The OnePlus Buds lineup has been a solid product over the years and the brand has tried to replicate the formula with the affordable Nord Buds as well. The Nord Buds Pro 3 came out earlier this year, and now we have got the budget Nord Buds 3 version which looks to improve on its predecessor on multiple fronts.
Priced at Rs 2,299 you won’t expect some high-end features but OnePlus says there are surprises waiting inside the buds once you turn them on. That’s exactly what we did with the Nord Buds 3 for the last few weeks which helped us get clear answers about its value in a highly-competitive segment where options are plenty.
OnePlus has changed the design of the buds and the charging case for the Nord Buds 3 as well. The new pear-shaped case has a glossy plastic texture with an LED indicator to tell you the battery status on the front.
The USB C charging port is now at the bottom and you have the pairing button right next to it. Opening the lid gives you the first glimpse of the newly designed earbuds and we got the white colour unit to test.
The buds are not very heavy at 4.2 grams each, and come with IP55 rating for sweat resistance but the charging case gets no protection once again.
Like other OnePlus hearables, the Nord Buds 3 also pairs with the Hey Melody app which has different customisation options and even lets you manually change the default ANC mode. The app is easy to use and once you connect the Nord Buds 3, the different options appear on the screen. The earbuds have two microphones in each bud which definitely should help with better voice calling support.
For connectivity, you have Bluetooth 5.4 supported which offers low latency but not low enough to give you a seamless gaming experience, which was expected. OnePlus claims the Nord Buds 3 offers up to 32dB of active noise cancellation which was put to test during our time with the device.
Now, we come to the main part of the review for which we tested the Nord Buds 3. It was hardly surprising to see the focus of the earbuds is on bassy audio which is usually what we come across in this segment. Having said that, OnePlus has added further punch to the bass with its BassWave 2.0 technology.
The ANC modes are basic; on/off or transparency. The level of ANC is just about effective and you can get things done in select scenarios. The earbuds can be worn for long hours without any discomfort, and that’s a big win for these budget earbuds.
The emphasis on bass means the higher notes feel left out and you feel the difference when the levels change in a track. The dual-device connectivity is a welcome addition which allows you to seamlessly move between a phone and a PC without having to connect with them manually. And yes, the battery life on the Nord Buds 3 is quite decent, keeping you happy and away from the charger for long hours.
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 is your ideal budget TWS earbuds with reliable ANC support and long battery life. The buds are protected with some IP rating and comfortable to wear for long hours. However, if you don’t like bassy music, these might not be the best choice in this range.
