OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: a huge sonic upgrade from OnePlus’ not-to-pricey buds

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3:
Two-minute
review

Earlier
this
year,
the

OnePlus
Buds
3
made
their
debut
with
an
updated
design
language
and
a
more
balanced
sound
than
anything
we’d
heard
from
the
company
to
date.
Now,
with
the
arrival
of
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3,
that
same
approach
has
been
kicked
into
overdrive;
resulting
in
OnePlus’

best
noise-cancelling
earbuds
yet,
and
by
quite
a
stretch.

Although
on
paper,
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
sport
a
similar
spec
sheet
to
their
predecessors,
the
company
has
enhanced
things
at
a
component
level;
meaning
the
familiar
dual
driver
design
is
now
also
backed
by
dual
DACs
in
each
earbud,
plus
a
few
other
hardware
tweaks.
Pair
that
with
revised
tuning
from
Dynaudio
and,
while
the
Buds
Pro
3
retain
their
forebears
penchant
for
bass,
there’s
far
more
dynamism
in
that
lower
frequency
range,
joined
by
more
balanced
mids
and
crisp
highs;
right
through
the
volume
range.

The
Pro
3
are
also
brimming
with
features
and
most
of
them
aren’t
solely
tied
to
OnePlus
devices
anymore.
You
now
get
decent
spatial
audio
support
(with
head
tracking)
that
works
on
a
far
greater
range
of
Android
devices
than
before
(as
well
as
non-Android
iPhones).
Seamless
dual
device
switching,
a
low
latency
game
mode
and
five
excellent
EQ
presets,
along
with
a
frankly
outlandish
bass
boost
feature
and
the
ability
to
tune
your
own
profiles
too.

Any
downsides?
One.
As
much
as
the
sonic
profile
has
come
on
–
enough
to
make
these
true
rivals
for
notable
buds
from
audio-first
brands
such
as
Bose
and
Technics
–
and
despite
packing
what
OnePlus
bills
as
its
best
noise
cancelling
yet,
ANC
(active
noise
cancellation)
is
good
but
not
class-leading.
Microphone
performance
is
fine
too,
with
acceptable
background
noise
suppression,
but
the
transparency
mode
does
little
to
differentiate
itself
from
being
switched
off
entirely.

You’ll
also
have
to
reconcile
yourself
to
the
absence
of
features
from
similarly-priced
rivals,
namely
conversation-awareness
and
voice
command
support.
Are
these
deal-breakers?
(I’d
suggest
they’re
not,
but
it’s
worth
noting
that
they’re
not
here.)

Speaking
of
deals,
despite
all
the
advantages
and
upgrades
over
its
last
few
buds,
OnePlus
hasn’t
upped
the
price
of
the
Buds
Pro
3
in
most
markets,
including
the
US,
where
they
cost
$179
(with
an
early
bird
reduction
at
the
time
of
writing,
to
$149).
UK
buyers
will
have
to
swallow
a
£20
price
bump
versus
the

Buds
Pro
2,
but
they
too
can
be
had
with
an
early
bird
offer
that
knocks
them
back
down
to
£179.
Not
bad,
eh? 

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Price
and
release
date

• 
  Launched
  on
  August
  20,
  2024
• 
  Priced
  at
  $179.99
  /
  £199
  /
  Australian
  pricing
  TBC
• 
  Early
  bird
  pricing
  includes
  a
  $20
  /
  £20
  discount

The
standard
OnePlus
Buds
3
arrived
on
the
market
in
February
2024
and
six
months
later
(in
which
time
they

leaked
extensively),
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
launched,
on
August
20,
2024.

In
most
markets,
OnePlus
has
set
the
Buds
Pro
3
at
the
same
asking
price
as
the
previous
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
2:
$179.99
in
the
US,
€179
in
Europe
and
₹13,999
in
India.
The
exception
to
that
is
the
UK,
where
the
Buds
Pro
3
see
a
£20
increase
to
£199,
which
reframes
their
standing
in
the
market
as
a
slightly
more
premium
offering,
comparatively.

The
silver
lining
is
that,
at
the
time
of
writing,
OnePlus
is
still
offering
the
Buds
Pro
3
up
with
an
early
bird
discount;
a
$20
reduction
to
$149.99
Stateside;
making
them
something
of
a
steal,
considering
the
sound
quality
on
offer.
That
same
reduction
also
carries
over
to
the
UK
too,
so
the
price
drops
back
down
to
its
predecessor’s
RRP
of
£179,
for
the
time
being.

Australian
pricing
and
availability
hasn’t
yet
been
revealed,
but
as
the
Buds
Pro
3
are
already
listed
on
OnePlus’
regional
website,
the
implication
is
that
they’ll
be
on
sale
sometime
soon.

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Specs

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Features

• 
  Check
  out
  ‘neck
  vertebrae
  health’
  tool
• 
  Broader
  compatibility
  than
  predecessor
• 
  No
  voice
  command
  or
  conversation
  awareness

Pairing
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
is
as
easy
as
opening
up
the
case
near
a

Google
Fast
Pair-compatible
Android
phone.
So
long
as
Bluetooth
is
turned
on,
all
you
have
to
do
is
choose
to
connect
via
the
card
that
pops
up
on-screen,
and
that’s
it.
iPhones
unsurprisingly
don’t
feature
Google
Fast
Pair
but
connection
is
still
painless,
with
a
long-press
on
the
pairing
button
on
the
side
of
the
case,
after
which
you
just
have
to
select
the
buds
from
the
Bluetooth
menu,
like
usual.

If
you’re
rocking
any
of
the

best
OnePlus
phones,
unlocking
the
full
feature
set
of
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
is
as
easy
as
pairing;
with
access
to
everything
direct
from
the
Bluetooth
devices
menu.
For
any
other
Android
phone
or
iPhone,
control
falls
to
the
HeyMelody
app
(which
serves
up
an
identical
UI).

From
top
to
bottom,
you’re
presented
with
a
battery
readout,
Noise
Control
(which
lets
you
toggle
on
ANC,
Transparency
or
turn
off
both).
There’s
then
a
noise
cancellation
sub-menu,
where
you
can
select
the
degree
of
background
noise
suppression;
that
includes
three
levels,
as
well
as
a
dynamic
‘auto’
mode.

The
Sound
Master
EQ
sub-menu
plays
home
to
the
hard
work
the
Danish
engineers
at
Dynaudio
contributed
to
the
Buds
Pro
3,
with
five
presets
(Balanced,
Bold,
Serenade,
Bass
and
Dynaudio
featured),
along
with
an
additional
BassWave
toggle
that
can
be
paired
with
any
of
the
EQ
profiles
and
itself
includes
a
-/+
5
slider.
Rounding
out
this
menu
is
where
you
can
build
your
own
custom
EQ
profiles,
split
into
six
frequency
sliders.

Hi-Res
mode
is
next,
with
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
opting
for
LHDC
5.0
as
its
codec
of
choice
here
(alongside
SBC
and
AAC).
As
for
devices
that
support
it,
in
the
smartphone
space
recent
OnePlus,
Oppo
&
Realme
phones,
as
well
as
the
top
entries
amongst
the

best
Xiaomi
phones,
and
Nothing
Phone
1
and
2,
are
all
confirmed
to
support
LHDC
5.0,
but
there
are
other
offerings
from
brands
like
Motorola
that
play
nice
with
older
iterations
of
the
codec
too.

I
preferred
the
default
‘Balanced’
EQ
profile,
with
BassWave
disabled
for
general
listening,
but
collectively
augmented
that
configuration
with
the
Golden
Sound
feature.
It
takes
you
through
a
frequency
test
for
each
bud,
before
building
an
audio
profile
unique
to
your
ears;
a
feature
I’d
highly
recommend
you
spend
the
time
to
set
up
to
get
the
most
out
of
the
listening
experience
here.

Next-up
is
spatial
audio,
which
was
available
on
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
2
but
only
worked
with
flagship
OnePlus
phones
at
launch.
Now,
support
is
hugely
expanded,
available
across
popular
music
and
streaming
apps
on
all
sorts
of
Android
phones,
and
even
iPhones
(although
iOS
isn’t
using
Google’s
Spatial
Audio
profile).
Optional
head
tracking
is
on
the
table
too,
which
works
well
in
practice.

There
are
three
Buds
Pro
3
features
exclusively
available
to
OnePlus
smartphone/tablet
users,
but
in
the
grand
scheme
of
things,
don’t
feel
like
damaging
omissions
if
you’re
on
another
platform.

The
most
interesting
is
the
‘neck
vertebrae
health’
tool,
which
can
use
the
sensors
in
the
buds
to
assess
your
neck
mobility
and
even
notify
you
of
bad
neck
posture
while
you’re
wearing
them.
Zen
Mode
Air
serves
up
relaxing
white
noise
sounds
(like
‘Summer
Waves’
or
‘Forest
Rain’
in
wonderful
high
fidelity.
Lastly,
the
Buds
Pro
3
supports
camera
control
on
OnePlus
devices,
letting
you
snap
a
picture
with
their
on-stem
controls,
or
supply
your
videos
with
the
microphone
feed
from
the
buds,
if
desired.

Game
Mode
reduces
latency
between
the
buds
and
your
device,
turning
on
automatically
on
OnePlus
devices
when
they
detect
you’re
running
a
game,
while
it
appears
as
a
toggle
in
the
HeyMelody
app
for
other
Android
and
iOS
users.

Multipoint
connectivity
(branded
‘Dual
connection’
here)
is
a
great
inclusion
on
the
Buds
Pro
3
that,
once
setup,
lets
you
seamlessly
pause
audio
on
one
device
and
move
to
another
without
needing
to
re-pair
to
keep
listening.
This
works
without
issue
in
practice,
tested
across
OnePlus,
Android
and
iOS
devices.

The
last
two
features
at
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3’s
disposal
are
a
fit
test
–
to
ensure
you
have
a
good
seal
when
wearing
them,
and
a
Find
My
option,
which
emits
a
loud
tone
from
the
buds
when
activated,
and
on
Android
devices
also
plugs
into
Google’s
Find
My
Device
system;
noting
the
last
location
they
were
used.

In
short,
an
absolute
mountain
of
functionality
that
makes
the
Buds
Pro
3
incredibly
versatile
for
a
variety
of
listening
conditions.
All
that’s
missing
is
conversation-aware
ANC
(which
quietens
or
pauses
music
when
the
buds
detect
someone
speaking
to
you
or
vice
versa)
and
voice
commands;
for
hands-free
playback
control
or
interaction
with
your
device’s
smart
assistant.

• 
  Features
  score:
  4.5
  /
  5

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Design

• 
  Stemmed
  buds
  w/
  chromed
  outer
  face
• 
  New
  top-loading
  case
  is
  better,
  but
  wireless
  charging
  is
  backwards
• 
  IP55
  rated
  buds,
  IPX4
  case

OnePlus’
Buds
Pro
line
has
always
sported
a
stem-style
design,
originally
accented
with
a
chrome-dipped
tip
aesthetic,
while
the
driver
housing
has
typically
been
finished
in
lightly
textured
plastic.
With
the
Buds
Pro
3,
however,
that
chrome
finish
has
crept
up
to
cover
the
stem
and
housing
completely,
which
I
think
is
a
shame.

While
eye-catching,
the
‘dipped’
look
of
previous
entries
made
for
a
more
distinctive
appearance,
even
at
a
distance.
Many
levied
criticism
at

Samsung
for
the
design
similarities
of
its
new
angular
stemmed

Galaxy
Buds
3
and

Galaxy
Buds
3
Pro,
but
the
more
rounded
stems
and,
now
consistent,
surface
finish
of
OnePlus’
latest
buds
renders
them
far
more
like
chrome-clad

AirPods
Pro
2
doppelgangers,
in
my
opinion.

That
said,
while
the
finish
more
readily
holds
onto
fingerprints
than
previous
iterations,
ergonomically,
it
sits
far
more
comfortably
in
the
ear
than
any
true
wireless
buds
I’ve
worn
of
late,
and
that’s
with
the
pre-fitted
medium
silicone
ear
tips.
OnePlus
also
includes
extra
small,
small
and
large-size
oval-shaped
alternatives
in
the
box
(along
with
a
charging
cable).

Despite
the
fact
that
they’ve
gained
a
little
weight,
I
found
the
Buds
Pro
3
to
be
more
comfortable
and
secure
when
worn
(over
the
older
Buds
Pro
2),
even
when
working
out
or
for
extended
periods.
In-ear
detection
proved
reliable
too,
pausing
and
resuming
music
when
you
remove
or
insert
either
bud,
and
it
works
on
iOS
as
well
as
Android.

The
Buds
Pro
3
boasts
a
completely
redesigned
case
that
has
caused
some
discord
among
fans
on
platforms
like
Reddit.
In
place
of
the
squared
makeup
compact-style
case
of
previous
generations
–
which
opened
to
reveal
the
buds
in
their
entirety
–
the
Pro
3’s
buds
reside
within
a
new
top-loading
oval
enclosure,
that
features
smooth
edges,
contrasted
against
a
leather-like
textured
surface
finish.

Image
1
of
2

I
think
the
new
case
makes
the
Pro
3
more
pocketable
and
more
likely
to
retain
the
buds
inside,
should
you
drop
it,
but
some
people
don’t
seem
to
appreciate
the
change.
The
USB-C
port
on
the
case’s
underside
allows
for
a
quick
10-minute
charge
to
deliver
13
hours
of
playback
(for
comparison
AirPods
Pro
2
deliver
just
1
hour
of
playback
from
a
5-minute
recharge),
while
a
full
100%
refill
takes
approximately
70
minutes.

The
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
also,
conveniently,
include
wireless
charging
too
(a
full
recharge
this
way
takes
about
2.5
hours),
but
for
some
unknown
reason,
unlike
every
other
pair
of
wireless
charging-capable
buds
out
there,
OnePlus’
new
case
design
demands
that
you
place
it
face
down,
instead
of
face
up
when
recharging
without
cables.
It’s
an
unintuitive
design
move
that
just
takes
some
getting
used
to.
At
least
with
up
to
43
hours
of
use
per
charge,
you
won’t
have
to
worry
about
fiddling
with
the
case
on
a
wireless
charger
all
too
often.

Along
with
the
existing
repertoire
of
stem-based
press
or
press-and-hold
controls
that
previous
Buds
Pro
have
sported,
the
Buds
Pro
3
carry
across
the
new
swipe
gesture
added
to
the
OnePlus
Buds
3;
letting
you
adjust
volume
(or
switch
track)
on-ear,
by
swiping
up
or
down
on
the
front
of
the
stem.
Even
now,
I
still
sometimes
struggle
to
find
the
touch-sensitive
area
consistently,
but
controls
otherwise
work
reliably.

For
added
peace
of
mind,
the
case
is
IPX4-rated,
while
the
buds
themselves
are
IP55-rated
against
dust
and
water
ingress;
collectively
meaning
you
should
have
no
issues
wearing
these
when
working
up
a
sweat
or
getting
caught
in
the
rain.

• 
  Design
  score:
  4
  /
  5

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Sound
quality

• 
  Excellent,
  well-balanced
  sound
  profile
• 
  Huge
  upgrade
  on
  predecessor
  that’s
  comparable
  to
  pricier
  rivals
• 
  Still
  behind
  the
  curve
  on
  mic
  voice
  isolation
  and
  ANC

Perhaps
the
most
divisive
aspect
of
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
is
the
audio
performance.
In
a
nutshell,
this
product
outputs
exceptional
sound,
with
a
great
default
profile,
outlandishly
lavish
bass
(without
making
things
muddy),
and
significantly-improved
response
in
the
mids
and
highs
(compared
to
the
Buds
Pro
2),
that
punches
above
its
weight.

The
flip
side
is
that,
despite
the
promise
of
strides
made
in
ANC,
microphone
performance
and
transparency
mode,
the
improvements
feel
significantly
more
pedestrian.

If
you
didn’t
tell
me
the
buds’
noise
cancellation
was
dynamic,
I
wouldn’t
readily
know.
ANC
performance
is
good
at
slightly
softening
mids,
while
also
trimming
low
drones
and
high
hisses,
but
speech
and
the
like
still
slip
through,
as
do
sudden
changes
in
volume
in
your
surroundings.
Of
course,
that’s
to
be
expected
to
a
degree,
but
still,
the
performance
here
when
massaging
away
constant,
low-level
sounds
was
fine
rather
than
fantastic. 

On
calls
and
when
recording
your
voice,
the
Buds
Pro
3
boast
a
three-microphone
setup,
supported
by
a
VPU
(voice
pick
up
bone)
sensor,
however,
the
results
are
again
just
‘fine’.
They’re
more
full-bodied
than
the
mics
on
some
other
buds
around
this
price
point,
but
plosives
in
speech
tend
to
get
lost
when
the
Buds
Pro
3
are
trying
to
iron
out
background
noise
at
the
same
time.

While
I
already
touched
on
a
lack
of
awareness
to
Transparency
mode,
any
benefit
over
just
disabling
it
altogether
went
as
far
as
adding
more
high
frequency
sounds
back
into
the
buds’
passive
isolation.

Microphone-bashing
out
of
the
way,
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3’s
excellent
sound
improvements
likely
come
as
a
result
of
the
move
to
dual
DACs
per
driver,
per
bud;
one
for
the
11mm
woofer
and
one
for
the
6mm
tweeter.
Dual
DACs,
two
magnets
and
a
fancy
new
ceramic-metal
composite
diaphragm
on
the
woofer,
alongside
a
“small
but
mighty”
35-micrometer
flat
voice
coil
for
the
high
frequencies
(likely
the
biggest
contributor
the
this
generation’s
more
balanced
sound
profile)
collectively
elevate
the
standard
of
OnePlus’
audio
quality
to
new
heights.

The
result
is
a
cleaner,
more
dynamic
sound,
with
great
separation,
less
crowding
in
the
lower
frequencies
and
more
definition
in
the
mids
and
highs.

• 
  Sound
  quality
  score:
  4
  /
  5

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Value

• 
  Superb
  sound
  for
  the
  price
• 
  You’ll
  need
  to
  pay
  more
  for
  buds
  with
  superior
  ANC
• 
  Discounts
  bring
  strong
  rivals
  down
  to
  a
  similar
  price
  point

If
you
spend
the
majority
of
your
time
listening
on
your
headphones,
rather
than
talking,
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
impress
with
just
how
much
they
improve
over
the
Buds
Pro
2,
while
also
serving
up
excellent
sound
outright,
that
belies
their
$179
/
£199
asking
price.

With
the
transitional
pricing
space
they
reside
in,
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
serve
as
worthwhile
alternatives
to
the
likes
of
more
established
premium
entries,
like
the

Sony
WF-1000XM5
(originally
$300
/
£260
but
available
today
in
the
UK,
at
least,
for
as
low
as
£190)
or

Technics
EAH-AZ80
(available
today
for
around
$300
/
£240),
as
well
as
more
budget
focused
options,
like
the
Bose-certified

Moto
Buds
Plus
(approximately
$150
/
£130).

Headphones
today
aren’t
just
about
listening,
however,
and
so
even
with
their
comparatively
paltry
battery
life,
if
microphone
quality,
ANC
and
Transparency
mode
are
major
factors
for
you,
you’ll
likely
want
to
cough
up
a
little
extra
and
go
for
a
known
quantity,
like

Apple’s
AirPods
Pro
2
($250
/
£230)
or
the

Bose
QuietComfort
Earbuds
2
(about
$180
/
£250
today).

• 
  Value
  score:
  4
  /
  5

Should
I
buy
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3?

Buy
them
if…

Don’t
buy
them
if…

OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
review:
Also
consider

How
I
tested
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3

• 
  Review
  test
  period:
  1.5
  weeks
• 
  Testing
  included
  streaming
  from
  different
  audio
  sources,
  including
  spatial
  audio
  supported
  videos 
• 
  Switched
  between
  OnePlus,
  (other)
  Android,
  iPhone
  and
  PC
  devices

I
used
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
every
day
for
the
duration
of
the
review
period,
giving
them
an
initial
10-hour
burn-in
before
assessing
sound
characteristics.

I
paired
the
Buds
Pro
3
with
all
manner
of
devices,
from
Android
phones
made
by
OnePlus
and
other
manufacturers,
as
well
as
iPhones
and
a
Windows
laptop.
This
was
partially
to
test
the
likes
of
multipoint,
as
well
as
checking
which
feature,
if
any,
were
exclusive
to
certain
device
types
or

operating
systems.

I
used
every
feature
that
the
Pro
3’s
software
experience
had
to
offer
and
tried
the
buds
themselves
in
all
manner
of
environments,
with
varying
degrees
of
ambient
noise
to
test
features
like
ANC
and
microphone
quality
against.

As
a
reviewer
with
13
years
experience,
and
having
reviewed
numerous
audio
products
–
from
Bluetooth
speakers
to
a
myriad
of
true
wireless
buds
at
a
full
range
of
price
points
 –
I
felt
confident
assessing
and
scoring
the
OnePlus
Buds
Pro
3
in
the
context
of
the
wider
TWS
earphones
market
in
which
it
competes.

Read
more
about
how
we
test

• 
  First
  reviewed
  September
  2024