At first look, it seems like they have all the features of any modern buds — potent noise-canceling, rich sound, tons of battery, robust drop-tested build.
But how are they in reality? Are the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro comfortable, do they sound good? Let’s review!
- 12.4 mm titanium coated drivers
- Tap controls
- New BassWave 2 algorithm
- Bass-heavy sound
- Noise cancelation / transparency are OK
- Black color is a grease-magnet
- Fast charging – no wireless
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro specs
| Color options | Black, Jade |
|---|---|
| Audio | 12.4 mm, AAC/SBC |
| Noise cancelation | 3 levels of ANC, Transparency mode |
| Connectivity | BT 5.4, multipoint (dual device), Google Fast Pair |
| Battery life | ANC On: 5.5 hours from buds, +14.5 hours from case ANC Off: 12 hours from buds, +32 hours from case |
| Ingress resistance | IP55 for buds |
Design and Comfort
Oh, hello there (Image credit – PhoneArena)
OnePlus changed the design of the Nord Buds 3 Pro, they used to have flat stems and a flat-sided case. Now, it’s an oval-shaped case for easier pocketing, and the buds themselves are more “traditional-looking”.
The case is a little bit on the bulky side, but we appreciate the smooth rounded shape. Our black unit is an absolute fingerprint magnet and you can already see shiny spots when inspecting it closer. We did clean it up for the design pictures. The same can be spotted on the black buds and their silicone tips, which show signs of sweat and grease pretty soon after you start using them.
The buds themselves are extremely comfortable — coming from someone whose ears don’t often agree with in-ear buds, these fit well, stay in, and don’t cause fatigue over time. No complaints here!
Standard box innards (Image credit – PhoneArena)
We have three tip sizes in the box, and they seem to cover a wide range of ear shapes, but we feel like users with large ear canals may not find a proper fit. I typically use small or medium tips, depending on model, but for the Nord Buds 3 Pro, I found the large size to be the best fit for me. There’s no size above that, unless you go 3rd party.
The case is drop-tested to 1.5 meters, the buds themselves — 1.8 meters. So, OnePlus roughly covered pocket-height and head-height, respectively. We don’t really drop our devices, but the case does feel like it can take a fall. The flap has minimal wiggle left to right, and opens and closes with a strong-feeling hinge.
However, keep in mind that there’s no ingress protection rating for the case. The buds themselves are IP55 rated — they are protected against both dust and water jets, though it’s possible that some dust can get into them without interfering with their operation.
Sound Quality
Did someone say bass? (Image credit – PhoneArena)
From the get-go, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are quite bass-heavy. If you install the HeyMelody app, you will see the default EQ mode is called “balanced”, though we wouldn’t say it’s that.
But they are not a one-trick pony — they don’t try to drown you in bass and deliver no other musical information. They also have a good amount of mids — boxy enough to sound meaty. The musical detail is there, and the soundstage is surprisingly wide as well.
Then, towards the high range, there’s a perceivable hump — these are perceived as louder, with the phone set to “normal” volume when swapping from a different pair of buds to these. Slightly “shouty” is what audiophiles would call them.
So, the verdict is — I can’t scoff at these for $50. Not even for the $80 MSRP. In fact, I’ve recommended the Nord Buds 2 before, when someone asks me for “good, cheap earbuds”, and will continue to do so with the Nord Buds 3 Pro.
If you love bass, these should sound good to you out of the box. You need the app to activate the BassWave function — which boosts it further, but we found it redundant. Plus, it doesn’t seem to boost the duper-deep subs, but something around 120-200 Hz. We got better results by boosting the 62 Hz point in the custom EQ, and then pulling BassWave into the negatives to achieve a thumping, but not overbearing bass.
Noise Cancelation and Transparency
Did someone say anything? (Image credit – PhoneArena)
OnePlus says these can lower sounds in the frequency range below 4 kHz at up to -49 dB. And it does feel that way. Now, you need to set the Noise Cancelation profile to Max, and make sure you allow the earbuds to calibrate to your ear canals (again, the HeyMelody app). We found they are very effective at muting rustling, bustling, and noise, thinning out voices, and removing humming.
Transparency mode is OK. A bit middy, a bit tinny, but voices come through, so you will be able to hear and respond just fine. Directional sound seems to remain intact, you will still be able to figure out where something is coming from.
Battery life
OnePlus’ numbers state 12 hours from the buds and 44 hours total with the case. But that’s with the ANC set to off. If you choose to use it, those numbers fall drastically — 5.5 hours and 20 hours, respectively. That’s a huge drop, but it makes sense, since the ANC is actually so effective on these.
There’s no wireless charging on the case — that’s one of the bells and whistles that have to go when we are talking budget earbuds (that sound good). But it supports fast charging via USB C — 60 minutes to top up the case from 0%, 80 minutes if both the case and buds are at 0%.
If you only have 10 minutes to charge — you can still get 11 hours of music listening, OnePlus says, but that’s with ANC off.
Conclusion
Not a bad package! (Image credit – PhoneArena)
We were expecting a good price-to-quality ratio out of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, and were not disappointed. We were pleasantly surprised by the new design, which is extremely comfortable, and the very effective ANC, which usually feels like an afterthought on cheaper buds.
These won’t be an audiophile’s dream, but we didn’t find them offensive. All instruments in our tracks were properly represented, the soundstage felt wide, and the harmonies and musical information were well delivered. If we have to complain, they lack a nice pristine sizzle — if you dial the highs up, they just sound harsh. And there’s a thump to them that you can’t dial out, without making them sound weak.
It seems their signature “character” is prioritizing a punchy feel and clear vocals. And we can’t scoff at that at all — it seems those titanium-coated 12.4 mm drivers are no joke! The HeyMelody app is a must for optimal experience.
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