OnePlus Buds 3 review: Cost-effective TWS earphones

OnePlus Buds 3 comes in two colours-- splendid blue and metallic grey colours-- for Rs 5,499 in India.

Besides smartphones, OnePlus is doing well in the earphones segment. Within a short period, the Buds Pro series has managed to build a good reputation in the premium segment in India.

With the latest Buds 3 series, the company is targeting the budget Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphones category. Design-wise, it takes inspiration from the Pro series, but does it live up to the expectations? Let's check it out.

Design and build quality

As noted earlier, the new OnePlus Buds 3 looks similar to the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. It flaunts an in-ear design with a smooth pebble stone-inspired finish.

This is a metallic grey review unit. It looks great in the sunlight. The company also offers Buds 3 in splendid blue.

Each earbud features a tiny strip of touch sensor at the top with a matte finish and the rest below has a glossy stem. The company pre-fits good quality medium-sized silicone tips. They fit perfectly on my ears

[Note: In the retail box, customers will have a couple more pairs of ear tips in big and small sizes.]

OnePlus Buds 3 series.

The earphone case is made of sturdy polycarbonate material and the lids have good-quality magnets to lock and protect the earphones inside. It can remain closed and survive accidental drops on the ground, but only from a knee-high distance (ex. slipping from the pocket while sitting on a chair).

Also, the earphones come with an IP55 rating, meaning they can sustain accidental water splashes and even rain, but only for a few minutes. Customers are advised to dry the earphones with a cloth before returning them to the case.

OnePlus Buds 3 series.

Each earbud weighs just 4.8g and the case, which houses a 520mAh battery weighs 40.8g. The lightweight earbuds were able to hang on to my ears pretty well. They managed to remain in place even when I jogged. But, it definitely can't while getting into a crowded bus during peak hours. No wireless earphones can stay in place and there will always be anxiety of losing the earphones in such situations.

OnePlus Buds 3 series can connect with an iPhone and Android mobiles with HeyMelody app and also manually through Bluetooth settings option.

User interface and performance

With the HeyMelody app, it takes a few minutes to pair the Buds 3 earphones to the companion phone.

It supports Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity and Google Fast Pair to instantly connect with companion Android phones. It can support up to 10 metres (around 30 feet) of stable wireless connectivity with a smart device.

OnePlus Buds 3 series.

But, the touch sensor on top of the stem is a bit small. In the initial days, I struggled to skip to the next song and even answer calls with tap gestures. It took more than three days for the muscle memory of the fingers to get to the correct location of the sensor.

However, with up and down sliding gestures, it is easy to control the volume.

OnePlus Buds 3 series.

Inside, Buds 3 houses new dual dynamic drivers with coaxial design. Each earbud features a 10.4mm woofer paired with a 6mm tweeter to ensure a broad frequency range from 15Hz to 40KHz. It excels with distortion-free audio output and manages to deliver powerful bass, crisp treble, and deep vocals.

The HeyMelody app offers equaliser and here, customer can make adjustments across the frequency range (from low bass to high treble), that match their taste.

It also boasts Smart Adaptive Noise Cancellation technology, offering up to 49dB of noise reduction. Considering its price range (under Rs 6,000), I didn't expect much. But, it managed to deliver exceptionally well to control the outside sound of the buzzing traffic.

Even during the flight, it dialled down the sound of the engine amazingly well and delivered an exceptional listening experience.

HeyMelody app offers equaliser option to customise audio delivery on OnePlus Buds 3 series.

Even on calls, it worked great. By the way, each earbud comes with three mics. They managed to pick up the voice even on busy streets with all the noisy vehicles in the background and deliver it to the other side of the call with minimum distortion.

With a 58mAh capacity, earphones can deliver up to 6.5 hours with ANC. With ANC off, it can go on for 10 hours.

With the charging case (520mAh capacity), it can last for 44 hours without ANC and with ANC on, it can go on for 28 hours.

OnePlus Buds 3 series' case.

Depending on your usage behaviour, it can deliver for more than a week of battery life. I usually spend around two and a half hours on earphones (with ANC on) listening to podcasts or music while commuting between the office and home every day. And, I used to charge only once a week.

With the HeyMelody app, one can always plan the charging of the earphone case and ensure earbuds are fully charged and reduce the anxiety of them dying in the middle of a virtual conference or a phone call.

Also, it supports fast charging. With just 10 minutes of charging, it can last for seven hours.

OnePlus Buds 3 series.

Final thoughts

Barring the initial struggle to get accustomed to the tiny touch sensor of the earphones, the OnePlus Buds 3 managed to deliver an excellent audio listening experience.

Also, it did a phenomenal job with the ANC feature. And, the battery performance too, is exceptional.

It comes in splendid blue and metallic grey colours-- for Rs 5,499 in India.

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