The OnePlus Buds 4 are mid-range truly wireless earbuds. They sit in a crowded class of Android-focused earbuds trying to offer more than basic ANC and app EQ features. In this case, OnePlus offer features like custom sound personalization. That said, some of their more specialized tools, like AI Translation, are tied to compatible OnePlus phones.
Our Verdict
The OnePlus Buds 4 are great for sports and fitness. They're very portable, comfortable enough for longer sessions, and stable enough to stay put with little adjustment, even while engaging in fairly brisk activity. Their IP55 rating also gives the buds some dust and water resistance, which helps if you're taking them through a sweaty gym session or a drizzly walk home. However, they don't have ear hooks or stability fins, so they still aren't the safest bet for very intense workouts.
Excellent noise isolation performance.
Comfortable and very stable fit.
Earbuds rated IP55 for protection against splashes of liquid.
Battery life with ANC on is only okay.
Some features are limited to compatible OnePlus phones.
The OnePlus Buds 4 earbuds are very good for travel. Their ANC does an excellent job cutting down noise across the whole frequency range, significantly attenuating everything from airplane engine rumble to street noise. They're also pretty comfortable in-ears, so they won't start to feel intrusive as quickly as bulkier options. And their small size makes them easy to toss in a pocket. The main drawback is battery life: they last just under five hours with ANC on, so you'll want to keep the case nearby for longer travel days.
Excellent noise isolation performance.
Comfortable and very stable fit.
Mic sounds better in practice than the score suggests.
Battery life with ANC on is only okay.
Some features are limited to compatible OnePlus phones.
The OnePlus Buds 4 are decent for office work. Their ANC cuts down the usual cacophony of office sounds well, including nearby conversations, keyboard clatter, and droning A/C fans, and they don't leak much audio unless you're listening very loudly. They're also comfortable and lightweight enough for longer stretches at a desk. Their mic is strong too: it performs much better than our results suggest, and is especially good at separating your voice from any background noise.
Excellent noise isolation performance.
Mic sounds better in practice than the score suggests.
Battery life with ANC on is only okay.
Some features are limited to compatible OnePlus phones.
The OnePlus Buds 4 aren't designed for wireless gaming. They don't have a dedicated wireless dongle, so you can only connect them to PCs via Bluetooth, and their Bluetooth latency is too high for games where timing matters. Their app includes a Game Mode, but these still aren't a good choice for anything beyond casual mobile gaming.
The OnePlus Buds 4 aren't suitable for wired gaming because you can't use them wired.
The OnePlus Buds 4 have decent audio reproduction accuracy. They have a warm sound profile, with very emphasized bass that adds plenty of thump and rumble to your audio, but their mid-range and treble stay very close to our target. That means vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present. Their treble range does have a few small inconsistencies that can make sounds like cymbals sound dull or piercing depending on their pitch, but the left and right drivers are very well matched, so objects are correctly located in the stereo field, and harmonic distortion is extremely low. You can adjust their sound to your tastes with the six-band EQ in the companion app.
The OnePlus Buds 4 have excellent noise isolation. Their ANC attenuates everything from low train engine rumbles to higher-pitched sounds like fan whine. They also don't leak much audio, so people nearby aren't likely to hear what you're listening to unless you're blasting them in a quiet room. They don't have a dedicated wind reduction feature, though, so wind brushing against the ANC mics can create noisy artifacts.
The OnePlus Buds 4 have a mic system that performs better than our score suggests. Our mic measurements aren't fully reliable because the earbuds appeared to treat the test signal as noise, and so tried to suppress it. The recorded clips in the review give the clearest sense of how they sound in real calls. Subjectively, you sound clear and intelligible, if not especially lifelike.
The OnePlus Buds 4 have superb frequency response consistency. Once you get a good fit with the correct size of ear tips for your ears, you can expect consistent sound across reseats.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The OnePlus Buds 4 are available in two colorways: 'Zen Green' and 'Storm Gray.' We tested the 'Storm Gray' variant and took a photo of the label.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
Within OnePlus' earbud lineup, the OnePlus Buds 4 are mid-range earbuds built around the brand's app and phone ecosystem. They still work with iOS and Android through the HeyMelody app, but some of their more distinctive tools, like AI Translation, are reserved for compatible OnePlus phones.
In the wider lower mid-range market, they're best understood as a strong option if fit, stability, and real-world call quality are high priorities. Their ANC is also competitive with earbuds like the EarFun Air Pro 4+ and CMF Buds Pro 2, although the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless still have the stronger noise isolation overall. Rivals like the Anker, Nothing Ear, and EarFun also offer conveniences the OnePlus lack, like wireless charging, longer battery life, or broader codec support. The OnePlus' biggest advantage is less obvious from our results: their mic sounds better in practice than our score suggests, making them a compelling option if you take a lot of calls.
For more options, check out our articles on the best budget and cheap wireless earbuds or the best wireless earbuds under $100. If you're an Apple user, check out our article on the best AirPods alternatives.
The OnePlus Buds 4 and EarFun Air Pro 4+ are close competitors, but they've different strengths. The OnePlus offer a more secure fit, slightly stronger ANC, and a mic that sounds subjectively superior. On the other hand, the EarFun target music listeners who like to choose between codecs such as LC3, aptX Adaptive, and LDAC. The EarFun also have a more controlled bass response out of the box, though their fit can loosen over time and their mic struggles a bit in noisy places. If you've a compatible OnePlus phone, the OnePlus earbuds make more sense because you'll get access to ecosystem-specific features like AI Translation.
The OnePlus Buds 4 and the Nothing Ear are comparable pairs of earbuds with different strong points. If you're primarily interested in stronger noise isolation and a more consistent fit, go for the OnePlus. On the other hand, the Nothing Ear have some more premium-feeling extras: their case supports wireless charging, both the buds and case have IP ratings, their battery lasts longer, and the Nothing X app offers a deeper EQ for people who enjoy fiddling with bands and Q values. Subjectively, the OnePlus have the better-sounding mic in practice, so they may be the better pick if call quality matters more to you than battery life, wireless charging, or deeper EQ tools.
The OnePlus Buds 4 are slightly better all-around earbuds than the CMF Buds Pro 2, especially if ANC and fit are priorities. The OnePlus block a little bit more noise overall, feel more secure in the ear, and have a more accurate mid-range and treble, so vocals and cymbals aren't pushed as far back in the mix. Still, the CMF do have a longer continuous battery life, a more flexible ecosystem for features like LDAC, and a clever case dial for extra controls. For most people, the OnePlus make the most sense, unless you're looking for an affordable Nothing-flavored pair of earbuds.
The OnePlus Buds 4 and Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless are relatively affordable pairs of earbuds with strong noise cancelling. But on balance, the Anker are the better value pair. Their ANC is a little stronger overall, they last much longer per charge, and their case adds four extra charges and wireless charging. The OnePlus have the edge for fit, with better stability and superb frequency response consistency, and their mic is less troublesome than the Anker's poor, far-away sounding mic. Still, for most people, the Anker's superior ANC and battery life make them the pair to choose.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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