Wireless earbuds are everywhere and they need to do a lot more than just play music. It’s a device that needs to protect us from the cacophony of a commute but, at the same time, deliver clear vocals in tough conditions. So, is there a reasonably priced option?

Design and setup

We tried the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, which comes in a cute case that easily slips into the pocket. It’s one of the easiest cases to flip open and the sound cans comfortably sit in the ear canals. The bulbous part of the earbuds is shiny but the stem has a matte finish, which helps to grip the buds when you take them out. The silicone tip that comes attached to the earbuds should work for you, otherwise, there are options in the box. The buds are IP55 rated, so you can sport them to the poolside. It can take a splash and sweat in the gym.

There are several options that you can play around with in the app

Needless to say, there is Google Fast Pair support, so it connects to any Android phone easily. Since I paired it with the OnePlus Nord 4, the pairing part was completed effortlessly. It also means that all the controls are built into the phone’s settings, so you can personalise the listening experience. If you don’t have a OnePlus phone, get the HeyMelody app.

You can quickly check battery life and tweak noise cancellation settings. Also, there are equaliser settings.

Some techies are pointing out that the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro is a reworked version of Oppo Enco Air4 Pro. There are a number of features that are similar but from a marketing standpoint, users of the Nord phone will side with the OnePlus Nord earbuds. Personally, I would like to see two entirely different products but that may not be economically feasible.

Sound department

Before you let the music flow, get an earbuds fit test done through the app; it takes 20-odd seconds.

You can play around with the touch controls via the app/settings, that is, set different actions. There is an in-ear sensor, so if you take a bud out, music or podcasts automatically pause.

What I am excited about is the level of noise cancellation (49db ANC). The feature has a few options — Smart, Max, Moderate and Mild — and these work well. The buds easily drowned out the noise of an old air conditioner in my living room and, on the road, it could tackle the blare of the traffic. But it doesn’t kill all the noises around you, which is reserved for more expensive options.

There is also a transparency mode that streams in outside noises. The feature is helpful when you go for a jog and want to keep track of the traffic around you. It also helps when you want to have a conversation without taking out the buds.

When it comes to taking calls on the buds, sound quality is more than acceptable. The sound is slightly artificial but this is obviously not the more expensive Nothing Ear (2) or the costlier Sony WF-1000XM5.

The latest Nord sound cans are light and offer a good fit

What about audio quality? The earbuds come with 12.4 mm dynamic drivers with support for AAC and SBC codecs. There’s no LDAC but that’s fine for the price category. But, there’s something I don’t like: The use of the word ‘pro’. Unless something like LDAC is on a pair of earbuds don’t call it ‘pro’.

Diving into the equaliser, there are some presets and you can even customise it to a degree. When you talk about the sound signature, it is bass forward. But the default sound signature is also balanced, which, given the pricing, is not always the case. You won’t find the bass playing into the mids and vocals are kept clean.

Ice Spice’s Y2K! is packed with electro-infused 80s pop-R&B and the Nord earbuds do justice to it. I switched gears to Cassandra Jenkins’ My Light, My Destroyer and the buds managed to retain the whispery tone of her vocals.

Should you buy it?

The battery life on these sound cans is about 5.5 hours with ANC on or 20 hours extra with the case. Another high point is the availability of dual connectivity. I think OnePlus has done well with features-to-price ratio and these can become one’s go-to pair of sound cans. Versatile, inexpensive and well-designed… that’s OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro.

At a glance

Device: OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro

Price: Rs 3,299

High notes

Excellent sound signature

Good battery life

Enough features to customise the earbuds

It can handle splashes

Muffled note

The ‘pro’ moniker should be kept for earbuds of a higher quality

Also try: CMF Buds Pro 2