The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro come with a lucrative price-tag, but are they worth picking up? Good sound, good fit, impressive ANC — yep.
OnePlus recently launched a new earbud model for its super-affordable Nord line. Their MSRP is $80, but they cost only $50 during launch time, and we have a feeling they may be discounted to that price often. Yet, with that low price tag, they still have the Pro moniker — OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro.
What’s good about them, what’s bad about them, and what’s so Pro?
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!
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro in a nutshell:
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
The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are available at $30 off during their launch celebration period! Three steps of ANC, good sound, great fit and feel.
$30 off (38%)
$49
99
$79
99
Buy at OnePlus
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro specs
Color optionsBlack, 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!
The stems have a touchpad for media controls — this is usually not a favorite. However, the touchpads on the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are very tiny and have a tiny ridge around them, so your finger can always feel where they are. This is to say that you won’t be doing accidental taps and stopping your music when simply adjusting the earbud in your ear.
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.
