OnePlus Buds 3 remain relevant even as they enter a highly competitive earbuds market, with an impressive set of features at an affordable price, proving to be their strongest USP. Promising active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and app-controlled sound customization, these earbuds disprove the notion of being mere add-on features for OnePlus phone users. This product has a broad appeal.

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

Design and comfort

Borrowing design cues from their Pro sibling, OnePlus Buds 3 offer a premium look at a fraction of the price. The rectangular matte-finished case is smooth and sleek, fitting comfortably in pockets without bulging. A wide slot makes opening the case effortless despite its slippery texture. Inside, the earbuds lay flat and feature a central button for Bluetooth pairing.

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

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

The lightweight and comfortable earbuds feature soft silicone tips and are IP55 waterproof and dustproof, making them ideal for workouts and rainy days.

Connectivity

The OnePlus Buds 3 support Bluetooth 5.3, Google Fast Pair, and Dual Connection, allowing seamless switching between two devices, such as a phone and a laptop. During the testing period, connectivity and device switching worked flawlessly. The earbuds offer low latency, which improves even further when Gaming Mode is enabled.

Active noise cancellation and microphone quality

The OnePlus Buds 3 offer up to 49dB of active noise cancellation (ANC), achieving the same or better performance as other earbuds in this price range. The ANC effectively reduces loud ambient noise when commuting or in crowded spaces, although quiet sounds like keyboard tapping or subway announcements are still audible when you’re not listening.

Battery life

The OnePlus Buds 3 are characterized by a long battery life. Although no extensive individual tests were possible, the earbuds together with the case can easily last a week to 10 days with 2 to 3 hours of daily use. OnePlus promises up to 44 hours of playback time, which seems quite accurate. The actual battery life varies depending on ANC usage.

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

Verdict

The OnePlus Buds 3 are a popular pair of earbuds that are often preferred over the first-generation AirPods Pro for commuting. They cost less than Rs 6,000 and offer premium design and features like swipe gesture control, 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.

The bass-heavy sound may not be to everyone’s taste, though, although users can adjust the equalizer 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 that’s suitable for all genres, the Enco Air3 Pro are worth considering.

Advantages:

• First-class design at an affordable price
• Exciting basses and clear voices
• Convenient swipe-touch control
• Long battery life

Disadvantages:

• Bass-heavy sound may not be for everyone
• LHDC is not a widely supported codec