OnePlus Buds 3 review: Incredible value, a must-have add-on

OnePlus Buds 3 remain relevant even as it entered a fiercely competitive earbud market with an impressive set of features at an affordable price, which proves to be its strongest USP. Promising active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and app-controlled sound customization, these earbuds challenge the notion of being mere add-ons for OnePlus phone users. This product has a mass appeal.

With a sleek design reminiscent of the Pro series, the Buds 3 bridges the gap between premium and budget, delivering exceptional value and performance that appeal to a broad audience beyond the OnePlus ecosystem. Priced at Rs ₹4,999, OnePlus Buds 3 look great and sound better. Should you buy it in 2024? Let’s find out.

Design and comfort

OnePlus Buds3, taking design cues from its Pro sibling, offer a premium look at a fraction of the price. The rectangular, matte-finished case is sleek and smooth, fitting comfortably in pockets without bulging. A wide slit makes opening the case effortless, despite its slippery texture. Inside, the earbuds sit flat, with a central button for Bluetooth pairing.

The earbuds themselves feature a dual finish: a glossy, reflective stem available in Splendid Blue or Metallic Black, and a matte finish on the part that sits inside the ear, including the touch sensor on the stem.

The touch sensor allows for convenient swipe gestures to control volume, which is a feature more TWS earbuds should adopt. You can single, double, or triple tap the sensor to perform various functions such as play/pause, skipping tracks, and activating voice assistant or game mode. These functions can be customized through the OnePlus Buds 3’s Bluetooth settings menu.

Lightweight and comfortable, the earbuds come with soft silicone tips and are IP55-rated for water and dust resistance, making them suitable for workouts and rainy days.

Connectivity

The OnePlus Buds 3 supports Bluetooth 5.3, Google Fast Pair, and Dual Connection, allowing seamless switching between two devices, like a phone and a laptop. During the review period, connectivity and device switching were flawless. The earbuds offer low latency, which improves further with Game mode enabled.

Active Noise Cancellation and mic quality

The OnePlus Buds 3 provides up to 49dB of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), matching or exceeding other earbuds in this price range. The ANC effectively reduces loud environmental sounds while commuting or in crowded spaces, though faint sounds like keyboard tapping or metro announcements are still audible if you’re not listening to anything.

Battery life

The OnePlus Buds 3 excel in battery life. While extensive single-session testing wasn’t possible, the earbuds, along with the case, can easily last a week to 10 days with 2 to 3 hours of daily use. OnePlus claims up to 44 hours of playback, which appears accurate. Actual battery life will vary with ANC usage.

OnePlus also claims up to 7 hours of music playback with just 10 minutes of charging, which seems reasonable. With both the case and earbuds at 10 percent battery, full charging took approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes using the OnePlus 12R’s 100W charger.

Verdict

The OnePlus Buds 3 stand out as a favorite pair of earbuds, often preferred over first-generation AirPods Pro for commuting. Priced under Rs 6,000, they offer premium design and features, such as swipe gesture controls, excellent sound quality with good bass response, and impressive battery life. The ANC is adequate, and overall, the OnePlus Buds 3 offer a complete package at this price point.

However, the bass-heavy sound might not appeal to everyone, though users can adjust the EQ to their liking. The Buds 3 are ideal for those who enjoy genres like Hip-Hop, Rock, and Acoustic. For a more balanced sound profile suitable for all genres, the Enco Air3 Pro is worth considering.

Pros:

• Premium design at an affordable price
• Exciting bass and vocal clarity
• Convenient swipe touch control
• Great battery life

Cons:

• Bass-heavy sound might not suit everyone
• LHDC isn’t a widely supported codec