For the past few years, whenever someone has asked for a recommendation on budget-friendly true wireless earbuds, OnePlus has been a go-to brand for me. Known for its excellent audio quality and user-friendly experience, OnePlus has consistently raised the bar with each new release. Now, the spotlight is on the OnePlus Buds Pro 3.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 exudes luxury with its sleek ivory case featuring a faux leather texture and chrome-finished earbuds. Despite their compact design, these earbuds are powerful, housing robust drivers that ensure a comfortable fit without causing ear fatigue over extended use. The Dynaudio branding on the back of the case highlights OnePlus’s new partnership, and for those who prefer a subtler look, a black version is also available.
From the moment I powered on the Buds Pro 3, I was captivated by the sound quality. Listening to “Krishna Murari,” the earbuds showcased their bass capabilities with prominent boom beats and crisp tabla accents. Activating the BassWave feature via the HeyMelody app took the experience to the next level.
The app offers various Dynaudio presets such as Balanced, Bold, and Serenade, catering to different vocal and bass preferences. I personally preferred the Dynaudio Featured setting, which aims to replicate the signature sound of Dynaudio speakers. For those who like a personalized touch, the app also allows you to save custom equalizer settings.
One of the standout features of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is Spatial Audio with head tracking. This creates a sense of immersion where the music surrounds you, rather than just playing in your ears. Thanks to the dual drivers and two DACs in each earbud, every instrument and vocal has its own space, creating a rich and layered sound experience. “Echo Sax End” confirmed my suspicion that these earbuds handle instruments exceptionally well, even outside of the bold mode designed to enhance them.
While unwinding to Suprabha’s “Chandrachooda Shiva,” I appreciated how the Buds Pro 3 emphasized her sharp vocals. In Sushin Shyam’s “Lagoon Chill,” the bass took center stage while the vocals subtly receded into the background. Although I usually shy away from too much bass, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 deliver a well-cushioned low end that’s easy on the ears. Jim Croce’s “Time In A Bottle” further highlighted the earbuds’ ability to balance instruments and vocals, ensuring neither overwhelms the other.
Noise cancellation has seen a marked improvement, with the option to fine-tune the level of cancellation to suit different environments. There’s also a Transparency mode for when you need to stay aware of your surroundings. If you prefer a more hands-off approach, the Smart Mode automatically adjusts the noise cancellation based on the ambient noise, optimizing battery life and extending usage up to 43 hours on a full charge.
The Golden Audio feature in the app allows for personalized sound adjustments, which I recommend setting up before fully immersing yourself in the earbuds’ capabilities. Additionally, for gamers, a low-latency mode can be activated through the app when needed.
In summary, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is a stellar example of how far wireless earbuds have come, striking a near-perfect balance between sound quality, comfort, and advanced features.
