OnePlus Nord Buds 3 review

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 was launched in India on September 17, OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro released. The newly launched True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphones come with 12.4mm titanium dynamic drivers, support up to 32dB of active noise cancellation (ANC), and are said to have a total battery life of up to 43 hours. The base model appears to be similar to the Pro model in design. They share some specs, but the cheaper Nord Buds 3 don’t have some of the extra features offered by the Nord Buds 3 Pro. Do these differences affect the overall performance of the base model? Is there a noticeable difference in the user experience offered by these two earphones? We’ll find out in this review.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 design and features: Familiar territory

• Dimensions – 29.99 x 20.30 x 23.87mm (earbuds); 66.60 x 51.24 x 24.83mm (case)
• Weight – 4.2 (earbuds); 46.2g (box)
• Waterproof and dustproof – IP55
• Colors – Harmony Gray, Melody White

The design of the newly launched OnePlus Nord Buds 3 is similar to that of the Nord Buds 3 Pro. Like the Pro version, these TWS earphones have a traditional in-ear design and come with silicone ear tips. The ear tips are available in small, medium, and large options, and the medium size works best for me.

The touch control area near the top of the stick is divided by a depression

The earphones are also very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The base of the earphones is wide, which makes it easier for users to adjust the fit. Because the sensor is located on the narrow upper part of the earphone stem and has a noticeable indentation, it is less likely to accidentally trigger touch control commands.

Meanwhile, the pebble-shaped magnetic charging case of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 has a USB Type-C port and a pairing button at the bottom. A flashing LED light on the front of the case indicates the charging status of the device. The charging connector inside the case is located at the bottom. The case is lightweight and easy to carry even with the earphones. The earphones are rated IP55 for dust and splash resistance, while the case does not have any such certification. They are available in Harmonic Gray and Melodic White colors.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 apps and specs: The basics clearly defined

• Driver – 12.4 mm
• Companion App – Hey Melody App
• Gesture control – Yes

The Hey Melody app allows users to monitor the battery level of the charging case as well as the individual earbuds. It also helps manage different noise cancellation modes, namely on, off, and transparent. You can control the touch features and customize the EQ settings using the app. The dedicated gaming mode is claimed to ensure smooth gaming and low-latency audio-visual playback. Dual device connectivity allows the earbuds to connect to two devices simultaneously.

EQ settings can be easily customized through the Hey Melody app

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 come with 12.4mm dynamic drivers and a dual-microphone system. They offer up to 32dB ANC and up to 43 hours of total battery life. Each earbud comes with a 58mAh battery, while the charging case comes with a 440mAh battery. The charging case comes with a USB Type-C charging port. They support Google Fast Pair, Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and SBC and AAC audio codecs. Only the earbuds are rated IP55 for dust and splash resistance.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 performance and battery life: Too much bass?

• Active Noise Cancellation – 32dB
• Batteries – 58 (buds), 440 (box)
• Fast Charge – Yes Bluetooth – v5.4

Is there too much bass? This was the first question that popped into my mind within the first few minutes of using the OnePlus Nord Buds 3. But the problem is not the presence of bass boost, but the lack of balanced tuning. During the review period, I swapped these earphones for my regular ones and was not happy when some of my favorite tracks sounded muddy. The lack of detail, especially in high-frequency sounds, was most noticeable.

The customizable EQ settings on the Hey Melody app are somewhat of a highlight, though. For a casual listener like me, fiddling with the six-band EQ allowed me to play most songs on my playlist with ease. The Serenade preset on the app accentuated the vocals a bit, but it mostly took some of the punch out of the bass. While I wasn’t thrilled with the sound quality, I’m not complaining about the bass without complaint. The bass is good. It got us up and sometimes helped us keep stalling in check. It would have been nice if the sound was balanced, too.

Both the earphones and the charging box are light and easy to carry

Let’s move on to the ANC. To be honest, it doesn’t do much. It helps you cancel out some room noise, but it’s far from canceling out any noise. Sure, the transparency mode lets in more noise than the ANC mode, but it doesn’t cancel out much either. I tend to turn the ANC off instead of using the transparency mode.

Considering the OnePlus Nord Buds 3’s microphone performance is decent. Can you enjoy a smooth phone call wearing these earphones in the middle of a busy street? No. Should you expect to? Also no. The sound is audible, if slightly distorted. I’m not a big fan of making phone calls, so I can’t say this changes my experience.

My complaints about the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 end here, though. These earphones support dual-device connectivity as well as Google Fast Pair. Not only does this mean that the TWS wearable can be connected to two devices at the same time, but these earphones also allow us to switch between them seamlessly. These budget offerings support SBC and AAC along with Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. The lack of lossless audio codec support is justified considering the price.

Similar to the Pro version, the bottom of the earphone stem is wider.

The highlight of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 is battery life. The company claims long battery life, and in most cases, it’s close. Without ANC, the earbuds are rated for around 42 hours of total playback time, with a little over 11 hours on a single bud. Once ANC is turned on, the battery life drops significantly. I got a little over 26 hours of total playback time, with around 6 hours on a single bud. I didn’t push the volume past 50% during my battery testing.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3: Review

It turns out that there can be too much bass, especially when the overall tuning is unbalanced. Admittedly, the sound experience provided by the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 lacks detail and the noise cancellation performance is also insufficient. However, this may not deter interested customers, especially those on a tight budget.

Priced at Rs 2,299, the battery life of this TWS earphone is impeccable. Moreover, the comfortable wearing experience of OnePlus Nord Buds 3 is a good incentive for regular listeners who use earphones for a long time. Especially since most cheap TWS earphones make the ears uncomfortable due to long-term use, the smooth dual connectivity adds to the reasons why you can choose this earphone.

With limited funds, none of us expect to have a studio-level sound experience. After all, some money is better than nothing. If you have extra moneyHowever, you can also opt for the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (review), which retail for It is priced at Rs 3,299 in India. For an additional Rs 1,000, you get significantly better sound quality and noise cancellation.