OnePlus Nord Buds Detailed Review And Unboxing

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OnePlus Nord Buds

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OnePlus Nord Buds are OnePlus’ first TWS launch in the budget segment. All of their previous wireless earbuds came in the high-end range.

Nord Buds feature a unique-looking design with a cool trunk-shaped case and earbuds with a flat stem and silver finish glossy touch pads.

OnePlus also promises a lot of cool features with the earbuds, such as Sound Equalizers through the app, Dual Device Connection, Dolby Atmos Support, and Gaming Mode. They also come with four microphones, two in each earbud for better calling.

Do they really perform as well as they sound? We’ll be talking about all their features in detail, so stay tuned.

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Specification

BrandOnePlus
ModelTWS Nord
ConnectivityWireless
PriceRs 2799
Special FeaturesDolby Atmos Support, Gaming Mode, Dual Device Connection, Sound Equalizer through app
Wireless typeBluetooth 5.2
Ear placement In-ear
Battery Backup 30 hours 
Maximum Operating Distance10 meters
Item Weight47 g 
ManufacturerOnePlus
Compatible DevicesAll Bluetooth Devices
Noise ControlPassive Noise Isolation

Pros

Sound Quality
Comfort
Design
Dual Connectivity

Cons

Mic Quality
Select Feature Support
Portability

OnePlus Nord Buds

About the Brand

OnePlus is a Chinese Electronics brand and a subsidiary of Oppo. OnePlus was founded in 2013 by Pete Lau and Carl Pei. They started by developing a range of high-end flagship phones for a few years.

They wanted to focus on high-end products, believing that customers would “never settle,” hence turning into the tagline for their marketing campaigns.

They’ve also developed various wearable devices, including wireless buds, bands, and watches.

Who is the OnePlus Nord Buds for?

These earbuds are best suited for OnePlus phone users and have many features only compatible with the OnePlus devices. If you have a different phone, you can still get them if you like their design and are okay with the bass-heavy sound profile.

Important Factors We Tested These Earbuds On

Here are all the crucial Factors we tested these earbuds on, and we’ll talk about them in detail.

1. Design

Design

OnePlus Nord Buds feature a charging case in a completely different shape, something we haven’t seen before. It comes in a trunk-like design and comes with a matte finish.

The buds have left and right markings to differentiate between them. They have used a different approach for the design of the earbuds too, and used flat stems.

On top of the stems, you’ll find concave, glossy silver finish touchpads, which will be helpful for touch controls. The buds are incredibly lightweight. You won’t feel their weight.

The case is slightly bulky to carry around in your pocket.

They come in 3 different colour variants. Black, white, and blue.

2. Durability

Durability

These buds come in a plastic case, but it feels of good quality. The magnet used on the lid feels premium, and it has a nice hinge, giving a satisfying click sound.

Earbuds also look sturdy and come with an IP55 rating, so you can easily use them for working out and taking them outdoors.

Overall both the design and feel of the buds and the case feel premium, so no issues there.

3. Battery Backup

Battery Backup

The One Plus Nord Buds come with a 480 mAh battery on the case and 41 mAh per earbud.

We tested these out for an entire day, used them for calls, watched many movies, and listened to music. These buds lasted me for 2 days.

Now Oneplus has claimed they give a 7-hour battery on the buds and 30 with the case.

After testing them out, I had a different experience, and they lasted 5 hours on the buds and 25 hours with the case.

 They also come with fast charging support, where you’ll get 5 hours of battery life with only 10 minutes of charge.

4. Functions and Connectivity

Functions and Connectivity

They come with Bluetooth 5.2 support, which you can use within a 10-meter radius.

These will connect really fast if you have a OnePlus phone. If you don’t have a OnePlus phone, you’ll have to pair them manually as they don’t have google fast pair support.

You can also access their sound-equalizing features on any phone through the heymelody app, which you can download through Play Store.

All of the earbuds’ functions are accessible through this app. You can change touch functions and also access different modes and sound profiles.

It also features dual connection, so you can stay connected to two devices at the same time.

5. Sound Quality

Sound Quality

Let’s start by saying these earbuds are biased toward OnePlus devices. If you have a OnePlus phone, that is excellent news for you, as you’ll have access to all their features. If not, then bad luck. They come with Dolby Atmos Support which only works on OnePlus devices.

The gaming mode is also restricted to a few OnePlus devices, which is disappointing as other earbuds in lower price ranges have a gaming mode that supports all devices, like the boAt Nirvana Ion.

When it comes to sound quality, it leans towards a bass-heavy sound, so you’ll like them if that is your preference. The sound is loud, so you won’t have to turn it up too much. The treble was disappointing, which is the case with loud earbuds. They tend to have good highs, but their mids tend to get suppressed.

These come with sound equalizer support, so you can adjust the sound slightly according to your preference.

Calling Experience

The mic felt average even though they’ve used two microphones per earbud, with four in total. It still doesn’t feel good and captures a lot of background noise.

 They don’t have ANC, but I can vouch for the passive noise isolation that comes with them.

6. Comfort

Comfort

These earbuds are light, with each bud weighing only around 4.8 gm. You will not feel their weight when you wear them. The box also comes with extra silicon buds in different sizes, so you can easily change them if the default ones don’t fit you.

I used them for working out, and they didn’t come out even while running. I also used them for day-to-day casual watching and listening. I didn’t feel their weight, and they felt comfortable throughout.

What Sets OnePlus Nord Buds Apart From Competitors?

Their Unique design sets the OnePlus Nord Buds apart from other TWS in the market. Their case features a unique trunk shape, and the earbuds also look different. They have a silver finish glossy pad which gives a really futuristic look.

As for other features, we don’t think they differ as much compared to other wireless earbuds in the same price range.

Should You Purchase OnePlus Nord Buds?

Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. And the phone you have also matters as they have a lot of features reserved for OnePlus phones, such as the gaming mode and Dolby Atmos Support.

If you want earbuds for calling and meetings, these are not for you, as the microphones on these are average.

If you like the unique design and are okay with a bass-heavy sound profile, you can consider getting these.

Pros and Cons

Here are all the pros and cons of OnePlus Nord Buds.

Pros

  • Sound Quality – Bass-heavy sound profile. Has the option to equalize sound through the app.
  • Comfort – Lightweight and comfortable to wear all day.
  • Design – Unique-looking case and earbuds.
  • Dual Connectivity – Can be connected to two devices at the same time.

Cons

  • Mic Quality – Below average despite having four mics.
  • Select Feature Support – Dolby Atmos support and Gaming mode are supported only in select OnePlus Devices.
  • Portability – The case is bulkier in shape and can’t be carried in usual pant packets. (Unless you have really big pockets).

Price

Their price is usually Rs 2,799 but might fluctuate occasionally.

Our Rating

Category of PerformanceRating Out of 10
Design8/10
Durability8/10
Battery Backup9/10
Functions and Connectivity7/10
Sound Quality7/10
Comfort8/10
Over all Rating49/60

FAQ’s

Does OnePlus Nord Buds have noise cancellation?

OnePlus Nord Buds does not have Active Noise Cancellation. It does have passive sound isolation because of its design which works well.

They are worth buying if you have a OnePlus phone that supports its features, such as Dolby atmos support and gaming mode.

Yes, they have glossy touchpads that let you access touch controls easily. You can also customize touch control through the app.

OnePlus Nord Buds come with sound equalizers through their app, a gaming mode, and Dolby atmos support.

OnePlus Nord Buds have four mics in total, two on each earbud.

Conclusion

After testing these earbuds out for some time, we can say they are a good pair of earbuds. But they have a lot of features reserved only for OnePlus phones, so you’ll be disappointed if you have a different phone as you won’t get access to them.

Their sound profile is good for bass lovers, and they also have the option to equalize sound through the app, which is available on all devices. The mic was disappointing, and we can’t recommend these earbuds for calling.

If you want these for watching videos and listening to music, they’ll be good. Otherwise, there are other TWS options available in the market that you can look at.