Innovation results when tech companies embrace the art world or the culture of breaking boxes. The idea is as old as Steve Jobs or artist David Hockney’s passion for the iPad, which to him is “like an endless piece of paper”. Most phones are so boring that the world looks forward to the huge Notch on the iPhone year after year. To find something interesting, one has to keep their devices screen down on the table to appreciate the camera “bump”. It’s that bad. It’s so bad. Having understood and accepted it, OnePlus has tried to cut through the clutter with what appears to be the coolest wireless earbuds in the market.

Look, the Apple AirPods are sensational but somewhere down the road its design reached a level of multiplicity in the hands of many other brands. Imitations galore. OnePlus gave its Buds Z a little ol’ nudge into a territory of madcap art extravagance with endless possibilities. Here’s the OnePlus Buds Z Steven Harrington edition.

At the helm this time is Steven Harrington whose eye for psychedelic-pop aesthetic is well-known. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps his creation will — Mello, which may symbolise different things for different people. For me, it’s about positivity. Harrington has worked with OnePlus to create a new character for this version of the TWS. Welcome Cool Cat.

OnePlus Buds Z Steven Harrington edition combines cool art with equally cool tech. Sport it and people will take notice. The Telegraph

Art-tech mash-up

But it will be wrong to assume there is a disconnect between the exterior and what’s inside the charging case. The vibe of the charging case and the design on the earbuds share the same California ’60s vibe as does the work of Harrington’s work. It reminds one of the fun, fun, fun music of the Beach Boys, which the Buds Z can emulate far better than most TWS options available.

Let’s get a feel of the OnePlus Buds Z. Even with smaller 10mm dynamic driver than the OnePlus Buds, there is a nice rounded audio profile, with emphasis being on bass. At the same time, the bass is not all over the place. Besides “heart-pounding” audio, there is virtualised 3D audio which stems from Dolby Atmos support and IP55-rating for sweat resistance. In windy conditions, it cuts off most of unwanted noises.

Of course, if you look at the OnePlus Buds, there is more bass because of the 13.4mm dynamic driver and also stunning sound quality with Dirac Audio Tuner support. The Z factor in Buds Z has so far been about reasonable pricing but now there is something more — oodles of coolness.

Speaking of the ’60s vibe, we tried out a lot of Beach Boys. The sunny, textural sounds come through perfectly as I moved through the track list — Wouldn’t It Be Nice to You Still Believe In Me to Sloop John B and God Only Knows. The harmonies are complex. The music is textured. Bud Z gets it almost spot on.

There are a few more things working in favour of Buds Z, like the ability to pair back and forth between two most recently paired devices. Simply hold down on either earbud for three seconds, saving you the hassle of diving into Bluetooth settings.

The lightness of the earbuds cannot be emphasised enough, plus, the silicone ear tips block out most loud noises, allowing you to listen to music even on crowded streets. Battery life too is friendly — earbuds and charging case together deliver up to 20 hours of total playback or five hours from the earbuds and then 15 more hours from the charging case, while the volume is around 50 per cent. The mic quality is also decent, comfortable enough for Zoom calls.

Does it make a good fit?

So where does the Steven Harrington edition fit in? The original Bud Z is going for Rs 2,999 while the OnePlus Buds cost Rs 4,990. This one is sandwiched at Rs 3,699. So why pay a few hundred bucks extra? Steve Jobs once said: “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough — it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” He, of course, gave examples of this through the design philosophy of Apple products. What OnePlus has done is broken the mould of TWS brands obsessed with black, white and all that’s in-between. OnePlus has shown us the power of colour, now it’s the power of playfulness, which the Buds Z Steven Harrington edition has in heaps.

High notes

OnePlus has broken the monotony of TWS earbuds The Telegraph Picture

• It’s a head-turner of a design
• Excellent sound quality despite having only a 10mm dybanuc driver
• Good battery life
• Thumping bass
• Accessible pricing

Muffled notes

• Wireless charging still missing