OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: One of a kind

Aside from Apple, OnePlus is the only smartphone maker (sorry, Samsung) to release wireless earbuds that perfectly match its mobile devices. We’re talking everything from audio performance to charging capabilities to design. The OneBuds Pro 3 are a prime example and are the latest flagship buds built to rival the best wireless earbuds. 

Made collaboratively with Danish audio masters, Dynaudio, and equipped with advanced audio specs (e.g., adaptive noise cancellation, dual DACs), these buds sound amazing and block out noise at a very high level. A huge feature set and proprietary technologies elevate the listening experiencing.

Battery life isn’t the greatest, nor is spatial audio, but everything else practically hits its mark. Here’s our full take on the OnePlus Buds Pro 3.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Cheat sheet

· What is it? The latest flagship buds from OnePlus with killer ANC and sound.

· What does it cost? $180

· Who is it for? Android and OnePlus users who want an AirPods Pro alternative with all the bells and whistles, plus sleeker packaging.

· What should you use them for? Content viewing and music listening with minimal disruptions.

· What are their weaknesses? Battery life and spatial audio.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Price & availability

You can purchase the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 for $180 / £140 (est.) / AU$273 (est.) in either Lunar Radiance (Cream) or Midnight Opus (Black) on the OnePlus website.

The Buds Pro 3 are priced lower than noise-cancelling giants like the $299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Sony WF-1000XM5. They’re also cheaper than the $249 AirPods Pro 2, though Apple’s buds are frequently on sale and are currently available for $189 on Amazon.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Design

• Gorgeous craftsmanship
• Very comfortable

These buds were designed to look like the OnePlus Buds 3. Notice the long aluminum stem and plastic cavity that rests pleasantly on the concha for several hours. The materials look and feel premium, giving the Buds Pro 3 a more luxurious appearance than the AirPods Pro 2. Each color option (Lunar Radiance, Midnight Opus) is chic. The silicone tips form a tight seal, plus you can use the Earbud fit test to achieve optimal wearability. 

OnePlus upgraded the charging case to feature faux leather on the front and back. The pebble-shaped design looks nice, and the case is both lightweight and portable-friendly. One detail that deserves attention is the pairing button, which is now located on the right side of the case and makes enabling the feature more convenient.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Features

• An enormous amount of functionality
• Universal companion app
• Some modes are exclusive to OnePlus users

OnePlus saved its big guns for this threequel. I previously mentioned Earbud Fit Test. Other notables include control customization, Dual Connection (multipoint pairing), Find My Earbuds, firmware updates, and Neck Health. Then come all the major audio perks: ANC/Transparency, Game Mode, Golden Sound, Hi-Res Mode, LHDC, Spatial Audio, Sound Master EQ with Dynaudio presets, and Zen Mode Air. 

Everything is accessible through your OnePlus phone or tablet settings. Those with a non-OnePlus device must download the HeyMelody app (Android/iOS) to access these features, and they lose out on Hi-Res Mode. Neck Health assesses your neck posture when wearing the buds and requires the OHealth app for use. Zen Mode can be enabled when using a non-OnePlus device, but you won’t be able to change the sound profile. LHDC codec support should work with any compatible smartphone.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Controls

• Responsive multi-functional controls
• Solid digital assistance

The force sensor located on the bottom part of each stem is fantastic. It accepts single/multi-tap and long-hold gestures to enable numerous functions: call management, listening mode activation, playback, voice assistance, and volume. There’s a Camera Control function to snap photos on your OnePlus phone camera by pressing the stem, and it operates well. Strong tactile feedback ensures commands are executed accurately and swiftly.

Like the AirPods Pro 2, these buds have a volume strip built into the stem to easily raise (slide up) or lower volume (slide down).

Google Assistance and Siri are reliable for hands-free voice commands. Speech recognition is on-point, registering basic commands and long-winded inquiries with precision.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Sound quality

• Excellent audio with hi-res playback
• Personalized sound features
• Game Mode is essential for videos
• 3D Audio still needs work

OnePlus’ dual drivers (11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter) provided clean, dynamic, and vibrant sound with outstanding frequency range. Percussive representation was splendid, especially on Salsa recordings. The bongos and piano notes on Marc Anthony’s “Parece Mentira” sounded lively and stimulating. That level of performance carried over to hip-hop classics like Dr. Dre’s “Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang” where the Buds Pro 3’s soundstage maintained the track’s monstrous drums and ting-y tambourines.

Golden Sound is the way to go for personalized sound. The feature automatically builds a sound profile tailored to your hearing. My profile brought out more lows and highs, making for a nice balance that complemented all music genres.

Dynaudio’s five presets – Balanced, Bass, Bold, Dynaudio Featured, and Serenade – are all serviceable for their intended purposes. I couldn’t tell the difference in sound quality when enabling Hi-Res Mode.

There were no latency issues when streaming content on my OnePlus 12, but there was when watching YouTube clips on my MacBook Pro. Lip synchronization was off by a second. Turning on Game Mode fixed that and improved sound on mobile games.

LHDC dynamically scaled sound at a faster bitrate (up to 900 kbit/s) and increased fidelity on recordings. AAC (iOS/macOS) and SBC (Android) were equally serviceable. I barely noticed any changes in clarity or depth when listening to the best music streaming services on non-OnePlus devices.

3D Audio performs slightly better on these buds than the Nord Buds 3 Pro, which isn’t saying much. It still sounds unnatural with live performances and most mixes. Little nuances, such as adlibs, were heavily veiled. Headtracking allows audio to transition with your head movement.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Active Noise Cancelation

• Brand-best ANC
• Strong transparency mode

These are OnePlus’ best noise-cancelling earbuds to date. According to the company, the sound engineering team extended the range of their Adaptive Noise Cancellation mode and increased voice noise cancellation. The results show it.

Four modes are selectable: Smart, High, Moderate, and Low. Set the buds to High if you want peak ANC, because Low and Moderate don’t bring as much to the table as advertised. Smart is useful for when you want ANC to automatically adjust to your environment, granted I still preferred High for all situations. The technology eliminated up to 90% percent of unwanted sounds across the frequency spectrum. Everything from booming Bluetooth speakers to chatty pedestrians to droning washing machines to sirens went unheard. High-frequency noises had to occur up close for me to hear them, such as my toddler crying loudly after getting a boo-boo. Wind resistance was also noticeably better on these buds than previous entries.

OnePlus’ transparency mode is just as good for ambient listening. I had loud, clear-sounding conversations with the missus from across the room and kept tabs on guests playing in the pool area as I worked on the balcony. The feature helped most during nightly walks by keeping me aware of emergency vehicles and oncoming cars.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Call quality and connectivity

• Trustworthy voice calling
• Instantaneous pairing with all devices

The original Buds Pro delivered splendid call quality, while the second-gen model dipped in performance. What you get here falls somewhere in the middle. These buds demonstrate great vocal capture for crisp, clear conversations and perform best in quiet settings. ANC does a so-so job of keeping background noises to a minimum. 

Bluetooth 5.4 operates well and extends up to 60 feet in open spaces. One-tap pairing is available on Android devices via Google Fast Pair. The buds pair quickly with iOS/macOS devices as well. Rapid switching lets you seamlessly switch between your laptop and smartphone and vice versa. If you’re not trying to lose connection between either device, there’s multipoint technology to keep you paired to both Bluetooth audio sources at the same time.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3: Battery life

• Middling battery life
• Super-powerful quick charging

Up to 6 hours of ANC playtime is standard, though LHDC and spatial audio decrease this by about 2 hours, which isn’t acceptable. You can extend battery life to 10 hours when disabling both features. The charging case holds up to 43 hours, depending how you use the buds. OnePlus’ Fast Charging technology comes in clutch, generating 5 hours of listening time (3.5 hours with ANC on) on a 10-minute charge.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Verdict

OnePlus clearly put in work to make the Buds Pro 3 special. ANC and sound quality are elite. The updated design is very handsome. Superb controls and a wide array of upscaled features also enhance usability across the board.

Do you need a OnePlus smartphone or tablet to get the absolute-best performance out of these buds? Not really. The Buds Pro 3 sound terrific on all devices, making them a serious threat to the true wireless throne. A more competitive MSRP and longer battery life could have possibly gotten them there. 

Nonetheless, it’s a no-brainer for OnePlus users to snag the Buds Pro 3 for superior mobile listening. Everyone else should either consider them or lean towards the best-in-class Sony WF-1000XM5.

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