Wireless earbuds are popping up left, right and centre but OnePlus has announced one of the more interesting pairs on the market with AirPod Pro rivalling Dolby Atmos sound combined with an affordable price tag.
Add in Warp Charge and Environmental Noise Cancelling and these could be the best value for money true wireless earbuds you’ve been waiting for. Read our full OnePlus Buds review to find out.
When is the OnePlus Buds release date?
As promised, OnePlus announced the Buds alongside the Nord smartphone as part of its AR launch event on 21 July .
The Buds are available to order from the official store now.
How much do the OnePlus Buds cost?
The OnePlus Buds have a cheaper price than you might expect, considering the Bullets Wireless 2 were £99.
They come in at just £79 (or US$79) making them cheaper than just about all big-name rivals including the Apple AirPods , Samsung Galaxy Buds+ , RHA TrueConnect 2 and Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 .
See our chart of the best wireless earbuds you can buy.
Do the OnePlus Buds have Dolby Atmos?
Yes, the Buds are one of the only pairs of wireless earbuds on the market with Dolby Atmos support. This is a 3D stereo effect which allows for a spacial audio experience.
This is something the AirPods Pro are getting via the iOS 14 update, albeit with advanced head and device tracking.
Do the OnePlus Buds have Warp Charge?
Also yes, OnePlus has put its fast charging technology into the Buds so you can charge them for just 10 minutes to get a whopping 10 hours of battery life.
Although this means the earbuds and the case combined – you’ll get 100 minutes of playback from the earbuds in that time.
There’s a total of 30 hours when you include the charges the case can hold. It uses USB-C but doesn’t have wireless charging.
Do the OnePlus Buds have noise cancelling?
Well yes and no. OnePlus offers something called ‘Environmental Noise Cancelling’.
This uses a “unique noise-reduction algorithm and three microphones on each bud to improve clarity, OnePlus Buds eliminate background noise for clear voice recordings and easy-to-hear calls.”
So it’s not to be confused with active noise cancelling you find on some rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM3 .
Are the OnePlus Buds waterproof?
While the Buds have an IPX4 rating, this doesn’t make them fully waterproof. Instead it means they are splash proof so can handle things like a rain shower.
Do the OnePlus Buds have touch controls?
Yes, they do indeed and OnePlus says you can customise what a double tap and long press does to make things easier.
However, this is only available to those using the Buds connected to a OnePlus phone.
What are the OnePlus Buds specs?
Aside from the above, the OnePlus Buds feature large 13.4mm drivers, Bass Boost and a ‘half in-ear’ design for comfortable listening sessions.
The weight of 4.7g per bud should help with that along with the ergonomic design and textured finish in three colourways: Gray, White and Nord Blue.
OnePlus also promises things like quick pairing thanks to Fast Pair – especially with its own phones – and a Fnatic Mode for low latency to keep video synced with audio.
Here are the full specs for the OnePlus Buds:
- Drivers: 13.4mm dynamic
- Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C
- Wireless range: 10m
- Touch controls: Yes
- Battery capacity: 35mAh per bud, 430nAh charging case
- Battery life: 7 hours playback, 4.3 hours phone call
- Fast charging: 10 minutes for 10 hours (earbuds + case), 10 minutes for 100 minutes playback (earbuds)
- Colours: Gray, White, Nord Blue
- Weight: 4.7g per bud, 37g case
- Waterproofing: IPX4
Author: Chris Martin, Managing Editor, Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor Managing Editor Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been with us for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.
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