The OnePlus Buds Truly Wireless are well-built, decently comfortable truly wireless earbuds. They're designed to be paired with OnePlus phones, and you can only use their controls and access their companion app over this connection. They have a fairly bright sound profile that's lacking a lot of low-bass. While their 5.4-hour continuous battery life may not be enough to get you through your workday, fortunately, they come with a portable charging case with roughly 3.3 extra charges that's easy to bring on-the-go.
Our Verdict
The OnePlus Buds are middling for mixed usage. Their bright sound profile lacks a lot of low-bass, which may be disappointing for fans of neutral sound. Also, they don't isolate against background noises typically found in an office or during your commute. They're stable enough for low-intensity workouts, but they may not stay in your ears while you're at the gym.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Disappointing microphone recording quality.
- Not stable enough for intense exercise.
- No sound customization options.
The OnePlus Buds are middling for neutral sound. While their mid-range is balanced and suitable for vocal-centric content, they're lacking a lot of low-bass, so audio lacks thump and punch. Also, their treble range is a bit overemphasized, so they can sound a bit bright. Unfortunately, you can't customize their sound.
- Well-built, portable design.
- No sound customization options.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
The OnePlus Buds are sub-par for commute and travel. They don't block out background noises like bus and plane engines or chatter from other commuters. They're decently comfortable, but their 5.4-hour continuous battery life may not be enough to get you through long days on the go without a recharge. Fortunately, they're very easy to bring with you thanks to their portable design.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Sub-par continuous battery life.
The OnePlus Buds are decent for sports and fitness. While they're stable enough for casual listening sessions, they may fall out of your ears during more intense physical exercise. Also, you can't use their controls unless you pair them to a OnePlus phone. However, they're decently comfortable, and they're easy to bring on-the-go.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Not stable enough for intense exercise.
The OnePlus Buds are inadequate for office use. These headphones are decently comfortable, and while their 5.4-hour continuous battery life may not last through your workday, their charging case offers over three additional charges. However, they don't block out a lot of background noise, which can be distracting. Fortunately, if you listen to music at loud volumes, escaping audio sounds quite thin, so it may not disturb your coworkers.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Sub-par continuous battery life.
The OnePlus Buds aren't compatible with PS4 or Xbox One. They're compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming.
The OnePlus Buds are wireless-only headphones, so they aren't suitable for wired gaming.
The OnePlus Buds are poor for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a disappointing recording quality, so your voice sounds boxy and unnatural. The mic also struggles to separate your voice from background noise, even if you're calling from a moderately noisy setting. Also, these headphones don't block out a lot of background noise, which may be distracting during your call.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Disappointing microphone recording quality.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The OnePlus Buds come in two color variants: 'White' and 'Gray'. We tested the 'White' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The OnePlus Buds are truly wireless earbuds with a similar design to the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. They're well-built and decently comfortable, but their sound profile is lacking a lot of bass and sounds a bit bright. You need a OnePlus phone to use some of the features, such as the touch-sensitive controls and companion app. See also our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100, and the best AirPods alternatives.
The OnePlus Buds Pro are better in-ears than the OnePlus Buds. The Pro are more comfortable and stable, and they have an ANC system, so they can to block out more ambient noise. They also have a companion app, which offers features like button mapping. However, the original Buds have a better overall battery performance.
The Skullcandy Indy Evo True Wireless are better headphones than the OnePlus Buds. The Skullcandy have a more stable fit and do a better job isolating against background noises. They also leak less sound. However, the OnePlus have a longer continuous battery life.
The Sony WF-XB700 Truly Wireless are better headphones than the OnePlus Buds. The Sony have a more stable fit and a better-balanced sound profile. They do a better job of isolating you from background noise, and they leak less sound. Also, their continuous battery life is longer than the OnePlus.
The Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless are better headphones than the OnePlus Buds. The Jabra have a more stable fit and a more neutral sound profile. Also, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. They have a better noise isolation performance and they leak less sound. However, the OnePlus are more comfortable.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
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
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
