The new OnePlus Nord Buds was recently unveiled and we had the opportunity to test this TWS headset for 24 hours. Considering that these headphones were on the market at more than 1/4 the price of the Apple AirPods 3rd Gen, my first impression of the OnePlus Nord Buds could not be better.
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OnePlus Nord Buds in short
OnePlus Nord Buds were released on May 19, but pre-orders will only begin on May 31 in the United States, and only through the official OnePlus store. The starting price of these headphones is $ 39, which is really competitive in terms of quality to price.
Nord Buds follows the Nordic smartphone series, which aims to provide the most affordable price possible. So, like the OnePlus, these wireless headphones are built on some of the brand’s popular features, such as 12.4mm titanium flexible drivers, Dolby Atmos support and 30-hour combined playback per charge.
This $ 39 device is one of the most expensive options on the market. In addition, battery life and sound quality are prominent here.
In Europe, OnePlus Nord Buds will go on sale from May 24, 2022. Pre-orders can be made from OnePlus.com and local Amazon websites from May 19, 2022.
Smooth appearance and comfortable experience
Nord Buds are available in black and white and have a metallic appearance, thanks to the manufacturer’s vacuum metering – just like we have on the OnePlus Buds Pro. The headphones, which weigh only 4.82 grams, are also very smart. In addition, they provide an IP55 rating in terms of water and sweat, a hydrophobic, sweat-resistant nano coating that protects against rust.
With ergonomic design, the OnePlus Nord Buds are truly comfortable. For the first few days, there are earbuds that do not cause pain in my ears, and Nord Buds is on the list. For hours, I did not even feel comfortable wearing the headset. Also, unlike the model I was using before, the Honor Earbuds 2 Lite, which uses a design similar to Apple’s AirPods, feels very stable and secure in the ear.
My favorite ret-
- Original design – not everything AirPods!
- IP55 certification and protection against sweat damage.
- Size and weight.
- Very safe in the ears.
What I don’t like is tears-
In addition to the middle edge (M) on the headset, we have two other tips in the box-small (S) and large (L). Luckily, I didn’t need to remove the standard tip, but if you want to change it, it is very easy to remove and add each size option.
The charging case is also discreet, although it is rectangular in size, it is more square than an ANC headset in my opinion. The OnePlus 67.9 x 35.5 x 28.68mm is the respective 45.5 x 61.2 x 25.35mm, but it still fits well in my fan package.
Easy to remember controls
OnePlus Nord Buds is very easy to control, we have three touch options on both sides of the headset. There are no physical buttons here, just touch the emotional ones. See what each action provides in the following table:
Tap single | Tap twice | Tap three times | Hold | |
---|---|---|---|---|
By default | Play / Pause | next to | Previous | – |
Optional | – | Play / Pause | Past | Next | Enable voice assistant | Past | Next | Enable voice assistant | – |
Call control | Answer / End | – | Reject (3 s) |
You can customize each touch function from the headphones on your phone to use different commands. However, this only works for OnePlus devices. This could not be done with my iPhone.
Communication and delay
As long as it is connected, the OnePlus Nord Buds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 and offer a very low latency mode according to the manufacturer, which is when combined with OnePlus devices with Pro Gamer mode enabled to reduce delays to 94ms. In fact, when I spent time with the headset, I was not worried about the delay.
And for those who already use the OnePlus smartphone – for OnePlus 6 or later – there is the OnePlus instant pairing function. Android users interested in Nord Buds can download the HeyMelody app from the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, I couldn’t add the headphones to the HeyMelody app on iOS, even though it was available for download from the Apple Store.
Good sound experience
On paper, OnePlus Nord Buds shows 12.4mm titanium dynamic drivers designed for “rich bass response and razor sharpness”. Nord Buds also features 4 microphones and AI-enabled sound cancellation algorithms to filter out unwanted background noise during phone calls.
In practice, sound quality is good, respecting bass and high standards, and it provides good performance in different music genres. In short, listening to music with this headset is fun. However, we do not have any noise cancellation here, so depending on the volume setting, expect local interference.
My favorite ret-
- Above average audio performance for low-cost TWS headphones.
- Exact size.
- Support for Equality app on Android / OnePlus.
Dislike
- Poor microphone noise in noisy environments.
For comparison, the Honor Earbuds 2 Lite uses 10mm drivers, and although the hoods are more expensive and ANC-based, I enjoy the Nord Buds audio experience even more. Also, set to zero, the Nord Budd is completely silent, which does not provide an expensive weapon, although it costs twice as much in Germany where I live.
We have Dolby Atmos space audio technology here for the audio experience. OnePlus supports SBC and AAC codecs with a frequency range of 20 to 20,000 Hz. As you can expect, we do not have any high-quality codecs on the board. But you can play with different equalizer options using the Heimelodi companion app.
OnePlus highlights the 4 microphones in Nord Buds as well as the company’s AI cancellation algorithms, however, the quality here is questionable. Voice recordings were good indoors and in a quiet environment, but even when we were outdoors, voicemail on WhatsApp was a challenge.
Battery life is 30 hours per charge
According to OnePlus, Nord Buds offers up to 30 hours of integrated audio playback per charge, which means counting the charging capacity. On their own, the headphones offer 7 hours of playback per charge. Also, thanks to OnePlus flash charging technology, we get 5 hours of audio playback in 10 minutes of charging time.
Unfortunately, when used only for one day, it is difficult to comment on this issue, however, I can say that energy consumption was very stable. The USB-C charger cable is included in the box, but it was of little use to me because my MacBook Pro does not have a USB port. So any USB-C cable will work in this case.
My favorite ret-
- 7 hours replay per charge.
- Flash fee.
What I don’t like is tears-
- USB-C / USB-A charger cable is out of date.
Technical specifications for OnePlus Nord Buds
Technical details | |
---|---|
Product | |
Example | |
Design | Headset Weight: 4.82 g (per head) / 41.7 g (home) | Port Knowledge | Touch controls |
Audio | 12.4mm Dynamic Drivers | 102 dB ± 3 bB @ 1 kHz | Microphones: 4 (2 per headset) |
Frequency response | |
Special features |
|
Bluetooth |
5.2 | SBC, AAC Codecs | Wireless range 10 meters | OnePlus instant pair |
Battery life |
|
Price | $ 39 |
Should I Buy OnePlus Nord Buds?
It is yet to be decided by OnePlus on Nord Buds, but this TWS model does not seem to think in terms of quality-price ratio. OnePlus earns $ 39 with original design, comfortable and good sound quality. This is a great achievement.
For those who already use the branded smartphone, the recently released OnePlus Nord 2T is a surefire choice. This is because both devices share the same philosophy of making as little as possible. For those with a budget of more than $ 40, Nord Buds is a good option at first glance.
I dare say that for many Android smartphone users, investing in this model with a solid budget can be a good option, which can be used in conjunction with the OnePlus compatible app. However, if you use an iPhone and want more control over voice synchronization and control, this may not be the lowest-priced TWS headset for you.
I will be testing OnePlus Nord Buds with OnePlus smartphones and other Android models in the coming days and we will publish a full review of these cheapest wireless headphones in a few weeks. In the meantime, I’d like to know what you think of the new OnePlus Nord portfolio member. Why do you want it?
OnePlus Nord Buds
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