OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Review: TWS get their flagship killers

The Buds Pro series of OnePlus’ TWS represents the premium audio offering from the Never Settling brand, which is markedly different from the more pocket-friendly non-Pro series and the Nord series. While the previous editions of the OnePlus Buds Pro had focused on a more mainstream sound signature, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 up the audio ante and bring a very impressive audio signature, as well as a number of improved smart features, including head tracking and spatial audio across platforms, and a very different new design.

The big question is whether this will enable the buds to shake the stranglehold that Sony and Jabra have on the segment.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3: Get them for the sound and the wealth of detail

We are going to be very direct – the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are the first premium TWS other than Sennheiser’s Momentum Free range that we would recommend mainly for their audio. OnePlus had collaborated with the famous Dynaudio of Denmark for the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, but the TWS had a slightly V-shaped sound with a greater accent on bass and treble, also getting slightly boosted, sometimes at the cost of mids (vocals). The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 come with a more balanced audio signature, which, if anything, sounds a little on the bright side, with more treble than usual and a surprising amount of detail. The result is audio quality that is closer to a Senneiser Momentum Free than a Sony WF-1000 XM5 or even the AirPods Pro, both of which have a distinct bass touch.

Like the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, the Buds Pro 3 also come with dual drivers (an 11 mm woofer and a 6 mm tweeter), but these sound very different from their predecessors. The level of clarity is much higher, and although the buds came with a Bass Wave feature enabled by default for deeper bass, the sound remains remarkably balanced and does not get as warm as its predecessor. There is a special Bass mode that really brings the rumbles on.

That apart, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are among those rare TWS whose accent seems to be more on clarity and balanced audio rather than on bass. You are not going to get a very expansive soundstage (not expected in TWS anyway), but instrument separation is excellent. The tinkle of bells in the theme of For a Few Dollars More, followed by the opening guitar chords, moving on to the trademark whistle, surrounded by the rumble of drums, all sounded magnificent with a clear identity of their own, although the whistle sounded a little too piercing (if you do not like sharp sounds, you might find the treble a little too much on these). The buds are capable of delivering very high volumes – we normally ended up hearing most of our audio at about 70 percent of the maximum.

The SoundMaster equalizer in the Settings on OnePlus phones and on the HeyMelody app on other platforms comes with settings from Dynaudio – Balanced, Bold (for instruments), Serenade (for vocals), Bass (duh) and a special Dynaudio Featured (which tries to replicate the sound of the speakers Dynaudio is famous for). Purists will love the clarity of the Balanced and Bold modes, those who love vocal-driven music will like Serenade, while those seeking some rumble and warmth will head to Bass. Our own favorite is the Dynaudio Featured, as it actually manages to expand the soundstage a little and delivers a lot of detail. We recommend using it while keeping Bass Wave switched off – in fact, we recommend keeping it switched off actually unless you are a bass-head. You can also add your own equalizer settings if you wish through the app or settings on OnePlus devices.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 also come with support for LHDC, AAC, and SBC codecs, with LHDC available on all devices that support LHDC 4.0 and above. However, iPhone users will be limited to AAC. Truth be told, you will not notice the difference unless you are absolutely obsessed with sound quality.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3: Spatial audio and head tracking for everyone!

Making the audio experience even better is spatial audio with head tracking that places you seemingly in the middle of the sound you are hearing. Enabling head tracking changes the direction the sound is coming from, depending on your head movement, giving you that “I am sitting in a room of sound” feeling. The head tracking is not quite as impressive as on the AirPods (where the sound’s direction changes with every moment of your head), but it is one of the better implementations we have seen.

The best part? As OnePlus switched to Google’s spatial audio technology, both spatial audio and head tracking are available when the buds are used with a wide variety of devices. They worked quite well with Vivo and Xiaomi devices as well as with iPhones. That applies to the equalizers, too – Android and iPhone users will all be able to use them, as will those with OnePlus devices. Users across platforms also get a chance to use the Golden Sound option, where the buds scan the ear canal of every user to create a sound especially suited to them. We were not able to detect any significant change in audio quality after using the feature, but perhaps extended listening will change our minds.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 looks: Definitely eye-catching design (is it Dove, though?)

It is not just the audio signature of the Buds Pro that is different from its predecessors. OnePlus has totally revamped their design as well. While previous editions of the TWS had come in slightly curved, square cases, the Buds Pro 3 come in a very eye-catching oval-shaped case. The case has a faux leather texture on the top and the base, with a broad metallic-colored ring running around it. We got the cream-colored Lunar Radiance variant, which is the more striking of the two options (a dark Midnight Opus is the other option). The OnePlus and Dynaudio branding shines on the leather-like texture on the front and back of the case, while a broad, shiny metallic ring (with a hint of gold) goes around the middle of the case, housing the Type-C port and the connectivity button. In fact, some people mistook it for a bar of Dove luxury soap, which is not a bad thing at all.

The buds have the same cream shade on the tips, with chrome-colored stems. They are a little big in size, but we love how prominently the left and right have been marked on them. The buds attach magnetically to the case, whose lid incidentally can be flicked open with one hand. The buds are light (about 5 grams each) and comfortable to wear, and you get three ear tip sizes in the box as well. You can also try an ear tip test to get the best fit. They will fall out of your ears from time to time, but for the most part, they stay in place.

The case with the buds is rather light, 60 grams, and is compact enough to easily slip into your pocket. Although made mostly of plastic, it has a very solid feel to it. The buds come with IP55 water resistance, which makes them gym and workout-friendly, but not safe to take into the water. The case, however, has no dust or water resistance, which is disappointing.

Some might find the design a little on the loud side by TWS standards, but we think OnePlus deserves credit for trying something different. It might look like Dove, but it is a design that many will love. Rhyme intentional.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 interface: Simplified controls and almost universal features

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 can pair with OnePlus devices through Settings (support for them is baked into OxygenOS), while those using iOS and other Android devices can use the HeyMelody app (it’s free) to control the buds. What’s noteworthy here is that unlike in the past, almost all the features (spatial audio, head tracking, eartip test, LHDC codec support) available for OnePlus users are available for users of other devices as well, which is a welcome step. OnePlus users still get access to some special health features, but the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are among those rare TWS from a smartphone brand that work just as well with phones from other brands.

The controls of the buds have been streamlined, too, and are now relatively simple. You can increase or decrease volume by sliding your finger up or down the stem of the buds; a single press can pause audio or take a call, a double press rejects a call or takes you to the next track, a triple press takes you to the next track, and a slightly longer press lets you switch between ANC and transparency mode. You can tweak these controls from the Settings on a OnePlus phone or from the HeyMelody app. The controls work smoothly and are the same on both earbuds by default, keeping things simple.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 other features: Good adaptive ANC and call quality, reasonable battery life

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 also come with adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts the level of noise cancellation depending on the amount of sound around you. And for the most part, the buds do a good job in the ANC department. You do not get the sort of amazing near silence that the AirPods Pro or the Sony WF-1000XM5 deliver, but the buds do enough to kill a lot of the hum of a metro and can even take the edge off the noise in a cafe. Transparency mode is a little disappointing, though, as it is very similar to simply switching off the ANC. Call quality is decent, although we would advise against using them in noisy conditions as external noises creep into calls. You also get dual-device connectivity, which lets you connect the buds simultaneously to two phones or a phone and a tablet/notebook and switch between them seamlessly. It is a little hit-and-miss at times but generally works.

An interesting feature on the buds is the option to monitor what OnePlus refers to as neck health. This basically analyses your posture and the position of your head while using the buds, letting you know its impact on your neck, and also recommends neck exercises. Given the amount of time so many of us spend crouched over computers, this is an excellent feature. We often found ourselves keeping the buds on just to get our neck health checked. There is a catch, though – this feature is available only for OnePlus phones and uses the OnePlus Health app.

In terms of battery life, we got about six hours from the buds with ANC switched on at about 60 percent volume. The case adds another 18-20 hours, making it about 24-25 hours with ANC. Switch off ANC, and battery life goes up to almost 9-10 hours on the buds and 35-40 hours on the case. Those are good numbers for the segment. They charge relatively quickly too – taking about 75 minutes to fully charge from the Type-C port and about two and a half hours from a wireless charger. A ten-minute wired charge can also deliver enough juice for 8-10 hours of audio.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Review Verdict: Flagship killer TWS!

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are available at a starting price of $149.99/Rs 11,999. At that price, they are a staggering value-for-money option. That is because they have an edge over the TWS in their price zone, such as the Sennheiser Accentum TWS, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2, and the Nothing Ear (2024), and actually are within touching distance of the likes of the more expensive Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Sony WF-1000 XM5. We actually think they are the best TWS you can get for under Rs 15,000, and are good enough to even give those priced around Rs 20,000 a run for their money, even if you do not have a OnePlus phone. Ten years after delivering a flagship killer to the smartphone segment, OnePlus has now done the same for TWS.

Buy OnePlus Buds Pro 3