finger up and down the earbud stem. OnePlus earbuds have always had touch controls, but new slide gestures let you change tracks and adjust the volume.

The HeyMelody app works well on iOS and non-OnePlus devices and offers plenty of functionality and customization.

Additionally, the slide gestures can be customized for each earbud, so you can use one to switch tracks and the other to adjust volume. Even the top-of-the-line Buds Pro 2 doesn’t allow you to adjust volume controls via the earbuds, so this feature and gesture alone seem to justify many people upgrading to these truly wireless earbuds.

In terms of specifications, each earphone is equipped with a 10.4mm woofer and 6mm tweeter (dual drivers) with a sensitivity of 110db and a frequency response range of 15Hz to 40,000Hz. Each earbud has three microphones, which are also used for noise canceling other than calls. Each earbud is equipped with a 58mAH lithium-ion battery, and the case is equipped with a large 520mAh unit. The earphones use Bluetooth 5.3 and support AAC, SBS and even LHDC 5.0 codecs.

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Performance and battery life

As you would expect from an audio product in this price range, this audio primarily caters to those who value bass. However, rather than the usual muddy bass, the bass is quite clear and well-defined, making it very fun to add thud without going overboard when listening to dance music or watching movies. is. But all of this is done with the default Balanced EQ setting, which literally does what it claims to do, reserving a more bass-heavy sound for the “Bass” setting. As usual, the midrange is still a little beaten, but most users won’t notice it too much. For those who do, the “Serenade” preset seems to solve this to some extent.

There’s also a BassWave feature that I think is quite unique. When enabled in the settings, you can not only increase the bass level, but also lower it or lower it. However, I preferred not to use this feature, as it seemed to only make things worse (no matter where I was going).

As for the microphone, it does a great job of drowning out unwanted ambient sounds and allows callers to be heard loud and clear in a variety of settings. During the review period, I never once heard a caller complain about my voice quality. This is pretty impressive, since I’ve heard callers complain about it frequently when using the Buds Pro 2.

The two are a bit similar, but the OnePlus Buds 3 have thicker earbuds.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology works as expected and is able to suppress low-frequency noise well, but not so much mid- and high-frequency noise. Still, considering its price, it’s very capable and gets the job done.

In terms of connectivity, the OnePlus Buds 3 performed very well. In my apartment, I was able to have conversations and listen to music from several meters away (even with a solid wall with a door), and the connection never seemed to drop or become difficult (although (if you use a lighter SBC/AAC codec). When using the HeyMelody app on your iPhone or other Android device, there is another mode that prioritizes latency over sound quality when playing games.

As for battery life, it easily lasted 10 hours on a single charge with music playing continuously using the AAC codec, at 50% volume, and with ANC turned off. With ANC turned on, this number dropped to about 6 hours. As expected, switching to the heavier LHDC reduces play time even further, dropping to just about 5 hours. In fact, the thick case has some advantages as it allows you to use the earbuds four times on a single charge.

LHDC audio codec is also available, but since the benefits of LHDC are a little trickier in these earphones, it’s clear to conclude that it would be wiser to use AAC for better battery life and ANC usage . It can manage a minimum of 400kbps, but not the promised 1Mbps or 1,000kbps bitrates (in terms of stability and range).

Although we weren’t able to accurately test charging speeds, OnePlus says the Buds 3 true wireless earbuds can get up to 7 hours of combined use after 10 minutes of charging with the case on, which is plenty. It seems that it is. I believe their word.

verdict

For Rs, the OnePlus Buds 3 true wireless earbuds offer a slew of features trickled down from the more premium Buds Pro 2, making the latter all but unnecessary when it comes to certain features. Chief among them are new slide gestures with touch controls, a convenient way to control your volume and music playback experience without reaching for your phone. The addition of the LHDC codec is questionable, but you still get competent ANC and good audio quality. A well-designed companion app that offers most of the features of a OnePlus smartphone, even on non-OnePlus devices, makes the OnePlus Buds 3 earbuds a very attractive audio package at this price point.