OnePlus has been in the audio world for a long time. Their products that stand out the most in my memory are their JBL earphones set as well as the most premium at the time the OnePlus Icon. But years later, OnePlus wanted to follow the TWS trend and came up with several variations – but all of them were mid-range and mediocre. Last year, they finally released the first TWS in the flagship class, the OnePlus Buds Pro.
After a long time reviewing audio products on us, my favorite premium TWS is the Jabra Elite 85t. So I don't think I can accept these OnePlus Buds Pro. It's not the best I've ever used but I'm comfortable with it because it balances audio capabilities and functional needs enough to be my current favorite.
Read: Oppo Enco X2 Review – Still Among the Best Although No Longer the Champion
Specifications And Design
OnePlus Buds Pro
Type of in-ear headphones
Dynamic type 11mm Audio Driver
Microphones 3x microphones for SANC and ENC
Adaptive Smart Noise Cancellation
Codec LHDC, AAC, SBC
Bluetooth 5.2 sensor
Auto pause
40mAh earphone battery
520mAh charging pod
7 hours
38 hours with charging pod
Bluetooth 5.2 tethering
Google Fast Pair
USB-C charging
Wireless Qi
HeyMelody app support for non-OnePlus devices
Controls Squeeze and press
IP55 waterproof capability – earphones
IPX4 – charging pod
Selling Price RM799
At the beginning, I reminded OnePlus Buds Pro will have more or less the same specifications as Oppo Enco X2. But really, on paper Oppo is better and OnePlus is just average. There are many features and functions that have been borrowed from each other. OnePlus also uses a dynamic 11mm audio driver, three microphones on each earphone, Bluetooth 5.2 support, Google Fast Pair fast tethering and LHDC codec support.
It is also no longer a strange thing for TWS to have wireless charging support which will make the charging process even easier. It also has IP55 water and dust protection support on the audio bud and IPX4 for the charging pod. In line with other premium TWS, OnePlus Buds Pro can also be tethered to two devices simultaneously.
The design of the OnePlus Buds Pro is also interesting because it uses a flat charging pod design. This makes the entire body thin, making it easy to store in a pocket or fit in a small space in a bag. The outside also looks neat and clean, no buttons and nothing strange except for the silver hinge, USB-C port, LED light on the front and the engraving of OnePlus text in silver.
For earphones, at first glance it looks like AirPods Pro. But the earcups on the white version I reviewed are shiny silver with silicone on the tips that are soft and comfortable in the ear. The design of the earphones looks neat, simple and clearly shows that it is from a premium class.
Audio Quality
This offering from OnePlus looks interesting, but at launch I can honestly say I wasn't excited at all. It failed to capture my full attention. But after using it for a few weeks, I feel it's a great package and should be tried by everyone and not just OnePlus users.
Bass/Lows
OnePlus Buds Pro has deep enough bass with a strong thump. It's just a pity that the bass on this TWS doesn't have good definition. It's just too strong and doesn't have a good balance. It seems to be overpowering and just makes me feel excited for a while and then continues to feel bored. After a few minutes of happily stomping my feet to the beat, I switched to a lighter song. It's easy to explain to you, the bass on TWS is interesting but not calm and overly lively.
Vocals/Mids
The vocals produced by TWS are seen to favor men's voices more than women's voices. An example of a song I heard is Ed Sheeran, Shivers where the vocals are very clear and delicious. It's also soft and not too loud and makes me comfortable to listen to for long periods of time. Taylor Swift's song, I Knew You Were Trouble sounds soft and just fine. But it's a bit drowned out with the bass being too deep making the female vocals not stand out that much.
High Tone/Highs
The treble on the OnePlus Buds Pro has good detail. It reminds me of the audio quality of Oppo Enco X2 which is not sharp and not very loud. It's nice and comfortable, makes me enjoy listening to guitar riffs. With the deep bass it interferes a bit with the highs, but not too bad and a lot of music can still be enjoyed.
Microphone
Also surprisingly, the 3x microphones built into each OnePlus Buds Pro earphone with AI system for noise cancellation during phone calls are very good. Voice sounds clear, bright and clean. Even when using a voice recorder application it is also able to provide satisfactory audio results. Not yet the level of AirPods Pro or studio quality, but adequate and sufficient that I didn't expect it to be like this.
ANC, Noise Canceling Mode And More
Usually TWS at the price sold by OnePlus has ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) support which is active noise cancellation. But this TWS does not have an active system and uses a manual system that needs to be adjusted on the application or use their smart system "ANC" (Adaptive Noise Cancellation). At first I wasn't sure about it, but after listening and using it I was pleasantly surprised by its ability to cancel out the surrounding noise. The sound of the fan in the house, the sound of the air conditioner is also not heard. The noise cancellation also doesn't have annoying pressure effects.
As for the sound-through mode, it works very well. It has clean audio and does not have the effect of sounding like the radio frequency is searching for the right channel. It's been a long time since I've used TWS with this kind of noise canceling quality and sound-through mode. In fact I dare say it comes close to the quality of the Jabra Elite 85T just a little more comfortable.
Controls And Applications
Each OnePlus Buds Pro earphone can be controlled via a squeezing method on each stem. It's like AirPods, only less pleasant to press. But it works well and is not overly sensitive. Every control I want to do like pinch once, twice or triple works perfectly fine.
Controls can also be changed on the app easily. Which application is used is HeyMelody same as Oppo's TWS if you want to use this TWS on a non-OnePlus device.
It has a slight drawback, which is that users can't do tuning on apps like Enco X2. But OnePlus offers OnePlus Audio ID which is a personal audio profile that is customized according to the user's taste. This is the same as the Jabra, only the difference isn't that noticeable and I feel it's more of a gimmick. Also available is an in-ear fit test, where if the earphones are loose it will suggest the user to tighten them for a more perfect audio experience.
The application also has a Dual Connection feature for tethering to two devices. But it cannot use the LHDC feature which is not visible in the app and is only available on OnePlus devices. In the application there is also a Zen Mode Air feature for meditation such as White Noise or nature sounds such as in the forest or in a calming area.
Battery
I'm a TWS user who doesn't really care about battery life because I have a lot of TWS on the side. I am also a user who has not used TWS for such a long time. What is important for me, if it can last at least four to five episodes of a TV series, two movies or two hours of music I am quite satisfied.
In this OnePlus Buds Pro test I activated ANC and it had no problem lasting around 4-5 hours. Without ANC it adds another two hours. As for the charging pod, OnePlus claims it can last up to 38 hours – which I can confirm is true. I didn't experience any issues with the battery draining quickly even when using on two devices at the same time.
Then with Warp Charge fast charging support, a 10-minute charge provides up to 10 hours of endurance. This can only be achieved if the cable and charger used are from OnePlus or with SuperVooc technology.
In the box
Here's what you get with every purchase.
1x OnePlus Buds Pro
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
2x Install additional silicone buds.
1x Manual.
Conclusion
OnePlus Buds Pro is TWS that suits my own taste. I love the design, the in-ear comfort and the audio quality is enough to last me all day. It also has great ANC capability which was beyond my expectations. Overall it is balanced with unique functions and quality audio. Since having these OnePlus Buds Pro, I haven't used my Jabra in a long time.
It's a little disappointing that the LHDC feature that guarantees a better connection with low-latency audio delivery is limited to OnePlus devices only and cannot be used on other devices even when using the HeyMelody app. But for RM799, I feel this is one of the best TWS that satisfies and I'm more willing to buy this TWS than the Oppo Enco X2 that I used before.
It doesn't matter if you are an Apple user or not a OnePlus user, it is a good TWS that you can try to meet your daily audio needs such as phone calls or entertainment. I'm sure you won't regret this TWS, because in my opinion it's a product worth owning.
Pro
Premium design and construction
Satisfactory audio quality
Packed with interesting functions and features
Robust noise cancellation system
Friendly with Android and iOS
Cons
OnePlus Audio ID seems like a gimmick
White color that gets dirty quickly