When it comes to audio products, OnePlus might not be the first name that comes to mind. However, in recent years, the company has carved out a solid reputation in the segment. The OnePlus Buds Pro 3, their latest and most premium true wireless earbuds (TWS), deliver significant improvements in sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), and battery life—all while maintaining the same price as last year’s Buds Pro 2.
After using the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 extensively during my workweek, I’m ready to share whether these earbuds are the best in their price range. Here’s my honest review.
Table of Contents
What’s in the Box?
We’ll briefly look at what’s included in the box before digging into the details:
– OnePlus Buds Pro 3 having Earbuds & Charging case
– Quick Start Guide
– Red Cable Club Card
– The package includes four pairs of ear tips in sizes XS, S, M, and L, with the Medium tips pre-installed
– USB-A to USB-C charging cable
Build and Design
The design of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 has sparked some debate. The previous model’s case had a professional, suitcase-style design that stood out in the market. I know a friend who’s a big fan of the show “Suits” and bought the Buds Pro 2 because it was something he could see Harvey Specter using.
This time around, the Buds Pro 3 adopts a more traditional eggshell design, similar to the Nord Buds 3 Pro (yes, the naming is a bit confusing). The Buds Pro 3 comes in two color options: Midnight Opus and Lunar Radiance. I got the Lunar Radiance version, which features a faux leather-like finish on the front and back, accented by gold tape around the edges. It’s a stunning design.
A plastic case with an excellent build quality despite its plastic composition. There’s no looseness or wobbling in any part of the case. The OnePlus branding is embossed on the front, while the Dynaudio tuning is showcased on the back. The USB-C charging port is located at the bottom, along with the charging LED, and the pairing button is on the side.
Opening the lid is a satisfying experience—it’s smooth enough to be done one-handed, and snapping it shut is equally gratifying. The earbuds maintain their in-ear design with a few subtle enhancements on the inside. The stems are slightly longer for better voice pickup, and the magnetic connectors have been moved to the stems, with new “L” and “R” indicators in their place. The glossy chrome finish now extends to the earbud nozzles.
At just around 60 grams, both the buds and the case are lightweight. The medium-sized tips fit snugly in my ears and stayed securely in place, even when I was jamming out to my favorite tunes while rushing home in the Delhi rains.
On that note, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 come with IP55 protection, so they won’t let you down in the rain or during intense gym sessions. Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed with the design, though it’s worth noting that opinions on design are subjective—some of my colleagues loved the new look.
Connectivity
The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.4 standard and support Google’s Fast Pair connectivity. They also support dual device pairing, although this feature isn’t enabled by default—you’ll need to activate it through the companion app. However, it’s surprising that Microsoft Swift Pair support is missing, especially when it’s available in cheaper alternatives.
During my time with the Buds Pro 3, I paired them with a OnePlus 12R, and the connection remained strong throughout. I didn’t experience any drop-offs, even in crowded environments like the morning metro commute to work.
Sound and Mic Quality
OnePlus touts the Buds Pro 3 as their “best ever earbuds,” and they have good reason to say so. The Buds Pro 3 maintain the same dual driver setup as their predecessor, featuring an 11mm woofer and a 6mm planar tweeter. To further elevate the sound quality, OnePlus integrated dual DACs and Dynaudio tuning.
The result is a rich, balanced sound signature that stands out from the bass-heavy output of previous OnePlus TWS models. Each frequency has its own space, with an emphasis on mids and highs. Listening to tracks such as “Blockbuster,” “Kana Yaari,” and “Pasoori” from Coke Studio was a pleasure, thanks to the expansive soundstage. However, while the mids are generally clear, they can sometimes feel a bit hollow.
The bass is neither bloated nor overpowering, which I prefer over the overly distorted lower frequencies found in some other earbuds. However, bass enthusiasts can enhance the low-end using the BassWave option in the EQ settings. You can also choose from five different EQ presets to fine-tune the sound, with the Dynaudio preset offering a particularly balanced and flattering experience.
One minor drawback is the absence of high-res LDAC codec support, likely due to licensing issues. Instead, the Buds Pro 3 come with the LHDC codec, which still delivers high-quality sound but not at the same level as LDAC. Overall, the sound quality is excellent, but don’t expect truly high-end audio performance.
Spatial Audio
Similar to other premium earbuds, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 offer spatial audio support with head tracking. However, this feature only works with select OnePlus devices, like the OnePlus 12/12R and OnePlus Open. This time, OnePlus has chosen to utilize Google’s Spatial Audio setup. While it offers decent depth, it’s not particularly mind-blowing. For instance, I watched “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” with spatial audio enabled, and it didn’t significantly enhance the experience. I’d rather have high-res audio instead.
Call and Mic Quality
Each earbud in the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is equipped with a 3-mic array and a VPU (Voice Pick-up Bones Sensor). Combined with the longer stems, these features ensure clear voice pickup. The call quality is almost on par with the AirPods Pro 2nd generation, allowing the person on the other end to hear me clearly without requiring me to raise my voice.
The AI Clear Call algorithm further helps eliminate background noise, which is particularly useful in noisy environments like the crowded markets of Gurugram.
ANC and Transparency Mode
The noise cancellation on the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is impressive, with 50 dB of ANC capable of blocking up to 5500 Hz of environmental noise. If you enjoy solitude, simply turn on ANC, and you’ll feel isolated from the world. While listening to music at 50% volume, I nearly missed my metro stop because I couldn’t hear it arriving—proof of just how effective the ANC is.
The Buds Pro 3 offer three ANC modes, plus a fourth Smart mode that automatically adjusts the intensity based on ambient noise levels. The transparency mode is also quite effective, though not as good as the ANC. Occasionally, my voice sounded hollow or artificial, but these instances were rare.
Touch Controls
The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 adopt pinch-style controls similar to those on the AirPods. There are grooves on the stem to guide your fingers to the correct spot for activating gestures. You can pinch once to play/pause tracks, twice to skip to the next track or reject calls, and thrice to go back to the previous track. Pressing and holding switches between noise cancellation and transparency modes, while sliding your finger along the stem adjusts the volume.
Companion App Experience
To access and control various features, you’ll need the HeyMelody app, unless you have a OnePlus device, in which case the controls are available via the Bluetooth menu. When I tested these buds with my OnePlus 12R, I had to download the companion app, as the controls weren’t available through the Bluetooth menu.
The app is well-designed and user-friendly, displaying all features in an informative manner. You can view the charging levels of the buds and the case, adjust noise modes, enable spatial audio, perform a personalized sound tuning, test earbud fit, and download updates.
A unique feature in the app is the Neck Vertebrae Health option, which connects to the OnePlus OHealth app to track your neck posture. It’s a useful feature for those who spend long hours at a desk, offering stretching exercises with video guidance to improve posture. Overall, the app experience is excellent and ranks second only to the Nothing X app in my opinion.
Battery Life and Charging
The battery life of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is exceptional, with each earbud housing a 58 mAh battery and the case offering a 566 mAh capacity. Despite these modest numbers, the earbuds are incredibly efficient, offering 22 hours of playtime with ANC and LHDC enabled, and up to 43 hours with these features turned off.
Charging from 0 to 100% takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The case supports wireless charging, though it only works when placed face-down, taking around two and a half hours to fully charge.
Is the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Worth Buying?
OnePlus has clearly put effort into improving the Buds Pro 3, listening to user feedback and addressing areas that needed enhancement. As a complete package, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is an impressive set of earbuds that can compete with other premium options in the market.
However, there are worthy competitors like the Nothing Ear, which offers a similar feature set at the same price point. If you’re looking for a balanced sound experience right out of the box, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is a great choice. But if you prefer a trendier