OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review: Beating Apple and Samsung where it counts (2024)

OnePlus has already released two pairs of truly-wireless earbuds that ended up offering great value for their cost — the OnePlus Buds 3 and the Nord Buds 3 Pro. Now, we're seeing the best of what the company can offer in the audio space with the debut of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. These earbuds improve on the Buds 3 while hitting the exact same retail price as the Buds 2 Pro. They cost just $180, which undercuts comparable offerings from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and other brands.

In 2024, the best pair of earbuds to pair with your flagship phone is usually the one that your smartphone manufacturer sells. It's true that for OnePlus users, the Buds Pro 3 are certainly the top pick for wireless audio. They sound great, are comfortable, have exclusive features on OnePlus devices, and hit the right price. But there are a few things I love about the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 that might tempt Apple, Samsung, and Google users. Aside from the enticing price point, the balanced sound signature and pressure-free ANC experience are both compelling features.

About this review: OnePlus provided a pair of Buds Pro 3 for the purposes of this review. The company had no input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Great earbuds

OnePlus Buds Pro 3

Hard to beat for the price

8/ 10

$150 $180 Save $30

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are a pair of sub-$200 headphones that build upon the feature set of the $100 Buds 3 that launched earlier this year. The new Buds Pro 3 have more battery life, better ANC, wireless charging, and a sleeker charging case. They feature a balanced sound signature and excellent ventilation, but ANC and transparency modes still aren't the greatest.

Pros

• Sound quality is very solid and features a balanced sound signature
• Battery life is great and the case features USB-C and wireless charging
• The combination of faux leather and metal for the charging case feels premium

Cons

• ANC could be better
• Transparency mode doesn't sound realistic
• Some features are exclusive to OnePlus phones

$150 at OnePlus

See Also

OnePlus Nord N30 Review: A decent but unremarkable entry-level phoneOnePlus Nord 4 im Test: Sieht aus wie ein Flaggschiff, kostet aber wenigerHands-on with the OnePlus Nord: The true OnePlus X successorBehind the OnePlus Nord 3: Picking the Dimensity 9000

Pricing, specs, and availability

OnePlus released the Buds Pro 3 earlier this month, and they officially retail for $180. However, OnePlus is known to offer launch discounts, and the Buds Pro 3 are already down to just $150 on the company's website. Unfortunately, you can't find the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 at many other U.S. retailers at the time of publication. You can pick between the Midnight Opus (black) and Lunar Radiance (white/silver) colorways.

Design and charging

Sleek, premium, and finally featuring wireless charging

In the past, OnePlus used a flat case to house and charge its earbuds, like the one we saw on the Buds 3 and the Buds 2 Pro. However, the company might be following in the audio industry's footsteps and adopting a pill-shaped case design moving forward. The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro featured a sleek, pill-shaped charger, and now the Buds 3 Pro follow suit. The charging case for the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is even slimmer and more premium, featuring metal and faux leather.

OnePlus often uses faux leather on its products, and it's the kind of thing you either love or hate. I tend to like the look because it's something different from the same combination of metal, glass, and plastic we're used to. I wouldn't blame you if you thought it came off as tacky, though. As for durability, I was originally concerned, but there isn't anything to worry about here. The faux leather has properties closer to plastic than fabric, so it should hold up fine. To simulate long-term wear and tear, I scratched the Buds Pro 3 case with a pocketknife blade a few times, and there were no marks to speak of.

A big downside to using OnePlus' earbuds in the past was the lack of wireless charging and/or active noise-canceling (ANC). The good news is that OnePlus added both of those features to the Buds Pro 3. They can charge over USB-C in about 70 minutes or wirelessly in 2.5 hours.

Those numbers are solid to me considering how little you have to charge the buds. The earbuds will last 10 hours on a single charge with Adaptive ANC off and about 5 hours with Adaptive ANC on. Change the codec settings, volume, or ANC mode, and battery life will vary. It's still good overall, with the case adding an extra 20-30 hours of battery life, roughly. In a week of moderate-to-heavy usage, I've only gotten the Buds Pro 3 case down to about 20% without needing to charge.

As for the overall case design, my only complaint is about the pairing button. It's small, hard to find without looking at it, and oddly positioned on the right side of the charging case. The earbuds feel similar to AirPods Pro 2 and past OnePlus buds. They're more comfortable than the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, in my ears.

Software and connectivity

Works well with iOS and Android, but better on OnePlus phones

Software is a big reason to buy one pair of earbuds over another. You can use the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 with any phone, iOS or Android, using the HeyMelody app. Since these earbuds use Bluetooth 5.4, they will work with Bluetooth-compatible devices as well. However, you'll get the best experience with a OnePlus phone. I used them with the OnePlus 12R, where the Buds Pro 3 appeared right in the phone's settings app. There are some exclusive features, too, like the ability to snap a photo remotely using the earbuds.

I know not everyone has a OnePlus phone, but the HeyMelody app is good enough that you don't need to. You'll lose a few features, although the essentials like ANC, spatial audio, earbud fit tests, and multipoint connect are all available on any device. There's also a game mode that syncs audio and reduces latency. Switching from AirPods Pro 2 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, I didn't feel like I was missing anything using the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro with a Google Pixel 9.

Sound quality and ANC

Great for the price, and the sound balance is excellent

The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 had ANC, but it wasn't very good. Luckily the Buds Pro 3 features improved ANC, and you'll actually be able to notice the difference. I like to test TWS earbuds that offer ANC in coffee shops, because I should be able to block out coffeehouse chatter with ANC and order a coffee easily with transparency mode.

I could do that with the Buds Pro 3, so they passed. The ANC quality is about on-par with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro but still behind the AirPods Pro 2. Transparency mode is fine in most instances; however, it kind of sounds like you're hearing a conversation while underwater and lacks realism.

The reason I love using ANC with the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 has nothing to do with how much sound it blocks out. Instead, it's the excellent ventilation and the lack of pressure that makes these a breeze to use for long listening sessions. If you've used ANC headphones before, you may have noticed that some add airplane-like pressure that can be uncomfortable. The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are the most comfortable and pressure-free ANC earbuds I've ever used, and this benefit alone makes me want to keep using them.

As far as sound quality is concerned, I can't say for certain whether the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 sound better than Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or AirPods Pro 2 — they're all close, and I'm not an audiophile. If I had to rank them, I'd put the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro first, AirPods Pro 2 at a close second, and the Buds Pro 3 last. However, that doesn't tell the whole story.

Out of the three, the Buds Pro 3 provide the most balanced sound, and it isn't really close. Both the AirPods Pro 2 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro heavily emphasize the low end of the spectrum out of the box. This is fine for pop, hip-hop, R&B, and rap music, but leaves something to be desired in rock, jazz, and other genres. By comparison, it doesn't sound like it's overemphasizing bass at all. In fact, you can hear the mids and highs really shine in certain tracks, like my favorite from Booker T & the MG's.

That's not to say that other kinds of music sound bad with the Buds Pro 3. In fact, I think it's the opposite — songs sound the way that they were recorded in most cases. The album Liquid Swords by GZA is a fantastic example. It's a rap album that features numerous skits and interludes, which benefit from the crisp and clear mids and highs, and the punchy baseline still sounds great. If you like pop, I've been listening to Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet, and the liminal electric guitar impresses there.

If you're after that Beats-like overemphasized bass, you might like the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or AirPods Pro 2 more. However, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are the best pick for people who want balanced sound and great soundstage representation. It's also worth keeping in mind the Buds Pro 3 cost significantly less than those other TWS earbuds used for comparison.

Should you buy OnePlus Buds Pro 3?

You should buy the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 if:

• You have a OnePlus phone and want a great pair of TWS earbuds
• You want a sub-$200 pair of earbuds with solid sound quality and ANC
• You need long battery life and a balanced sound signature

You should NOT buy the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 if:

• You have a bigger budget and own an iPhone; get AirPods Pro 2 instead
• You don't need ANC or wireless charging; get the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro instead
• You want a pair of earbuds or headphones with better ANC and transparency mode

The balanced sound signature and pressure-free ANC offered by the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 make these earbuds worth a look for any smartphone user. However, those features alone might not be enough to sway Google, Apple, and Samsung users. Combined with the $180 price point — lowered to $150 at the time of publishing — there's more room for temptation. These are the best OnePlus earbuds ever, and they're great OnePlus phone users. For everyone else? It's still a tall order to forgo the first-party features offered by your phone manufacturer.

Great earbuds

OnePlus Buds Pro 3

Hard to beat for the price

$150 $180 Save $30

If you're looking for a great pair of TWS earbuds for your Android phone, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are certainly worth a look. They're the best option for OnePlus users, and Galaxy and Pixel users might want to pick the Buds Pro 3 too if they prefer a balanced soundstage and hate ANC pressure.

$150 at OnePlus