The OnePlus Buds 3 are the company’s latest true wireless earbuds. The original OnePlus Buds were the company’s first TWS earbuds, introduced in mid-2020. There was no OnePlus Buds 2, but the Buds Z and Buds Z2 were released in late 2020 and 2022, respectively. The Buds 3 appear to combine the original Buds and the newer Buds Z range, as the company may have realised it has too many earbud series on the market right now.
Design
The Buds 3 earbuds and case have a very similar design to the Buds Pro 2. The case appears nearly identical at first glance, but in reality, the dimensions are all different, giving the Buds 3 case a narrower yet taller appearance. The newer model’s case is also slightly lighter and lacks the glossy finish on the hinge.
The earbuds have the same two-tone finish as the Buds Pro 2, or even the original Buds Pro. This time, however, the glossy part extends beyond the back of the earbuds and nearly covers the entire exterior. The matte finish will only be visible on the inner side and bottom.The earbuds have soft silicone ear tips and three sizes are included in the box. The earbuds fit very comfortably in my ears, and I was able to wear them for hours without feeling any discomfort.The Buds 3 earbuds have an IP55 dust and water resistance rating, which protects them from sweat and splashes.
Software and Features
The Buds 3 have Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with SBC, AAC, and LHDC 5.0 codecs. They use a dual-driver design, with a 10.4mm dynamic driver for low and mid frequencies and a 6mm tweeter for high frequencies. The drivers are arranged vertically in a coaxial pattern.Software support is available through the HeyMelody app for Android and iOS. On OnePlus devices, the functionality is built into the system settings, but it is a little difficult to find because it is buried fairly deep. The functionality is consistent across all apps.
The Buds 3 also support dual connections, allowing you to stay connected to two sources at the same time. LHDC can be supported by either or both, but the sampling rate and bit rates available decrease significantly when a dual connection is enabled. If you want to use the full range of bit rate options, only connect to one device at a time.
Finally, you are given the option to update the firmware. Our review unit was running v121.121.101 during testing. OnePlus usually updates its audio products several months after they are released, with some models receiving updates even after a year.
Performance
- Audio quality: The OnePlus Buds 3 have pleasant, mostly unobtrusive audio quality. I feel compelled to point out that previous OnePlus models had an overly bass-heavy audio signature, which is not the case with this model.The Bass preset does exactly as advertised. It sounds similar to the default preset on many other OnePlus earbuds, with a thumpier mid and low bass. The Bold preset is similar to the Balanced preset, but with a more suppressed midrange for aggressive v-shaped tuning.Overall, the Buds 3 provide good audio quality. Despite using the highest quality LHDC bit and sampling rates, the sound isn’t particularly detailed, but that’s to be expected from Bluetooth audio and drivers at this price point. Regardless, after a week of using these earbuds, I discovered that they are easy to listen to for hours without complaint, and with a little tuning, they are as good as it gets in this segment.
- Microphone :The OnePlus Buds 3 have a good microphone performance. It is not the most natural or full-sounding voice, but it is typically clear and free of artefacts. It also does an excellent job of masking background noise, even in extremely noisy environments. Just like the audio quality, I found the overall microphone performance to be superior to the Buds Pro 2.
- Noise cancellation : The Buds 3 have active noise cancellation, which works remarkably well. On the maximum setting, low-frequency noise patterns are very effectively suppressed, with good mid and high-frequency suppression. The more expensive Buds Pro 2 perform better in the middle and high frequencies, but the Buds 3 come close.
- Latency and Connectivity : Even without latency-improving modes, the Buds 3 deliver good latency performance. When paired with a PC, for example, you may notice some audio lag, but it is not significant enough to distract. When paired with a phone or tablet, the device will automatically sync audio for video content to prevent delays.
Battery Life
OnePlus’ website contains a comprehensive list of battery life figures, including ANC on and off, as well as ANC and LHDC results, which is extremely rare and commendable.OnePlus also claims 2 hours of run time after a quick 10-minute charge, which is oddly buried in the footnote. In my testing, this was also true while using AAC, as the earbuds lasted 2.2 hours. I got 1.6 hours of playback time with LHDC.
Given that real-world testing frequently exceeded the company’s claims, I believe the ANC-enabled figures are reasonable. It should be noted that using bitrates higher than 500kbps with LHDC significantly reduces battery life.
The OnePlus Buds 3 are by far the best audio product the company has released to date. The improvements in audio quality and tuning are greatly appreciated, and while the company is not quite there yet, it is on the right path. The ANC works exceptionally well, the microphone quality is excellent, the earbuds are extremely comfortable, and the battery life is commendable. Aside from complaints about LHDC, there’s not much else to criticise. At the current asking price of $100/€99/INR 5499, the OnePlus Buds 3 come highly recommended.