OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro review: Punching above its price!

This year has produced some wonderful, relatively inexpensive true wireless earbuds, and the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro buds keep that momentum going. The Nord line of OnePlus products is their budget line but that doesn’t necessarily mean you get budget sound quality. And it doesn’t mean these buds are light on features either. Let’s dig into all that’s on offer.

Price and availability

I have the Starry Black colorway for review, but you can also get the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro in Soft Jade direct from OnePlus.com or Amazon in the US and Canada for $79.99 and $119.99, respectively.

What I like about the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro

Bass heads are going to love these earbuds, and for good reason. The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro earbuds really deliver a thump, which doesn’t bury the high-frequency sounds, and that thump is tightly controlled. Though not bright, the vocals are still clear and don’t feel recessed in the mix. They're smooth, so you won’t get bright highs, but you won’t be wading through the mud either.

All of that was before hitting the HeyMelody app and activating BassWave 2.0 with Serenade mode, or my custom EQ which raises the high frequencies. With BassWave active and cranked up anywhere between seven and ten, the bass smashes you in the face. Er, ears. In a good way and with no distortion. Big K.R.I.T.’s “My Sub” aggressively knocks in your ears. Skrillex’s “Mumbai Place” has great bass, but the bass extension is a bit light. The sub-bass on this track could use some help, even with BassWave set to its max at ten. Listening to Sylosis, I found this configuration of the Serenade mode and BassWave activation to bring the kick drums and lower guitar frequencies to life while giving plenty of space for wailing electric guitars and the clash of symbols to be very well represented.

The detail in the stereo imaging is very good at this price point. Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’,” one of my favorite tracks for hearing the placement of instruments in the stereo image, is delightful.

The soundstage isn’t expansive but is still quite large. The high end is smooth, so you won’t find any harsh instrumentation. “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” had no sibilance in Paul Simon’s vocals. An issue that arises sometimes when a product is tuned with a bit too much sparkle in those frequencies. Art Blakey’s “Moanin’” had no shrill horns. This speaks to the transparency of these earbuds though, as the horns in Blakey’s arrangement do come close to being fatiguing, which isn’t an issue of the buds but of the way that track was mastered.

There are some smart features baked into the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro that I really like. I haven’t run down the battery in one listening session yet. OnePlus rates the battery at 12 hours with ANC off and 5.5 hours with ANC on, which is just okay. But when I do run these down, and after I’ve exhausted the 20 hours of charge in the case, just 10 minutes of charge will give me 11 hours of playback at 50% volume with no ANC. The noise cancellation is offered in four intensity levels: Smart (adaptive), Max, Moderate, and Mild. OnePlus says that 49dB of noise is reduced and what I found is an effective reduction in the low end and mids, and the highs were diminished.

They HeyMelody app offers the option to taylor the ANC to the fit of the buds and shape of your ears. I used the personalized noise cancellation option and can't say that I heard a significant difference in the noise reduction before and after.

Speaking of noise, many earbuds I’ve tested lately have required the phone volume to be close to its max, but the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are satisfyingly loud at around 60-70% of my Galaxy S22 Ultra’s max volume. So, there’s plenty of headroom for robust sound.

The touch controls work quite well and don’t register false contacts. If I reposition the earbuds in my ears, it doesn’t accidentally activate the “touch pads” on the upper end of the stems (shown in the photo above).

Rounding out the smart tech, the HeyMelody app is well organized and offers solid options for making the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro your own. In addition to the EQ presets and customizations I walked through earlier, you can access OnePlus' version of multipoint pairing in the app. Called "Dual Connection," it works well as I tested it with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The earbuds went between both devices without missing a beat.

The Transparency mode on these buds is quite natural sounding, though not fully transparent. I can still tell there’s some passive noise cancellation happening, but sound comes through clear without sounding artificial.

What I don't like about the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro

These are $80 earbuds, so there are some things to be aware of. The bass extension is middling despite BassWave. I found tracks that generally have beautiful sub-bass are a little light in that area. I'd love to see one of the high-resolution Bluetooth standards represented, but the Nord Buds 3 Pro support only the AAC and SBC codecs.

The buds have three microphones and feature a noise reduction algorithm, but despite that, I’ve found that sometimes they sound like you’re talking in a closet. My voice is audible, but the overall sound quality is middling.

The charging case is USB-C only, so there is no wireless charging. This feature is hit or miss at this price point. Some competitors have it, but many do not.

There is a "Find my earbuds" feature, but your earbuds must be connected to the phone for it to work. You access it through the HeyMelody app, but it only rings your earbuds to help you find them if you're in close proximity (Bluetooth range) and connected to them.

Competition

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro have solid competition this year from Nothing who launched the CMF Buds Pro 2 which have the same IP rating, but support Hi-Res Wireless Audio. I haven’t reviewed them yet, so I can’t compare sound quality.

Then you have EarFun Air Pro 3 which also support Hi-Res Wireless Audio like the CMF Buds Pro 2. They also have a wireless charging-enabled case. This isn’t an easy field to compete in this year, so I think it comes down to which pair of earbuds are retailing for the best price at the time you’re ready to buy.

Should you buy the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro?

You should buy the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro if….

• You want a pair of earbuds that punch above their price
• You want an easily pocketable pair of good-looking earbuds
• You want solid EQ customization

You shouldn't buy the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro if….

• You want wireless charging
• You want Hi-Res Wireless Audio support

You get a lot for $80! Solid sound, great features, EQ customizations, and robust IP ratings make the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro earbuds a great option in a market segment that has seen some great competition emerge. At $80, or if you find them on sale, these are a great buy but I also think that spending $20 more for the Nothing Ear (a) may be a smart buy with their support for Hi-Res Wireless Audio formats like LDAC.

At the end of the day, if you buy the Nord Buds 3 Pro, I don't see buyer's remorse being a problem. And they're a pair of Bluetooth earbuds that bass heads and those who like a more neutral sound will enjoy.